Crypt 8 Stories of Online Marketing: The Uncomfortable Side Effect of Local Store Movement

What local B2C businesses should focus on to stay open
Since COVID-19 broke into our lives, there have been many demonstrations on social media about the #ShopLocal movement. I’ve been on that cheerleading team too, have you?

But when the time comes, are you REALLY shopping locally or just supporting from the sidelines as you continue to order on Amazon or some large store in a different country, capitalizing on all the juicy sales that happen during the holiday season?

It’s fine. I believe that many of us are guilty, myself included.

Which brings me to why I’m writing this article …

The dilemma of supporting locals: Sometimes it just isn’t easy to do so.

The other day we needed a replacement for our barbecue. We called a few local stores and no one brought the part we needed.

Amazon did. And we get it the next day.

This past Saturday I was obligated and determined to support local businesses and set out to purchase several gifts on my Christmas list.

Simply put, this is what I found:

• I drove 45 minutes round trip to pick up a $ 10 item, so I was able to save a $ 10 shipping cost.
• Due to COVID-19, I had to queue outside in the cold for about 10 minutes before I was able to enter the store and look around.
• Across the street was another store that I wanted to visit. The formation was twice as long, so I passed that idea on to him.
• A store I really wanted to go to (and get assistance to) was closed at 2pm. It was 2:30 when I arrived.
• Two of the boutiques I went to had a fraction of the inventory they normally have during the holiday season. Again, due to the pandemic, they had to remove the shelves from the center aisle to accommodate social distancing.
• Another small specialty store only allowed one customer in at a time and there were two people in front of me. Time was running out so I got back to my car.
• And don’t even get me started on the stress of dealing with traffic jams and finding parking …

I was out for four hours, doing my best to support the locals, but it wasn’t convenient at all! Not to mention how exhausted I was when I got home.

Now, in the spirit of full transparency, I went to a big store and guess what?

There are no lines at the door due to the large size of the store.

I found exactly what I was looking for.

I also found a 30% off coupon on my phone while lining up that I used for my purchase.

And I was in and out in a few minutes.

It’s hard for small local businesses to compete with that.

But they will have to if they want to survive.

Large stores, including Amazon, offer the selection and competitive prices they offer because they have the infrastructure to support such value-based initiatives.

And it’s not like this is part of a “new” economy, either.

When I was a kid, we didn’t have internet, but we had mail order. Remember that gloriously thick Sears Holiday Wish Book that came in the mail?

My dad sat with my brother and I as we perused the toy section, circling our favorites in joyous anticipation of what would open up on Christmas morning.

Mind you, fulfilling that wish list wasn’t as convenient as it is now.

Today, the consumer only needs to buy from the comfort of their home and that’s it! The gifts arrive a few days later, ready to be wrapped and placed under the tree.

As a small business (particularly a brick and mortar), how can you compete with that?

Here are some ideas to consider:

Think in terms of value. What can you bring to the table that your customer can’t get at a large online store or on Amazon?

Consider these focus areas for your clients:

• Customer service. The more personalized you can be, the better.
• Uniqueness of the product. What do you have that a) can’t be found anywhere else and b) is an excellent replacement for what they would have bought elsewhere?
• Quality. SUBWAYorst all the time, the price determines the quality. Cheaper prices mean lower quality. It’s hard to compete on price, can you compete on quality instead?
• Convenience. How can you make it MORE convenient to shop with you than Amazon? For example, can you offer the same amenities that Amazon likes?
  • Easy to use
  • Sale prices
  • Free / low cost shipping
  • Fast delivery

Always think about the perceived value your business offers, as that is what consumers base their purchasing decisions on.

For people to support the local store movement, products or services must be of equal or greater quality / value than what Amazon or other large entities offer online.

COVID-19 has definitely had a huge impact on small businesses, especially traditional ones that depend on local customers. The ripple effect of this pandemic has already been and will continue to be enormous.

If ever there was a time to take a hard look at your business model, it is now!

You must find creative ways to deal with e-commerce sites, which will only become more prevalent and competitive as the pandemic drags on.

For the success of your business,

Susan

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:
1. Article: The “buy local” message is everywhere, but deals are hard to resist during a pandemic. By CBC News

2. Article: Wondering how to increase holiday sales with COVID-19 and what seasonal marketing strategy to use? Read 4 Tips for Marketing Your Small Business Locally (on our website)

3. Article: If you have a store business or offer a service within a geographic area, focus your website marketing efforts on local SEO techniques like these: How to optimize your website for local searches

4. Articles: How to Shop Locally and Responsibly During COVID-19 and 5 Benefits of Shopping Locally by Small Business BC.