- How are Jackson neighborhood stores using their online presence?
- Some are online mostly to bring people to their stores.
- But others are building digital audiences and offering Cyber Monday deals.
- A personal touch is a key selling point when competing with big online retailers.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Cyber Monday has lots of big companies holding sales. But what about our local shops? I checked in with a few to see if Cyber Monday, is impacting their bottom line.
Local small businesses tell me competing online with the big companies is … a big challenge.
"We don't really do big online just 'cause it's a lot and you kind of have to have separate inventory for it," says Amy Ramsey of Not So Shabby, Oh So Chic.
Alan Mellinger of Marketplace Manna runs Around the World Shop. It's a fair trade store in downtown Jackson.
He says he hasn't made the leap to online sales…and isn't sure it's worth it:
"You could get on like Amazon and that, but then they want upwards of 35% sometimes....For me to get on there means I don't get what it takes to cover the lights, the electricity, the payroll, the insurance, and rent."
Karey Casto-Chrin of Hopathekarey notes: "It costs approximately $162 to acquire one online customer in the cosmetic industry. That's through advertising and click funnels and different things like that."
Casto-Chrin does online sales through her "Hopathekarey" website. She says she sent out a Cyber Monday discount code via text and email, but doesn't see online as her bread and butter.
"Getting them into the store is the big thing. Taking care of the people in the store — especially when you're skincare. People like to feel it, touch it, see it," says Casto-Chrin.
Over at HMNstyle, Cassandra Castillo says the downtown boutique's online presence brings significant sales.
"We've definitely gotten a lot of orders, especially in the past weekend..." says Castillo.
Castillo expects the store's 50% off Cyber Monday deal to boost online sales. She says the store uses social media not only to showcase available items but to provide style advice:
"We style the different outfits and show people how to style everything."
For this story, I spoke with businesspeople at brick-and-mortar stores. What I heard is they see their online presence as a way to bring people into their stores…for something they say online shopping cannot provide: a personal touch.
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