Amazon and Costco….two (2) of my favorite shopping destinations that never fail to amaze me! I love scrolling through Amazon’s website or the aisles of Costco, whether in pursuit of a particular item or just casually browsing. One advantage with Costco having a literal store front is that I can leave with my purchases in hand. With Amazon, I have an “almost” limitless array of choices for whatever I might need or want along with the benefits of an Amazon Prime Membership.
So, what do both shopping destinations have in common? With Costco’s helpful, friendly employees, easy returns, and fantastic products to Amazon’s seemingly endless volume/selection of items along with turnkey “retailor” associated returns…they both exceed customer expectations…and that is why they are immensely popular and continue to grow and expand their business footprint.
I chose to focus on both Amazon and Costco to highlight some of their merchandising/sales/business practices because they are quite simple yet timeless. Give your customers what they need/want or help them find what they need/want. Have exceptional customer service with friendly, engaging personnel. Have “turnkey” solutions with a “win-win” attitude. Make the experience with your customer so rewarding they say to others, “why would I shop anywhere else?” Make it a “Purchasing Adventure!” That might sound funny but that’s exactly what Amazon and Costco do!
To summarize, a successful business is always looking to continually increase their customer base and reward their loyal customers. Analyzing different options can sometimes be as basic as returning to the fundamentals of Business 101. The current success stories of Amazon and Costco illustrate how it’s done, and their continued growth and legions of customers say it all!
