Russo's Books, Bakersfield CA Russo's Books is an independent bookseller in Bakersfield, CA. As are many of the nation's independent bookstores, Russo's is being challenged by an influx of national competitors. Hear what Mike Russo has to say about how StoreExec™ has helped them: "We have successfully positioned our web site as a promotional vehicle which has assisted in (1) driving traffic to our physical stores, (2) establishing credibility with customers when comparing our level of retail sophistication with that of our national competitors, and (3) allowing us to take of advantage of unique retailing opportunities. This third benefit, being in a position to succeed when opportunity knocks, seems to manifest itself in many unforeseen ways. For example, a local author recently wanted to market his book to his company's nationwide sales staff, but his employer saw this as a conflict of interest. By designating Russo's as the exclusive distributor, we are now selling the book throughout the country via our web site, as well as gaining in-store sales to his local associates seeking the book. Without a strong web presence, we would have missed the opportunity (and sales) on both the national and local front. On a similar note, we are speaking with other local businesses who wish to add value to their web site by linking to our site (and visa versa). These businesses will be able to offer their customers access to books on a specific topic of interest, and we in turn will gain exposure (and possibly sales) to an ever-increasing segment of the market. Best of all, StoreExec's well-thought out and affordable product (the monthly fee is less than we spend on a single newspaper ad) allows us to remain flexible and responsive to our customers and vendor needs (an important attribute for the independent retailer)." Mike Russo Russo's Books www.russosbooks.com