Good Night Ben

Good Night Ben was a high-end baby furniture store based in a medium-sized southwestern city in Ontario, Canada. The store's proprietor, was an early adopter of the worldwide web as a way to "get the word out" about his store and products. Through his own experimentation, he has discovered numerous tricks and techniques for using the WWW to better develop the reputation of his company. In particular, he has discovered that he can take business away from distributors across the border in Detroit, due to the fact that shoppers in that region find his site on the worldwide web, compare his prices with the local Detroit outlets, and end up placing their orders with him. He then makes the deliveries himself, by truck. Interestingly, some of the furniture suppliers allocate exclusive distribution districts to their retailers. He is in effect using the WWW to end-run these exclusive distribution arrangements. His retail competitors in Detroit are becoming upset. How long the suppliers will allow this to go on, and what their response might be, are important issues the proprietor faces.