Comparing Brick and Mortar to Online Retail - Proceed at Your Own Risk

Pity the poor retailer.

Vandalism.

Gobs of costly employees. Shoplifting. Huge shipping costs. Rent, utilities and facilities expenses. Oh yes, and sales stink.

So the last thing the modern proprietor needs is to be compared to a storeeee innnn spaceeee... But Brandweek did just that when it published "Why Can't Shopping Be More Like Online Shopping?" (or "Why Retailers Should Be Acting More Webby" online*) - a full-page editorial lamenting why oh why "regular" stores can't be more like online ones. Why bricks and mortar establishments aren't taking "advantage" of all the stuff that "online competitors have been perfecting" for years.

Hmm. Stores are far from perfect (my grocery store was renovated recently, and now I can't find a darn thing) but - come on.

Let's take the points raised in this article one by one and give a quick, incomplete-but-adequate response regarding the practicality/reasonableness of each:

* Product reviews. Where would a retailer put product reviews in a store where everyone would see them? Who would be responsible for keeping them current? Who would be responsible for mending/replacing them if they were damaged or defaced? How could a chain retailer ensure 100% compliance across its network?

* Bestsellers. Pretty much "ditto" to the above.

* Search. This one's just mean. Stores have been experimenting with kiosks for years with mixed results. Brands that want to experiment with shelf displays typically need to send their own people in to do it (expensive, time-consuming). The writer refers to a test that Campbell's tried years ago. It alphabetized its soups in-store. Result? They sold less soup. And store maps? Who can read one of those and where the heck is it?

* Affinity. Since 10 out of 10 shoppers who walk through the door are looking for different items and would be lost if some products where re-grouped with others just because someone thought it should be that way. And if we're talking about posting suggestions near products, see above for Reviews and Bestsellers.

* Brevity. The writer wishes there was a "convenience aisle" for check-out. There is (15 items or less please). But when a store's busy, you're going to wait behind a bunch of people. When was the last time you had to wait behind a bunch of people while checking out online?

And with this last point, I tip my hand: the presence and need for multiple (indeed, masses of) human shoppers and workers to make a store location on dry land work is the reason that my local grocer will never be like FreshDirect. It's not just money and profits that keep live retailers from taking on characteristics of Web shopping, as the article hypothesizes. Some things, for all intents and purposes, are simply not able to be done well in the real world.

But if we ask why online shopping isn't more like regular shopping, the good reason is also human interaction: a person that helps you figure out whether that sweater is black or navy. A greeter at the door who says "Hello" and thanks you for coming. A saleswoman who knows just by looking at you what size will work, and will give you an opinion on an outfit if you ask. A butcher who will tell you which cut of meat to buy when two choices look exactly alike. A person who will give you a smile on a crummy day. Oh, and I can go out and be home in less than an hour with the stuff I need.

Are there cranky and/or incompetent salespeople in stores? You bet. And websites malfunction, are often inscrutable and crash once in awhile. Nobody's perfect (not even technology).

So there you have it: in real life, it takes a village to sell merchandise that one or two people can sell online - and that's always going to be messy/ier. Life's not always pretty. Cut your favorite store some slack. Use channels and experiences for what each is good for and don't bother wondering why reading online (or on a Kindle) can't be more like holding a real book - or vice versa. There's room in the universe for both.

* Dear Brandweek: You gave the article I tore out of my subscription copy an entirely different title on your website, thereby making it easier for me to find in the physical world than the online one. Go figure.

Stephanie Fierman is a marketing and management executive based in New York City. You can find her blogging at http://www.stephaniefierman.com and http://www.stephaniefiermanmarketingdaily.com.

The Quickest Way to Make Money Online - The Only True Reliable Way to Guarantee You Will Make Money

The purpose of this article is to show you to quickest way to the money online. Noticed I didn't say to make money, I said quickest way to the money, there are a few different ways to make money online however this is all about the only true way to the money.

Think about this for a moment, every single day hundreds of thousands, even millions or transactions are made over the internet every day. Every day people flock to ebay and Amazon to buy products, not to mention all the other shopping sites online.

So What's My Point?

The easiest way and quickest way to make money online is to sell what people are already buying. I know this may sound over simplistic however when people first start out to sell products online or offline for that matter what they tend to do is try and sell what they think other people want or what they think other people are going to like and buy. This is a fatal mistake.

So How Do You Know What People Are Already Buying.

Amazon is the largest online store and it is one of the best places to do market research. What you want to do is pick a category that you like and search though the bestsellers section. In this section you will find all the products in your chosen category that are selling the best. This is a great way to discover what people are already buying.

But Here Is The Fastest Way To The Money

Now, there is even a quicker way to the money, in a lot of the categories when you are searching the bestsellers you will notice a link on the left hand side that says 'movers & shakers' if you click on that link Amazon will show you what products are selling the fastest.

You see people are going to buy these products either way, why not put your affiliate link in front of them so you earn the commission.

If you don't know what I mean by affiliate link you can become a partner or an associate or Amazon and when someone visits Amazon though the special link they provide you and buy something Amazon will pay you a percentage of the sale.

If you would like to learn more ways of making money online then make sure you watch a FREE 88 minute webinar by the World's #1 Internet Wealth Advocate

Steve Elliot has been running his earning a full time income working from home for over 5 years. He now trains and helps others do by leveraging the power of the internet.

Start Your Own Online Publishing Business

The internet allows entrepreneurs to create and market a digital product to hundreds of thousands of targeted customers. Read three tips to start your own online publishing business.

Create A Needed Product

When creating a digital product to publish and sell on the internet it's important to create a product that solves an immediate need. Pick a subject you have extensive experience with that has a market with high demand.

Products that have found success on the internet include alternative healing solutions and how-to guides. As the internet and social media evolves there is a growing expectation for digital products to include a video format with your product.

Videos have become best sellers when included with how-to guides.

Market Your Digital Product

Whether you choose to create your own custom website or sell your product through an auction site it's important to create compelling, but credible copy. It's common practice to give away several copies of your product in exchange for customer testimonials.

Adding positive testimonials to your website adds a social element to your copy that helps generate more sales.

When marketing your product it's also important to select the appropriate price point. Compare your product with your competitors and decide if your product is worth more or less than comparable products.

Create An Affiliate Program

When you have a product that generates consistent sales you may want to scale your marketing by utilizing an affiliate program. You allow other marketers to promote your product in exchange for a commission.

Using the leverage of an affiliate program can turn a few sales into hundreds of sales in a very short time.

The tips above are just a small sample of a larger marketing blueprint found at the Maverick Money Makers.

You can visit the following link to learn more about the affiliate marketing club created by Mack Michaels.

SaleHoo Wholesale Clothes - Sell Quality Wholesale Women's Clothes Online

Looking for the perfect product to sell online? Quality women's clothes are always bestsellers, regardless of whether you sell them in eBay's auction site or in your own web store. Clothes are always in great demand because people need them. If you can obtain quality clothes at competitive prices, you will find it easy to sell them and earn a lot of extra money.

Women are very particular about the clothes they wear. They want to wear clothes that make them look smart and fashionable. But now that the economy is down, everybody is looking for clothes that are more affordable. That is why wholesale clothes are very popular these days. To get a big slice of the pie, you must find wholesale suppliers who can provide quality clothes at low prices. Keep in mind that women are fashion conscious, so the clothes you sell must be trendy and the latest in style. Read fashion magazines so that you will know about current and future fashion trends. It is also a good idea to sell clothes with classic design because they do not go out of style.

Where can you find fashionable, quality women's clothing to sell? You can search online for suppliers of wholesale women's clothes, but the danger here is that you do not know for sure if the suppliers you find in this manner are dependable and legitimate. SaleHoo is an excellent source of legitimate and reliable wholesale suppliers for all the products you need. You will easily find many suppliers of wholesale women's clothes. The best thing with SaleHoo is that the suppliers in their wholesale directory are all verified to be legitimate companies so you are sure that you will not be scammed. You must contact the wholesale clothing supplier and check out the products they sell. Make sure the clothes are of good quality and stylish. Pricing is very important, so negotiate for the best deals you can get.

Always provide good customer service because your customers deserve nothing less. Besides, good customer service will guarantee that customers will keep coming back, especially if the wholesale clothes you sell are stylish and well made. If your customers are not satisfied with the clothes or the service, they will not buy from you again; but happy customers are loyal customers and they will keep on buying from you in the future.

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Michelle Samual Williams has been a professional buyer for many multinational companies and in those 6 years of working, she has gathered crucial info in regards to the wholesale industry.