Call it a retail revival. After getting crushed by big-box stores during the 1980s and 1990s, mom-and-pop shops are enjoying something of a rebirth among U.S. consumers. Thanks to a little thing called the internet and the ubiquity of computing devices, consumers don't have to settle for more commoditized versions of their groceries, clothing or housewares. Between the corner coffee shop selling its dark roast across the U.S. and cheesemongers detailing the delights of Rogue River Blue to out-of-state shoppers, consumers can access the neighborhood store even if they move....
More Suggested Content:
Once Proudly Web Only, Shopping Sites Hang Out Real Shingles
December 27, 2012
From The New York Times
After years of criticizing physical stores as relics, even e-commerce zealots are acknowledging there is something to a bricks-and-mortar location. EBay and Etsy are testing temporary stores, while Piperlime, the Gap Inc. unit that was online-only for six years, opened a SoHo store this fall. Bonobos plans to keep opening stores, and Warby Parker, the eyeglass brand, will soon open a physical location. The companies say they are catering to customers who want to see what they are buying in person, and who see shopping as a social event.
Warby Parker's Customer Service Secret
November 23, 2012
From STELLAService
Warby Parker, the industry-disrupting seller of stylish, affordable eyewear, noticed fewer customers were using its 1-800 number and more were turning to Twitter to pose questions. But the retailer found it difficult to answer complicated questions, such as those about prescriptions, given Twitter's 140-character limit. Looking for a way to interact with customers outside the constraints of Twitter, the company's social media team started shooting videos of themselves answering questions, uploading the videos to YouTube and replying to customers’ tweets with a link to the video.
Managing the New Customer Relationship: Strategies to Engage the Social Customer and Build Lasting Value
Valuable Content Marketing
