Competing with Big Box Stores

There are grass roots organizations, city ordinances and anti-sprawl leagues fighting chain stores all over our nation. Some communities are making strides in protecting local businesses from national discount stores, but more and more small retailers are facing the cold, hard truth -- that large mass merchandisers and category killers aren't going away anytime soon.

Does this mean we must close shop when Wal-Mart or Home Depot moves to town? Not at all. What it means is we must get creative and work harder to compete with the big box stores. It's not easy, but it's not impossible either.

Is your shop fighting a losing battle against a chain store? Is it winning? Do you have a competitor selling products lower than you can buy them? Let us know how you're surviving the competition.