Offline and Online Service

As brick and mortar retailers join the online community in an effort to reach more customers, many are at a loss for the appropriate marketing and customer service strategies for their virtual store. Used to face-to-face interaction in which a smile and a greeting could make a sale, traditional brick and mortar retailers are now [...]

Buy Local Campaigns

As big box retail and online giants continue to step on independent territory, campaigning for the local guy and the brick and mortars of Main Street has become a national movement. Among the advocates speaking out for independents is Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) and author of, “Big-Box Swindle.” [...]

Stores Charge Admission

While the goal for most independent retail stores is to take back Main Street USA from big box and chain retailers, victory doesn’t always promise fewer worries. While Borders’ bankruptcy and recent decision to shut down all shops may seem like a blessing to independent bookstores, concern still dwells within these brick and mortars. A [...]

International Wholesale

With roots in the independent retail business, International Wholesale of Southfield, MI takes care of its brick and mortar customers. Michael Sheena of International Wholesale comments, “We know the struggles faced by independent retailers, and we aim to be a customer oriented company that is willing to go the extra mile for them.” It was [...]

Indys Join Online

Independent retailers have taken on the challenge of increasing the awareness of Main Street retail and its community benefits. According to the Northwest Earth Institute’s Choices for Sustainable Living, “A dollar spent at locally owned stores is usually spent six to 15 times before it leaves the community.” Although keeping money in the community is [...]

E-Retail Sales Grow Twice as Fast as Brick-And-Mortar Sales

Total U.S. sales of goods online continues a trend of growing twice as fast as total sales of retail goods, the Commerce Department reports. Compared with the first quarter of 2010, e-retail sales grew 2.6 percent, while total retail sales grew only 1.1 percent. Similarly, compared with the second quarter of 2009, e-retail sales grew [...]

Microsoft to Open Two More Retail Stores

The software giant has announced it will be adding to its growing chain of brick-and-mortar stores.

Learn From Jewelry Websites

Does your website sell jewelry? Or are you a brick and mortar store looking to grab a bigger share of the market? If you fit either of these descriptions, you need to check out The Jeweler Website Advisory Group (jWAG) at www.jewelerwebsiteag.com. This group, headquartered in Totowa, NJ, is publishing research data about advertising and [...]