Leppmann may not be able to compete on
price, especially for toys available in big boxes
online. So she won’t carry merchandise that gets
big discounts elsewhere.
“I don’t want people to have to pay more
than they would pay down the road at Target,”
Leppmann says.
Instead, the store offers services unlikely to be
found at big box retailers. Customers can call up
and order a toy, then drop in to get it a few hours
later — usually on their way to a birthday party.
Small retailers may not be able to make
dramatic changes to their stores for the
holidays but they can win on very personal
service, says Carlos Castelan, managing
director of The Navio Group, a management
consultancy based in Minneapolis. For
example, a small hardware store staff often
helps customers decide what to buy.
“If I share with them what I need, they’ll say,
‘here are some things you should consider,’ and
talk me through the different brands in terms of
price and quality,” Castelan says.
In many small cities and towns, retail groups,
chambers of commerce and business
improvement officials support local stores
during the holidays, often by helping to provide
shopper-friendly services. In Burlington,
Vermont, the Church Street Marketplace, a
business improvement district, helps shoppers
find parking with digital maps, signs and
greeters at garages. Executive Director Ron
Redmond is aware that finding a parking
spot close to stores is a must for many people
— difficult parking can be a deterrent to
downtown shopping.