Remember These? Heath, Ohio doesn't sell them there anymore.

According to this Columbus Dispatch post and many others, Waldenbooks may be closing in many malls. The once busy Heath, Ohio mall has been losing businesses and declining in popularity for a few years and the Waldenbooks closing is one more blow to the mall.

When I think about the possible causes, they’re obvious. Walking into Waldenbooks, you get a cramped atmosphere with books from one political side in your face, the other political views are few and buried. The technical and computer sections is all but non-existent. Many aged books are still at full price. Magazines costs over $7.00 for information that I can obtain online for free or less money. Why would I drive through a town known to be a speed trap only to find few books at a higher price than Amazon or other online retailers? Waldenbooks never had competitive pricing or a “ship-to-store” option that I would have considered an edge. There was always the annoying question, “Do you have your reader card? Would you like to giver out personal information to get one?”.

I enjoyed having the Heath Waldenbooks, because I could get in a little walk, check out a few other stores, and talk to a live person, but given the previously mentioned downsides, I understand. If I understand, their corporate managment surely understood. If their management understood, there must to have been financial limitations.

The lesson for every business is simple. You must react to today’s technology providing alternative options to your current model or you are going to have to close some doors. For small business, you should strive to obtain an edge with technology or prepare for the inevitable. Many options for utilizing technology are available and the costs are skyrocketing downwards.

The most basic questions to ask, do I have an online presence and is it active. You don’t need the best graphics or the the most functions, you need to communicate and make every possible service easily available. Do you Twitter new products, services, and interesting updates. Do your employees use Facebook wisely to help promote your business?

Feel free to check your computer section and contact businesses with any questions you have about upgrading your businesses technology options.

Author – Mark Spearman