small retailers selling greenI saw a shop in La Conner WA, this weekend called OM Organic Matters. They have a fairly good size streetfront location in addition to the web site. Is it possible to actually make a living with a 1500 SF shop selling only organic wool sweaters, non-animal tested lotions and hemp cereal? Actually I'm interested in getting some perspective on what "green retail" means to the small retailer. Big clothing manufacturers say you canNike and Patagonia have organic fiber lines and the founder of Burt's Bees products is now launching a new line of organic cotton clothes for babbies and toddlers call Happy Green Bee. You can see the article here. http://www.retailsource.com The leading online directory of products and services for the retail industry 2008 Update - Still ChallengingI agree this is an exciting and dynamic area. Good to bring it up in 06 Melanie. It reminds me of the internet in 1995. Recall how many simply viewed a website as funny yellow pages ad, others ignored it as a fad, and many crazy ideas arrive fast and disappeared as quickly. But a decade later the web had transformed how we do and view business. I have followed the sustainability movement since 1990 and in the past few years I see the shift really taking hold of the mainstream - it is now generating cold dispassionate investment and is no longer just propped up by the long-necessary base of feel-good support. Small retail is a fertile ground for innovation - once you get past the numerous stores that simply make work for owners. However, an innovative green retailer is not sustainable if it is not fiscally viable. Many, including those heralded as great examples such as Nau was a year ago, will sink. The legacy will be the creative and darwinian evolutions that emerge to inspire shoppers and to be adopted my the major players in the sector. Today, the mainstream shopper says they want green, but their behaviour shows that they want great price, outstanding quality, superb service and convenient access first. The retail owner must understand his or her market with their head and not just act on their heart. That said, there are certainly reasons for retail to get moving on this. They have lagged other sectors for sometime and the public is expecting more that reusable bags from their stores. Furthermore, as the bar rises, those lagging will be quickly left behind, as retail leaders find ways to layer green as another aspect of profitable business excellence. And while the consumer is struggling to define overall value, good employees are aligning with the workplace that supports their values (when they have the choice). The challenge? Show me a profitable green dollar store and I will confirm the retail landscape forever changed. I am convinced with creative brilliance and adequate financing, this will happen (well, maybe a green two-dollar store). Far-fetched? Check out www.terracycle.net. Cheers, David Ian Gray www.dig360.ca Some independent retailers find green success.At least two local companies in Vancouver, BC, Canada, have made 'green' into a great success story by manufacturing and retailing products that are better for the environment.
Melanie McIntosh Inspire Retail Solutions Struggling to get more customers in the door? Find out more here: http://www.inspire.bc.ca
greenIt's tough. I use a lot of plastics in wrapping and silicates and I know the materials are made from a lot of acylics and nongreen processes. I use biodegadeable gift boxes and treated paper but I am not as green as i could be.  I use metals and a lot of glass and enamels. I am not sure where I fall on the green spectrum. But I know it is had to find a all natual material sweater. Sponsor |
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Can you make a living being green?
Can you make a living selling only "organic wool sweaters, non-animal tested lotions and hemp cereal?"
As with so many things, the answer is...that depends.
Does the market want it? If there is demand, certainly. The natural foods and natural products market is growing. Take the success of stores like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, for example. In stores like these and others, natural foods cross over into gourmet category.
But, you can't force green products on a market that isn't asking for it yet, or one that doesn't want to pay the price.
Another challenge as a small retailer; can you offer the selection and diversity to satisfy the market? How many wool sweaters and lotions does one person need? If you only carry a small number of products, can you be unique enough, and create a strong enough brand to drive traffic? It's a lot of work.
Some of the smaller retailers in my community are doing a great job of offering organic alternatives in addition to their other traditional product lines. There is definitely a market here with all of us 'granolas' on the west coast of BC.
In my mind, 'green retail' is an exciting area to watch. It means different things to different people, and seems to be growing and changing rapidly. If you are a retailer in this arena, you really need to keep your finger on the pulse of the market and new developments in the industry.
In the future 'green' is going to be a choice that customers expect to have as a minimum standard. You see this in grocery retail already - small retailers to supermarkets are offering green/organic alternatives to avoid losing part of their market. Another example is printing - everyone carries recycled paper stocks as an option. More and more retailers are going to need to adjust, and retailers who only carry organics, or 'green' products will need to be more competitive.
The topic of 'green retail' is huge. Any other thoughts?
Melanie McIntosh
Inspire Retail Solutions
Struggling to get more customers in the door?
Find out more here: http://www.inspire.bc.ca