CASE STUDY: COMPETING IN RETAIL– “DAVID VS GOLIATH”

By: Richard Peters

The retail industry and retail strategy have been major influences on the marketing and sales operations of a number of the companies with which I have been involved. I marvel at the innovation and creativity shown by some small retailers in the face of what may appear to be insurmountable competitive threats from much larger players. Probably the largest single threatening development facing small retailers are the “big box stores” the most notable of which is Wal-Mart and the niche market “category killers” such as Best Buy and Future Shop in the technology retail sector.

I want to share a few examples, which I believe,  you will find to be inspiring and motivating competitive advantage stories. These are cases where small retail owner/operators have grown and prospered by turning potential adversity into opportunity at a time when their peers were folding their tents in face of what they perceived as impossible odds.

As I write this case study, I am reminded of the bestselling book entitled “Who Moved My Cheese?” If you have not read this book, you must.

CATEGORY KILLERS

I have spent over 10 years helping software, hardware and internet organizations brand and market their products and services. In that time,  I dealt with dozens of retailers who either exclusively or primarily sold computers and related technology. As this industry started to consolidate “category killers” such as Best Buy and Future Shop became the nemesis of small technology retailers.  Aggressive pricing and extensive product selection caused numerous smaller retailers to close their doors.

Here are few examples of small IT retailers who through innovation managed to survive despite the odds. 

1.   As Best Buy and Future Shop were expanding and smaller retailers were closing their doors, one of our IT retailer’s was actually opening. If memory serves me correctly, he had 3 or 4 stores. I noticed that they were located very close to if not directly across the street from a Best Buy or a Future Shop. I asked him about the wisdom of this strategy. His perspective was that the big guys were either an opportunity or a threat and he chose to capitalize on viewing them as an opportunity

His competitive strategy focused on what he perceived were weaknesses or deficiencies in the big store business model. These were:

• When a consumer purchased a computer, TV etc. from a big store, they would invariably end up being sold cables etc. to accompany their major purchase. Often the additional cost of these ad-on items could be a few hundred dollars.  The store owner advised me that the prices being charged for these cables etc. were significantly marked up from what they had originally cost the store. Actually, the cables etc. were relatively inexpensive to the retailer but provided a significant margin opportunity. The same, by the way, is true of the “extended warranties”  often purchased when someone buys a new computer etc. These warranties represent significant bottom line revenue for retailers.
  
  
  This store owner began to advertise that, at his store, the cables etc. were included in the purchase price of any equipment. The owner noticed that while his big ticket items prices were fairly competitive with the big stores, his clients were willing to pay a little more for these major items to avoid the additional cost of the add-on items. In many cases, despite the fact that some of his big ticket item price was higher, when the customer  factored in the “free” cables and accessories, that they would be required to buy a “big store” , the total cost was less at the small retailer. 

•  Another competitive advantage was his “knowledgeable staff” and outstanding customer service.  In his stores he hired what he referred to affectionately as “nerds” who lived and breathed IT. The big stores on the other hand were less inclined to do so. The big operators offered clients access to in-store tech services such as “Geek Squad”at Best Buy who, if they were unable to deal with your issue in the store would visit your home or office and, for an hourly fee, would resolve whatever issues you had.  The smaller operator also offered to send a technician to a customer’s home “free-of-charge” to help them setup whatever new equipment had been purchased as well as resolve issues with existing equipment. He also opened his stores earlier and closed later than the big stores. He encouraged people to stop by on their way to work and on their way home.

The retailer found that people quickly discovered where he was. Word-of-mouth and referrals were a significant source of business. Once new customers did business with him, he found they tended to check with him before visiting the big stores for future purchases.

2.   Another IT retailer had his stores located in close proximity to supermarkets. He noticed that men were less inclined to want to spend time shopping with their wives or partners if they had someplace to which they could easily escape after parking the car and kill time while their other half was shopping. He trained his staff not to pressure people to buy but to create an atmosphere where people could come to relax, check out the equipment, have coffee, relax, ask questions and feel comfortable. He found that he developed a dedicated clientele who felt a loyalty to his store where they had developed relationships. They were even willing to pay slightly higher prices to shop there because of the level of service, customer relationship practices and convenience.

THE WAL-MART ADVANTAGE

Media and public interest groups have ensured we are well acquainted with the plight of small retailers as they face the “big box” effect caused by large operators moving into their markets. Wal-Mart, of course, has come to define everything that is evil about these big box operations. However, there have been instances where smaller retailers have risen to the challenge and turned even Wal-Mart adversity into opportunity.

A few months ago I read a story about a small “general merchandise” store in Alberta which had the misfortune to be located across from a new Wal-Mart location. The store had been operating for years prior to the Wal-Mart opening its doors but the effect of discounts and expansive product lines was taking its toll on the small store’s business. The owner decided that closing her doors was the final option but not the only one. She looked for opportunities that her new neighbor might provide. She came to realization that by altering her product line to consist of products not sold in Wal-Mart, she could take advantage of the traffic coming to Wal-Mart to also visit her store. 

The Wal-Mart parking lot became her store’s parking lot and her business did better with the Wal-Mart next store than it had before the Wal-Mart arrived.

CONCLUSION

In all these cases, the store owners looked out their store windows and did not see potential customers shopping somewhere else but rather people arriving in their neighbourhood looking for opportunities to spend money.

The challenge as these store owners saw it was to redefine the terms of competitive engagement and they chose to “complement” and “supplement” rather than compete.

 




Other case studies by Richard Peters:

• How Your Site R.A.T.E.S.
• Owning The Client Relationship
• Achieve and Maintain Competitive Advantage
• The Anatomy of a Turnaround
• Ancillary Business Opportunties

A passion for business and leadership excellence

A passion for business and leadership excellence

 

TEC Group 422

TEC Group 422 comprises non-competitive CEOs and Presidents of both private and publicly traded organizations with a passion for business and leadership excellence.  Member companies are found listed in the top 250 companies on the 2015 ROB Top 1000, in the top 1/3 of 2015 Profit 500, in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ and have been finalists in Ernst Young’s “Entrepreneur of The Year Awards” for 2014 and 2015.

Joining TEC has enabled the leaders of these organizations, as a team, to share their drive and commitment to enrich each other’s ability to achieve their individual business, professional and personal goals. Members act as a private board of trusted advisors with no agendas other than helping each other share best practices, solve management issues, make better decisions and improve leadership skills.

• This group represents broad industry backgrounds and experience including construction, business services, retail, manufacturing, distribution, real estate development, finance, franchising and technology.
• Member organizations have combined revenues of over $3.0 billion and more than 4,500 employees.
• Member CEOs/Presidents lead publicly traded and private companies which operate globally with sales and marketing offices, operations, clients and suppliers in Canada, US, numerous EU countries, South Africa and Middle East.
• The group holds monthly advisory board executive sessions  during which the team processes issues and opportunities involving leadership challenges, branding and marketing , new business launches, financial re-organization, global expansion, organizational development, senior level staffing and reorganization, retail strategy, manufacturing, board strategy and management.
• Eight times a year the group benefits from workshops with experts covering a wide range of issues and topics.
• Monthly 1-2-1 private sessions are held between the Chair and each member focusing on business and personal growth.
• Members have access to an online best practices library, member conferences and a network of more than 1,100 Canadian and 20,000 global business leaders.

Members comment on how “loneliness-at-the-top” has been eradicated and how “stress reducing” it is to be part of a group of liked-minded leaders with whom they can share and discuss matters that normally they would need to deal with in relative isolation. They are experiencing the quality of their decisions, strategies and overall problem solving noticeably improving. Access to fresh thinking and challenging conversations with peers is enhancing their personal effectiveness. 

T.E.C. is not a social club. It is challenging; it is personal; it is hard work!

If joining a TEC group interests you, contact me and we can discuss if it is a fit.

• Over 1,100 Canadian business leaders have joined TEC groups
• Their companies generate $50 billion in annual revenues and employ over 100,000.
• T.E.C. Canada member companies outperform other companies in terms of CAGR by a factor of more than three to one. (Dunn & Bradstreet research).

                  Richard Peters, Chair



  
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/richardpeters2
Direct: (416) 471-1956
E-mail: rpeters@tec-canada.com
Blog: Profit and Leadership

From the Outside In: Supply Chain as Strategic Advantage

By Lisa Harrington

Even non-supply chain executives appreciate the value of flexible and agile operations.

Leading companies have come to realize that supply chain management is vital to success in the global market. Organizations now put logistics operations on the agenda for management discussion—including in the C-suite.

CEOs recognize that their supply chains are strategic assets, both for delivering on the customer promise and for fueling growth. Overall, they give their supply chains reasonably high marks for client satisfaction and operational efficiency, according to a recent study by IBM's Institute for Business Value.

Executives in outperforming enterprises, however, rate their supply chains even more highly. "Sixty-five percent say their supply chains are very effective at satisfying clients, and 62 percent say they are very effective at generating higher revenues, compared with just 42 percent and 27 percent, respectively, of executives in other organizations," the study reports.

To gain better insight into how "outsiders" perceive supply chain management, Inbound Logistics asked senior non-supply chain executives at two leading companies to share their views. They discuss the supply chain's role in business generally, and within their enterprises specifically; how that role has changed over the past few years; and how it contributes to profitability, success, sustainability, innovation, customer service, and competitive advantage. 

AT Unilever, flexible Supply Chain is The new table stakes
On any given day, two billion people use Unilever's products to look good, feel good, and get more out of life. From long-established names such as Lipton, Knorr, Lifebuoy, Sunlight, and Pond's to new innovations such as the Pureit affordable water purifier, Unilever's range of brands is as diverse as its worldwide consumer base.

The company markets more than 400 brands, ranging from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice cream, affordable soap, luxurious shampoo, and everyday household care products. Many of these brands embrace long-standing, strong social missions, such as Lifebuoy's drive to promote hygiene through hand washing with soap, and Dove's campaign for real beauty.

In 2013, Unilever reported annual sales of $66.6 billion. Emerging markets account for 57 percent of its business. The company employs more than 174,000 people.

"Unilever sees the supply chain as strategic, driven through global scale and deep expertise, and fully integrated into the business strategy," says Kees Kruythoff, president, North America, Unilever. "Supply chain is absolutely critical to Unilever's success. Most importantly, it is about delivering value to customers. In an increasingly omni-channel environment, it becomes even more important to create a channel-segmented, responsive, and flexible supply chain—and to do so at the lowest possible cost. That has become the new table stakes."

Supply chain plays a lead role in supporting the global Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP). Launched in November 2010, the USLP "sets out to decouple our growth from our environmental impact, while increasing our positive social impact," Kruythoff says. "It is our blueprint for sustainable business.

"By 2020, the plan calls for helping more than one billion people enjoy better health and well-being; halving our environmental footprint; and achieving 100-percent sustainable sourcing," he adds.

Supply chain has played a significant role in advancing the company's sustainable sourcing initiative. "We went from sourcing 18 percent of our commodities sustainably in 2011 to 48 percent in 2013," Kruythoff notes. "That strategy includes a big drive to source from small farmers.

"We've also realized an 18-percent improvement in CO2 efficiency since 2010," he continues. "By 2020, our goal is to have CO2 emissions from our global logistics network at or below 2010 levels, despite significantly higher volumes."

To achieve this, the company plans to reduce truck mileage, operate lower-emission vehicles, employ alternative transport such as rail or ship, and improve warehouse energy efficiency.

"Supply chain is strategic, critical, and an enabler of change," Kruythoff concludes. "As the world gets increasingly digital and connected, supply chain will only become more important."

Supply chain creates value in three key areas, according to Salwan Sumeet, Unilever's senior vice president, human resources, North America. "First, delivering cost effectiveness—the most obvious and direct benefit," he says. "Second, driving brand preference through product and service quality. Finally, driving growth, which is the most critical role.

"Customers are increasingly driving channel-specific business strategies, and adapting to a highly volatile world," he adds. "Being a partner of choice as they see opportunities or difficulties in the marketplace is a huge driver of growth."

Logistics operations also influence Unilever from within. "Nearly 65 percent of our employees work in supply chain," Sumeet says. "We can never underestimate this large and diverse workforce's impact on our culture, values, and implementation of broader company strategies."

Supply chain also plays a major role in business strategy. "Delivering reliable customer service is top priority, and a critical foundation to engaging in strategic joint business planning with customers," says Todd Tillemans, Unilever's senior vice president, customer development. "Supply chain is critical to our U.S. strategy, and especially to our goal of being our customers' choice for top strategic partner.

"A flexible and responsive supply chain enables us to be thought leaders for our customers, drives overall market development, and makes it possible to achieve consistent top- and bottom-line growth for us and for our customers," he adds.

"Supply chain is important to delivering our USLP goals—not only for Unilever, but also for our customers, through our Joint Sustainability Plans," Tillemans explains. "These wide-ranging partnerships include building a sustainable future via renewable energy initiatives, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing solid waste.

"We are investing heavily in supply chain infrastructure to continuously improve, add more value for customers, and create competitive advantage," he adds. 

Total Wine & More: Raising a Glass to Supply Chain Efficiency
Headquartered in Potomac, Md., Total Wine & More is the largest independent fine wine retailer in the United States. Its 105 stores across 16 states typically comprise 20,000 to 25,000 square feet.

Total Wine's business strategy is based on three pillars: selection, price, and service. The supply chain is critical to delivering on each of these value propositions, says Edward Cooper, Total Wine's vice president of public affairs and communications. Without an effective supply chain, the company would be hard pressed not only to meet the challenges of succeeding in this heavily regulated industry, but to deliver growth and profitability for today and tomorrow.

"We are committed to offering the best wine selection, with an emphasis on fine wines," Cooper explains. "This differentiates us from many U.S. retailers that specialize in one geographic area or price category. Our typicalstore carries more than 8,000 different wines from every wine-producing region in the world.

"Total Wine & More stores also carry more than 2,500 beers, and more than 3,000 different spirits in every price range and category," he adds.

Since opening its first store in 1991, Total Wine & More has focused on being the price leader in every community it serves. "Our tremendous buying power and special relationships with producers, importers, and wholesalers offers us considerable savings, which we pass on to customers," Cooper says. "This includes matching prices with such retail powerhouses as Costco, the largest seller of alcoholic beverages in the United States."

Because Total Wine is a direct-to-customer retailer, the company designs its stores to be welcoming and easy to navigate, with products displayed and organized clearly. Recent generation Total Wine stores, for example, offer beverage selection and wine/food pairing programs on iPads, as well as televisions broadcasting educational information. Its more than 2,000 store associates receive constant training to stay current on the latest wines, beers, and spirits offerings.

Managing large stores with extensive inventory requires an effective and efficient supply chain. "Our supply chain team facilitates product movement between suppliers and stores," says Cooper. "They work to ensure we have the right product in our stores at the right time for our customers by managing orders, inventory, and store replenishment functions."
This is no easy task, given the unusual complexities of alcohol control regulations and taxation in the United States. Alcohol distribution involves a three-tier system, comprising producers (wineries, breweries, distillers, and importers), wholesale distributors, and retailers.

Some states—or even counties—operate as alcohol beverage control (ABC) jurisdictions. Producers may only sell to distributors, who, in turn, may only sell to retailers. Distributors store product under strict security regulations, shipping it to restaurants for on-premise consumption, or locations such as ABC stores, Costco, Walmart, and other retailers for off-premise consumption. Internet sales of alcohol in the United States are low—just two percent of wine is purchased online—primarily due to these complex and strict regulations.
In the context of this arcane regulatory structure, Total Wine's supply chain team is charged with working with producers and distributors to ensure a smooth operation.

"Jay Clarke, senior vice president of supply chain, works with our partners in the two supply-side tiers to ensure we are rarely out of stock, and customers can get what they want," Cooper says. "They expect that of us, and we do everything we can to deliver. This includes managing seasonal and holiday sales peaks and valleys.

"In summer, for example, beer consumption in the United States jumps by 15 to 20 percent," he notes. "Our supply chain team has to coordinate closely with producers and wholesale distributors to ensure the products we need get to our stores.

"To deliver on our lowest-price promise, Total Wine must closely manage its cost structure—and the supply chain comes into play in a big way," he continues. "Having a mature supply chain capability helps make sure products move from one location to another effectively and efficiently. 

Supporting Small Business
"Our business model is to seek out new small brewers, vineyards, and artisanal spirits distillers, and bring these products to customers," Cooper says. "The big breweries have sophisticated distribution capabilities, but small companies do not. So our supply chain team works with them to design the logistics needed to support our stores."

Part of this forecasting support includes the craft beer market, which is expanding 20 to 25 percent year-over-year, making it the fastest growing part of the industry. It is also, incidentally, the sector of the industry that is most desired by customers, and most underrepresented in distribution. That's why Total Wine seeks out purveyors of the latest craft beers, and puts together schematics for their distribution.

"These beers—along with new brands of liquor and various types of cigars—are exactly what Total Wine's customers are looking for," Cooper says. "They are also the kind of business partners we want to build lasting and beneficial relationships with.

"Our supply chain team streamlines inbound-to-store deliveries to keep costs down—buying by the pallet load, for example, so we are not being inefficient by moving a few cases of wine on a big truck," he continues. "Supply chain takes our demand forecasts, determines what we need overall, how much inventory we can hold in our stores, and how we can move product efficiently to our locations."

Throughout all these activities, Total Wine's supply chain group tracks and manages compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. "Our supply chain team works closely with the state alcohol and tobacco regulators to ensure paperwork is done, taxes are paid, and product gets from Point A to Point B in the most streamlined way," Cooper says.

Total Wine's primary focus lies in being a brick-and-mortar retailer, and providing the in-store experience as a value-add to customers. But the company is also exploring the online channel. "We are looking at competitive threats such as Amazon, and the opportunities presented by Internet sales," Cooper says. "We are working with our supply chain group to work out compliance, taxation, and final-mile delivery issues. It's an ongoing exploration.
"We want to grow together with our producers and wholesalers," he adds. "We are big enough, and have enough heft to help build brands, and we like to do that. It's good for our customers, the producers, and wholesalers."

Total Wine's supply chain helps make this goal a reality.

Case Study: Competing in Retail

By TEC Canada, September 23, 2014

By: Toronto TEC Chair, Richard Peters

The retail industry and retail strategy have been major influences on the marketing and sales operations of a number of the companies with which I have been involved. I marvel at the innovation and creativity shown by some small retailers in the face of what may appear to be insurmountable competitive threats from much larger players. Probably the largest single threatening development facing small retailers are the “big box stores” the most notable of which is Wal-Mart and the niche market “category killers” such as Best Buy and Future Shop in the technology retail sector.

I want to share a few examples, which I believe,  you will find to be inspiring and motivating competitive advantage stories. These are cases where small retail owner/operators have grown and prospered by turning potential adversity into opportunity at a time when their peers were folding their tents in face of what they perceived as impossible odds.

As I write this case study, I am reminded of the bestselling book entitled “Who Moved My Cheese?” If you have not read this book, you must.
CATEGORY KILLERS
I have spent over 10 years helping software, hardware and internet organizations brand and market their products and services. In that time,  I dealt with dozens of retailers who either exclusively or primarily sold computers and related technology. As this industry started to consolidate “category killers” such as Best Buy and Future Shop became the nemesis of small technology retailers.  Aggressive pricing and extensive product selection caused numerous smaller retailers to close their doors.

Here are few examples of small IT retailers who through innovation managed to survive despite the odds.

1. As Best Buy and Future Shop were expanding and smaller retailers were closing their doors, one of our IT retailer’s was actually opening. If memory serves me correctly, he had 3 or 4 stores. I noticed that they were located very close to if not directly across the street from a Best Buy or a Future Shop. I asked him about the wisdom of this strategy. His perspective was that the big guys were either an opportunity or a threat and he chose to capitalize on viewing them as an opportunity

His competitive strategy focused on what he perceived were weaknesses or deficiencies in the big store business model. These were:

• When a consumer purchased a computer, TV etc. from a big store, they would invariably end up being sold cables etc. to accompany their major purchase. Often the additional cost of these ad-on items could be a few hundred dollars.  The store owner advised me that the prices being charged for these cables etc. were significantly marked up from what they had originally cost the store. Actually, the cables etc. were relatively inexpensive to the retailer but provided a significant margin opportunity. The same, by the way, is true of the “extended warranties”  often purchased when someone buys a new computer etc. These warranties represent significant bottom line revenue for retailers. 
• This store owner began to advertise that, at his store, the cables etc. were included in the purchase price of any equipment. The owner noticed that while his big ticket items prices were fairly competitive with the big stores, his clients were willing to pay a little more for these major items to avoid the additional cost of the add-on items. In many cases, despite the fact that some of his big ticket item price was higher, when the customer  factored in the “free” cables and accessories, that they would be required to buy a “big store” , the total cost was less at the small retailer.
•  Another competitive advantage was his “knowledgeable staff” and outstanding customer service.  In his stores he hired what he referred to affectionately as “nerds” who lived and breathed IT. The big stores on the other hand were less inclined to do so. The big operators offered clients access to in-store tech services such as “Geek Squad”at Best Buy who, if they were unable to deal with your issue in the store would visit your home or office and, for an hourly fee, would resolve whatever issues you had.  The smaller operator also offered to send a technician to a customer’s home “free-of-charge” to help them setup whatever new equipment had been purchased as well as resolve issues with existing equipment. He also opened his stores earlier and closed later than the big stores. He encouraged people to stop by on their way to work and on their way home.

The retailer found that people quickly discovered where he was. Word-of-mouth and referrals were a significant source of business. Once new customers did business with him, he found they tended to check with him before visiting the big stores for future purchases.

2. Another IT retailer had his stores located in close proximity to supermarkets. He noticed that men were less inclined to want to spend time shopping with their wives or partners if they had someplace to which they could easily escape after parking the car and kill time while their other half was shopping. He trained his staff not to pressure people to buy but to create an atmosphere where people could come to relax, check out the equipment, have coffee, relax, ask questions and feel comfortable. He found that he developed a dedicated clientele who felt a loyalty to his store where they had developed relationships. They were even willing to pay slightly higher prices to shop there because of the level of service, customer relationship practices and convenience.

THE WAL-MART ADVANTAGE
Media and public interest groups have ensured we are well acquainted with the plight of small retailers as they face the “big box” effect caused by large operators moving into their markets. Wal-Mart, of course, has come to define everything that is evil about these big box operations. However, there have been instances where smaller retailers have risen to the challenge and turned even Wal-Mart adversity into opportunity.

A few months ago I read a story about a small “general merchandise” store in Alberta which had the misfortune to be located across from a new Wal-Mart location. The store had been operating for years prior to the Wal-Mart opening its doors but the effect of discounts and expansive product lines was taking its toll on the small store’s business. The owner decided that closing her doors was the final option but not the only one. She looked for opportunities that her new neighbor might provide. She came to realization that by altering her product line to consist of products not sold in Wal-Mart, she could take advantage of the traffic coming to Wal-Mart to also visit her store.

The Wal-Mart parking lot became her store’s parking lot and her business did better with the Wal-Mart next store than it had before the Wal-Mart arrived.
CONCLUSION
In all these cases, the store owners looked out their store windows and did not see potential customers shopping somewhere else but rather people arriving in their neighbourhood looking for opportunities to spend money.

The challenge, as these store owners saw it, was to redefine the terms of competitive engagement and they chose to “complement” and “supplement” rather than compete.
photo credit: Tau Zero via photopin cc

CASE STUDY: COMPETING IN RETAIL– “DAVID VS GOLIATH"

By: Richard Peters

The retail industry and retail strategy have been major influences on the marketing and sales operations of a number of the companies with which I have been involved. I marvel at the innovation and creativity shown by some small retailers in the face of what may appear to be insurmountable competitive threats from much larger players. Probably the largest single threatening development facing small retailers are the “big box stores” the most notable of which is Wal-Mart and the niche market “category killers” such as Best Buy and Future Shop in the technology retail sector.

I want to share a few examples, which I believe,  you will find to be inspiring and motivating competitive advantage stories. These are cases where small retail owner/operators have grown and prospered by turning potential adversity into opportunity at a time when their peers were folding their tents in face of what they perceived as impossible odds.

As I write this case study, I am reminded of the bestselling book entitled “Who Moved My Cheese?” If you have not read this book, you must.

CATEGORY KILLERS

I have spent over 10 years helping software, hardware and internet organizations brand and market their products and services. In that time,  I dealt with dozens of retailers who either exclusively or primarily sold computers and related technology. As this industry started to consolidate “category killers” such as Best Buy and Future Shop became the nemesis of small technology retailers.  Aggressive pricing and extensive product selection caused numerous smaller retailers to close their doors.

Here are few examples of small IT retailers who through innovation managed to survive despite the odds. 

1.   As Best Buy and Future Shop were expanding and smaller retailers were closing their doors, one of our IT retailer’s was actually opening. If memory serves me correctly, he had 3 or 4 stores. I noticed that they were located very close to if not directly across the street from a Best Buy or a Future Shop. I asked him about the wisdom of this strategy. His perspective was that the big guys were either an opportunity or a threat and he chose to capitalize on viewing them as an opportunity

His competitive strategy focused on what he perceived were weaknesses or deficiencies in the big store business model. These were:

• When a consumer purchased a computer, TV etc. from a big store, they would invariably end up being sold cables etc. to accompany their major purchase. Often the additional cost of these ad-on items could be a few hundred dollars.  The store owner advised me that the prices being charged for these cables etc. were significantly marked up from what they had originally cost the store. Actually, the cables etc. were relatively inexpensive to the retailer but provided a significant margin opportunity. The same, by the way, is true of the “extended warranties”  often purchased when someone buys a new computer etc. These warranties represent significant bottom line revenue for retailers.
  
  
  This store owner began to advertise that, at his store, the cables etc. were included in the purchase price of any equipment. The owner noticed that while his big ticket items prices were fairly competitive with the big stores, his clients were willing to pay a little more for these major items to avoid the additional cost of the add-on items. In many cases, despite the fact that some of his big ticket item price was higher, when the customer  factored in the “free” cables and accessories, that they would be required to buy a “big store” , the total cost was less at the small retailer. 

•  Another competitive advantage was his “knowledgeable staff” and outstanding customer service.  In his stores he hired what he referred to affectionately as “nerds” who lived and breathed IT. The big stores on the other hand were less inclined to do so. The big operators offered clients access to in-store tech services such as “Geek Squad”at Best Buy who, if they were unable to deal with your issue in the store would visit your home or office and, for an hourly fee, would resolve whatever issues you had.  The smaller operator also offered to send a technician to a customer’s home “free-of-charge” to help them setup whatever new equipment had been purchased as well as resolve issues with existing equipment. He also opened his stores earlier and closed later than the big stores. He encouraged people to stop by on their way to work and on their way home.

The retailer found that people quickly discovered where he was. Word-of-mouth and referrals were a significant source of business. Once new customers did business with him, he found they tended to check with him before visiting the big stores for future purchases.

2.   Another IT retailer had his stores located in close proximity to supermarkets. He noticed that men were less inclined to want to spend time shopping with their wives or partners if they had someplace to which they could easily escape after parking the car and kill time while their other half was shopping. He trained his staff not to pressure people to buy but to create an atmosphere where people could come to relax, check out the equipment, have coffee, relax, ask questions and feel comfortable. He found that he developed a dedicated clientele who felt a loyalty to his store where they had developed relationships. They were even willing to pay slightly higher prices to shop there because of the level of service, customer relationship practices and convenience.

THE WAL-MART ADVANTAGE

Media and public interest groups have ensured we are well acquainted with the plight of small retailers as they face the “big box” effect caused by large operators moving into their markets. Wal-Mart, of course, has come to define everything that is evil about these big box operations. However, there have been instances where smaller retailers have risen to the challenge and turned even Wal-Mart adversity into opportunity.

A few months ago I read a story about a small “general merchandise” store in Alberta which had the misfortune to be located across from a new Wal-Mart location. The store had been operating for years prior to the Wal-Mart opening its doors but the effect of discounts and expansive product lines was taking its toll on the small store’s business. The owner decided that closing her doors was the final option but not the only one. She looked for opportunities that her new neighbor might provide. She came to realization that by altering her product line to consist of products not sold in Wal-Mart, she could take advantage of the traffic coming to Wal-Mart to also visit her store. 

The Wal-Mart parking lot became her store’s parking lot and her business did better with the Wal-Mart next store than it had before the Wal-Mart arrived.

CONCLUSION

In all these cases, the store owners looked out their store windows and did not see potential customers shopping somewhere else but rather people arriving in their neighbourhood looking for opportunities to spend money.

The challenge, as these store owners saw it, was to redefine the terms of competitive engagement and they chose to “complement” and “supplement” rather than compete.