[彭蒙惠英語] 從網(wǎng)絡(luò)虛擬空間到實(shí)體店面(2/2)
NEWS worthy Clips (2/2)
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From Cyberspace to Storefront
Setting up a brick-and-mortar shop is expensive. Rent, architects, interior designers, fixtures, merchandise racks, electricity and sales personnel all cost money.
“There are a lot of mom-an-pop* shops online because it’s just expensive to open a store,” says analyst Sucharita Mulpuru. merchants can set up shop online with merely a dozen items.
A whole new model
says Chris VanDyke. His outdoor apparel start-up, Nau Inc., opened what it calls a “webfront” in Chicago earlier this month. It is one of four stores the online retailer is opening that aims to marry* online and offline shopping.
The 2,000-square-foot boutique* carries just enough merchandise to allow shoppers to try on items and gauge* the fit. The idea is to encourage shoppers to research and order Nau’s products directly from the computer kiosks* in the store. In turn, Nau keeps overhead* costs low by shipping the purchases from a central warehouse directly to shoppers’ homes.
“Our whole model is based on having a small store with lower lease, build-out * and people costs,” VanDyke says. “We’re trying to build a brand as well.” It’s a risk, but if it works, VanDyke believes it could change the way people shop. Nau plans to open another 20 stores by 2008, and? having as many as 140 stores.
Lasting advantages
Consultant Lauren Freedman recalls the early days of online retail, when dot-com gurus* struck fear into brick-and-mortar stores. “The bottom line is, the portability of a catalog won’t go away and the tactile* component of a store will always exist, ” she says. “There’s something about showcasing a brand at a good store. When you do it well, you can’t match that [online].”
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Vocabulary Focus
marry(v)--- to match or join two things together
gauge (v)--- to make a judgment about something
guru (n)--- a person who is respected for their knowledge of a particular subject and who gives advice
tactile (adj)--- related to touch
Specialized terms
mom-and-pop(adj phr)--- (通常由一個(gè)家庭經(jīng)營的)小型商店的 referring to a small business that is typically owned and operated by a family
start-up(n)--- 新公司 a new business
boutique(n)--- 精品店;流行服飾店 a small store that sells fasionable clothes, shoes, jewelry and similar items
kiosk(n)--- 公用電腦站 an interactive computer terminal make available for use by the public
overhead(n)--- (企業(yè)的房租、水電等)日常費(fèi)用;營運(yùn)成本 the regular and necessary costs, such as rent, heat, electricity and telephone, involved in operating a business
build-out(n)--- 發(fā)展;擴(kuò)張 the development and planned growth of something
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