this is my .02 cents FWIW
sorry for the diatribe
couple things will help you stand out.
#1 price, if you can price to internet.
#2 Service, Customer service is something that I find very lacking
I am not wealthy nor am i poor.
I am a very price conscious buyer, who also can run price bots with the best of them to find the best price on any product. I am however willing to spend a little more than the internet price, if I know that I will be treated right and will not be raked over the coals for everything i buy.
One example of how not to service, I had a local shop i go to. I bought my son a used snowboard there and boots. They told me that at following year i could trade the euipment back and they would guarantee 50% of the purchase price. I wnet back this year to get my son new boots since he outgrew the older ones. they honored that
The new boots now put him in a new size binding. they don't sell used bindings without boards, so we looked at used boards. when they looked at his board, there was a small bum in at the edge, this was not a huge core shot, nor do i know if it was there when we bought it from them. He only used board twice, last year. they did not honor thier 50% buyback (strike one). Then we found a board we liked, but their price for the binding was full retail when I could get the binding on the internet any day of the week for 50% less. I almost bought the board till they told me they would not service theboard if i bought binding somewhere else
Strike 2, and 3.
Don't ruin the sale because of poor attitude.
if you price well and provide good service, the customer will always come back.
expertise and advice (service) makes me willing to pay more
attitude will make me walk
if there is a deal on the internet you can't beat that is fine, don't ruin the sale that you could have had, and a loyal customer because someone found a good deal. you will profit more in the long term from that person, because you understand a deal is a deal
good luck with your new venture