How a contemporary store in Texas enhanced its online presence and saved thousands in one week.
July 24, 2024
We are pleased to announce that Speranza Design Gallery has joined Shop Local to grow its online business. Founded by Alex Lubarsky, Speranza Design Gallery showcases unique, modern designs to serve as a go-to for contemporary gifts, decor, and beyond.
Speranza Design Gallery saved $10,837 and 15 weeks in labor on website product maintenance by using their Shop Local Store. Through the Syncing service, the store will expand its online collection of gifts and home ...
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Carol Schroeder recently shared how local shops help our communities and their environment. I liked the excerpt below from her post:
”Returns are one example of something local shopkeepers do better than Amazon and other giant web retailers. The e-commerce return rate is estimated to be two to three times that of brick & mortar stores – averaging a shocking 20%-30%. According to The Guardian, a returns platform “recently calculated that only 50% of ...
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For more than 20 years, MultiPet has been providing quality pet products that are paired with unique designs and durable materials that are made to last! Since our establishment in 1995, we have been recognized as the leading supplier of pet products within the pet industry. Whether you are in the market for cat toys, dog toys, or grooming products, our brand continues to grow exponentially as we welcome new and regular consumers into our industry. Call us at (201) 438-6600 if you require any ...
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It was October 2021, and I had just finished my first in-person trends seminar since the pandemic impacted all industry shows. At the end of the image-packed program, an audience member raised her hand and challenged, “Do trends even matter anymore?”
It was a valid question. The pandemic had disrupted business, upended supply chains, transformed education, revealed vulnerabilities, altered priorities, and unexpectedly claimed many lives. The question was tinged with cynicism. Pent...
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How we can bring clients together to build a larger network.
February 4, 2023
Economist Bent Flyvbjerg encourages us to find our “Lego” in his new book “How Big Things Get Done.” Mr. Flyvbjerg, whose new book is reviewed by Ben Cohen in this week’s The Wall Street Journal, says that most large projects that are completed successfully use a modular approach. Excerpt from The Wall Street Journal:
“That’s the question every project leader should ask: What is the small thing we can assemble in large numbers into a big ...
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I discovered a page on Amazon’s site proclaiming that Amazon supports small businesses. That is news to me and many small businesses which have been attacked by Amazon, its deep pockets, and its army of millions of delivery people and thousands of warehouses. Amazon’s page says it helps small businesses, which it defines as having under 100 employees and less than $49 million in sales. (It says it uses Gartner’s definition.)
Last February e-commerce company Shopify Inc. replaced the “Ottawa, Canada” dateline that began its press releases and earnings reports with a strange new one: “Internet, Everywhere.” The geographical shift came at the insistence of Shopify’s founder and chief executive officer, Tobi Lütke, who tends to view such matters through the prism of cold, hard logic. In May 2020, only a few months into the pandemic, he’d made the early, seemingly rash decision to...
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We are very pleased to present our 2021 CHRISTMAS WINDOW at Live With It ON MAIN STREET in Peckville PA !!! … Please VISIT US SOON because our shelves are NOW FILLED WITH GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS and for all occasions !!! … PS: This year our Main Window features our TOY’S FANTASY and TOY'S DELIGHT Collections by Villeroy & Boch !
CURRENT IN-STORE BUSINESS HOURS @ Live With It --- 1503 Main Street, Suite 1, Peckville, PA 18452 (570-489-4060)
• Open Monday thru ...
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The WSJ’s illustration by Lars Leetaru of Santa atop a cargo container sums up nicely our current holiday supply chain. I recall my dad telling me about the halcyon days of his dad making Christmas toys in the basement by hand for the family.
The article suggests that consumers, flush with cash, will gift more digital goods and gift cards in lieu of out-of-stock goods.
This week, Amazon launched its online pharmacy targeting the 3.8 billion prescriptions filled in the U.S. each year. Shares of major pharmacy chains dropped about 10% on the news. Amazon honed this weapon in its Seattle lab and is eagerly unleashing it on retail chains and mom-and-pop pharmacies.
Something struck me while reading this news: Does Amazon remind you of Covid-19? The similarities:
Amazons kills many businesses in industries it touches. Pharmacies are now worried
How is everyone doing?!? We are doing everything we CAN to stay in touch with y'all!
Do you follow us on FACEBOOK? What about INSTAGRAM? We encourage you to click on our links and give us a follow ... we're posting images of product, decorating ideas, videos of product areas and more on a daily basis ... even if you just want to look/watch for entertainment purposes!!! (yes, we know we're not the best at video, but we're trying!!!)
What sets Amazon apart from other retailers is how much it charges for space on its toy page over the holidays. A narrow strip across the top of the web page costs $500,000 per month in November and December, up ...
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August 19, 2019
August 19, 2019
Maker Scarlett Markham is actually a former Parkleigh employee! She developed her line, Flour Pail Kids while working here. We thought our customers would be as amused by it as we are by Scarlett. Her quirky sense of humor mixes nostalgic icons with the edge of today to inspire her work. What could be more full of Rochester spirit than a tiny Genny Beer pin? Her Rochester icon t-shirts are also a stand out among others around town. When Scarlett isn’t designing or doing one of her jack-of-all-...
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August 8, 2019
August 8, 2019
I read the New York Times and want to ask: Are we sharpening our executioner's sword? That is what FedEx wondered as it helped Amazon grow by delivering its packages. Finally, FedEx woke up and decided it's better to make less money tomorrow than help usher in its death in the near future. As the Times reports, FedEx is terminating its ground delivery agreement with Amazon at the end of August, thereby passing on the delivery of millions of packages.
Amazon has historically partnered with ...
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June 16, 2019
June 16, 2019
Business lunch: how retail is changing :)
Old retail is 80% analog. This consists of: the physical store, staff, customer service training, etc. What you’d expect walking into a Saks or Macy's. And it's about 20% tech: computers, cash registers (POS systems), mobile shopping, Google ranking, apps, hiring social influencers, Instagram, etc.
Today, the retailers that are well positioned, growing, and 'hot' carry the opposite equation: they're 20% analog and 80% tech.
Stop in to Mary Tuttle's and find a wonderful selection of unique toys for your kiddos. We especially LOVE the giraffe skipping rope ?, the Unicorn 3D Beach Ball ?, and Mine To Love Baby-doll with Pacifier?? !
But this is just a small list of the much bigger selection in the store. So, stop in! Our toys are hand-picked for ultimate fun-ness!!!
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May 9, 2019
May 9, 2019
Bath time is now party time with our new baby bath toys!
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April 16, 2019
April 16, 2019
We thank Mr. Hubert and wish good luck to Ms. Barry. Mr. Hubert helped right the ship at Best Buy and fend off Amazon, and Ms. Barry, who has worked with the company for 20 years, is taking over as CEO. Best Buy, whose stock is up 3x since 2013, has outlasted fallen household-names like Circuit City, Sport Authority, and Toys “R” Us.
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April 6, 2019
April 6, 2019
Our market finds are rolling in! These adorable dog toys are the very first thing we bought during our market trip and they are just too cute to resist! For all those “Instagrrram” pups out there, these toys are perfect for you!
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March 6, 2019
March 6, 2019
There are some notable statistics and developments in this article including: + More than 10% of Target’s sales came via digital channels. + Stores are promoting in-store pick up. + Stores are shrinking their sizes. Kohl’s is subleasing space to Planet Fitness. + Stores continue to create new private labels—a strategy that is very popular with Amazon. + Stores are benefitting from other stores failing. For example, Toys R Us closing helped Target and Kohl’s.
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