BUY LOCAL NOW... How the Specialty Channel Wins!

Buy Local Now is a game-changing product-location service that leverages the combined strengths of specialty channel brands and retailers to win consumers away from large online operations and national chains. It lets specialty brands and retailers work together to ensure a profitable and sustainable future serving consumers within their local communities.

See real-time stats, lists of participating brands / retailers and most requested products...

See Buy Local Now in action at brand websites...

Specialty brands have Brand Power. Consumers often develop an affinity for a brand independent from the retail environment. Whether a result of national advertising or a recommendation from a friend, consumers are often drawn to a brand's website. Then, after learning more about the brand and honing in on a specific product, they're ready to take action and find a retailer.

Specialty retailers have Local Power. With stores located in or near the consumer's community, specialty retailers are able to provide a unique experience built on convenience and value-added services. Advice, touch and feel, fitting, installation, repair, warranty and returns are just a few of the services that help ensure success both pre- and post-purchase.

PROBLEM: Brand Power and Local Power are Disconnected

Brand Power and Local Power, complementary strengths indeed, but how well have they been working together? What happens when a consumer gets excited about a product at a brand's website and wants to make a purchase or see it in person? Some current scenarios are:

Traditional Dealer Locator - Brand provides a list of local retailers with no information on product availability. The consumer has to call around or search each retailer's website looking for the product they want, an often disappointing and frustrating experience that can kill desire, or worse, drive consumers to an easier option like Amazon where they'll get introduced to other brands.

Big Hitter Links - Brand provides buy now links to a few online retailers. This no doubt helps a few retailers, but how well is the consumer, and ultimately, the brand served? These few retailers don't have locations near most consumers. They can't provide the unique pre- and post-purchase services of a local store. They can't provide immediate gratification with same-day pickup (like Amazon is trying to implement). They can't cultivate the same kind of personal relationship with a consumer that earns a local retailer a lifetime of repeat purchases and referrals.

Consumer Direct - Brand sells direct to consumer. In a straightforward model, this takes much needed profit away from specialty retailers. In a revenue sharing model, retailers get a piece of the revenue (short-term profit), but again, how well is the consumer and brand served? The same shortcomings of Big Hitter Links apply and retailers are not able to cultivate a relationship with the consumer (long-term loss).

Consumer Direct - Retailer Fulfilled - Brand sells direct through platform that lets retailers claim and fulfill orders. Here again the consumer loses access to all the pre-purchase benefits of a local specialty retailer and a relationship gets established during the sale with the brand, not the retailer.