Marketing 13th Edition by Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler

Exercise 15

It seems you can't get away from the buzz of online, mobile, and social media marketing from the likes of Amazon, Walmart, Nordstrom, and other large retailers. But what about the small independent retailers? Are they also getting on the online, mobile, and social media bandwagon? Some independent retailers are using these tools. For example, a convenience store owner in Miami Tweets a picture to 7,000 followers of a new beer he just stocked that morning, and by late afternoon customers come streaming in to check it out. Emerson Salon in Seattle sources 75 percent of its business from Facebook, Twitter, and its blog. Butter Lane cupcake bakery in New York City has found success using social media as well. Although these retailers have embraced online, mobile, and social media marketing, to most small retailers, using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Groupon, Instagram, Yelp, Foursquare, and other digital media can seem downright intimidating.
Find an example of a local retailer in your community that uses online, mobile, and social media marketing. Interview the owner of the store or restaurant and ask about the challenges and successes they've experienced when implementing this strategy. (AACSB: Communication; Use of IT; Reflective Thinking)