targetting local versus the 'world'

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targetting local versus the 'world'

AffiliateDreamer

9:50 pm on Jun 7, 2006 (gmt 0)

Did any of you start of thinking your ecommerce store would do well in say north america and then you noticed that there was a huge demand locally for your products because you could beat out local stores due to lower costs (commercial rent versus industrial rent, employees etc etc).

What sort of shift in mindset did you go through?

OR did any of you initiate a ecommerce site to actually compete head to head with local stores?

For some reason I have always seen a ecommerce sites advantage being the global scope, but I have now been thinking of its potential edge on local stores, specifically for people who are not really looking for much service, they know what they want and if its the same product but cheaper then they are willing to click!.

topguy29

6:26 pm on Jun 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

What we did for the locals is almost similar to what Circuit City does. We allow them to buy items and pick a day they wish to come in and pick them up.

The customers seem to enjoy it and they save a lot of time.

AffiliateDreamer

12:32 am on Jun 9, 2006 (gmt 0)

I see, so that way you don't waste time dealing with people. Its basically, you give us the part/item number and we will give it deal. I was thinking the same thing, I basically want to make it clear to people that I'm not hear to give you advice or support. Research the item yourself in other words, give me the part number and I'll give you a huge savings. Basically this sort of setup is geared towards someone who knows what they want.

Good idea?

ispy

12:52 am on Jun 9, 2006 (gmt 0)

Not that I have seen, most people have been to lazy to really compare prices that closely. The amount of local sales inquiries is not that significant for an ecommerce store, because there are not that many people who live in the vicinity compared to the amount of visitors on the web. I have heard that local buyers would be more prone to buy if they could pick up etc., but I dont think so. I think many of them would just come buy to look and ask questions and browse through the store without purchasing more, just like I do most of the time.