Local Sales Boom Online
MARV BALOUSEK and REBECCA WOLFSON Wisconsin State Journal
Offering products from sheet music to original art to garden Buddha statues, Madison-area companies are cashing in on the national surge in online shopping. Some have developed far-ranging reputations in their product niches and many are doing much better than statistics that project a 24 percent national increase in online shopping to $19.6 billion this year.
If you think a giant Buddha statue might be a perfect addition to the yard, Ryan Burda runs an online site called BigHappyBuddha.com in Middleton. The company sells Buddha statues and other Buddhist- related items nationwide.
Burda said sales are up 50 percent this year, especially during the holiday season, causing him to hire three part- time workers and perhaps add more employees. He said singer Ricky Martin once bought a garden statue from the site, and he provided 500 Buddha figurines for party favors at an inauguration party for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"We're not looking to sell products to everybody," he said. "We're trying to have a big selection of fun, spiritual products at reasonable prices."
Burda said sales are up 50 percent this year, especially during the holiday season, causing him to hire three part- time workers and perhaps add more employees. He said singer Ricky Martin once bought a garden statue from the site, and he provided 500 Buddha figurines for party favors at an inauguration party for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"We're not looking to sell products to everybody," he said. "We're trying to have a big selection of fun, spiritual products at reasonable prices."
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