Going back several years, it was common to see independent computer shops on many main streets.
It’s fair to say that shops of this nature are now fewer in number. As with shops in all industries, many have been squeezed out by chains and superstores. With this in mind, is there still a place for the main street computer shop?
Advantages That Remain
While there’s no doubt it is hard for independent businesses to compete with household names on price alone, there are still reasons why customers may be attracted to main street computer shops.
Firstly, many people are intimidated by large computer stores, and have past experience of shoddy service from staff who are often poorly trained and driven by commission.
Small computer stores can capitalize on this by focusing on personalized service, for which many people will happily pay a small price premium.
In addition, independent shops can choose exactly what to stock—and keen resellers can profit by locating good deals and publicizing them in the local area.
Advice
If you’re thinking of opening a computer shop, it would be foolish to assume it will be an automatic success. You will probably need to offer a number of profitable, supplementary services to guarantee healthy revenue.
However, you shouldn’t necessarily be intimidated by the presence of big names. Your local knowledge and personalized service will help you establish a client base—and the resulting word-of-mouth could result in healthy trade.
Are you running a computer shop or considering doing so? Do you think there’s still a place for such stores? Share your views in the comments box below.
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