Independent merchants fight big retailers with selection, service

Independent merchants fight big retailers with selection, service
Tags: Consumer Behavior, Customer Service, Employee Training, Hiring and Retention, Marketing, Merchandising, Multichannel Retailing, Retail - Apparel, Retail - General, Retail - Mall, Shopper Marketing, Specialty Stores
December 25, 2007

The Columbus Dispatch: This season finds independent retailers across the country dealing with a new set of economic challenges even as they still contend with growing competition from big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Borders Inc. That means merchants are being pressed more than ever to capitalize on what sets them apart from the rest of the retail universe: merchandise that's unique and well-suited to a store's clientele, and customer service that's beyond the ordinary.