laguna
Well-known member
Updating our mailing lists the other day...
We have discovered many shops are no longer trading (no surprise there) and the rest - that's 7 out of 10 tackle shops on our lists (even more than those cats who prefer whiskers), don't even have email or a website!
Having a web presence is vitally important for any business most will agree, but if 90% of customers (including their own local customers) surf the web at home looking for bargain tackle, how on earth can they expect to be still around in 6 to 12 months time if the shop owner is a technophobe?
A case in point..
My mate ran a local tackle shop serving our community for over 25 years (that's even before the advent of sky TV kids!) and buried his head at the thought of having to compete online but when a competitor set up both bricks and mortar + virtual shop - he lasted just 6 months.
Like my mate, not many have the time nor inclination to do mail order, updating db's, virtual shops, backend maintenance, processing orders, distance selling regs and all, but they can't expect to survive selling live bait and a few bits and bobs to the locals, its like living in the dark ages!
This I understand, setting up online is a full time job in itself and who has the time to do all that?
Maybe they don't have the necessary buying power that prevents them from competing online?
Maybe they genuinely don't have the skills to do it all alone?
Whatever the reason, i think this is where those locals who prefer to buy local and Manufacturers supplying them could all do a little more to help...
If volume is a stipulation then a buying syndicate may help?
Asking manufacturers to re-negotiate terms for smaller shops and MOQ's?
Supplying sale or return or guaranteed buy back?
Drop shipping?
Drop to Shop Scheme?
Some local customer with web skills doing a single web page with contact details, product links to a virtual shop such as iselltackle? (shameless plug)
Employing a Commission-only agent with web skills?
Manufacturers website's to include a list of local dealers?
Manufacturers to serve up shop ad banners for free directly on their own websites (based on surfers locality)?
A few off the top there, but any one of those could potentially help...
Can we do more to help?
We have discovered many shops are no longer trading (no surprise there) and the rest - that's 7 out of 10 tackle shops on our lists (even more than those cats who prefer whiskers), don't even have email or a website!
Having a web presence is vitally important for any business most will agree, but if 90% of customers (including their own local customers) surf the web at home looking for bargain tackle, how on earth can they expect to be still around in 6 to 12 months time if the shop owner is a technophobe?
A case in point..
My mate ran a local tackle shop serving our community for over 25 years (that's even before the advent of sky TV kids!) and buried his head at the thought of having to compete online but when a competitor set up both bricks and mortar + virtual shop - he lasted just 6 months.
Like my mate, not many have the time nor inclination to do mail order, updating db's, virtual shops, backend maintenance, processing orders, distance selling regs and all, but they can't expect to survive selling live bait and a few bits and bobs to the locals, its like living in the dark ages!
This I understand, setting up online is a full time job in itself and who has the time to do all that?
Maybe they don't have the necessary buying power that prevents them from competing online?
Maybe they genuinely don't have the skills to do it all alone?
Whatever the reason, i think this is where those locals who prefer to buy local and Manufacturers supplying them could all do a little more to help...
If volume is a stipulation then a buying syndicate may help?
Asking manufacturers to re-negotiate terms for smaller shops and MOQ's?
Supplying sale or return or guaranteed buy back?
Drop shipping?
Drop to Shop Scheme?
Some local customer with web skills doing a single web page with contact details, product links to a virtual shop such as iselltackle? (shameless plug)
Employing a Commission-only agent with web skills?
Manufacturers website's to include a list of local dealers?
Manufacturers to serve up shop ad banners for free directly on their own websites (based on surfers locality)?
A few off the top there, but any one of those could potentially help...
Can we do more to help?