Higher Inc

Higher is an interesting take on modern commerce that wants to compete with Amazon. They have hubs that are like a typical bookstore cafe that hold commerce to give to people around them. After covid they found that 90% of people want to support local businesses, but 80% have Amazon like expectations. They way they have created these hubs is by creating communities. They pay $79 a year to be a part of these bookstore cafes that are omnichannel hubs for commerce. They do same day delivery because they are right there in the community and add value being a small business. Through this revenue model they did 1.5 million in sales last year and are opening two new hubs this year. They provide retail tech, logistics experience, and personalized commerce to their customers. I do like this idea instead of putting it only in the hands of large corporations and building communities through these commerce hubs where people can hang out and get to know each other, but also buy all the essentials they need from these places. I think as people we thrive in community and when we don’t have that we struggle as a humans and society. Depression and loneliness are big factors in our society today and building hubs that bring communities together is something I am all for. Might just be the extravert talking in me, but I think this is a great idea based on whether or not I’ve had community in my life. When I do I have a much better experience in my day to day and I think Higher builds a healthy way to create that time. They are building a separate hub in Alabama and also in Texas to provide new service hubs for people. As they expand, I think it won’t ever beat out Amazon, but the niche is strong enough that it could be a very serious business.