Why does Follett cut at the store level and expand at the home office. I/store employees touch everyone of our customers when they come into the stores to pick up their books from an eFollett order or buy them directly. The only reason eFollett is used is because students don’t want to wait in the long lines. Yet every one of your actions guarantees a long wait. Here is my advice.
-
Number one priority should be to improve the fulfillment process for ecommerce orders. Like EVERY retailer, sales will continue to migrate from physical to online. Where are the tablets/hand held applications for fulfilling orders and for line busting pick up orders. We don’t need a new POS, ecommerce site or CT Web, we need new fulfillment applications. Look at Bestbuy, look at Walmart, heck even look at Sears. They have all changed in the last two years and their financial results are showing improvements. There are many retailers that faced downturns because of Amazon/online competition, and yet they are slowly turning around. Buy online pick up in store – a great advantage.
-
Our bookstore has a great advantage being physically close to the customer. Other online retailers have 1-3 day shipping. Follett SHOULD have same day pickup. Order online and pickup in a couple of hours. This is only feasible if you staff accordingly.
-
Where is the store mobile app. It could be used for so many things like customer loyalty, rental reminders, buying stuff, managing financial aid.
I hope Follett looks at what other retailers are doing, there are very good models on how to successfully compete with Amazon, and also models for failure. We are currently going down the path of the latter.