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Friday, October 20, 2006

A Numbers Game?

Trends come and go, but where do they actually come from and where do they actually go? Most trends are a mixture of practicality, desire for change, and a positive buzz. But do trends, here in the U.S., start from middle America out or big cities in?

Torn Levi's, Tickle-Me-Elmo, Mullets - sure, some trends stayed longer than they should have, but "here today....." comes at you a lot faster with the internet. Where would Kyle MacDonald and his Red Paper Clip be without the viral help of millions of internet users? I think it's a safe bet to assume he'd be nowhere near the house he owns today.

MacDonald is from a small town, albeit in Canada, but he penetrated millions of households in the U.S. with the help of the internet - in his wake spurring countless numbers of copycatters and channeling his buzz into a bartering website.

Here at MerchantCircle we came across some interesting statistics the other day. Our highest percentages of merchants are signed on and growing the fastest in states with smaller populations - Idaho, Arizona, Montana. But what exactly does that mean? Could it be that merchants in these states are faster to respond to their business neighbors? Do they have better relationships in their communities?

Merchants have a world of possibilities at their fingertips as more and more people search for products and services on the internet. It's refreshing to see some of our merchants make the most of their opportunities.

As trends come and go, there's no denying that the internet is a portal to millions, and no merchant wants there business to be "here today....gone tomorrow."

Sincerely,
Community Relations
MerchantCircle

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