STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Wood River Valley has managed to keep Walmart off its Main streets with zoning ordinances. But there’s nothing local government leaders can do to keep Amazon at Bay.

Businesses who want to thrive despite competition poised by electronic commerce need to think out of the box, says Scott Montgomery, founder and president of CrankTank, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in CEO consulting, marketing and eCommerce strategy.

Montgomery, who moved to Ketchum in 2004 to start the Scott Sports U.S. cycling division, was one of five panelists who addressed the challenges and opportunities in Blaine County at Wednesday’s 2017 Economic Summit put on by Sun Valley Economic Development.

Montgomery, who also heads up a company manufacturing carbon cycling wheels, noted that 63 percent of consumers looking for products start their search online. That’s up from 55 percent last year, and some project the percentage could go to 80 percent, he said.

This trend isn’t likely to impact shops that repair bicycles, but it could have a huge impact on retailers that sell things like apparel, he said.

“You’ve got to embrace this change and make it work for you,” he said.

Those who manufacture products need to think about having their brands on Amazon. And brick-and-mortar retailers would do well to get the email addresses of everyone who walks through their door and find creative ways to use those addresses.

“Maybe you call them and say, ‘You haven’t bought a new pair of running shoes in six months. Would you like us to bring three pair by your office to try on?' ” he said.

Michelle Griffith, of ARCH, asked if there was anyone local retailers could join hands with Amazon to help meet Amazon’s ambition of getting retail purchases in consumer’s hands in an hour—at least, when it comes to popular products here like skis.

“They will never have a fulfillment center here,” she said.

SVED Director Harry Griffith noted that the ability to attract talent is holding back businesses in the valley. More importantly, he added, it’s holding the valley back from getting the young talent it wants.

“But the young are choosing where they want to be, choosing where they want to live and figuring out a way to make a living once there. They’re defined by lifestyle, not their job," he said.

Blaine County needs to figure out how to convert facilities to year-round attractions, offering visitors something they can do when it's smoky or rainy outside.

"We also need to try to get second homeowners to come more," he added.

Ralf Garrison, whose DestiMetrics collects data to help destinations plan, said Sun Valley is "old money cool." The question is how to extend the cool factor.

"Say 'We're a community dedicated to the quality of our lives," he suggested. "You're a relatively small community but you're very passionate, compared with others. The fact that you've recently become designated a Dark Sky community offers a good message about what you care about. It's not who you say you are, but what you do that counts. You're known by your actions, by walking the walk not talking the talk."

Case in point, he said: Aspen. There was no less likely community to host the X-Games than Aspen, better known for its fur coats than its skateboarders.

But the town made a concerted effort to do what it needed to get the games.

"This year's ad campaign is bold, counter culture," he said.

Ironically, Scott has been struggling since it moved its headquarters from Ketchum to Salt Lake City because it can't retain people, said Montgomery.

"Same with Smith. In Portland it's highly competitive. They have massive turnover," he added.

Mark Kane, whose SE Group provides community planning for communities defined by outdoor recreation and the rural lifestyle, encouraged Ketchum residents to capitalize on the attributes that nurtured companies like Smith and Scott in the beginning.

"You have an incubator environment. I would encourage you to nurture that environment."

Here are some other thoughts from panelists.

COUNTING THE VOICES: "I’m not sure we have all the voices represented when making policy decisions. How do you get Latinos involved? Their children make up a large percentage of students in the Blaine County School District." —Vanessa Crossgrove Fry, assistant director at the Idaho Policy Institute at Boise State University.

CHECK THE INVENTORY: "Retailers need to make sure they have something for all three segments of their shoppers: Tourists, locals and second homeowners." —Ralf Garrison.

BUILD SMALL, THINK BIG: "Sometimes it may be worthwhile going smaller. A smaller footprint reduces costs and improves the intimacy of experience." —Scott Montgomery.

US AGAINST THE WORLD: "When you're competing against online competition, you’re basically competing against the world." —Scott Montgomery

ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE READY FOR RETIREMENT?: "Baby Boomers have lived under the illusion that their revenues are going to outlast us. Now it looks as if that’s not true." –Ralf Garrison.

WALK THE WALK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING: "One of the things this community needs to agree on is that affordable housing is a shared responsibility, a moral obligation. The status quo is not acceptable." –Mark Kane.

THE PERKS OF LIVING WHERE YOU WORK: "We know if workers live close to where they work they perform better, they have less stress, they spend their money in their community. Let’s put multiple density out there and see what it looks like and how the private sector reacts." —Vanessa Fry.

TRENDING TOWARDS SMALLER: "I think that older people are going to go small (residentially speaking) so anyone who goes small right now can’t go wrong given both the older and younger population. (John Campbell) who built the Cutters development did a phenomenal job." —Scott Montgomery

DITTO: "In Boise we’re seeing people move out of larger homes into smaller homes and renting out their bigger homes."—Vanessa Fry.