By Sue DiFranco
Copyright © 2001 Sue DiFranco/Fun Facts Publishing  

Lately there has been discussion among scrappers about the growing amount of scrapbooking supplies that corporate giant WalMart has been stocking. Many LSSs with WalMarts in their area are concerned, and have a right to be. A one or two-person business, who is trying not only to make a profit but just to stay open, can't afford to charge the close-to-wholesale prices that WalMart charges. 

So, do you lower your prices and risk going out of business? Do you offer sales constantly? No. Figure out what sets you apart from WalMart, and concentrate on those traits. For example:

  Continue offer outstanding personal customer service. This includes helping out customers who have questions about designing a particular page or album, demonstrating new products and having the customer try them out, offering special orders, greeting people warmly, and remembering customer's names and/or details ("How's little Mikey's baseball practice going?").

  Make sure all of your employees employ the same practices at all times. If you are not there, your employees represent you and your store. Upon hiring, go over "store policy" with them, outlining all of the ways that customer service should be handled, and WHY it's important.

  Stay in contact with your customer list, with a regular newsletter AND various direct mailings. Send your direct mailings at various holidays or times of year. Prepare a direct mailing to customers who haven't been in in awhile. Prepare a direct mailing that outlines all of the services  you offer (extraordinary customer service, crops, playroom, classes, hard-to-find items), that implies why scrappers would benefit more by shopping at your store, rather than the large chain.

  Research and carry hard-to-find items that the large chains don't carry.

Naturally, some people are going to want a "bargain" and the convenience of doing all of their shopping at once. A lot of people don't even realize what they are doing to the mom-and-pop businesses every time they give their money to a corporate giant. If the WalMart in your town is taking away business, just concentrate on the above-listed steps and stay focused on all of the ways your store is superior to a generic chain. 

There was an excellent documentary on PBS called "Store Wars," about a small town in Virginia who grouped together and fought NOT to have a WalMart built. It was rather eye-opening, as it detailed how this store forces so many independent, mom-and-pop stores, to close down. For more information, check out http://www.pbs.org/storewars