Comments on: The Local Value Add

By: patrickortman

patrickortman — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:12:14 +0000

Yes, price is not the only way to compete- for anyone.

By: Sanjay Kumar

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

Also agree. Local businesses should focus on the hard-to-find and unique, non-commodity type goods. When they do this, they don’t have to compete on price.

www.SimplifyThis.com

By: Kimber

Kimber — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

I completely agree. The little guys can’t and shouldn’t compete on price.

One way a local bookseller can compete is by adjusting quickly to local demand (special orders, local interest, etc). Some store managers in big chains have little to no control over book ordering and even if they do, the delay between ordering and receiving is long.

Many large bookstores are also not that interested in local author booksignings. They want the national superstars of the writing world.

Indie bookstores can also add extra touches like calling interested patrons when new books from their favorite authors come in.

By: Peter Renton

Peter Renton — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

You make some excellent points here John. I have always maintained that providing a unique local experience is in many cases far better than the homogenous chain store experience. We support our local bookstore in Denver, The Tattered Cover, because it is unique, it supports local authors, and we don’t mind paying a couple of dollars more for a book. In an old renovated movie theater they succeed in creating a unque booklovers experience.

By: John Jantsch

John Jantsch — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

Peter,

I love the Tattered Cover – I get there every time I’m in Denver. There’s just something so nice about sinking into one of those old stuffed chairs on the third floor on rainy day.

By: Heinrich Della Scala

Heinrich Della Scala — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

I agree as well John. When I started having monthly sort of free-for-all seminars cum discussions on art collecting, to easy discussions and disections of individual artists paintings, including mini seminars on Fine Art Printmaking, what was to be a test at the begining, soon became a by-monthly and then a more structured weekly event.
From the innitial attendance of some 10 to 15 people on my first evening, it grew immediately to over 150 people attending and joining in the evenings events.
New Year’s Eve “First Night’ 1994/95 I missed the celebrations due to the large number of people coming and going & wanting more during the evening and well past the midnight hour.

By: Local value add for Online Shopping - NetResults

Local value add for Online Shopping - NetResults — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

…local and independent retail channel should do to stay in business. I have to agree with his insights. Perhaps, one of the important point he stated was, the product itself, in this case, the books, can be obtained from everywhere nowadays. So, what really …