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What would you think of ice cubes that light up and glow
in brilliant colors? Or a custom made furry footstool in the shape
of a bear? Or how about a solar-powered rainbow maker? Wow,
sounds like cool stuff, doesn’t it? You’ll find all
this and more at the appropriately named Internet business—WowCoolStuff.com—located
in Salem.
Founded
in 1997 in Chicago by Clem and Alison Stein, WowCoolStuff.com is a classic
example of how the Internet is changing retailing. With just a computer,
a warehouse of unique products and a knack for spotting trends, the Steins
have built a business that serves thousands of customers all across the
country. A few years later, the Steins moved to Wisconsin and it
was a simple matter to bring the business along.
Clem
Stein is extremely Internet-savvy. His knowledge of online marketing
has helped his firm survive and thrive, while other failed dot-coms litter
the side of the information superhighway.
What is cool stuff?
“Never
let anything be ordinary!” That’s both the motto and
the business philosophy of WowCoolStuff.com. Calling the firm’s
product line eclectic is an understatement. “We sell some
really different things, but people love that,” said Stein.
“We don’t really have a target audience—there’s
something for everyone.”
The
firm’s most popular item is Litecubes, one of its original offerings.
Stein saw the product at a trade show in Las Vegas and became one of the
first five distributors in the U.S. The cubes are frozen and used
like regular ice cubes. But, they also have a switch to turn them
on so they flash and glow in bright colors. When the ice “melts,”
they can be turned off and re-frozen for another use. The lights
last for approximately 12 hours. Stein says they’re a big
hit at parties and weddings—and they’re really fun in a swimming
pool.
Other
popular offerings include the animal footstools and the rainbow makers,
kits to make marble coasters you decorate yourself, beautifully-tuned
windchimes and unusual home décor and accessories from around the
world. Items that are a bit more out of the ordinary include a bust
lamp, custom fortune cookies and “Loo” the toilet paper assistant—a
27-inch tall statue that holds a roll for you in the bathroom. Some
of this you’ve just got to see to believe.
On
the hand, WowCoolStuff.com also has some unique fine art offerings.
They are one of only a few distributors in the U.S. to offer top quality
lithographs of the works of French poster artist Jules Cheret. Stein
will be exhibiting the artwork at the upcoming Burlington Home Show and
possibly other home shows in the Chicago area.
How the business works
A traditional
business operator carefully chooses retail space, then displays his wares
and works to attract customers to his location, using signs, advertising,
or other means. An online retailer has to use different methods
to accomplish the same thing—get potential customers to his Internet
site. The best way to do that is with a search engine. Today,
that means you’ve got to do business with Google, which Stein describes
as “a billboard for the whole world to see.”
While
web-surfers use Google to help them find what they’re looking for,
businesses pay Google to direct surfers to their sites. For instance,
if you do a Google search for “light cubes,” wowcoolstuff.com
comes up as the first firm on the list. That doesn’t just
happen—businesses bid against each other for the privilege of being
on top of the search. It’s called “pay per click.”
“Each
time someone clicks on our link, we pay,” explained Stein. “You
spend the money, you get the traffic. It’s anywhere from a nickel
a click to $1.50.” One of the major aspects of his job is
maintaining WowCoolStuff’s business relationship with Google.
He also has the challenge of coming up with all the words and terms that
customers could potentially use when looking for products like the ones
that WowCoolStuff.com offers.
The
firm also has an online store through Internet giant eBay, which serves
as a way to both sell goods and direct traffic to its site.
Once
a customer makes it to your site, you need to make the sale. Bright,
colorful graphics, an easy to navigate site with security features, a
good assortment of products and finally, the lowest prices online all
work to motivate the customer to hit the “buy” button.
After that, the staff at WowCoolStuff.com simply processes, packs and
ships the order.
While
it’s different doing business without face-to-face customer contact,
online retailing allows a firm to be open for business 24/7, all across
the country. And, Stein says there are still opportunities for
customer feedback. Their clientele will sometimes respond with an
e-mail, thanking them for the prompt shipping or complimenting them for
how well an item was packed.
Despite
all the new developments in Internet security, some customers still feel
nervous about entering a credit card number online. “Some
of our older customers will pick up the phone and call our toll-free number,”
Stein said. “They would just rather talk to someone.”
What’s ahead?
The
future looks bright for WowCoolStuff.com. The firm is in the process
of building a new warehouse to supplement its current one. Meanwhile,
Stein is always on the lookout for new “cool stuff,”
searching out future trends at trade shows and on the Internet.
“Our
goal is to find another product as big or, or even bigger than, Litecubes,”
Stein said. “And then, be the No. 1 seller of that product.”
General Information
WowCoolStuff.com
5700 312th Ave.
Salem, Wisconsin 53168
1-800-381-6433
Employment Opportunites at WowCoolStuff.Com
WowCoolStuff.com is an equal opportunity employer.
WowCoolStuff.Com, LLC.
Human Resources
5708 312th Ave.
Salem, WI. 53168
Please fill in the form below to contact us about employment opportunities.
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