Rural retailing can be challenging, but offers a few advantages - Entrepreneur Generations

Running a retail establishment in a rural area can be tough: store owners must compete with big box retailers like Walmart as well as online sources like Amazon. But rural retailing has some big advantages to it too, Melanie Plenda reports for The Sentinel in Keene, New Hampshire.

One of the biggest is how invested the owners are in the local community. They appreciate the quality of life rural living brings and are actively involved in their communities, one store owner told Plenda. That's good for the community and good for the store owners, since such involvement makes for a loyal customer base.

But the lack of foot traffic can make running a rural store challenging. Rural retailers are trying to offer more incentives to keep customers coming, like in-store order pickup, rewards programs, and customer appreciation events. But the best thing they offer is customer service, Plenda reports.

"It's understandable in today's world that many retail stores have become discouraged by Amazon and the online sellers," said Elizabeth Hamshaw, owner of pet and farm supply store The Cheshire Horse in Swanzey, N.H. "But there are certainly plenty of ways to compete and remain a business of choice for your customers."

Keene will host the Radically Rural Summit Sept. 27-28 to explore innovation in rural communities. Al Cross, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, which produces the Rural Blog, will be a guest speaker.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2D9VUlM Rural retailing can be challenging, but offers a few advantages - Entrepreneur Generations

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