Posts Tagged ‘merchandising’
What Every Brick and Mortar Store Owner Should Know
Monday, March 10th, 2008
Consumers are what make the world go ’round. Without consumers, there would be no businesses, and without businesses we all would be poor. So why is it that business owners are not mindful of what is going on in their stores? If you are considering opening a store or improving the one you have, take heed to the following suggestions.
Staffing. Schedule enough employees to work cash registers during your busy times. The biggest turnoff for consumers is when they have picked up one or two items and there is only one lane open.
Merchandising. Invest in bright, colorful displays that tell customers what is on sale. A person who doesn’t have much time to waste doesn’t want to find out about your promotions at the register, so be sure to notify them in advance and take down signs immediately after the promotion is over. Instruct employees to inform consumers when your store will be having another sale.
Accessibility. Make aisles wide enough for mothers to bring strollers. Oftentimes mothers will shop during the middle of the day when their husbands are away at work, and that means she will have to bring her children. If you want her business, make the aisles bigger.
Make your store handicap friendly. People in wheelchairs, walking with canes, or crutches should be able to maneuver around your store. Their dollars are just as good as the person with two working eyes and legs.
Return policy. Avoid hassling consumers about returned items. If your policy is clear, then post it so everyone can see it, and make sure your employees remind consumers what they can do if they don’t like the item for whatever reason. Don’t make it hard for customers to return items.
Loyalty programs. Offer a special discount card for your most loyal customers. You’ve seen those cards offered by other stores - people enjoy seeing the money they are saving by shopping at those stores. If they know they are getting rewarded for shopping at your store, they just might come back.
Conduct surveys. Everyone who shops at your store should be offered the opportunity to state his or her opinion. Whether you choose to have a paper system or verbal communication with them, find out their needs and how you are doing as compared to other stores.
Personal attention. Introduce yourself as the owner and ask us if there is anything you can do for them. What better way to show you care about your customers?
Investment options. Provide an easy to understand opportunity to invest in your business. Some people may want to invest in your company, so why not make some information available?
Create an affiliate marketing program. These programs are popular via the Internet. When someone refers your business to others, he or she receives a commission.
Cleanliness. Be sure your store is clean and organized. Some stores are faced with lawsuits simply because they are a hazard.
Be careful with food items. If you offer edible goods, check your expiration dates before you place items on the shelf.
Check out your competition. Research your local competitors when it comes to pricing. If you don’t want the store down the street to take your business, make your prices competitive.
Don’t advertise falsely. Consumers aren’t stupid, so don’t use items that you don’t have or very little of to draw them to your store. Be sure the description follows the standard of "what you see is what you get."
Direct mail. Personalize your advertisements from time and time by sending a letter with a coupon. Although it is convenient to receive catalogs in the mail, it isn’t personal. Thank the consumer with a letter that introduces any new items that have come to your store and enclose a discount coupon that encourages them to come back.
Tags: advice, brick and mortar, entrepreneur, hiring, merchandising, Rebecca Button, Starting a Business, tips
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eCom-Merchandising: Tips for Creating E-tail Displays That Convert to Sales
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
According to Clickz.com, internet users only spend an average of 46 seconds on a web page. In other words, time is of the essence when trying to capture an online visitors’ attention. Once you have a visitor on your site, you just need to show them that you have what they’re looking for. Your goal is to extend that 46 seconds as long as you can - keeping visitors interested enough to stay, look around and then hopefully make a purchase.
A new way for retail websites to capture a visitor’s interest is by creating unique e-tail displays (let’s call it eCom-merchandising ). Just like a brick-and-mortar store uses eye-catching product display cases and tables to get customers to take a look, online stores can do the same with graphics, pictures, colors and fonts.
How to create effective e-tail displays for your online store
Get the homepage advantage - Your homepage is your storefront, so when visitors arrive at your website, they should be able to determine what it is you sell within ten seconds. Most web surfers don’t have the patience or desire to hunt around your site to figure it out. If it’s not obvious on the first page, then there’s a good chance your potential customers will leave and find another site that gives them the information they’re looking for. It doesn’t take much to explain your site’s offerings: a tagline under your logo, some telling pictures of your products; just be sure that when a potential customer arrives at your site, they know they’ve found the right place. Think of it this way: if you walked into a store at the mall and couldn’t tell within 5-10 seconds what they sold, you probably wouldn’t stay to find out.
Know your customers - Learn all you can about your customers and use distinctive colors, logos and fonts that they will find appealing. The customers for a motorcycle accessories store would certainly be different from a site selling tea sets, and so should their e-tail displays. Perhaps the tea site’s e-tail display would have pink and purple colors, a Victorian-style font and pictures of best-selling tea sets. On the other hand, the motorcycle site might have an e-tail display with black and silver colors, bold fonts and photos of the newest chrome-plated or leather motorcycle accessories . It’s important that you show either your best-selling or newest products in your e-tail displays - something that new or returning customers can get excited about.
Think like a consumer - Overlap products in several product categories and be sure to take advantage of upsells by showing complementary products on the same page. Your e-tail displays should be organized, yet foolproof for disorganized minds. Remember, not everyone thinks the same way - what one person thinks is an obvious category A product, another might think of looking in category B or C. Test out your site by getting different friends or family members to search for certain products that you sell. If they weren’t able to find some on the first try, then you might want to think about re-organizing your product layout.
If you can get visitors to stay on your site longer than 46 seconds, then you’re doing better than average. However, an e-tail store’s success inevitably comes down to whether or not visitors are staying long enough to make a purchase. The key is making your site inviting enough for them to stay, and then convincing them that your products are desirable enough to buy. Design your site around your customers, their likes and their interests. You’ll find that catering to their needs has a direct effect on your bottom line.
Tags: boosting sales, Carrie Hinkel, E-Commerce and E-Business, e-tail, merchandising, Web Design
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