Build-A-Bear is an example of how the customer experience can be part of the value of a purchase. The customers themselves can create part of that value before they purchase.

Don't delete this because you think it has nothing to do with O&P. Marketing is marketing, so keep reading!

The company, founded in 1997, operates more than 260 stores in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has franchise stores in Europe, Asia and Australia. In fiscal 2005 B-A-B posted a total revenue of $362 million.

So what, you say?

The company spends next to nothing on advertising to drive this revenue -- it relies primarily on its customers for growth.

Thanks to a memorable store experience that fuels a nearly 50 percent word-of-mouth referral rate, Build-A-Bear Workshop is exceeding all traditional retail store growth benchmarks thanks to its legion of customer evangelists.

Let's apply this to O&P right now!

Rick Riley, CP
Nice blog! Very patient-centric.

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