Listening Blog

 I chose Bi-Mart Corporation because I am a former employee (employed for 12½ years), have shopped there for as long as I can remember, and I was curious about their marketing strategy. Their value proposition is that they are employee owned, offer low prices, have impeccable customer service, and are a smaller discount store. A lot of people have brand loyalty because they sell a variety of products and have a friendly atmosphere. 

 Overall, Bi-Mart has excellent reviews especially lately across Google, Reddit and TikTok. Most of the feedback online has included an aspect of their value proposition.
A LOT of customers also talk about their Sporting Goods department.

 

                   Google Reviews                              TikTok (Mindful Missy)                                    

                                   WAGuns Reddit Sub                                            

One thing I noticed was that there is no customer engagement on their social media pages other than a few “likes” and comments. Bi-Mart does not respond to any comments regardless of if the comments are positive or negative. With this example below from a Facebook review, the customer is complaining because they were refused service to buy a firearm. As a company built on customer service, I was shocked that there was no response. Just like David Meerman Scott described in his book, by not responding Bi-Mart missed a huge opportunity to show everyone that sees the post that they are engaged and value their customers' patronage.

Below is an example of a positive comment in which an employee at the Tigard store had replied. 

This would be such an easy thing for Corporate to respond to on Facebook! 

 

Nearly all of Bi-Mart’s posts on social media are about products they have on sale for that week, and they all look nearly identical. They are not doing anything remarkable or doing any storytelling in regard to advertising. The only thing they have going for them is that they are active and post every few days. To be honest, I have no idea what they are trying to accomplish other than spamming customers with ads to hopefully sell more merchandise. As Seth Godin mentioned, there are so many choices and so little time, so the content just gets ignored by consumers. 

The following pictures are from Instagram and Facebook:

         

                    Bi-Mart's Instagram Page         Bi-Mart's Facebook Page

If I were the brand manager, I would implement a few changes:

1. Make a point to respond quickly to customers via social media to encourage interactions.

2. Post great content to social media, not just redundant ads. 

3. Create a blog to write about tips or different topics. Not only will you educate your customers (like Grain Surfboards or Longhairs), but you can subtly mention products available in the store. Here are some ideas I have:

1. Tips on getting organized/ decluttered in January or early Spring.

2. Emergency Preparedness Month- Include a preparedness checklist from the American Red Cross. Link products in the blog to encourage sales.

3. Interview different fishermen or hunters to get tips. Post ODFW guidelines and share content then tag ODFW for more exposure.

4. Top OTC health products trending. Local companies like Naturalz? Interview them!

5. Write posts about stellar employees that go above and beyond, share Bi-Mart’s history, talk about partnerships with United Way, etc. Inspire more people to want to go to Bi-Mart first. “People don’t buy what you do, but why you do it.”- Simon Sinek

4. Work on advertising to a younger customer base. Products are sold at Bi-Mart that are for young adults and up, however they are not advertised. No one goes to Bi-Mart to get a two-piece swimsuit because they don’t know they are sold there! Make sure not to alienate other customer demographics. 

This assignment has taught me a lot and I am looking at social media and marketing in a completely different way. I always thought that social media was just for individuals and not so much for companies. Looking through Bi-Mart’s social media and comparing it to other retailers, I can notice some great opportunities in their marketing strategy. This assignment has really taught me how important social media marketing is for companies and individuals.

Here are some links:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8FwSpq9/
Bi-Mart Membership Discount Stores | Facebook
Bi-Mart (@bi_mart_stores) • Instagram photos and videos
Google Review: https://g.co/kgs/fGAKfFt
WAGun Subreddit Post: When you finally find ammo, but its for a caliber you dont own... : r/WAGuns