You Mean Small Businesses Can Succeed Without Web Sites?
from the shocking! dept
The internet has certainly given a boost to many small business owners, either by opening up new business opportunities or by giving them a powerful and inexpensive marketing platform. Many others have chosen to stay offline for any number of reasons: they're not comfortable with technology, their customers aren't online, or they simply don't want to set up an online presence. Apparently the fact that businesses can not have an online presence and still be successful is a total surprise to the WSJ, which breathlessly declares "that being online isn't always a prerequisite for success." Who ever thought it was? The reporter seems genuinely shocked that small-business owners would stay offline, and even more so that they could succeed after doing so. This implies a belief many people seem to have: that being online is a silver bullet that will make a small business successful, regardless of any other factors. The internet exists as a tool for small business owners; some can use it to grow their businesses, while others can succeed without it. What's so surprising about that?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
The convenience store doesn't
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A happy customer is the best customer!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I have a DJ business as well and the decline I see in both industries hasn't effected me yet because I am honest and make an effort to offer my clients something that others won't.
Those that feel they don't need a website haven't explored all the possibilities of how it could benefit their business, plain and simple.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
no phone
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
there was a comment by a vp of yahoo a little while ago, where she stated that the small businesses "..don't get it.." in reference to the difficulty of getting small businesses to use online advertising.
small businesses do in fact "get it".. what alot of them realize, is that online advertsing/web sites don't give any return, and in fact is a drag on their biz...
a majority of small businesses that i've talked to have talked about working with local sales organizations, doing things like coupons, etc...
a vast majority of small businesses are quite content to use the local yellow pages/local newspaper, printing out coupons using local coupon services...
it's the yahoo/google who don't quite provide what the small businesses need/want in order to drive more sales... they don't want clicks.. they want actual sales!
sam...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
They don't need us?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Just the other day I was searching for a B&B to go to for an upcoming anniversary, and eliminated the options that didn't have a website. It was more difficult to get information from them, and since I have options, I don't need their services.
Sure, small businesses CAN succeed, but there's definitely a group of small businesses who benefit enormously from trying out this 'Internet thing'.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
does it hurt?
if it can, then perhaps you should make the decision carefully.
but if it can't hurt, then why not? if it can't hurt, then it only has the potential to help.
there is a difference between having a website about the products and services your business provides and e-commerce.
if i am concerned that i will need customer service on a product, i will buy it locally. i will do this if i have questions about it, i am not sure it will work for me, or i want to see it in person before buying. these are all things that a website is horrible at delivering... but i would still like a website to get a list of available products, directions to the store, and maybe the hours of operation.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I have one..
Other stores that sell items like mine have gone to offering ridiculously low prices and then they hide the shipping costs till after you've entered your credit card information and are too damn tired to do that again before pressing the "buy" button.
I can actually win customers over by pointing this fact out because many will say "but I can find it online for $15-20" and I reply "with $15-20 shipping" and they change their minds quickly about my pricing.
Not everything is going to translate to the online world.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No you don't.
As long as you set up a website correct it CANNOT hurt your business but always can help it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Visibility, visibility, visibility!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]