5 essential books for retail entrepreneurs

A business in the retail world requires strategies to differentiate yourself from the competition, from product promotion to distribution logistics and after-sales support. Looking for inspiration in success stories can therefore be a good ‘start’ for business planning and success.

With that in mind, Andrei Dias, head of sales at Nexaas, a retail technology specialist in retail innovation, has listed five reading suggestions that address different retail perspectives and teach about innovation, entrepreneurship and technology.

• • Inspiration for starting a new business
• Book: The Everything Store (Intrinsic Publisher)

If you’re looking for a dose of inspiration about entrepreneurship and perseverance, this might make sense. “A Loja de Tudo”, a book written by Brad Stone, tells the story of Amazon, and also tells the biography of its creator, Jeff Bezos.

The work brings unpublished testimonies of friends, family, associates and former employees and describes the entrepreneur’s movements to reach new markets and enable business growth – until he became one of the most powerful companies in the world.

“It’s a real lesson for those who want to create a virtual store,” guarantees the CEO.

• • How to manage the venture
• Book: Inside Alibaba (published by Benvirá)

Understanding e-commerce management and learning sales techniques from Chinese companies can be facilitated by reading “Inside Alibaba: How the World’s Largest E-Commerce Company Is Changing the Directions of Online Business”. The author was one of the first employees of Alibaba in the West and for several years the company’s head of public relations and international marketing.

“Alibaba is one of the most influential e-commerce in the world, which dictates several management trends and provides great lessons on how to beat the competition,” says the expert.

• • Entrepreneurial challenges and tips for integrating physical and digital retail
• Book: No Limits (Editora Genta)

How did a small shoe store become one of the largest e-commerce stores in Latin America? That question is answered by the book “Without Limits: From a Small Shoe Store to the Largest Sports E-Commerce in Latin America”, by José Eduardo Costa, which presents the history of Netshoes.

“The paper talks about how the migration from street trade to e-commerce was, the main challenges faced by its entrepreneurs and brings insights on how to integrate physical and virtual retail”, explains Dias.

• • The importance of investing in the consumer experience
• Book: Satisfaction Guaranteed (published by HarperCollins)

It is not new that companies must invest in customer satisfaction in order to acquire and retain customers. In the book “Satisfaction Guaranteed”, by Tony Hsieh, the author addresses the issues of Customer Success (CS). The CEO of the online shoe company Zappos recounts some of the revolutionary methodologies he devised to meet the needs of his consumers.

“It brings the lesson that business success is completely connected to the conditions offered to the consumer. Providing a unique experience, focused on customer needs, helps build relationships and loyalty,” adds Dias.

• • How to take advantage of digital entrepreneurship
• Book: Digital Business (Editora Genta)

Another good read for retail entrepreneurs is the book “Digital Business” by Alan Pakes. In the work, the author provides lessons on how to use digital for entrepreneurship and innovation, while focusing the methodology on the development of an entrepreneurial mind.

“If you want to understand more about digital marketing, management, online sales and customer relations, this indication can leverage your retail knowledge and results,” says the CEO.