28 June 2009
Small Independent Retailers Face Another Invasion
Jun/29/2009 15:45 Filed in: Marketing
for the Small Retailer
Even
though brick & mortar storefronts sales continue
to struggle, the online retailers are seeing a
continued growth in sales.
Forrester Research forecasts
online sales to grow from 11 percent to 13 percent in
2009. That’s an increase of $156.1 billion. One has
to ask why?
Online retail stores are a convenient, easy way for customers to shop. It saves both gas and time from driving store to store. It allows the customer to compare prices without ever leaving their home or office. The return policies for online retailers continue to improve as store-front retailers seem to be making it more difficult. The shopping habits that consumers are developing during this recession are not going to go away when the recession ends. “Shopping” will never be the pass-time that so many once enjoyed.
In the past, small independent retailers had to face the invasion of the “big box stores”, Walmart and Target. Many survived – many did not. They now face the challenge of the “online” retailer. Again many will survive and many will not. Those small independent retailers that do survive will do it because they give their customers a reason to shop in their store.
“Why should I shop in your store?”
Online retail stores are a convenient, easy way for customers to shop. It saves both gas and time from driving store to store. It allows the customer to compare prices without ever leaving their home or office. The return policies for online retailers continue to improve as store-front retailers seem to be making it more difficult. The shopping habits that consumers are developing during this recession are not going to go away when the recession ends. “Shopping” will never be the pass-time that so many once enjoyed.
In the past, small independent retailers had to face the invasion of the “big box stores”, Walmart and Target. Many survived – many did not. They now face the challenge of the “online” retailer. Again many will survive and many will not. Those small independent retailers that do survive will do it because they give their customers a reason to shop in their store.
“Why should I shop in your store?”