Guest Column: Shop local. Click here.
Recent economic woes coupled with Internet shopping are typically blamed for the decline in our sales tax base. In response, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce has launched the “It’s Your Business” campaign to persuade shoppers to spend their dollars in our community and assist local businesses to better compete with out-of-town Internet sales.
National surveys show that convenience and saving time are the two primary reasons most people purchase items online. Surprisingly, saving money is a distant third. Most major retailers offer websites with shopping carts, where shoppers can make purchases within a matter of minutes for items that will be delivered to their door within a matter of days. Free delivery and in some cases avoiding local sales taxes are also considered benefits by Internet shoppers.
The local retailers interviewed for this article do maintain a Web presence; however, they do not use their websites for direct sales but rather to encourage shoppers to call or e-mail for more information or to visit their stores. In fact, none of their websites provides the option to make purchases directly online. Because most local retailers are small businesses with few employees, maintaining a shopping-cart website takes more time and expertise than their workforce can provide.
Like many other downtown business owners, Charlie Graznak, co-owner of McAdams’ Ltd., first established a website about 10 years ago. However, it has been within the past two years that Graznak started utilizing her website to promote products and services. “Originally, our website was not interesting, not shoppable, not representative of our store; it looked homemade,” Graznak said.
To pay for a professional Web designer, Graznak diverted funds from newspaper advertising. “I couldn’t fathom that having a website was a big deal,” she said. “I’m a real convert though. I can’t ignore the customer feedback since we’ve hired a professional.”
That professional is Amy Hess of Desktop Studio, a former graphic designer who began designing and maintaining websites based on her customer demand. “My clientele hasn’t really changed; their needs have,” Hess said. “In the beginning, websites were static informational sites. Today, they are very dynamic and interactive.”
For McAdams’ Ltd., Graznak said there are three types of website visitors: those who do not know her, those needing services and those wanting to buy gifts through the bridal registry.
“We’ve got people who are checking us out to see if it’s worth coming in the store,” Graznak said. In addition, McAdams’ Ltd. offers silversmithing and antique jewelry refurbishing, both niche services typically searched for online. The Bridal Registry is highly used, but shoppers still must call or e-mail to make their purchases.
Fred Schmidt, owner of Schmidt Billiards and Game Rooms, originally set up his website several years ago to provide online shopping; however, Internet sales only generated about 5 percent of his sales, and the time commitment was overwhelming. Still, Schmidt, who is preparing to launch a new website, said an Internet presence did result in a national customer base. Schmidt’s new website, similar to Graznak’s, will entice customers to pick up the phone or send an e-mail for personal contact. “Nearly every customer that walks through my door had already visited my website,” Schmidt said. “Our purpose for the website is more informational; we may have a blog, and we’ll do e-mail updates.”
Schmidt’s website mirrors his products: pool tables, poker tables, foosball games and dart supplies. “The types of games and products we sell require conversation,” he said. Likewise, Schmidt prefers to speak directly with his customers about products or services.
Graznak has a similar philosophy. “I have no plans to add a shopping cart to my website,” she said. “I don’t want my customers’ experience with McAdams’ to start and end on a website.”
Cindy Scott, co-owner of Keeping Good Company, doesn’t have a website up yet but frequently uses e-mail blasts and Facebook posts to connect with her current and potential customers. “We’re in the research process of the next phase of our Web presence, contemplating putting some of our specialty items online, featuring custom options and fabric finishes available for each,” Scott said.
Scott said that her time spent on social marketing varies. “We use ConstantContact.com to invite our customers to become Facebook fans,” she said. Typically Scott uses Facebook to promote various lines of furniture, accessories, custom-paint treatments and changes in products or displays.
Although Scott has only owned her shop for four years and has only been using social marketing the past year, she said her e-mail blasts have opened up conversations with her customers. “We’ve built our e-mail list by personally inviting each customer that has come in since January 2007,” Scott said. “But we mean it when we say we won’t bombard you with e-mails to clog up your inbox.”
The key, according to Scott, is to make it worth the customer’s time to open the e-mail. Consequently, she typically includes coupons or announcements about short-term or holiday specials in her e-mail blasts. “We try to keep in touch about once or twice a month,” she said.
Although local retailers are boosting their Internet presence and social marketing efforts to find shoppers, they still rely on personal contact to make sales. Hess emphasized that successful websites and social marketing require both good design and ongoing maintenance. According to Hess, good design involves the visuals, the content and the proper coding and functionality. She said, “Ongoing Internet marketing, including social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and e-mail newsletters keep your clients informed and coming back.”
Local online shopping
www.mcadamsltd.com
www.schmidtbilliards.com
www.desktopstudio.net
www.constantcontact.com
Keeping Good Company-
Columbia on Facebook