theview
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business
Internet vs. In-Person Shopping
By Tony Jackson, Special to THE VIEW 38002
There has been a major
shift in the way people
make purchases today. E-
commerce is growing 23%
year-over-year.
Outstanding pricing /
sales circulars, and bottom
dollar pricing have caught
the eye of many.
But at what cost? What
is the real cost of these
savings?
The real cost in my
opinion is relationships,
customer service, and the
local economy. By the
numbers done in recent
studies 67% of millennials
and 56% of gen xers prefer
to shop online rather than
in-store, and overall a
whopping 51% of all
Americans prefer to shop
online.
Where does that leave
small businesses with
brick-and-mortar
store-
fronts or small office/
service providers? The
world is evolving, and we
as small business owners
have to change with it.
Luckily there are still a
percentage of shoppers
whom still believe in the
shop local aspect, and
support the local business-
es. How do we revive the
shop local message, and
mentality? I think it comes
down to educating cus-
tomers on the advantages
of what a small business
does vs online.
In speaking with some
shoppers here in 38002
they say that online is just
so convenient. Especially
with the amazon platform.
Understandably, conven-
ience is definitely a valid
argument.
However, what happens
when you can’t get it
online, and the local busi-
ness that carried the same
product or offered the
same service at a slightly
higher price has closed
because of lack of sales?
The fact still remains
that small business drives
the American econo-
my. My question to you
the reader is what kind of
shopper are you? What
would it take for you to
shop more within the local
economy vs online? Is
there an added feature you
would like to see in a local
business that would spark
your interest? What is your
perspective?
By Jim Jones, Special to THE VIEW 38002
Even with average home
sales
prices
dipping
slightly in June, the first
drop in prices in nine
months, total home sales in
Memphis and Shelby
County continue to soar.
The number of units sold in June was
up 9% with 1,852 sales recorded for the
month compared to 1,692 last year.
Average home sales prices fell 1% to
$178,572 from $180,472 in June 2016.
Total home sales volume was up 8% with
$331 million recorded compared to $305
million last June.
Through the first half of 2017, the
Home Sales by Municipality
number of home sales recorded are up
8%, average home sales prices are up 5%,
and total home sales revenue is up 13%
from the same period in 2016.
Bank-owned property sales continue to
decline, down 20% from last June with
109 recorded for the month averaging
$88,026.
Investor purchases accounted for 18%
of all home sales in Shelby County for the
month with an average sales price of
$71,385. 44% of investor purchases were
made by out-of-town buyers.
Following is a breakdown of June
home sales by municipality comparing
2017 figures to 2016:
.com
August 2017