good times for small independents
- Thread starter ben12321
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Soldato
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If any of my local independant stores did Price matching, had great customer support and top class service - and offered deliveries at normal rates - they would prosper.
Unfortunately all of the indepedannts around here are rip-off merchants who are bound to go under (and most are already starting) - simply becuase they charge inflated prices for the same products I can get online for 20% less.
I'm would gladly pay 20% more if they really did offer a personal service with a smile - but they don't. Most of the sales people are to stressed/busy/chating/texting etc and most can't even be bothered to count change into your hand, let alone ask how you are doing these days - so now I just buy online and wait for it in the post.
The good thing about a recession is that it sorts the men from the boys. If an independant wants to survive, it needs to get its act together and give 200% all the time.
As the article below highlighted this month (for the tourist industry) - the same could be said of the independent retail sector.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7817081.stm
I would give an example of our local butcher (who had a huge reputation and had been used by nearly everyone I know for years) - we have used him for over 15 years, but these last two weeks we have started going elsewhere, as have my parents/friends/ and a lot of workmates.
Recently, with the Credit crunch, he bought inferior Turkeys, chicken etc from an inferior supplier before Christmas - and still charged more for the same product. Basically the whole city was chatting about how bad the quality was (and then people started commenting on how the quality of all his meat had been going downhill over the last 6-8 months) - This added to the fact he had been so busy at the start of last year last year, and had no time to chat (and had not taken on extra staff) - added to his demise.
People starting shopping elsewhere (for cheaper) and he lost a load of trade and is now suffering.
Unfortunately all of the indepedannts around here are rip-off merchants who are bound to go under (and most are already starting) - simply becuase they charge inflated prices for the same products I can get online for 20% less.
I'm would gladly pay 20% more if they really did offer a personal service with a smile - but they don't. Most of the sales people are to stressed/busy/chating/texting etc and most can't even be bothered to count change into your hand, let alone ask how you are doing these days - so now I just buy online and wait for it in the post.
The good thing about a recession is that it sorts the men from the boys. If an independant wants to survive, it needs to get its act together and give 200% all the time.
As the article below highlighted this month (for the tourist industry) - the same could be said of the independent retail sector.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7817081.stm
I would give an example of our local butcher (who had a huge reputation and had been used by nearly everyone I know for years) - we have used him for over 15 years, but these last two weeks we have started going elsewhere, as have my parents/friends/ and a lot of workmates.
Recently, with the Credit crunch, he bought inferior Turkeys, chicken etc from an inferior supplier before Christmas - and still charged more for the same product. Basically the whole city was chatting about how bad the quality was (and then people started commenting on how the quality of all his meat had been going downhill over the last 6-8 months) - This added to the fact he had been so busy at the start of last year last year, and had no time to chat (and had not taken on extra staff) - added to his demise.
People starting shopping elsewhere (for cheaper) and he lost a load of trade and is now suffering.
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If any of my local independant stores did Price matching, had great customer support and top class service - and offered deliveries at normal rates - they would prosper.
Unfortunately all of the indepedannts around here are rip-off merchants who are bound to go under (and most are already starting) - simply becuase they charge inflated prices for the same products I can get online for 20% less.
I'm would gladly pay 20% more if they really did offer a personal service with a smile - but they don't. Most of the sales people are to stressed/busy/chating/texting etc and most can't even be bothered to count change into your hand, let alone ask how you are doing these days - so now I just buy online and wait for it in the post.
True however most of the time it isnt their fault as the bigger boys will push for bigger discounts and will stretch out payment periods so they can make money on it. Little independent shops cant do this as well if they went to a manufacture sand said gives us 10% off or we will stop selling your brand what the maker do?
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Exageration, much?
As a small business we are seeing pretty good growth at the moment. People are looking around to get more value for money on everything they buy, and we're better and cheaper than most of the competition so seem to be OK for now. Touch wood. 
for hardware i steer well clear of my local independent store. They are trying to sell 8600gt's for £150....
I work for a small music company and business has never been better, we are having to move to a considerably bigger shop/warehouse to keep up with demand
I work for a small music company and business has never been better, we are having to move to a considerably bigger shop/warehouse to keep up with demand
well i work for myself (graphic designer) and I share an office with a small advertising agency. They doing pretty well and poaching allot of work from the bigger agencies.
I'm given allot the design related work so its win win really...
I'm given allot the design related work so its win win really...
We run a small deli and we're definately finding things difficult as we are seeing less customers and the ones who do come in are spending less.
We have looked very closely at what we are selling and have tried to find things that can't be bought easily anywhere locally, or that we can offer cheaper than supermarkets.
One of the problems that we find is that for fresh produce we are bound to adveritse the price by the kilo or 100g which can make us seem more expensive than supermarkets, but what most people don't realise is that pre packs of things like salami or serrano ham are not in 100g packs, therefore the supermarket seems cheaper.
Being chefs, we offer cooking tips, can suggest alternative ingredients for things that are not freely available in our area and can offer fully cooked dinners for timid cooks who are entertaining.
I'm not sure where we will be in a year's time, but we are going to try to continue.
We have looked very closely at what we are selling and have tried to find things that can't be bought easily anywhere locally, or that we can offer cheaper than supermarkets.
One of the problems that we find is that for fresh produce we are bound to adveritse the price by the kilo or 100g which can make us seem more expensive than supermarkets, but what most people don't realise is that pre packs of things like salami or serrano ham are not in 100g packs, therefore the supermarket seems cheaper.
Being chefs, we offer cooking tips, can suggest alternative ingredients for things that are not freely available in our area and can offer fully cooked dinners for timid cooks who are entertaining.
I'm not sure where we will be in a year's time, but we are going to try to continue.
Why would you use independent stores, they don't have the buying power and so cost far more. There customer service is usually shocking as they can't waste money fixing things and so are generally poop.
The only time to use independent is for high quality stuff, where they are usually passionate about there business and although expensive are a good price for the product. Things like custom furniture, butchers,
The only time to use independent is for high quality stuff, where they are usually passionate about there business and although expensive are a good price for the product. Things like custom furniture, butchers,