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Name: Pam Semp Business: The Corner Store, Harbor Beach Web address: www.hbcornerstore.com Products: Home accessories and gifts - 3,000 items
online Time on web: 19 months Percent of sales from web in 2002: 10% Increase in web sales from 2001: 50% Website designed by: What sets her webstore apart: Customer service.
Orders are usually shipped within 24 hours, along with a small gift, like
a soap sample or mug. What sells online: “There’s no rhyme
or reason to it. Why in the world would we sell hundreds of 10-cent candy
sticks online? We’ve sold a lot of Yankee Candles. They’re everywhere
and we’re the same price.” Biggest challenge: Keeping track of what’s
in stock and adjusting the website listings. Effect of sales tax on online purchases: “I
don’t think people look at that. They do it for convenience.” Web retailing tip: Use address verification to
detect credit card fraud. “We’ve learned to stay away from orders
from Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. So many were stolen cards that
we just don’t bother with it.” Best online retailing experience: A woman from
the area visited the store with her daughter-in-law from out of state.
The daughter-in-law later went online and ordered an item they had seen
in the store for her mother-in-law’s birthday. The gift was delivered
to the mother-in-law that same day, delighting both purchaser and recipient. Comments: “People sometimes say, ‘If your online business gets really big, you won’t have to have your store.’ But I would never give that up.” |
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