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Mom-and-Pop directory with small business tools

Small Business-only Store Directory with Small business management services & tools
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Find the item you need from a small business as quickly as the big box chains!

Many of us would pay a few percent more to keep the money in the community, as opposed to empowering WALMART. Many of us

Who wants to call 10 mom-and-pops to find a weedwhacker that is found in seconds at HOME DEPOT?

This probably exists already in some form, but I haven't seen it.

Imagine a website and/or mobile application modeled after the big box chains internet storefronts, that makes it as easy to someone to locate what they want/need from a local small business as it is from big box chains.

Say somebody wants a Powerdrill. Buyer go on the service/platforms website or app, and searches "powerdrill" in the search bar on the home page. Buyer finds 3 small businesses that have "powerdrills" for sale within a 25 mile radius. Buyer is specifically looking for a Corded Powerdrill. Buyer finds it at Tom's Hardware 4 miles away for $70. Buyer clicks the product page, and it displays a stock photo of Corded Powerdrill. The page shows the prices for the corded powerdrill

Buyers benifit from the service/platform by finding what he/she wants or needs sold at a small business in the same amount of time as finding it sold at a nationwide big box store.

The service/platform would consist of a Small Business-only store/service directory, with little-to-no megacorp affiliation (no coroprate Franchises). The online storefront is modelled after big box chains online shopping portals, except all items are for sale by small, mom-and-pop stores.

Small business-owners benifit too from the service/platform, they get free inventory management with no specialized hardware to buy. The smartphone application has a seller side, where small business owners and employees can catalog their inventory using smartphone-camera barcode scanning built into the application. That and other FREE tools to run their business. The service/platform can even manage payment, by connecting to 3rd party payment processors like PAYPAL & SQUARE; credit cards inhouse.

The service/platform offers optional consulting, delegation & legal assistance services so the small business owner doesn't stay awake at night over businesses permits, licenses, taxes, fees, liability, compliances & regulations.

The service/platform can even offer legal retainers & insurance contracted through established insurance companies. The small businesses can get the same rates for insurances and legal services as the big box chains through volume pricing.

All of these options are offered a la carte through the seller side of the service/platform.

The service/platform should extend to private yard sales, flea market sellers, and even lemonade stands to connect local buyers with independent sellers. The service/platform makes it easy to empower your neighbors business, and keep the money in the community!!!

Dignium, Jan 28 2017

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       The way to make this happen though is to tack the service on to Amazon.com. Call it Amazon BuyLocal. So when you're researching products at Amazon and read the reviews, you can see what it would cost to order from Amazon or what it would cost to pick up today at your local hardware store, or local big-box store.   

       Why would Amazon do this? Simple: if you know that you can find out what your local store carries and what their inventory is by going on Amazon, many people will look online before driving to the store. When they do, Amazon will have the opportunity to present a better price if you order from them. I doubt that it would significantly change the ratio of things I buy locally vs. things I order, but it sure would make shopping much easier.   

       I might often buy my main order of something from Amazon, but I would find out which local store also carried the item so when I need to get 4 more of them, I'll know where to go pick them up. I think this would be win-win-win for me, local stores, and Amazon.
scad mientist, Jan 29 2017
  

       I like this idea, and I like [scad]'s suggestion, but alas I have only one bun to offer.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 29 2017
  

       There are in fact dozens of sites where boutique shops put up a partial inventory. They seem to be universally badly designed, although I don't know enough about Alibaba, which is immensely profitable.
4and20, Jan 29 2017
  

       In that case, there's probably much money to be made by someone who can properly design and run "justlikewallmart.com"
MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 29 2017
  

       This is a little like Ebay distance sort, so if it was ebay distance sort with "i will leave it on the front porch" as a delivery option then the software already, at least partially exists.
beanangel, Feb 02 2017
  

       These megastores are just a passing fad. As soon as the personal robots come out we'll all be sending them 'round to do the shopping for us and with the inconvenience out of the way it's a much simpler equation.
Voice, Feb 04 2017
  

       " but alas I have only one bun to offer. — MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 29 2017 "   

       Have you tried turning the other cheek?
normzone, Feb 04 2017
  

       [+] Nice to see ways technology can strengthen personal relationships in the community.
wjt, Feb 04 2017
  
      
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