One of the great promises of the internet for small business was that it was going to eliminate the “middle man”—intermediaries between sellers and customers. Manufacturers could sell directly to end users instead of stores; retailers could stay in touch with customers frequently. All that is true—but what is also true is that the internet …
Chinese Powerhouse Aims for US Small Business
If yours is a small business interested in selling through online platforms, there’s a ‘new’ online platform looking for you. While I’ve used the term ‘new,’ Alibaba.com—part of the Alibaba Group—is not new at all. Often called “the Amazon of China,” the 20-year-old Alibaba Group has recently announced opportunities for American businesses to sell to …
Surviving Amazon
If you ask most small businesses “What’s the biggest threat to your business?” they’re likely to say “Amazon.” This is especially true for brick-and-mortar retailers, but Amazon is disrupting just about every industry. If your small business isn’t yet threatened by Amazon, it will be. Now, Amazon isn’t the first big company to menace small …
How to Out-Amazon Amazon
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, just became the third richest person in the world, nudging out investor Warren Buffet. On his way to amazing riches, Bezos and his online behemoth store knocked out untold numbers of independent small businesses. Indeed, if you ask small retailers who their biggest competitor is, they’ll likely say “Amazon.” That …
