You know the expression: "If I had a dollar for each time someone ..." Well, here's my version of that daydream. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to compete with the big boxes, Internet, discounters, etc., I'd be on an island somewhere. Heck, I'd own the island.

OK, save the dollar. Here's my answer.

This is similar to me asking how to compete with Brad Pitt in the world of handsome. Why would anyone driving a Volkswagen bug go head to head with a Mack truck?

Let's talk about the two things most independent retailers should think about.

1. What service advantages can you exploit?

Big companies need 57 people to make a decision, and they are cumbersome in their ability to move quickly. They don't exactly live on the edge. Safe commodities. Terrific supply chain. Volume.

The channels I mentioned cannot easily provide personal service. They don't want to and couldn't control it even it they did want to. Also, it's way too expensive to serve customers. So why are independents trying to compete with transactions?

Most independents are not set up for a larger number of transactions anyway. Think central cash as opposed to a single- or double-POS terminal. Although I believe the comparative number of transactions should be greater than last year, it is for the purpose of understanding market share.

Today, I am talking about which market, not share. Technology is too easy to do. I check out my own groceries at the store. The average independent grocer could never afford even one of the terminals.

Trader Joe's is one of the great case studies. They sell food. Weird, healthy, eclectic, sometimes even bizarre food. Small stores. They don't sell bathroom cleaning supplies.

I was there this morning at a new store in my neighborhood. The first thing I noticed was the width of the aisles. 50 percent larger than a national or regional grocery chain.

Then I quickly tried to pit it against Whole Foods. Different ball game, even though they both sell food. Trader Joe's has no butcher shop, and you can't get a sandwich. It's a lighter shade of green as well.

At the check out area, I counted six cashiers. They don't go for the "open another register when there's three in line" game. They flat-out don't want to see even two people in line. They also have no other way to ring up the sale than to take your basket and do the emptying and ringing themselves.

I will leave the final remark with my asking if they sold ground coffee, as I only saw beans. The cashier said, "We have a grinding machine. Go get the coffee."

I did. He closed the register, ground it for me and brought it back. It was a world-class experience. Trader Joe's is not a discount house for sure. Unless you want a bottle of "two-buck-chuck." Which I don't.

The lesson is unbelievable. Yes, you can compete easily. Start with service.

2. Second on my list is the merchandise.

I have mentioned it a bit already. There is no end to merchandise creativity. The source of supply for "different" is there.

Distance yourself. Upgrade — and do it fast! The combination of service and merchandise that is different or better than what the big boys offer is a match made in heaven.

I was recently interviewed by a national jewelry magazine on the subject of what stores should be thinking about prior to going to their national trade show. I gave him my answers.

That was yesterday. Today, I might tell the retailers to skip the show. All they will do is buy what everyone else is buying. They'll be drawn to the merchandise that's popular and put themselves in the company of even more competition.

Unless you can get exclusivity in a large geographic area, are you sure you want to sell the same stuff? Of course, this is all assuming you have a great merchant aboard.

What we are looking for is some harmony between buying and selling. Something a little nichier, a cut above.

Why buy something for a dollar and sell it for two, when you can buy something for four and sell it for eight? With all the extra cash, you can pay your staff enough to keep them interested and engaged.

That's my two cents worth. But if you still want to send me that dollar ...