It’s no secret that online shopping has made things a lot easier for consumers. But the same cannot be said for the impact its had on small town retailers.
The ability to have just about anything on your doorstep in 24 to 48 hours without ever leaving the comforts of home adds a convenience that cannot be ignored. But there’s something to be said for walking around a downtown area, popping into a local business and doing your shopping the old fashioned way. Plus, if everyone did their shopping online, then there would be less and less local businesses to support.
Toadstool owner Willard Williams noticed Amazon’s effect on his business when it first went online. The now mega retailer began with selling books and since Williams is the owner of three bookstores in Peterborough, Keene and Milford, it was a noticeable hit to the bottom line. Shortly after that, Barnes & Noble launched its website, and Williams saw the impact it was having on the bookstore industry.
While Amazon is still a big player in the book world, they have branched out to just about everything. Williams said that Amazon is known as a place for information about books, including what’s available and new. But Willard has noticed that doesn’t always mean they buy the book online.
“They will look up the book, get the title, learn a little bit more and then come to us,” Williams said.
It’s a struggle for any small business owner, as they are faced with the endless possibilities of online shopping compared to what they can reasonably stock in their stores. They hope that people use it as a guide and then shop local for what they find, but that’s not always the case – an unfortunate reality for small town shops.
Bill Littles, who has owned Steele’s Stationers with his wife Elizabeth since 1989, has had people come in, look at a product and tell him they can find it online. It’s not an easy thing to hear, but Littles understands that is just how the shopping experience can is these days. The goal for Littles is to have things not as easily found on the web and give them a reason to come back.
“You have to be unique. You have to offer different things or more of them,” Little said. “And you can’t expect to sell the same things because they’re likely going to have a better price.”
Both Littles and Williams said that competing with online prices just isn’t financially possible.
“We don’t look at their prices,” Williams said. “If we tried to compete it would be disastrous for our business.”
Instead, they try to offer items that may not be found as easily outside of a small town store. At Steele’s, customers can buy a single pen or loose file folders, where to get those items online, the expectation would be to buy a box. Littles said they’re in the stuff business, and the hope is to have enough variety that would bring people into the store to meet their needs.
“It’s hoping for the mentality that your customers and the customer base are conscious of the fact that if they’re living in an area with brick and mortar stores that they need to contribute and it’s their responsibility in a way because if we don’t shop local, they’re not going to be there,” Littles said.
For Williams, it’s the used book section and the older, obscure titles that set them apart.
“Our intention is to bring in good books, put good books on our shelves and give people honest opinions of books that are out there,” Williams said.
He also offers author events frequently that gives people another reason to come in.
Both like to think that their customer service is why customers choose to shop at their stores, and really any local business.
“And if you spend your money in local businesses, it generally helps your community,” Littles said, adding that money spent at his store will likely be spent at other local businesses.
There’s also that sense of discovery walking through a store and the chance to bump into an old friend or neighbor – something that certainly won’t happen sitting on the couch scrolling through websites.
“It’s about making people realize they want to shop local, support local,” Williams said.
The hope is that people continue to shop locally, even with online retailers making it easier and easier to get everything you need in the shortest time possible.
“We don’t sell as much as we used to and that’s attributable to Amazon entirely,” Williams said. “But all we can do is concentrate on the things that work in a community.”