site. He plans to move it to a larger location once things get going to accommodate the anticipated warehouse space. In the meantime, he is concentrating on embedding features that will make it easier for consumers to browse products, get advice and purchase. “Manufacturers already have the impression that small retailer Web sites do not look professional enough to rep- resent their products, and cannot be professionally run to make a positive impression on customers,” he explained. “So we are trying to put in simple features, small tweaks in some cases, that make us different and better that even some of the larger Web sites.”
SMALL GUY’S STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY In order to comply with suppliers’ guidelines for selling
online, Assad has identified the products he can sell with no restrictions, and has applied with other brands, some- times in person, to get permission. But these efforts have not been completely successful.
send the orders to retailers who are local to the buyer for fulfillment. Crazy Stereo is a registered Shopatron retailer, though Assad said the store has not received any orders as of yet. Even with the difficulties involved with set up and selling
permissions, Assad feels that this is the natural evolution of business, even for retailers selling to their local area. “There are 3.2 million residents in Orange County,” he ex- plained. “If we take out children, et cetera, then about half of this number, 1.6 million, are eligible to buy radios. If 10 percent of these people need stereos, you’re looking at 160,000 potential customers. Even if we got only 10 per- cent of this group, that’s 16,000 customers. If I am online in a professional way, and I’m here in Orange County, I don’t know why they would want to buy anywhere else.”
BRISTOL SOUND: SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY Joe Khalil at Bristol Sound wasn’t immune to the down- turn. His extremely spacious showroom and bay, which
Manufacturers don’t want small guys to sell online, but they allow larger online companies to do it, and that’s an unfair market advantage.”
“Manufacturers don’t want small guys to sell online, but
they allow larger online companies to do it, and that’s an unfair market advantage,” he said. “I’m investing quite a bit of money to make sure my Web site is as professional as any of the larger sites.” Assad added that he under- stands the added complexity of a manufacturer having to “police” numerous Web sites would be a headache, and the necessity of having a set of standards in place. “Fine,” he said. “Just let me know what the qualifications are and I will work to meet them. In fact, they can even keep it simple and limit sales to California only. Any ZIP Code that does not start with ‘9’ I cannot ship to.” Several manufacturers are addressing the perceived equality issue by signing up with Shopatron, a service which lets suppliers take orders on their Web sites and
once housed a tire store, now employs eight people of its prior 15-plus. But while business shrank, the store’s foot- print has expanded. Khalil rented his current location in 2000 in an area he describes as “lower to lower-middle class, working Hispan- ic families.” High rents on the Harbor Boulevard stretch brought him to this location. “I really like it because of the frontage,” he explained. “As you go down Bristol Street, you can’t help but see our sign and open bays.”
“HOW MUCH HAVE YOU GOT?” Bristol Sound started as a car stereo store, but even- tually expanded, due both to the capability of the former automotive repair facility and the mindset of the owner. “In 2004 and 2005 we started selling rims and tires in addi-
www.me-mag.com 41
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68