4 Retail niche markets that benefited the most from online marketing

It is not an exaggeration to say that the internet has changed shopping in a fundamental way. Not just the way we buy products, but also the expectations we have for retailers and the ease in finding niche products that until the widespread acceptance of the internet involved lengthy and frustrating physical searches for distributors and retailers.

It might be difficult for anyone under 30 to remember what shopping for unusual products was like. Now, of course, you get on the computer and use Google to find the product and several distributors, you compare prices, read reviews and determine the distributor that suits your needs. Then you order the product and it is delivered to your door within a couple of days. A week at the outside.

Just a couple of decades ago, the process was completely different. First you had to find the manufacturer of the product. If you were replacing something, you found the manufacturer’s name on the item then determined where the manufacturer was based. If you were fortunate, that information was on the item, as well, but if it wasn’t you would have to search it out for yourself. Library visits, phone calls to shops that might carry the product or, at least, knew a retailer who did.

Eventually, you would have the name and location of the manufacturer. You could then call them and ask for the closest retailer to you. A phone call or visit to that retailer would determine whether they carried the product in stock or had to order it. Then you had to go pick it up. For unusual or high-priced items that could mean a substantial road trip.

There is no doubt that the internet has simplified the process considerably. Simplification and convenience make online sales the preferred method for certain industries, some of the most affected include:

Specialist automobile parts

No auto parts store could be expected to carry every single part for every single car. That doesn’t stop people from asking for obscure items daily. Online auto parts, however, can link many parts stores together and share inventory for online sales.

Used book stores

The big problem with used book stores is it is literally impossible to have every title that someone might want in stock. Thriftbooks has solved that problem by using an affiliate program to share the inventory of hundreds of book stores and libraries. This approach maximizes inventory while minimizing overhead.

Airplane parts

Whether you need aero classic tires, an aircraft engine stand or just about any part for your small aircraft, A.E.R.O. has the part in stock. Granted, not everyone owns a small plane but it’s good to know if you buy one that there is an online company who has your parts needs covered.

Boating accessories

There are times that boating enthusiasts don’t live close enough to large bodies of water for retailers to set up in their neck of the woods. The bulk of West Marine stores, one of the largest marine suppliers in the country, are located near the coasts. You might find a smaller supplier near one of the larger inland lakes or rivers, but having an online store makes West Marine a proven success for boating parts and equipment.

As the world changes, retail markets must change with it or they will die out. Industries that are unable or unwilling to adapt their marketing model will be supplanted by ones that will. That is the nature of retail sales and, although there are many more examples, the four listed above are some of the best cases. As the market changed, they adapted and continue to be successful.