Last week, we talked about whether wine shop employees are a cost or a profit center and how your answer to that question – and your attitude – will shape you shop’s chances for success. This week, we diver further into what the big boys of retail are doing and what we can learn from them. [level-members]
Once again, it’s Amazon that’s inspiring fear in the hearts of some, but if you’re more creative, you know there are valuable lessons to be learned from what the retailing behemoth does. Something new they’re trying is offering delivery seven days a week.
And why are they doing this? Anecdotally, retailers have long known that the two big strikes against online shopping, in the view of most consumers, are paying for shipping and waiting for shipping.
But now Amazon has evidence that the problem is growing. The reason they’re taking such expensive action probably has to do something with a shift in behavior on the part of some younger consumers.
It’s called “webrooming” and, aside from being an absolutely awful word, it is the opposite of showrooming. These young consumers are researching products online and then making their purchase locally. According to a recent study by Accenture the numbers for both are now about equal for millennial shoppers.
Now this by itself isn’t much help to us, though it is good news, but it does point out that you do have options. There’s no need to throw up your hands in despair and desperation. As this great piece on the GigaOm blog lays out, a combination of awareness, a willingness to experiment, and solid marketing strategy are your best chance for carving out your profitable place in the market.
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