Retail

The Importance of Efficient

2012-01-21T02:22:00.000-08:00

People do not like shopping in stores that were poorly lit, those who are overweight or those with light shades. For this reason, you must consider your lighting choices thoroughly to ensure that the lighting fixtures you choose to provide the most effective bit of lighting. For example, you May find that overhead fluorescent colors affect your goods, and therefore choose other types of lighting fixtures.

If you want to attract the attention of customers in certain areas of your store, you can choose to use lighting. To get the whitest, brightest light you can use compact fluorescent bulbs or low-power halogen. These lamps will provide truer colors than incandescent bulbs, if you use them with color filters.

Other types of retail lighting, which can attract the attention of buyers moving light. Low budget options include rope or string of lights that allow flash, flicker, or Chase sequences. These lights are useful for keeping the customer's eye to certain shows. More expensive options of moving lights including DJ lights that swirl and pulse and architectural lighting fixtures that project patterns and color changes.

It is possible to program some of these models to move its beam from one place to another in order to highlight a special display in a random pattern or a set. Other moving lights that can be incorporated into the store are the ones that spin, sweep and pulse of its rays through the store in order to create a lively atmosphere. You can also use a little light to the promotions.

People's eyes are naturally drawn to areas that have different lighting. You can reach schemes that accent certain areas such as corner displays to attract customers to the products displayed there. Another role that effective retail lighting plays in preventing theft. Do areas with dim lighting and dark corners, you can prevent customers from engaging in theft. Other areas that should brighten to prevent the theft of the locker room.

A little light that provides light, which is similar to natural light, is most appropriate because it brings out the best in all types of products. LED reputed for producing light that appears completely authentic. They make objects appear as they would in a natural, bright sunlight. LED therefore a good example of the best little light, because it will allow users to view intricate details about the product being sold

Clothing Hang Tags

2011-11-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

It all starts with the eyes. People are visual people and when you see something with your eyes, the image tends to stick in your head. That is why the color markings are so important. If you have a consignment clothing store or a thrift store, be sure to use this idea to provide discounts to their customers.

How it works: Make a little sign by the front of your store that says something like "Look for the colored dots and save money." Place 4 different colors mark the point on the sign and the color of each point of writing a discount price.

Example:

Purple: $ 0.25 cents off | Green: $ 0.50 cents off | Blue: $ 0.75 cents off | Red: $ 1.00 off

Then it would be colored sticker on the hang tags. Labels should have a permanent adhesive, so you do not have to worry about customers downloading and transfer stickers. When the customer checks simply uncheck the hang of the dress. Customers love discounts of any kind. This will encourage consumers to look for deals. Kind of like "hunting for the best bargain." It will customers really dig all you have to see what they can and can not live without. You'll be amazed at how much people like this. It's like playing a game and everyone likes to look for deals whether it is.25 cents or $ 100.00 dollars. If you tell me that I can save everything, therefore, to become a job for me.

People who go to consignment shops looking for the best deals and many times this means that the impulse buyers. The longer you keep the customers in their stores more likely to end up buying more. Another idea is to separate men from women's specials. For example you can have a pink dot on women's clothing, and blue for men. If a customer finds a pink label, then it means that the item is on sale.

Finally, you can put a spot of color on the hang tags and arrange the charts. For example, purple is worth 1 point, blue is worth half a point. When a customer buy they keep the hang tag with the color code and save it for the discounts that can be used until the end of the month. So say for example someone buys 20 pieces of clothing and 10 are purple labels and 10 labels are blue. That would be 15 points. Once the customer reaches 20 points to 10% discount on your next purchase.

strategic marketing plan

2011-07-03T06:11:00.001-07:00

Ngamy it comes to building a strategic marketing plan, part of the initial costs of setting up an Emmy for the third and final consumers understand their online retail business is of utmost importance. To gather data about customer preferences, Amy and Clay conducted extensive market research. To gather information about customer preferences, Amy and Kelly has done extensive market research. Once they had about 45 design mock-ups, they printed two of each card and hosted a focus group. When they had about 45 design models, they printed two of each card and will be hosting a focus group. Their goal was to halve the number of final designs that would go to press. They aim to halve the number of the final plan to the press. They invited about 50 friends and family members to critique the look and feel of the cards. They invited about 50 friends and family members to critique the look and feel of the cards. "Through that focus group we got ideas like 'The font should be different' or 'I don't like the color' or 'I'd never buy this card,'" Weaver remembers.honest! "" Thanks to good friends is really important that we be honest? "

The focus group expenses toted up to about $ 900, a figure that includes card printing, product displays, food and drinks, and gift bags for each participant. Focus group costs about $ 900, a figure that includes printed card, display products, food and beverages, and gift bags for each participant toted. The bags contained Whoopzie Daizie t-shirts, cards, and cookies. Whoopzie Daizie bags containing t-shirts, cards, and cookies. Weaver plans to use focus groups again in the future, but she says she'll be more shrewd in planning the next session. Weaver plans to use focus groups in the future, but he says he is more clever in scheduling the next meeting. For example, she wants to target women, who make up more than 80% of card buyers, according to the National Greeting Cards Association. For example, he targeted women, who make up more than 80% of the buyers of the card, according to the National Association of postcards.

Pricing the product: A carefully constructed marketing plan requires savvy product pricing. Price: A marketing plan needs to be made carefully savvy product pricing. In talking with others in the industry, Amy discovered that retail prices of greeting cards generally reflect a 100% markup from wholesale. In talking with others in the industry, Amy discovered that the retail price of greeting cards in general reflects a 100% markup from wholesale. The psychological tipping point for consumers, she learned, is $ 4. From the psychological point for consumers, he learned, is $ 4. "Anything above $ 4, people want something extra, such as a bookmark," Amy says. "Anything above $ 4, people want something extra, like a sign," says Amy. She and her director of business development, Megan Wood, applied that rule of thumb to determine that a unit price of $ 3.75 would be readily accepted by customers and yield a modest profit. He and his director of business development, Megan Wood, the rule of thumb is used to determine the unit price of $ 3.75 will be readily accepted by customers and the average profit.

Marketing the product via trade shows: Although her showroom is in cyberspace, Amy wants customers to be able to see and touch her cards. Product marketing through trade shows: the exhibition in cyberspace, Amy wants customers to be able to see and touch the card. To accomplish this, she has begun exhibiting her product line at trade shows. To do this, he has begun exhibiting its product line at trade shows. The first was in Dallas, and Amy spent about $ 1,000 to create a "bare bones" display that includes several cards enlarged to 2 'x 3'. It was the first in Dallas, and Amy, about $ 1,000 for a "no bones" screen that includes a few great cards to 2, 3.

Amy's mother, Sandra Weaver, helped staff the Whoopzie Daizie booth. Amy's mother, Sandra Weaver, Whoopzie Daizie help staff the booth. The entry fee to reserve exhibit space runs from $ 1,500 to $ 2,000 at most trade shows. Login to save the cost of exhibition space runs from $ 1,500 to $ 2,000 in most trade shows. Travel expenses for one or two people will be about $ 1,000 for out-of-town conventions. Trip will cost about $ 1,000 for one or two people out of town for the convention.

Trade-show attendance is the linchpin of Amy's clever wholesale-to-retail marketing strategy. Trade, indicating the presence of pillars and Amy Smart business strategy, wholesale to retail. "My goal is to try to develop the wholesale end of the business-to get the cards into stores-to develop brand awareness that will drive the retail business to the website." This approach ties in with Amy's idea of using Dallas as a test market.Amy of Dallas as a test market. For example, Amy plans to deliver gift baskets to the owners of local gift shops and boutiques that might be interested in carrying Whoopzie Daizie cards. For example, Amy plans to provide gift baskets to the owners of local gift shops and boutiques that carry the card Whoopzie Daizie.

When all was said and done, Amy managed to start Whoopzie Daizie for around $ 20,000 by allocating her money in the following categories: when all said done, Amy to start Whoopzie Daizie for about $ 20,000 to allocate your money following categories:

* Website (design, domain name, web hosting, shopping cart): $ 5,000 Web site (design, domain name, hosting, shopping cart): $ 5,000
* Product (card stock, printing, packaging): $ 7,500 Product (card stock, printing, package): $ 7,500
* Market research (focus group party): $ 900 market research (focus groups, party): $ 900
* Trade show marketing (one trade show): $ 2,500 marketing trade show (a show-business): $ 2,500
* Wholesale marketing (gift baskets for local stores): $ 1,000 wholesale marketing (gift baskets for local storage): $ 1,000

Amy is inspired by the challenge of competing with 3,000 other greeting card publishers in the United States. Amy is a 3000 challenge to compete with other publishers in the United States of America is inspired postcards. "I'm not someone who is drawn to Vegas or to gamble, so it's not like starting this business was an impulse decision," she says. "I am the one who is drawn to Vegas to gamble or not, so it's like starting a business was not an impulsive decision," he says. "There's great risk in what I'm doing, but-man, it's exciting. "The big risk in my work there, but man, it is exciting. Just bring it on." Just bring it on. "

Biofuel Confusion

2011-01-22T09:59:00.001-08:00

I cannot recall a time when there has been so much consternation and confusion among fuel site operators as has been caused by the introduction of a percentage of biofuels.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of advice, but much of it is contradictory, biased and over-technical. So I have tried to cut through this with what I believe is a free, straightforward, easy to understand 10-point advice sheet, that can be obtained from the web site below.

There is now the added problem that the industry could have invested in equipment to gear up to deal with a problem that may possibly, if some environmentalists get their way, not continue; at the moment, this is as categorical as anyone can be.

One of the main proponents of biofuels has been the US Government. For America, biofuels had the dual advantage of increasing its flagging environmental credentials in the world, while tackling some of the problems with its rural economy and reducing its dependence on Middle East oil.

However, many in the environmental lobby have pointed out that the farming and production of biofuels actually creates more CO2 than oil derived fuels and that its cultivation has resulted in a huge increase in world food prices, due to land formerly used for food production being transferred to biofuel crops.

Now the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved E15 (petrol with 15% bio-ethanol) for cars made in 2007 and after, but has delayed a decision on allowing it for use in 2001 to 2006 models. This decision is being legally challenged by the American Petroleum Institute and various food industry groups. Without the US, global momentum for biofuels could slow down. This cooling in enthusiasm is also beginning to show on this side of the Atlantic. The Guardian has reported that UK ministers have said that Britain's policy of supporting the EU commitment to biofuels is proving counter-productive and the greenhouse emissions associated with biofuels are substantially greater than the savings.

They are now urging the European Commission to rethink the plan.

The admission coincides with a major study published recently, which concludes that biofuels will create an extra 56 million tonnes of CO2 per year - the equivalent of 12 to 26 million cars on Europe's roads by 2020.

Also, for Europe to source the amount of biofuel needed within its own borders, it would need to cultivate an area somewhere between the size of Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.

Added to this is the problem that a small proportion of bio-diesel is made from animal fat, a fact that the growing number of vegetarians in the population has not yet realised. This is likely to cause something of a back-lash when they do wake up to it. At the moment, there is no way for retailers to know whether all or part of their bio-diesel delivery has come from an animal source, so they are unable to offer a vegetarian alternative.

All this means that we could be faced with a complete reversal of policy, stuck at the current 5% level, or it might be decided to press on eventually to 15-20%, with the probable need to have more than one blend available on the forecourt. Or one of the current research projects involving different methods of biofuel production may bear fruit.

The only certainty is uncertainty.

This means that we are faced with the situation that there is an undoubted current problem with which fuel site operators have to deal, but there is a disincentive for companies to invest in research and equipment to tackle the problem more efficiently.

For this reason, I have kept my approach as straightforward as possible, approaching it step by step, so fuel site operators can understand it as well as research chemists.

The first thing I have done is set out the three main symptoms that operators and maintenance companies are likely to spot: pumps running slowly, filters continually clogging, pump motors burning out and, worst of all, customers' vehicles breaking down.

The most likely cause is the fact that biofuels are extremely good cleaning agents. All tanks, except brand new ones, will have a build-up of sludge in the bottom of the tank and rust and other contaminants around the walls and in the pipes. Biofuels will pick up dirt and particulates and deliver them to the pumps.

The other two causes are biological: bacteria and algae.

Algae forms a dark green to black slime when collected by filters out of suspension and bacteria form gelatinous clumps, which resemble jellyfish when viewed in the tank; these can be up to a foot across.

Both organisms need water, food and a conducive environment in which to thrive. Biofuels provide the food and, because of their propensity to absorb water, they can also provide the hydration. Bio-diesel is more susceptible than the ethanol in petrol, as ethanol is a mild bactericide.

If it is a simple sludge problem and the tanks are not too old, changing the filters a few times, until the sludge has passed through the system, may cure the problem and be the cheapest option.

I also recommend the regular testing of fuel by a specialist company, whether there is an apparent problem or not. Sometimes problems are not obvious by eye alone. A test will show just what problems there are and their extent. It will also establish a base line against which to judge the effectiveness of any remedial work that may have to be carried out.

As well as testing for particles and bio-contamination it is worth testing the specific gravity of the fuel. Normally, water in the fuel is reasonably obvious, but biofuel absorbs water and masks the problem. Often, the only indication is a change in the density of the fuel. Water in the fuel helps the growth of bacteria and algae.

There is also the question of where the water is coming from. The biofuel could be masking another problem - a topic I will return to later.

If these first steps lead to the conclusion that there is a sufficient problem, then, and only then, would I recommend tank cleaning.

All the advice from the USA and Australia, where they have had biofuels longer than we have, is that it is vital to have a clean tank when dealing with biofuel.

Our experience has shown that removing the fuel and thoroughly cleaning all sediment from the tank will cure a clogging problem caused by sediment. It will also remove bacterial colonies and algae clinging to the inside of the tank or in the residual sludge.

From reading the trade press, I noted with interest that other companies are beginning to support the line I have consistently taken for some time, that the only way is to thoroughly clean a tank. This is especially true if the aim is to end up with a thoroughly dry tank.

There has been pressure from some quarters towards remote cleaning from the outside. This, of course, uses a great deal of water, which has to be disposed of as contaminated, and makes it difficult to get a dry enough tank to deal with biofuel problems. I also firmly believe that tank entry is perfectly safe if the proper procedures are adhered to and operatives are correctly trained.

Also, while the tank is empty and clean, it can be checked for leaks and thinning, both by eye and by ultrasound probe.

This is also a good opportunity to get the tank lined, which can reinvigorate a corroded or leaking tank, provide leak detection and help keep the tank clean. There is, of course, also the value of contaminated stock to consider. If the volume of fuel and contamination is such that it cannot be sold through, or its safe disposal would represent too much of a financial loss, it is worth considering fuel polishing. This is where contaminated fuel is sucked out of the tank and put through a series of filters to clean it. For optimum results, I recommend the processed fuel should then be delivered to a cleaned tank. If the contamination is heavy, the fuel may have to go through the filters more than once.

Fuel polishing and tank cleaning go together, as there is little point in returning polished fuel to a contaminated tank, or contaminated fuel to a clean tank.

Once a fuel site operator has clean fuel in a clean tank, we recommend keeping it that way. As each new tanker load can bring in fresh biological contamination and, possibly, water, we believe it is prudent to schedule regular fuel analysis. This may lead to further polishing and cleaning, but taking action early will reduce subsequent costs and disruption.

Finally, I recommend regular tank cleaning. The best way to head off future problems is to schedule a programme of cleaning dependant on site conditions. Again, scheduled maintenance is always going to be cheaper and less disruptive than emergency remedial action.

Boutique Layout

2011-01-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

Figuring out how to layout your boutique can be a challenge. If you are a new boutique owner, chances are that you have plenty of ideas about how you want your boutique to look. Now, fitting your ideas into the space that you end up with, could be another story. You also want your boutique to have an "effective" layout, enticing customers to make purchases. We've compiled these tips and ideas from professional retail designers to help you figure out how to make the most of your space, create an effective selling environment, and keep things in line with your vision.

1) To make sure that the design of your store is effective for selling, think about how a customer will feel as they enter the store and make their way through it. You want to grab their attention early on to get them interested. Then you can show them what you're all about. People make judgments within the first few seconds of laying eyes on your store. Most people will be skeptical when scoping out stores that are trying to get their business, so you want to answer those nagging questions that are going through their minds. They will be trying to figure out your price range, which brands you carry that they already have an interest in, and whether or not you have items that they haven't seen before. If you can answer these types of questions with your initial window and storefront displays, then you will already be ahead of the game.

2) Once inside, people will be asking themselves different questions. They will want to know if they will have the shopping experience that they expect of boutiques. Will they be digging through bins stuffed with discount merchandise? Will they be endlessly sifting through racks and racks of t-shirts? Will they be able to find their size if they do find something that they like? You need to make sure that the environment matches your vision of the store, so that people will feel the atmosphere that you are hoping to provide.

3) Creating the kind of space that you want with a small boutique space can be difficult, but not if you use slatwall. You can maneuver slatwall accessories around to perfectly display a variety of different sized products together. Merchandising in this way will help people to see what goes together and gets them to look at items, like jewelry, that they may not have been interested in before. You can also use slatwall panels to create custom accessory and clothing racks around your store.

Spring Inventory

2011-01-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

Springtime brings a lot of new inventory for boutiques and retail stores. If you're in a small space, it can be difficult to find the right spaces for your spring clothing and accessories. Bathing suits, sunglasses, and other inventory items geared towards summer are small and need special displays. Before you spend a lot of money on retail displays and fixtures, use these tips to use what you have before you invest. We have compiled tips from retail designers and seasoned boutique owners to bring you this list of advice to consider. Getting your spring and summer inventory out will be a breeze when you know what you're doing and how to do it.

1) Retailers can save a lot of money on displays simply by calling their suppliers. Many brands of clothing and accessories will provide you with a display for their product if you ask. Tell them that you would like to feature their products more prominently in your boutique or retail store. They may provide you with a rack, signage, or custom imprinted hangers that will not only help your store to look nicer and more professional, but will also give you a free space to display all of those summer products.

2) A good way to think about displaying new inventory is to imagine which products you will want to feature. Draw a diagram placing your most prized inventory items spaced evenly around the store. Many stores will put their best items towards the front and their clearance items towards the back. However, you want to lure customers into the store and all the way to the back. So, if you place your favorites up front and then spread the rest around, you can get people to make their way all the way back. Use lighting, signage, and other interesting displays to catch the eye. Even hanging mannequin forms can be enough to draw people deeper in. They are inexpensive and you get the benefits of a mannequin display without much cost at all.

3) Space can be a problem when you start to create elaborate displays around the store. So, you should think about using your wall space instead of your floor space. Leaving space open on the floor for customers to move around is very inviting for people. It also leaves room for displays to be seen when people enter. You don't want your eye-catching displays to be buried. Use slatwall or slatwall panels to display things on the walls of your boutique.

Slatwall is very versatile. All you need to do is to move the slatwall accessories around to create interesting displays and group things together that you want to promote alongside each other.

Suppliers Planning

2010-12-04T11:53:00.001-08:00

"Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming." - Richard Branson

The vibrant domestic market in India is throwing up unprecedented opportunities in the garment sector specially for the upcoming entrepreneurs. Some of the clothing manufacturers in India, who have been supplying goods to the reputed global garment and accessory retailers, are now toying with idea of launching their own brands. Few of the garment accessories suppliers sums up the general mood as " The investors are willing, the policies are favourable and by all angels this seems like an idea whose time as come! "

Recent news report confirms the fact that the organised garment & accessories sector currently valued at around Rs 320 billion, is projected to increase up to Rs 900 billion (approx.) in just about next five years.

Garment accessories exporters are willing to take this risk though not at the cost of diverting their attention from exports."We will continue to export the same volume which we are doing right now, though wouldn't mind venturing into launching our brands through some foreign partnerships or tie-ups" says one of the garment accessories manufacturer.

Industry insider confirms that amongst the Indian apparel manufacturers, those who are firming up plans to launch new brands or expand existing brands include Mandhana Industries, Orient Craft, SP Apparels and the South India based Royal Classic Group.

These companies hope to attract overseas investors or forge a tie-up with global brands, in accordance with current government of India policy, wherein, 51 percent FDI is permitted in single-brand retail.

Garment accessories, including cloth, zippers, buttons, labels account for around 30% of the total garment sector. Garment accessories suppliers are an important cog in the wheel of the entire garment business chain. Any change in the supply demand cycle will certainly affect the big players and could benefit the buyers due to increased competition.

Globally the scenario isn't as rosy. The USA is just out of the slump and expectedly would take sometime before going aggressive again. In other developing countries like Bangladesh etc. the situation is more grim due to difficult working conditions and harder trade restrictions.

The Indian garment industry is one of the well organized sector in India, far from reaching its saturation thus giving ample scope of opportunities to both the new and existing players. Industry analysts are keeping a constant watch on the upcoming developments with their fingers crossed.

Receiving Area

2010-12-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Receiving new stock in a retail store needs to be a disciplined process if the business is not to lose money from lost, damaged or stolen goods.

Too often, retailers focus on the front of hours, the retail shop floor, to the detriment of the back of hours, back office functions which can make or break a retail business.

Many retail businesses do not even have a receiving area where goods coming into the business are placed and processed. This is a huge mistake.

I was involved with one retail business recently where more than two thousand dollars worth of stock was uncovered when we were reorganizing the back room. This stock, which have been thought to have been lost, was found hidden in a wall cavity behind a desk.

The cost to the business was not only the cost of the stock which was unsaleable when found but also the opportunity cost. This was a new line which the head office had ordered to trial. The stock loss was covered up. This was able to be done because of a poor goods inward process at the store level.

Here are some simple rules for organizing the receiving area of a retail store which should help avoid lost stock, mistakes and theft:

Require that all goods arriving in-store must be signed for.
Lay out goods inwards rules and responsibilities. Post these in a public place in your business but away from customers. Train all new employees in the process.
The process needs to explain the steps involved in getting new stock from its arrival in the business to the shop floor and how long this should take.
Set aside an area, no matter how small, where all goods are placed when they arrive into the business. Include in this an area for each step of the inwards process: receiving, checking, pricing, storage and damaged goods.
Establish a rule that the goods are not allowed to leave this area without permission of a manager.
Follow a clockwise approach as this is often found to work best. The goods come is and are placed to the left of a back room or a storage apace and move right to the next section and so on. If the business as such space of course.
Management should check in the stock arrivals process to ensure that processes are being followed and appropriate checks and balances are working.
Try and get your suppliers to provide you with invoices electronically before the goods arrive. This will save time and paperwork. It will also provide an external data feed and eliminate an opportunity for employee fraud should they receive less stock into the business than you actually receive.
Once you have established your goods inwards process and area, get all employees together and explain the new processes to them. Lay down your business rules and explain why you are going through this process.

Get the goods inward process right and you can expect to receive shrinkage, speed up the time it takes to get stock to the shop floor, reduce mistakes and make better quality business decisions.

Michaels Coupons

2010-12-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

With the economy fluctuating each and every day, the cost of living has increased affecting the way people shop. As a result of this people are now shopping less leading to the closure of stores around the world due to lack of customers. But now more stores are attracting more customers by making shopping cheaper and easy. These stores offer tremendous discounts on anything from the basic necessities like clothing and food to pleasurable items. One of the largest chain of stores adopting this is the Michaels chain of stores.

Michaels, stores.Inc is one of the largest retail stores in the United States which deals with arts and crafts. Its first chain of store was founded in 1984 in Irving, Texas. After a few years, Michaels became a publicly renowned company which led to its expansion to over 1000 stores up to date. With time the chain covered a total of 500 locations with seven distribution centers located in 49 states in the US mainly Texas, Pennsylvania, Washington, Florida, Illinois and California. These distribution centers supply the stores with the merchandise every week; this is done by a transport network that uses contract carriers and trucks to deliver the stock. Michaels offers a range of 37,000 products consisting of beads, scrap books, picture frames, home décor items, artificial flowers, even paper and paint and so much more.

Due to its tremendous growth rate, it has been able to provide its customers with the famous Michaels coupons. These coupons help the customer save money by reducing the price of the products. There are usually two types of coupons: printable coupons and promotional offers. Printable Michael coupons can be found on Michaels.com website and several other websites that have collaborated with it; these websites like Savings.com or UltimateCoupons.com offer the featured Michaels coupons online whereby people interested in the goods available are offered discounts in terms of percentages off or dollars off. These coupons are issued weekly and the public is notified by an ad in the Sunday paper or online through the main website. These coupons last for a period of time before they expire then new coupons are advertised thus making it still interesting.

With printable Michaels coupons upcoming artists and people just interested in art and craft can now afford to undertake their craft projects without having to dry out their bank accounts; so just log in to Michaels website, sign up and enjoy the numerous offers provided.

Used Mannequins

2010-09-01T10:17:00.002-07:00

Starting a new retail store is a very critical issue, it needs a large capital funds in order to set up everything in your store. For example, you need to spend money for decoration, you need to spend more on the merchandise you are selling and finally you need to spend money for the displaying fixtures.

Buying mannequins is one of the items that consume a lot of money. Some store owners would think of buying used mannequins but, is this good idea or not. Well, the answer for such question is not that easy because the word "used" includes several categories that come in different prices. Any store owner should make sure of what he is buying in order to be able to save money or else, he will end up paying more money than buying new mannequins.

First of all, you should inspect the quality and the status of the used fixtures and mannequins you are buying. It is imperative to get good quality mannequins or they won't be able to display the items you are selling in a good way. For example, imagine you are buying dented and scratched mannequins for a very low price and you are going to use such mannequins in your store, are they going to be good? The answer is definitely no.

If you are a retail store owner than you need to look at the liquidator stores in order to find those offering used mannequins with good quality. Try aiming for stores that are closing out and selling their stuff. This could be a good source of mannequins that are used but, with good quality. Avoid garage sales because all you would find there would be low grade mannequins.

Buying good quality pre-owned mannequins would save you a lot of money only if you are able to locate good quality ones. So, your primary goal is to find them and to make sure of the quality before you proceed with the purchase.

Before you start your search make sure that you determine how many mannequins you need, how many full length, how many upper half and how many lower half mannequins you need for your store. This is very important because most probably you won't find all what you are looking for in one place. This means you need to collect your mannequins from different stores and locations.

The last point is determining which type of mannequins you should go for. Wooden mannequins show wear and tear easily. A used one of this type would show many dents and scuffs if they have been used before. On the other hand, plastic mannequin is a better choice as they won't show the same level of wear and tear even if they have been used before.

Finally, make sure that you have checked the fixtures of your used mannequins as you may need to buy some new fixtures for the mannequins that you have purchased with a good price. Make sure you are getting a good deal for your mannequins and buy some extra ones as a reserve.

Employment in a Retail

2010-09-01T10:17:00.001-07:00

Finding a job vacancy in retail can be a challenge. Many vacancies are not advertised. Those that are are quickly snapped up because of the number of people looking for work. This is why you need a plan to land a retail job.

It takes hard work and commitment to land the job you want, it will rarely just fall into your lap. Like anything good in life, that which you have planned and worked for is more appreciated. This is especially true in landing a retail job since many opportunities fly under the radar.

The following advice not only helps you identify roles, it also helps sell you since that is what is most crucial in finding a job in a retail store, selling yourself, showing that you are the person the business should hire to help them grow the business.

Before you start looking for retail work, get stuck into some preparation. Take your time to think carefully about and work through these four points:

1. What type of retail job are you looking for? What type of retail, the hours, the location and the position within the business? It is important to know exactly what you are looking for.

2. Prepare your documentation package. Your documentation package should contain the information whichsells you. This ought to include an introductory letter, your resume (or CV as it can be called), references from past employment, police or security check (if appropriate to the role) and and other information which sells you.

3. Prepare yourself for making the pitch. Do you look the part for the type of store you want to pitch yourself to? If not, maybe this retail store is not for you. Think about that carefully. There is no point in looking like someone you are not. Alternatively, some simple work could make you look more appealing and appropriate to the business. Remember, it is a buyers market.

4. How will you sell yourself? prepare and rehearse several pitches: the 30 second intro, the two to five minute pitch and the fifteen minute presentation where you reveal your skills and passion for the business. The different pitches will help you prepare for the different situations you encounter. Practise in front of the mirror and with friends who will provide honest feedback.

With preparatory work done, you can turn your attention to actually looking for your ideal retail job. Here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Walk the shopping malls. Look at retail stores from the perspective of an employee. Develop a list of retail stores which interest you. Make sure that your interest in them will make a good and believable story as it is bound to be covered in an interview if you get to that point.

2. Research opportunities online. Research your shortlist of retail stores online. Visit their website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, MySpace page, blogs and any other online forum where you can find out more about them. If appropriate, comment on their blog - a good comment could get their attention.

3. make the move, offer yourself. Visit the retail businesses on your shortlist. Drop off your package and make a brief pitch. Keep your initial contact brief yet memorable - you want the people you com in contact with wanting you working for the business.

4. Follow-up after your initial contact. A day or two after your first contact, make a second contact with the retail store by a different means. If you dropped in on the first contact, follow up with a brief letter. If you first contacted the business by mail, drop in. Keep your follow up light.

The key message about finding a retail job is that you know what you want, have a plan and pursue your goal relentlessly, professionally and with passion. Passion is the key as this is what is more likely to win you the job.

Satisfaction Survey

2010-09-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Your customers will have perceptions, impressions, and ideas about your business. What they think about your business can only come from one source and that is their experience of dealing with you. The information they have about your business is very important and it doesn't matter what sort of business you have, the perceptions of your customers deserve to be recognized. Customers can give you direction and ideas about improving their perceptions through better service, better appearance, inventory range, staff training, speed of service, accuracy of service and so on. Without this information you are, at best, guessing what they want.

One of the ways of getting this information so you can apply it to your business, is to conduct a survey. Unfortunately, a lot of the recent surveys that are carried out, have an inherent flaw. The questions, whilst important, can never drill down to the right place. This is because that when you ask a question, the answer often requires another question and it is impossible to anticipate the subsequent question. This means that a written survey form will always fall short in comparison to a verbal discussion with the customer. You can compromise by asking prepared questions and then posing subsequent questions to clarify or to amplify the answers.

Another reason why asking questions face-to-face is more likely to reveal important information is very simple. 85 to 90% of all communication is nonverbal. This means that the written questionnaire or survey form will never pick up this missing communication. The written survey form is used because it is more efficient in gathering a lot of information in a short space of time. However, as you can see, it is severely limited. Interpreting the results of a written survey on customer satisfaction is mainly guesswork or statistical. Either way, the outcome will be of limited value and may be, you should hesitate to make major decisions on the strength of a written survey.

Typical questions in written surveys tend to follow a predictable pattern and include assessments such as, "Please rate the helpfulness of our staff." The writer then has to circle and number between one and five to indicate their rating. "Please tell us how easy it was to find items in our store." And again the customer has to indicate their perception on a scale of 1 to 5.

However, the number one question to ask during a customer satisfaction survey is this, "If you had a magic wand what would you change in this store?" You can imagine that this would create the need for a lot of subsequent questions. Furthermore, this question is best asked face-to-face because of the potential information that can be gathered at this time. It has been suggested that this question should be asked frequently by the manager to people who are leaving the store having completed their purchasing. As you can imagine, it wouldn't take too long to compile a picture of how your customers perceive your business by asking this particular question.

Pricing Your Products

2010-08-01T04:57:00.001-07:00

The decision to hike or lower the prices on your products or services can be difficult and have a direct impact on your business. However the way you go about making these changes in price will determine the results of your new policy. For instance, two companies who change the prices on the same product by the same amount, may get varied outcomes depending on how they went about implementing the change.

You need to pay attention to the timing on your new policy. You need to know if your customers think you are giving them value for their money and you need to gauge the reaction of your competitors in advance.

One way of raising your prices is to implement one single large hike. This may be due to an increase in raw material costs or because you want to bring down the demand to a more manageable level.

In reality, however, most companies implement price hikes on a gradual basis. They feel their customers will accept the price rise better since they will not be hit by it in one shot. Sometimes customers may not even notice the price hikes if they are spread out over a long duration of time.

If your company produces a range of products or services, try increasing the prices on some of them and leave the others as before. It is also wise to assess the kind of product you have since some products are more sensitive to price hikes.

You should select the right time to introduce your new pricing policy. To lower prices, the timing should be such that you gain maximum mileage out of it. To increase pricing, select a time when you are likely to face the least amount of resistance. Your timing will also be decided by seasonal changes and sales cycles. For example, some retail stores increase the prices on their goods around the time Christmas is approaching since shoppers are in a hurry to buy and pay less attention to how much they are paying. A store that has recently been launched may keep prices down in order to attract clientele.

You can also modify the value of your goods while leaving the prices intact. For example, you may reduce the quantity of a product a bit but maintain the same price level as before. Most customers will not notice the change as long as it is not very substantial. The net effect of this policy would be the same as raising the price.

Sign Supports

2010-08-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

Sign supports, otherwise known as standoffs or wall mounts are a cost effective and simple design solution that can bring a flat display to life by using different depths and levels.

They are available in a range of colours and finishes, the most popular being satin chrome, polished chrome, brass and black. They are fundamentally made up of two parts, the barrel (female part) and thread (male part). The standoff or barrel is fixed directly to the wall where your acrylic, glass or wood panel is secured by simply screwing the thread through the holes in the panel to connect it to the barrel. They are very easy to install, once they are fixed to the wall, they simply screw in and out by hand, not tools needed.

Sign supports come in a huge range of sizes, ranging in different diameters and standoffs. It is possible to create a wall display with many different depths by simply altering the size of the standoff. As they are fixed directly to the wall it ensures their durability and strength, which means they are suitable to hold large panels. It is recommended that 4 sign supports should be used for acrylic panels measuring below 800mm x 800mm and 6 for acrylic panels measuring up to 1550mm x 1550mm. For panels measuring above this or made of a different material, it is recommended to ask the advice of your supplier.

You may find that the prices of sign supports vary quite dramatically from supplier to supplier. This could be because some are manufactured in the UK (the more expensive ones) and others are imported from the Far East (the cheaper alternatives). You may find some of the ranges from the Far East are hollow, which can sometimes reflect on their price; however this is not always the case. The material with which the they are made may also reflect their price. Typical materials include brass, aluminum and stainless steel.

It is also possible to use two sign supports that are joined together to hold two pieces of acrylic to create a sandwich effect. This is an ideal solution to display photographs, prints and pieces of art. The graphic simply slots between the acrylic panel and is sandwiched together using the sign supports.

There are many different display options that sign supports can be used to create. If you have any questions regarding their versatility of sign supports, get in touch with your supplier who should be able to answer all of your questions.

Clothes Retailer

2010-08-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

Some people say that because of the Internet, the wholesale clothing distributors are no longer needed. Simply that is NOT the case. I admit, that the Internet has made it easier for some retailers to deal with the manufacturers without the wholesaler needed in the middle, but that does not mean the end of wholesale clothing distributors!

The biggest reason why the wholesale clothing business will not die, is the fact that smaller retailers can not get their stock from the manufacturers, or if they do, it will cost them a lot. Manufacturers do not ship small orders, and if you are a small retailer, I do not think that you would like to order something around 5000 pieces of some trousers for example. The clothing distributors do have minimum orders as well, since they are selling in bulk, but those are much smaller than what manufacturers have, for example 50 pieces.

Another reason is that the manufacturers do not usually do any marketing for their new products, they just talk with certain wholesale clothing distributor and that's it. The retailers will not be able to 'see' this kind of marketing, so they would have to call the manufacturers all the time to ask about what they have. In this way it is much smarter for retailers to follow the wholesale clothing distributors, because when they have new stock, they post about it on their websites, or send newsletters to their existing customers, or even call some of their long time customers whose line of work they know.

Greater Success

2010-07-01T10:20:00.001-07:00

Independent small retail businesses rarely have the money for big advertising and marketing campaigns. Their stores are usually not based on the latest shop layout fixtures. Their locations are often not the best in town.

No, independent small retail businesses face challenges on a range of fronts due to limited financial resources.

The one area where an independent retail store can compete is in product knowledge. They often have employees in their niche who are more knowledgeable and passionate about their product categories than you will ever find in a mass retail outlet selling similar products.

But how do you get that message out? How can the small independent retail business compete with the massive competitor?

By writing a blog about the niche in which the business operates. Even a single person business can attract more traffic to a blog than a major corporation funding a blog on the same topic.

The key is content. Write fresh, knowledgeable and useful content regularly and build your profile with the search engines. Soon enough, your small business will get known for its knowledge and this can parlay into excellent sales.

Blogging is especially useful to a small retail store since in the blogosphere, money does not talk. Content is king and anyone can create good content. By blogging, you can setup a David Versus Goliath situation for your small store.

Here are some quick blogging tips for a retailer starting out:

Make sure that you do have valuable knowledge.
Learn to write crisp sentences and how to get your message across in 300 words or less.
Write regularly.
Include photos.
Don't advertise, tell stories. Provide context and insight. Make sure that the content is valuable to a wide reader community.
Use headlines with words people are likely to use when searching for your type of business.
Blogging is useful for commentary about topics related to your business but not about your business. Such commentary, if well considered and written can add tremendous value to how your business is seen and provide kudos to you as the author.
Don't start to promote your blog to your customers and suppliers until you have found your rhythm as a blogger and have some content live of which you are proud. It is like inviting someone to your home - you want it to be furnished.

Write with authority. Try and stay away from emotion. This blog should be about business and the niche about which you are most passionate through your retail store.

Remember, big is not always better. Use your blog to show how your passion and knowledge deliver value through the blog and through your own business. Be proud but not cocky as they say.

Track your visits as this is like people walking through the front door of your shop.

Running a Competition

2010-07-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Competitions are an essential tactic in retail to drive incremental sales and add excitement to the retail experience. Run well, an in-store competition can generate excellent business for a retail store. Run poorly, they can cost a lot of money. Here are ten essential tips for running a successful in-store competition in just about any type of retail business:

Know what you want from the competition. Without this you will have no way of assessing its success. The goal could be sales, building your customer database, attracting new customers.
Select a prize which will appeal to your customers and which has measureable value. It will ideally be something which you can put on show in the store as a great prize display attracts customers.
Make qualifying to enter easy - a certain value of purchases or purchasing particular items. How people qualify to enter is all about what you want to achieve from the competition.
Make ordering easy - with a simple form. This needs to be able to be completed quickly at the sales counter.
Gather important customer data: email address, cell number, gender and age range.
Promote the competition inside your store. The goal is to get your customers engaging with the products you want to sell and this takes excellent visual merchandising around this impulse activity.
Depending on the nature of the prize, promote the competition outside your store.
If customers have to enter by creating something, put all entries on show if you have the space. People will come back with their families to show off their entries.
Draw the prize publicly, get more people back in for an event around announcing the winner.
Name the winner publicly and congratulate them.
Consider scheduling regular competitions in-store. Get your business known as the lucky place to shop. This can be a good differentiator over competitors. Ask your employees for their ideas on running competitions. Experiment with unusual competition ideas which are likely to attract new shoppers to your store, especially competitions people are likely to talk about to their friends.

Be proud of your competitions. This means, be loud. Competitions are all about growing your business after all. If you are timid and keep them hidden in your four walls you miss the opportunity. Competitions can really lift a retail store. The key is how you engage with the competition opportunity. be bold, loud and happy in running them and expect a good sales lift as a result.

Small Changes

2010-07-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

Some of our customers ask us, 'How quickly do our customers get bored of our interior design? If it is quick, how often should we change it?'

The answer to this question cannot be applied across the board because generally speaking, consumer reactions vary from industry to industry. For example, if you have a retail outlet selling souvenirs, your regular customers may be fleeting ones who are tourists and they may not come into your store again. So, the look and display of your retail stores may not matter as much.

However, if you sell clothing or makeup items, you may yourself a bunch of regular customers who come back to your store time and again to restock or get new fashion items. Then you may need to make some changes to the look of your retail outlet every few months.

Gradual changes keeps the relationship with your consumers fresh. The changes that you make to your retail store does not have to be anything major. A new display shelf here, a new coat of paint or a new painting is all that is needed. They may not even notice the changes on a conscious level but at the back of their minds, after a few changes, they might suddenly ask, 'Did you do something to your store? It looks different!'

See? Even gradual changes can be appreciated in the end.

Major overhaul incites new direction. So you want it big. You want to make a big impression on your regular customers, to show them that you are ready for new changes and something new and exciting is in the pipeline. This works for rebranding purposes or when you want to change the direction of your company. Consumers love a little drama and something unexpected so, give them that if you have the budget for it.

Major overhauls usually bring new customers too if you publicize the new change.

Adding and removing furniture and shelves. Our customers usually aim for the middle path which does not cost a lot of money and yet attracts attention and that is to remove old display units or furniture and replace them with new ones. In fact, if they have the space for it, they add new furniture that compliments their old ones.

Here's to the success of your business!

Retail Management

2010-06-01T11:17:00.002-07:00

Microsoft Business Solutions is Microsoft subdivision and historically it is joining several products development companies under one roof: Great Plains Software, Navision Software, Microsoft CRM (this one was developed by MBS), Solomon Software, SMS: QuickSell 2000 – which is now Microsoft Retail Management System.

Let’s first look at your ERP system selection (without Retail Solution). Your options are:

Microsoft Great Plains. If you remember successful mid-size application – Great Plains Dynamics, pioneered on Mac and Windows graphical platforms in the mid 1990th. This is now Microsoft Great Plains, Great Plains Standard and Microsoft Small Business Manager (scaled down Great Plains version, using he same technology – Great Plains Dexterity). Currently it is version 8.0, the only database platform option is Microsoft SQL Server/MSDE. Ctree and Pervasive SQL were abandoned, the last version, supporting these platforms was 7.5. You should consider Microsoft Great Plains if you are in: USA, Canada, Latin America, UK, South Africa, Australia – these are markets, where former Great Plains Software had successful penetration

Microsoft Navision. This product had success on European market and was developed by Navision Software, Denmark based software development company. In our opinion Microsoft bought this product in order to get European market share, especially continental Europe. Then, Microsoft Business Solutions realized that Navision is a good fit for countries with tight government regulation: taxes, chart of accounts (France and Russia), government reporting, etc. You should consider Navision if you have light manufacturing (we believe that Navision will be the base for future Microsoft Manufacturing suite) or located in the following regions: continental Europe, Russia, Brazil.

Solomon. This product has excellent Project Management solution and you should look at it if you are in the USA and have professional services or construction company.

Axapta. There are many different opinions about Axapta. We would like to withhold our opinion here and just tell you Microsoft Business Solutions opinion from Moscow – in Russia Axapta is successful and has approximately the same number of installations as Navision. Axapta is probably MBS stake on large enterprises market to compete with PeopleSoft (now Oracle) and SAP

And finally let us give you Retail Management System and CRM hints. Microsoft CRM is the only CRM option from Microsoft (in Navision you have Navision CRM module option – so this is an exception) and please, feel free to choose Microsoft CRM if you would like to try CRM from Microsoft. This CRM will be loved by your IT department, because it does use all Microsoft recent technologies: MS Exchange, .Net, MS SQL Server, Active Directory, BizTalk (integration with Great Plains), C# and VB.Net based MS CRM SDK.

Now – retail management. In the case of Navision – again you have retail module there. In all the other cases – you should try Microsoft RMS.

Home-Based Retail

2010-06-01T11:17:00.001-07:00

You had a great idea when you decided to open a home-based Internet retail business. You became a "power seller" as people in the online retail business world call you. Your goal is to move tons of merchandise through Web auction sites and classifieds services without ever leaving the comfort of your home office. Drop shipping gives you the opportunity to accomplish your dreams and more. The sky is the limit if you know how to get your business off the ground.

Drop shipping can launch your business into successful orbit, but it isn't rocket science. With this unique way of doing business, you enlist the services of a wholesale merchandise company. The wholesale company takes care of the stockpiling and storing of your product. It even covers the shipping and handling charges when one of your customers orders an item.

This means you don't have to rent thousands of square feet to warehouse your inventory, and you're free from the liability that comes with direct delivery to your customers. Your only expenses are the membership fee of your particular wholesaler, along with the fees and percentages you lose to advertising and auctioning online. If you play your cards right with these fees, you can build yourself a very cost-effective and most importantly, profitable-home-based business.

Experienced online retailers have learned the tricks of the trade to do just that. Here are the key secrets that they, your competitors, don't want you to know. These three tips will stack the deck in your favor, helping you to grow your clientele while avoiding the pitfalls of doing ecommerce.

Get sold on your wholesaler. Nowadays, wholesalers are a dime a dozen, so don't settle on the first one that comes your way. Let wholesalers compete for your business, instead of the other way around. Many companies may offer specials to new prospective retailers. They may waive the minimum order requirements, credit check, and prepayments if you sign up with them. Top-notch wholesalers could also offer international delivery or special net payment options. Avoid high expenses at the get-go by taking advantage of such specials, and turn a profit a lot quicker.

Sniff out whole-scammers. For every honest wholesaler looking to build a successful relationship with you, there's a crook out there looking to do nothing but build his bank account at your expense. Avoid any wholesaler, for instance, who demands you pay an advance fee before you sign up with them. Be wary of wholesalers who claim to have thousands of items in their selection. These might not be wholesalers at all, but middlemen who are trying to bluff you. Instead of actually stocking these thousands of products, they actually buy them from a wholesaler, or another middleman, and resell them to you at a jacked up price, thereby cutting into your profits.

Get wired to the Web wisely. You now have a trusted Wholesaler and outstanding products to move, but so do thousands of other Internet retailers. How can you stand out to attract customers and save money doing so? One way to make a mark online is to design and write your own ads for your products. Many wholesalers provide complimentary stock product photos and descriptions that you can use in your online ads and classifieds. Then again, they provide the same thing to all their retailers. Most retailers use them. So you shouldn't.

Another effective way to sell on the Web is to find new and innovative sites to sell on. The main auction sites are often crowded with retailers who are eager to undercut your prices. Plus, these auctioning sites tend to have high fees and shorter listing durations. Avoid competition and high prices by trying the next generation of premiere selling sites, such as free online classified sites.

Free online classifieds services work as powerful avenues to sell your goods. They offer attractive features your business needs to take off, such as:

No sign-up, registration, or transaction fees.
Free listing (text description and image upload).
Up to 60-day ad listing. This listing duration is light years longer than most other sites and renewals are free as well.
Distance calculator. This function comes in handy if you're concerned with locality.
These free online classified sites can be the ace up your sleeve, whether you're just launching your home-based Internet retail operation or trying to shoot for the stars with an established business. Strap yourself into your chair and count down to ignition.

Accounting/Retail Market

2010-06-01T11:16:00.002-07:00

In this small article we will be looking at the new opportunities for Microsoft Small Business Server specialists, but rather look at the global business strategy and possible ways of future ERP modules standardizing and interoperability. This is important to get into consideration for midsize and large corporate business IT decision makers. Let’s look at the chronology and possible future development.

• Great Plains Software acquisition. When Microsoft took leading position on the operating system market and released stable and reliable Windows 2000 Server, the next logical step would be getting into ERP market. Microsoft decided to try midsize market, and the reason is probably this – it is wise to create small accounting as the extension to Microsoft Office, not to purchase existing small application. However if you plan to try midmarket – you better purchase something established with broad client base. Developing midsize package from scratch might deplete all the resources. As the stake on Great Plains was high – Microsoft formed business systems subdivision – Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions, later on Great Plains name was taken off and now we see Microsoft Business Solutions.

• Navision Software Acquisition. There are multiple opinions among the MBS partners. Considering the fact that Navision Attain had strong clientele in Europe, and the fact that currently MBS promotes Navision on the majority of emerging markets: East Europe, Russia, Brazil – the point of view that Microsoft got very large pool of clients in Europe and one of the goals of Navision acquisition was geographic expansion.

• Axapta. Navision Software was indeed very robust and it was one of the Danish software “dragons” (in the good sense of this word), the other nice company was MacHanza. We would like here to credit Danish ERP vendors. Axapta was new product on the moment of acquisition and it is rich-functionality ERP and so – a rival to SAP, Oracle Financials, PeopleSoft

• Small Business Manager/Small Business Financials. This was natural way of downsizing the functionality of Great Plains Dynamics/Microsoft Great Plains to gain small business market. Small Business Financials is Great Plains Dexterity written accounting package. You see similar marketing moves from SAP and Oracle sides.

• Small Business Accounting 2006. It took Microsoft about four years to feel itself comfortable on the ERP market before it decided to create its own small business package, targeted to take over market share from QuickBooks, MYOB, PeachTree. Small Business Accounting 2006 is really nice application, which is excellently integrated with Microsoft Office/Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft is right – majority of Windows users spend their computer time in Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Excel. And it create accounting application, allowing you to do 50% of work from Microsoft Outlook directly

• Microsoft POS. As you know that there are several thousand small retail businesses in the USA, using just one cash register and these folks have to use a lot of small Retail Management applications, which are competing on this market for a long time. And it is a good momentum to take over this unreliable and turbulent market offering cheap and solid rock solution, working with POS devises. Please, take into account that Microsoft has another high-end Retail Management system – Microsoft RMS, which can automate midsize and huge retail stores and chains.

• Market is taken over? Well – the last flint of Microsoft Small Business Accounting and Microsoft POS give customer an option to stay in Microsoft framework from the company inception till going public as a large corporation. This fact would be very difficult to ignore for such folks out there on the market as BestSoftware, SAP, Oracle, Sun.

Right Retail Premises

2010-06-01T11:16:00.001-07:00

Finding an Area that Encourages New BusinessesThroughout the UK, there are many cities that have created specific plans devoted to encouraging new retail businesses. Norwich, Northamptonshire, Oxford and many other communities have focused their efforts on encouraging, developing and sustaining new retail establishments, business sectors and the infrastructure needed to promote investment and success.

In Part I of our two-part article devoted to helping you choose the right premises for your business, we will consider what defines a supportive municipal environment for new companies. Although there will be individual nuances you'll want to bear in mind when selecting the specific address for your storefront, there are broader issues to be evaluated first before you choose the community in which your company will reside.

Regional and National ReputationFirst, starting a retail establishment in a city or area that has an economic plan devoted to developing and advocating its regional and national reputation is desirable. If a municipality is willing to put forth the effort to attract various types of companies, especially large employers, then the ground will be fertile for retailers. Also, there is likely to be development money for new businesses.

Business DiversityRegions that are interested in an economy that embraces various types of businesses tend to create a more stable trade environment. If there's a focus on one sector, such as high tech, and not much else, the local economy will ebb and flow as does that one enterprise category. Additionally, a mixture of small, medium and large companies tend to offer more opportunity due to the range of business traffic they attract.

Emphasis on EducationA city that wants to develop workforce that is continually being educated is a city that will foster ongoing growth. Searching through history, one of the trends one discovers is that economic instability occurs when workers are unable to adapt through education to changing developments in technology, business opportunities and economic shifts. Also, there is a direct relationship between continued education and earning power, which translates into more dispensable income that can be spent at local retailers.

Sound Economic Development PlanA city or region that has created a well thought out economic development plan is one that has the best chance at succeeding. The plan should include a five to ten year timeframe and a commitment to reviewing and modifying the plan bi-annually of annually.

Key elements in any plan include:

A coalition of government, community and economic sources devoted to implementing and supporting the plan.

A clear description of challenges that the municipality is going to undertake.

Specific goals relating to the workforce, investment and educational opportunities.

A description of constituents to be served.

A specific course of action, which is outlined and detailed.

Particulars regarding the development of infrastructure.

A clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses within that community.

A realistic statement of how the city relates to the region and nation as an economic, cultural and educational force.

A timeline outlining how the plan will be further developed or implemented.

With any plan, you are looking for a reasonable analysis of the existing situation and how it will be altered. Many plans will denote specific geographic areas that will be developed or will describe the characteristics of the types of neighborhoods they are interested in serving. Consider how your business will literally fit into that area.

Next StepPart II focuses on what you'll need to consider for your specific establishment. Along with reviewing this next article, if you're creating your first retail storefront, you'll want to read our piece entitled Developing a Solid Business Plan—Details You Won't Want to Forget.

Rollicking Internet Retail

2010-06-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Even with the dot com bust of the late 90s, the number of entrepreneurs who have successfully leveraged this powerful medium to sell products, services or information and become millionaires in the process is phenomenal.

Setting up an Internet business is easy. Running it successfully is slightly more challenging. Which is why countless new Internet businesses emerge every day, only to fold up immediately or wind up slowly in a few months’ time.

The truth is that most of these failures are due to inadequate planning and preparation; the Internet still provides one of the easiest means to realize one’s dream of running a successful, low-cost and highly profitable business.

Based on my own experience with running several online businesses, mainly niche Internet retail stores, I am confident that some due diligence before embarking on the Internet retail business will go a long way in ensuring its success.

At a very broad level, an aspiring online retailer needs to follow three key steps to get the business running successfully:

• Market research and planning

• Setting up the online store and streamlining the operations

• Marketing: Attracting visitors to the store and converting them to buyers.

In this article, I will briefly cover the first aspect, ie. research and planning.

Research & Planning: Laying a strong foundation to your online business

This is one of the most neglected aspects, simply because aspiring entrepreneurs often get carried away by the overall simplicity of getting their online business up and running.

However, identifying the right niche is absolutely critical. Get this wrong and your Internet business will flounder.

Here’s how I recommend going about identifying a niche market (http://www.internet-retailer.com/product_map.htm) (we’ve used this process quite effectively). Consider the factors below, address some of the questions listed and you are well on your way towards e-commerce riches:

• Market and market size: Determine if there a market for the product you are trying to sell online. It is important to know whether the targeted buyers of your product purchase online! Once you have estimated the size of a market, it will be prudent to see if the market can be further broken down into more narrow niches with lower competition and potentially better returns.

• Search potential and competition: Analyze the volume of search traffic (both free and paid, preferably the former) that you will be able to generate, as search traffic is among the lowest-cost means of getting visitors to your website. There are several tools available to do this, the most common being the Overture (Yahoo! Search Marketing) search term suggestion tool.

• Competition: Are there big players in the market you are targeting that you need to be wary of? There is certainly no shame in locking horns with the big players but you need to be aware of them and find out means to be better than them. In fact, being a small company/ business might even work to your benefit!

• Profit margins: Does the product offer sufficient margins to make it a viable, sustainable business? Take into account all the costs that you can readily identify and add a certain percentage to it to estimate your profit margin. Remember you can only be better off when you’ve planned and prepared for a worst case scenario.

• Product supply: Can you ensure regular supply of the product? Which suppliers would you like to source your products from?

• Logistics and fulfillment: Does the product you intend to supply involve high shipping and handling costs? Does it require significant level of customer support and other specialist resources? What is the likelihood of product returns and how much should you factor in your estimations?

Once you have addressed all these questions to base your decision on the choice of the product(s) to sell, you would have laid a reasonably strong foundation for your online store. Moreover, this research will enable you to formulate strategies in building your website and its marketing. The next step is to build on that strong foundation and begin executing on the strategies you’ve drawn up, which I will cover in a subsequent article.

Best Retail Point

2010-03-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

Choosing the right retail point of sale system and software is not a decision to take lightly. These systems can be very expensive, and making a mistake in selection can cost in the thousands, if not tens of thousands to correct. Now the type of POS necessary for a retail store, clothing store or boutique will be different from the type of system and software needed for lets say, a restaurant.

Many in the industry will tell you that the term "point of sale" software or system has become a mostly outdated term. Your software handles much more than the sale aspect of the transaction - retail management software is a more accurate description. Now whether you refer to it as a POS system or retail management system - it will do the same.

Your retail management system will handle cash and credit card transactions, manage inventory, integrate with an online shopping cart system, bar code scanning, update inventory prices, manage payroll, maintain your accounts payable and receivable as well as other general ledger duties.

The right retail POS can also boost your marketing efforts as well. If your system tracks client or customer spending and contact information, you can use this as a tool to send them newsletters, coupon deals, loyal customer discounts and other things that will increase your return customer rate.

Your software will also greatly reduce the amount of bookkeeping and accounting work you have to do, by streamlining your record keeping - there will be less errors come tax time. And you know how critical accounting mistakes can be.

Now that I've briefed you on all the wonderful advantages to a retail POS system, it's time for you to decide whether you are ready to make the investment. To do this, you should ask yourself a few questions:

1. Will a retail management system help streamline my day to day business activities?

2. Do I have the patience to learn and train my employees?

3. What do I hope to gain from my point of sale software system?

Take the time to literally write down the answers to those three questions. Make a list of what your specific business needs are, how much you want your POS system to do for you, and how much you are willing to invest. Review your answers and then we can move forward with finding the best software for you. You will want to take price, learning curve and long term maintenance and reliability into mind as well.

Going Out of Business

2010-03-01T21:09:00.002-08:00

Many stores used to operate under the premise of closeout deals or 'going out of business' sales. However, the sad truth of today's economy is that many businesses ARE going out of business and needing to get rid of their inventory and employees. The business world isn't doing anything notable as of late, or at least nothing that is more notable than the number of people who are losing their jobs and finding that they are unable to get another one. It's really tough for many people to deal with, and definitely the main cause of all the stress-related accidents and violent crimes that have been going on for the past year.

It takes a toll on many people in ways that you might not imagine. Some people are so defined by their careers and their positions that they simply fall apart when their job is lost, leaving them with nothing more than a depressed life of despair. Some are much easier able to pick themselves up and get back on the horse, but the economy is running out of horses for people to get back on.

Going out of business used to be uncommon in the world, and only for small stores and businesses that didn't set themselves up right. Now you hear and see stories about big-name companies going out of business, companies like GM filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the banks of the U.S. asking for government money so that they don't fall apart, either. It's all very disheartening, but it can get better, and eventually it will. It's easier said than done, but ultimately you need to try to keep a positive attitude about things as best you can so that you don't become another person with a pessimistic attitude about the economy.

All that people can do is trust that eventually things will get better, and hope that this happens sooner rather than later. People don't need to lose any more jobs, and the U.S. doesn't need to lose anymore businesses. There are so many great companies out there hanging on by a thread, and it's a constant fear for employees not knowing who's going to be next on the chopping block. If you are working for a company that is on the edge, or have already been a victim of the economy, you can trust that in time, things will work out. There are a few jobs out there to be found for those who are looking, but only if they are willing to accept whatever they can get.

Retail Pharmacies

2010-03-01T21:09:00.001-08:00

Since the Veterinary Regulations 2005 reclassified all animal medicines a number of animal health care products, including several in the NFA-VPA category, are actively being sold through retail pharmacies. Despite the active promotion of Veterinary products in Pharmacies including the Co-op group, Pharmacies aren't traditionally thought of when it comes to veterinary medicines. For the time being, Veterinary practices still have the edge, yet it is in danger of being eroded.

In order for Veterinary practices not to lose out to this invasion of this valuable market, it is important to fight to ensure that the best and most effective presentation of medicines is made in each practice. This way each customer coming through the door will understand the range of available product and retain their natural first inclination to make Vets the first port of call for Vet medicines and animal related specialist products.

This can be achieved by a careful review of how customers are presented with your Veterinary Practice. Do they enter into an attractive, welcoming reception area? Are they easily able to see a range of produce on display which they can conveniently inspect and purchase? Are they aware that they can purchase certain medicines over the counter, without having their pet in treatment? Are the treatment rooms of high quality, well equipped and fitted out?

Choosing a fit out partner with extensive experience in designing and fitting out commercial premises in the health care sector can assist you in addressing many of these questions. High quality companies specialising in this sector will provide a wide range of services from the total fit out solution to individual furnishings such as reception desks, storage furniture, dispensary fittings and all ancillary services.

Refit Wisdom

2010-03-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

The current economic environment means that the pressure is very severely on for those who are continuing to survive in the High Street. Those who are still present are often standing out purely because of their mere presence, but is this sufficient? Wish shopping becoming increasingly competitive there is even more reason to make the "experience" of visiting a real premises rather than a virtual one on line, one to be enjoyed and relished.

Because of this, refitting a professional or retail premises involves more than simple display of merchandise. It is therefore critical to choose a shopfitting partner with specialist knowledge and a willingness to listen to all the needs you, your team and your customers have. Most importantly, skillful planning requires an understanding of working practice within any busy ethical practice.

Areas of particular concern may be:

• Merchandising retail layout for the most effective retail sales
• Ensuring effective supervision of pharmacy only medicines
• How to effectively incorporate a workable consultation room
• Ensuring that the layout of the shop and dispensary does not contravene DDA regulations
• Segregating access to staff facilities to avoid the dispensary becoming a corridor
• Ensuring correct ergonomic planning within the dispensary to avoid injury or strain

In addition to these may be issues relating to the building structure:

Removal of walls, changing ceilings and lighting effects, repositioning doors, shopfronts, signage, flooring levels and finishes.

All of these issues require the expertise of specialists who are more than shelf suppliers but understand the total implications of growing your business through carefully planning, not just for the refit but the needs you have on into the future.

Are You Protected?

2010-03-01T21:07:00.000-08:00

Counterfeit detection is an important topic no matter where you work. I have a relative that works for a retailer managing the checkout counters and customer service areas. She recently cashed a check and received four fifty dollar notes. She used some of these bills to pay for an extracurricular activity at her daughter's school. One day later, the school called to let her know one the fifty dollar bills was counterfeit.

Through a low-cost counterfeit detection device, it was determined that the bill was a fake. While the school had no intention of turning her over to the authorities, they did want their $50 back!

Considering this relative's extensive retail background, she should have been more aware of the need to verify larger bills. Since the bill was traced directly to her, she ended up $50 in the hole. This can be a tough lesson to learn. So what can you do to protect yourself?

Determining the Authenticity of Your Money

There are many areas relating to fake money detection and bill authenticity. These areas include:

- Type of Paper
- Magnetic Ink
- Security Threads
- Various Colors
- Various Watermarks
- Fine Printing
- Serial Numbers

Despite all the above features within the current money supply, counterfeiters are still quite successful at producing fake currency. There have been technological advances in printing and imaging that have allowed counterfeiting to grow. In addition, the current economic climate does not help. With the current unemployment percentage and a depressed job market, each of us should have a increased sense of awareness that we, too, could be cheated. So how can you protect yourself?

The first step is to become familiar with the security components of your currency. The paper has a specific feel. The printing is crisp and clear. The colors are muted. Be especially mindful of this with twenty and fifty dollar bills.

You should always question the source of your larger bills. In the last few years, credit-strapped consumers have been using more cash. More cash usage translates to more opportunity for passing phony money.

But there is something you can do. With proper training and some inexpensive counterfeit detection products, businesses and consumers can do a great job in protecting themselves. The Secret Service publishes a simple but detailed guide called "Know Your Money".

This guide details the specifics of each bill denomination so that you can understand the difference between a five dollar bill and a fifty dollar bill. I encourage you to download this guide and post it in the back room of your business as a helpful guide to your employees.

Types of Counterfeit Detectors

There are several different types of counterfeit detectors on the market. These instruments can detect the authenticity of the bill paper, the ink printed on the paper, and the various security threads woven in. In addition, there are a large range of price points, allowing you to make the proper investment based on your business and your budget.

My neighbor runs a garage sale every year. For a few dollars, she could use a counterfeit detection pen. These work by making a small mark on the bill. If the mark is amber, the bill is ok. If the mark is brown or black, the bill is suspect.

Other counterfeit detectors use ultraviolet and white light to show the security threads and authenticity of the paper. These devices are a bit more expensive ($35-$60), but are easier to use. More expensive money detection products can indicate if the note is suspicious by checking the security threads, paper and the ink. These detectors do cost more, but the process of checking is more automated and they quickly pay for themselves within a short period of time.

My relative has definitely learned her lesson! This year, at her daughter's Girl Scout cookie sale, you can bet she'll be more careful of the currency that is exchanged. With all the counterfeit detection products available, there's no reason anyone should be stuck with phony bills.

Designing a Restaurant

2010-02-01T05:29:00.003-08:00

A restaurant owner may know how to create a comfortable environment that welcomes customers time and time again. Yet, by making simple changes in this environment, you can not only increase repeat business, you can attract new customers and make more sales. Assistance is often needed to accomplish this goal so do not hesitate to hire an interior designer trained in aspects of environmental psychology. Simple changes in lighting, seating and background music can have tremendous benefits. The designer will be able to determine exactly works best for your restaurant.

Any interior designer will tell you that an inviting entrance draws in customers. This is their first impression of your restaurant and you want it to be a good one. Offer views of every portion of the restaurant, from the bar area to the dining area. Whenever possible, seat people close to the front of these areas so your restaurant will appear busy even when it is not. Seating is also important to many when choosing a restaurant. Ensure there is plenty of booth seating available as customers seem to prefer this. A physical structure, whether it be a wall, a window or a partition, helps the customer to feel that he has personal space. Research suggests that booth seating encourages guests to linger longer which may result in increased sales.

Lighting and music should be determined by the average age of your clientele. Younger people can tolerate more stimulation than older patrons. If you are looking to attract families, louder music and brighter lights will be appropriate. If those whose families have grown and gone are your expected clientele, add lighting to each individual table and ensure that there is a wall or other partition between tables or booths as this helps to mute noise. Music should also be kept at a lower level for these patrons.

An interior designer can also assist you in increasing customer turnover. This is the number of people you can serve in particular time frame. Upbeat music, 120 beats or more, will increase the speed of your servers. It will also decrease the length of a customer's stay. Freestanding tables also reduce time guests will spend at a table and distance between tables can increase server speed. Both can increase the number of customers you can seat in an hour. As you can see interior design is very important when planning a restaurant. Use this knowledge to your full advantage.

Restaurant Interior

2010-02-01T05:29:00.001-08:00

Each design job is unique yet any qualified restaurant interior designer will follow a few basic steps. By ensuring that each step is completed properly, the designer can guarantee the work will be done right the first time and that you will be more than satisfied. By knowing what these steps are before you hire a designer or design firm, you will be able to ask informed questions and get someone who is qualified to handle the job.

First, your interior designer will come to your location to assess a few things. He will need to know the size of your building, any permanent fixtures which must be accommodated, and your feeling for the restaurant. Size will determine what can and cannot be included in the final design. Permanent fixtures will need to be accounted for in the design and your vision of the restaurant will give him a jumping off point. After completing this step, the designer will then proceed to draw up a few ideas with visuals for you to view. You can either choose one of these designs or show him what you like about each and what you don't like. Then he will have a better idea of what you are looking for and can come up with some new designs which incorporate these features.

Once an agreement has been reached between you and the interior designer on which plan to use, the work will begin. The working plans may need to be submitted to governmental authorities for approval. The designer and/or his firm will take care of this. If approval is granted, the work can begin. If not the designer will need to make any necessary adjustments and may need to work with you to alter the design to meet building codes. The first step after approval is to set up a schedule of work to be completed along with deadlines. Contractors will need to be hired and your interior designer will take care of this also.

Now that all workers are involved, a project manager will be assigned to the job. His main function will be to ensure all work is completely promptly and correctly. By having him on site any problems that come up can be dealt with immediately. An issue in one area can affect the whole job if not resolved quickly. The project manager does everything in his power to prevent these delays. He will continue on your project until all work is completed. If, when interviewing designers, they say they outsource any portion of this process or try to pawn anything off on you, look for someone else. You have enough to worry about getting other aspects of your business up and running, leave the interior designing to the pros.

Interior Design

2010-02-01T05:28:00.004-08:00

The interior design of a restaurant is very important as it can draw customers in or it can make them never want to come back. Not only do you have to consider how to best draw in customers you also have to ensure the design allows for productivity of your employees. If the layout is poorly designed employees will need more time to complete regular activities which can lead to poor customer service. Don't leave this to chance. It may be best to hire a restaurant interior design firm to ensure you can meets the needs of your employees while giving your customers an atmosphere they cannot wait to return to.

When considering restaurant interior design and how it will affect your customers, the first rule to remember is that you cannot please everyone. Someone is going to walk in and not like the look of your restaurant and that is okay. As long as the majority of your customers are comfortable you will be fine. The easiest way to do this is to allow the interior to reflect your personal tastes. A combination of ambiance and good food will be sure to bring people back time and again.

The layout is also important in restaurant interior design. Kitchens should be designed in such a way that a number of people can work together comfortably without interfering with each other. Areas will need to be set aside for food storage, incoming shipments, and dishwashing as well as food preparation. Always allow room for expansion in the future as your goal is to grow your business. Two other areas that need to be focused on for employee satisfaction are the employee bathrooms and staff area. The restrooms for employees don't have to be attractive, just functional. Employees do not want to have to share with the customers and should not be forced to do so. The staff area is important for a similar reason. Your workers need somewhere to put their personal belongings and have a breather when things slow down. Make this comfortable, but don't go overboard as you don't want your employees spending too much time in this room.

When considering restaurant interior design that will affect the customers, there are many areas you need to take into account. Space is important in the dining area. Employees need to be able to move around between tables with ease and customers don't want to be sitting too close to other tables. Yet you need to balance this by taking into consideration that open areas can be overwhelming when the restaurant is not filled to capacity. Don't forget a cashier area placed discreetly by the door. Ensure this does not interfere with normal flow of traffic. By considering all of these things when designing your restaurant, you will be sure to have a layout that is pleasing to all.

Your Restaurant

2010-02-01T05:28:00.003-08:00

When planning the layout of your restaurant, don't hesitate to hire an interior designer. Hiring a professional to assist you can increase your business and attract repeat customers. By creating an atmosphere that is compatible with the food you are serving people will feel welcomed into the restaurant. It may be as simple as adding filtered lights to provide a romantic glow or it may be as extensive as designing your restaurant around a theme. This is also beneficial if business is not as steady as you were expecting. The food may be perfect and the service may be great, but the ambiance of the restaurant can put people off from visiting again. An interior designer can help with this.

When you hire a professional, he will look at many things. First the interior designer will attempt to determine if the layout of your dining section is an asset or if it detracts from your menu in some way. If tables are too close together, people won't feel comfortable gathering for private conversations. Yet, if the tables are too far apart customers will wonder if there is a problem with either the service or the food. Also, be sure to include a bar area for those patrons who wish to cheer during a sporting event so other customers may not be disturbed.

Ambiance is another factor that an interior designer may wish to focus on. If you serve fancy French food that only an adult would love, you want an atmosphere that focuses on the romantic for couples. Yet, if you are serving all American food that families would enjoy, you want bright lights and fun wall decor. When the atmosphere conflicts with the food served, customers do not feel comfortable.

Function is an important part of any restaurant. This closely coincides with both the layout and the mood of the room. When considering function, you need to determine if your restaurant will attract families or if it will be a romantic getaway for couples. This is important to not only set the mood of the restaurant; it also helps you to design a layout that meets the needs of your clientele. With a family restaurant, tables may be placed close together with just enough room for people to comfortably move around. If romance is the goal, tables will need to be spaced further apart as couples want to have a quiet conversation without worrying someone will overhear. An interior designer will need to know the primary function of your restaurant in order to create the perfect setting. As you can see there is a lot involved in designing a restaurant. Hiring a professional may be the smartest move you make.

Clothing Displays

2010-02-01T05:28:00.001-08:00

Slatwall is an excellent way of displaying your wares in a retail business, as it is both easy to use, easy to replace and easy to modify. It can be employed to display a huge range of goods, from sporting equipment to jewellery, via toys and crockery, and for a relatively low price, so it is highly recommended for shops selling almost any type of equipment. However, one of the most effective ways of using slatwall is to display clothing, as even though clothing and footwear comes in a vast array of shapes and sizes, slatwall's adaptability can be utilised to its full effect to show off all such goods.

Slatwall comes in a variety of different styles, both full- and half-panels, which can be used either to fit bars to display shirts, trousers or jackets on clothes hangers; or even shelving to make attractive wall displays of shoes and trainers. Furthermore, the fittings come in a variety of colours and finishes, which gives retailers a huge range of choice in picking out their ideal type of fitting, ensuring that they can design their dream store. Whether they are looking to create a stylish boutique or a shop capable of withstanding a daily deluge of customers, slatwall can be the perfect fitting to ensure you have the shop you want.

For example, you could just go for a simple form of slatwall, using cream, grey or white panels, which will only set you back around twelve pounds sixty a panel. These are not the prettiest or most exciting panels, but they are useful, cheap and fully functional - on the other hand, they will not draw attention away from clothing on sale, allowing the goods to do the talking.

Yet, at the same time, a shop selling an excellent array of high-quality clothing shouldn't really have much problem shifting their goods, so you may want to spend a little more money to ensure that your shop looks as good as it possibly can. Therefore, depending on what type of clothing you are selling, you might want to go for a classy look for your slatwall, or brighter, more vibrant panelling for a trendier store or children's clothing shop.

So let's first have a look at an upscale boutique, perhaps something selling designer clothing or suits - what kind of slatwall would fit into such an establishment? Well, you could go for wood effect panelling, which is both clean, classy and will fit in beautifully to an upmarket establishment. However, such panelling will not come cheaply. Expect to pay around thirty five pounds for each panel - of course, while this may seem a little wasteful for normal clothes, designer gear or suits should be displayed both prominently and tastefully, so it is worth investing a little extra.

For younger, trendier shops, you can buy some colourful slatwall - it comes in either blue or green for thirty seven pounds eighty, or yellow for forty nine pounds. Yes, it may be even more expensive than wood effect panelling, but it could well help shift clothes - it will be easy to catch people's attention in both trendy boutiques and children's clothing stores. Simple, but true.

So while slatwall may seem like just a series of panels, it has both the versatility and range to display items of clothing either tastefully, prominently or in a way to catch the attention.

Merchant Account

2010-01-02T06:42:00.004-08:00

If you're trying to grow your business bigger and have hit a road block or two you might consider whether or not it is due to how many payment options you are giving your customers or more specifically whether or not you are accepting credit cards. If not, then here are some important facts about consumer buying that you might have not considered.

Instant Gratification
In this day and age consumers want it and want it now. Not tomorrow. For this reason accepting credit cards allows your customers to scratch that buying itch now. Accepting credit cards via your merchant account also lets you tap into a gigantic market of impulse buyers. (Consumers now days rarely engage in impulse buying via check.)

You Get Paid Quickly
Also by accepting credit cards you get paid in days and not weeks. Remember that if you are running your business by accepting only checks this slows the whole process down as you have to wait on the post office for delivery and then the bank for actually processing the check. Then you get to wait for the check to clear. But by setting up a merchant account this whole process is circumvented. Payments from your merchant account provider are quick. In fact you can expect payment in about 3 to 5 days.

Merchant Accounts are Easy To Set Up
Also unlike in past days the whole process of setting up a merchant account has been stream lined. Applications are simple, short and the whole thing can be done on-line. And unlike in days past notification of acceptance is usually in a day or two.

So if you've hit a few financial roadblocks and are only accepting checks from your customers you owe it to yourself to set up your merchant account so you can start cashing in on your customers who want a higher level of convenience in their shopping experience.

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Receipt Scanner

2010-01-02T06:42:00.003-08:00

In some ironic event that you're starting to look for the greatest receipt scanner and you may perhaps use various advice on which one to purchase, we created a select few guidelines and suggestions for you to take into account that must greatly simplify your search in lieu of the greatest scanner for you. Making the choice to use a mobile scanner can strongly enhance your method of running digital input, as well as when the safe guarding of valuable documents is of the maximum magnitude. Prior to committing to a specific scanner, we advocate that you keep in mind the following points.

This case along with every new and complex computer peripheral, small scanners have evolved to be a lesser amount of complicated and simpler to take advantage of. Mobile scanners are designed in support of the majority of your day-to-day scanning necessities, like organization contacts, expenses, travel claims, misc documents... whatever you choose. In virtually no time at all they yield an outstanding level of sharpness in a way to meet your every need. In today's marketplace, the outlay for the most excellent receipt scanner is a very controllable expense whether you'll be using it for pleasure or getting down to organization.

Single of the most well-liked qualities of a receipt scanner is their portability, because you can use them in so many various scenarios. Already installed in the scanner package is a custom scanning software that will let you to open images and text and save them in a variety of formats. With id cards, the scanner will separate the numerous parts, as well as the full card image, photograph picture, signature, and any text of the id and next sort it into useable data report, into an outside document, then your clipboard, or any application you feel are appropriate.

Previous to committing to the receipt scanner please dedicate some consideration to the next few pointers: (1) figure out what you need/want a scanner for; (2) search the Internet for related scanners; (3) compare and contrast the technical specs of each scanner; (4) do a bit of background investigation on the company itself and distinguish what other users' opinions say; (5) look deeper into shipping methods/charges and returns for more information. And that's how you should go about finding a receipt scanner to fit your needs!

Importance of Stackability

2010-01-02T06:42:00.001-08:00

For those who are not in the retail line, stacking things up may not seem as important as we make it out to be but we are ever ready to share with you the importance of using retail stackable shelves. We are sure, as with all other types of retail business, space is a major constraint. While using wall-mounted display system is the best option if space is an issue, it can be combined with the use of good retail stackable shelves.

For example, you need something to be at eye-level to attract attention, so you stack a couple of glass-paneled shelving system together to great a monumentally attractive and in-your-face display rack. You need a good set for this because using cheap and unreliable retail stackable shelves might mean running the risk of toppling the shelves over which is not good for business, dangerous and also costly.

Mobility, that is what we are looking for too. Most retail outlet owners value things that are flexible. Perhaps, something that you can move around as things change or there is a need for a retail stackable shelves somewhere else....a new outlet, maybe? Yes, when the shelves are movable and flexible, it gives you more room to be creative.

But when talking about mobility and flexibility, you need to understand that product reliability and quality comes into play, so, invest in something that can last you at least a couple of years, preferably a decade or longer.

There is another thing about having stackable shelves and that is if ever the need for renovation or repainting arises, your shelves can be easily moved to a safer place where the dust and paint won't ruin it. It is not usually something that people outwardly look for, but since you have already read this article, bear in mind: flexibility, mobility and stackability.

It will be something you will thank us for in the future.

Hang Negative Signs

2010-01-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went to our favorite local deli for lunch. The food is excellent, the people are friendly, the store is always spotless, and the prices are fair - all the things that keep people coming back again, and again.

We feel good about going there, BUT on the front door is a big sign that says, "NO Public Restrooms". And just to make sure we do not miss the message, they placed it right about the doorknob so it is the first thing we see as come in to grab a bite to eat.

A couple of thoughts about this (stupid) sign...

First of all, keep communication with your customers positive! Signs with negative, controlling messages are a turn-off and should be used as a very last result.

The first thing your customer should see when they approach your store is a clean, welcoming front with an interesting window display - not a sigh, or signs, telling them what they can not do while in your store.

The last thing your customer should see before leaving your store is a smiling face saying a heartfelt "thank you", not a sign taped to your register saying you are going to charge them $35 if they bounce a check.

Secondly, let people use your toilets for crying out loud!

It is true that occasionally someone might leave your bathroom a mess or that some people will come in, go, and not spend any money. But more often than not they will buy something while they are in your store and sometimes that "bathroom break" person will turn into a regular customer who will spend lots of money with you down the road.

One thing is for sure though - if they do not come in, they are not going to buy anything.

Finally, we understand why this sign appeared in the doorway to the store. The staff got tired of telling people who came in and asked that there were no public restrooms. To which we say - too bad!

The pleasure and appreciation of your loyal customers and soon-to-be-customers is paramount, not the inconvenience or interruption to your employee's day.

Treat your customers like welcome guests and they will come in more often, spend more money, tell more people about you, and help you become the success you deserve to be.

Retail Merchandising

2010-01-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

I went shopping this weekend. As always, my experiences as a customer - the good, the bad, and the ugly - provide ample inspiration for this article.

Here is a tip on a tricky topic for almost every retailer...

WHEN DO YOU OFFER TO PLACE A "SPECIAL ORDER"?

I was in a large specialty housewares store near my home looking for a recipe box and coordinating recipe cards.

When I finally found a nice looking pattern, all the boxes were blue but all the recipe cards were green. Of course, I found a salesperson and asked if there might be any blue cards or green boxes in the stockroom. Nope.

The woman helping me really did want to give me great service and make my shopping experience a success. So she offered to place an order for the blue recipe cards...

I quickly declined!

What is supposed to be a wonderful service gesture is all to often a recipe (heh, heh) for disaster from either a customer service point of view or from a profitability point of view.

Here is why...

The recipe cards are a low priced item from a tiny category in the store so placing an order just for them would likely involve one of two scenarios.

Scenario One:

You usually can not just buy one or two small items at a time from a vendor; you have to place a minimum order of several hundred dollars. So to give quick customer service the housewares store would have to place a mimimum order from the recipe box vendor for merchandise they did not need just so that I could get my $4 blue recipe cards.

Do this for customers just a couple of times a week and you can rapidly get into an overstocked situation. Which leads to bad cash flow, bigger markdowns, lower margins... the ugly list goes on.

Scenario Two:

The housewares store could wait, hold my $4 order until they needed to place an order with that vendor, hopefully remember to add my cards to the order, pray that the blue cards were not discontinued or out of stock, call me when they finally arrived, and pray some more that I actually came back to the store and pick the cards up.

It is a LOT of work for a very small sale and a marginal customer service gesture. In fact, it could quickly turn into a negative service issue if the special order takes too long or is never actually completed.

(I know some of you are laughing right now because it happens in your store all the time!)

So how should you handle these types of orders?

Well, the first line of defense is to prevent the need for most special orders by buying correctly for your store in the first place!

Second, have a conservative policy in place - one that makes sense for both your customer and your store.

I recommend that you only offer special orders on higher priced items (how high depends on the type of merchandise you sell) from a set list of vendors that you know can ship consistently and quickly.

For example, it would have been both great service and a profitable sale if the housewares store offered to special order a $230 9qt. copper casserole from their biggest cookware vendor.

Make sure your special order policy is clear and specific. Then train your staff to use those guidelines when offering to order something special for your customer. If they offer a special order only in those situations where it will clearly benefit BOTH the customer and the store, everyone will be happier.

Of course, there may be situations where, even when your sales person does not offer, the customer begs you to order those $4 blue recipe cards. But with a more conservative policy they will be few and far between.

Buy Wholesale?

2009-12-01T17:14:00.002-08:00

Running a business especially in our current economic climate can be particularly difficult. The key to success is to be sure that you are getting the right goods and supplies at the right prices. Wholesale prices are really what you are looking for, but you may not know how to buy wholesale.

There are many different suppliers for wholesale products. Knowing this should give you the peace of mind to know that you will be able to find what you are looking for. However, before you go about figuring out how to buy wholesale you may want to be sure that you know exactly what you are looking to buy. Spend a bit of time looking at what your competitors are offering so that you have a clear idea of what you need. After you have done that where should you head to buy wholesale goods?

TRADE SHOWS

A trade show is really a wonderful place to look for wholesale goods. Here you can find the latest and greatest of goods at some really fantastic promotional prices. Be aware that trade shows are not for the average person so you will have to show proof that you are a business owner.

MANUFACTURER

Believe it or not many different manufacturers will offer wholesale prices to retailers. Chances are that you will need to purchase items in bulk, but with the money that you will be saving this is a great way to go. Check out there website to see if there is any information about buying wholesale, but if not do not be discouraged. Try calling the company to see if they will give you the wholesale prices that you are looking for.

DISTRIBUTORS

If you are dealing with a manufacturer who will not give you wholesale prices all hope is not lost. Ask them who their distributor is and get in touch with them. Though you will have to pay enough money so that the distributor makes a profit the prices will still be significantly lower that regular retail prices. The wonderful thing about dealing with distributors is that there is no minimum quantity that you must purchase to get the reduced pricing that the distributor offers.

IMPORTERS

Often you can find some of the best prices from companies that specialize in importing goods from abroad. Due to the global business market these importers are able to bring in goods at lower prices. However, be aware that dealing with an importer may mean that you need to complete additional paperwork or may have to wait for a longer delivery. Again a caution as not all other countries respect general labor practices, so if this is an ethical issue for you you will want to do some research.

LIQUIDATORS

If you are looking for bargain basement prices then you will certainly want to check out a liquidator. Liquidators specialize in selling off closeout collections and even damaged goods. You should deal with liquidators with a bit of caution to ensure that you are getting quality merchandise that is still functional.

Candy Store

2009-12-01T17:14:00.001-08:00

These days, nearly everyone's feeling the pinch of today's economy, and this pinch has many aspiring entrepreneurs - such as new candy shop owners - wondering whether or not they should move forward with their new business ideas.

Fortunately, there are ways to pinch pennies and still get quality results. Listed below are five ways to save money when you open a candy store.

1. Buy your candy in bulk.

For businesses that sell a lot of one kind of product (such as candy), it only make financial sense to buy in bulk and save money.

Keep in mind that it's important to have a plan for your candy before you actually order it. How many display fixtures will you have? Where will they be located? What special considerations should you make for the candy (unwrapped candy needs more protection than wrapped candy)? These are the kinds of questions you should know the answers to before you purchase bulk candy.

2. Buy versatile display fixtures in bulk.

As mentioned above, buying in bulk helps you save money; however, buying versatile display fixtures - those that you can use for a variety of purposes - in bulk helps you save even more money.

For example, jumbo mini bins - which are already fairly inexpensive - are fantastic acrylic bins for showcasing a variety of items.

3. Sometimes, secondhand display fixtures are your friends.

Generally, the best way to get your hands on secondhand display fixtures is to keep your eyes open for owners of similar businesses who might be relocating and looking to lighten their loads or who are redecorating and need to get rid of their old, but useable, display fixtures.

Keep in mind that "inexpensive" doesn't always mean "good deal." You're trying to save money, but you're also trying to make a good impression. If the display fixtures are noticeably worn (for example, the clear plastic containers have so many scratches you can't really describe them as "clear" anymore) or not easily repairable (for example, the rolling display racks are missing wheels you'd have to spend a significant amount of time hunting for before you could replace them), you'd be better off paying for new fixtures.

4. Look for wholesalers offering special start up deals.

Many companies that sell bulk candy and bulk display tools also offer special deals for new stores. Talk with owners of similar businesses as well as search the Internet to gather a list of such companies, and then compare their start up specials and prices.

5. Don't go overboard with advertising.

Adverting is crucial, and it's especially important when you're first getting started; however, many new candy shop owners discover that when they're first getting started is when their budgets are the tightest.

Instead of sinking money into several different advertising areas, consider just a few big hitters. For example:

Newspaper advertisements and radio mentions (as opposed to separate, lengthy radio commercials) are often fairly inexpensive and reach a broad audience.
If you create your own graphics and write your own copy, as well as shop around for printing services that offer the best prices, you'll find that fliers can be quite inexpensive forms of advertising.
Many community news stations and newspapers provide a community events feature to their viewers and readers. Oftentimes, getting your announcement (in this case, your candy store opening) listed in these segments or sections is completely free. You might even want to talk with reporters about a brief feature announcing the upcoming opening of your new candy store.

Boutique Clothing

2009-12-01T17:13:00.004-08:00

Boutiques are more popular than ever because of the unique and custom designed clothing that they sell. Boutique owners need to find interesting and unique ways to showcase their clothing to stay ahead of the competition. Promoting and merchandising are a little different for boutiques because of the cutting edge ways in which they need to go about it to work on their brand image.

First, consider the feel of your store. The atmosphere is set in many ways, but for boutiques, it's all in the details. Your lighting alone should showcase certain areas of the store and set the tone and mood. Customers should feel a certain way as soon as they walk in. Using lighting to calm or excite is one way to start out. Many boutiques use drop down decorative spotlights and lamps to keep things highly illuminated without resorting to harsh overhead lights.

Think about what customers will see when they come in, as they walk around, and as they look through your clothing racks. They should initially see varied textures and displays at different heights. Use tables, garment racks, and interesting things to hang from, such as antique armoires or hat racks. You can even hang art or abstract items on hooks from the ceiling to accent different areas of the store.

Make sure that your displays are always kept orderly and neat. In a boutique, there are often a lot of unique items that don't fit into categories. These can be showcased in a lot of different ways, just make sure that you don't make any one area cluttered, or people won't feel like sifting through. Many boutiques effectively maintain an orderly disorder and it adds to the charm of the boutique.

Details come in many forms. Think about what details you want to add from floor to ceiling. The floor may call for interesting rugs. Be careful not to put rugs in heavily trafficked areas where people might trip over the edges. Hopefully customers will be looking at the merchandise and not the floor! Use rugs in small areas where you have seating or larger items that sit on the floor so that they don't become a liability.

Your garment racks themselves can be interesting. There are many on the market that are designed for boutiques. They have decorative details and designs that entertain as they display. You can also use other things, like dressers and tables to display so that it doesn't end up looking like a regular retail store. Avoid a lot of circular or really long racks. It doesn't do much for the eye and will end up being ignored for more interesting displays.

Have your tags and hangers custom designed. Many wooden hangers can be embossed with your logo, a saying, a picture or a brand. Wood hangers also add to the charm and sophistication of the boutique. Plastic hangers may be cheap, but they'll say something about the quality of your clothes and are much more likely to damage your inventory. Wood hangers exude the sense of quality and strength. They also come in a lot of different styles, like shirt hangers, skirt hangers, and dress hangers. The specialty hanger sizes and styles are well suited to the custom clothing that you carry.

Retail Staff

2009-12-01T17:13:00.003-08:00

Here is some straight talk on problem employees. This tip might not be easy to take, but believe me it can change your professional life!

Do you have a person (or two, or three) in your company who is making life miserable for you, negatively affecting the morale of your staff, and maybe even giving bad customer service? And yet thing they can get away with the bad attitude?

Maybe they have been working with you for years, maybe they are a relative, or maybe they have specialized knowledge about your business. They think that you do not have the guts - or the ability - to let them go.

Someone who is not contributing, does not care, will not adhere to your set standards, and thinks you will not do anything about it is "holding you hostage".

DO NOT LET ANYONE HOLD YOU HOSTAGE.

As a business owner or manager you CANNOT let this happen. It ruins the morale of those who want to do a good job, it adds enormous frustration and stress to your life, and ultimately takes away from the quality of the experience your customers get from your business.

Your challenge is to take the bull by the horns and go toe-to-toe, eyeball-to-eyeball with the guilty party. Make sure they understand that their attitude changes, or they can find employment elsewhere.

And, if they do not change you MUST replace that person. Do not give it to you automatic reaction: "I can not replace her - she is the only one who can..." or I can not replace him - he has been with me forever." Everyone can be replaced.

Remember, your first obligation is to your business and your customers. Anyone who is not contributing in a positive way needs to be replaced with someone who will.

2009 Christmas Retail Sales

2009-12-01T17:13:00.001-08:00

Is the retail sector of the stock market overbought? That is to say, were investors expecting a bigger Christmas rush during this 2009 season? Did they pump up the retail stocks in advance thinking that this year the consumers and customers would come back and spend, after having been cooped up for well over a year, watching their pennies?

Apparently, the Christmas retail sales are not completely down and out, but they certainly are breaking any speed records, and no one is surprised with the results so far. Indeed, we might expect a little bit of sell off in the retail sector due to the underwhelming sales. Black Friday was not quite as spectacular as many had hoped for, although similar to what was expected, and the equivalent online retail sales were decent, but they were not all that great.

So, one has to ask has the consumer completely done a 180 on their buying behavior? It appears so, and it seems that many people are just not out shopping like they used to; have they forgotten how? Or are more people laid off, and have the credit card companies tightened so much, that the consumers are without the spendable income that they are used to?

In other words, it could be a combination of factors of a changing buying behavior, a paradigm shift in savings ratios, more people laid-off with no income, and all the credit card companies tightening their belt, and limiting balances. If this is the case, we should not expect to have a last minute rush in the 2009 Christmas retail season. Therefore, we should not expect the retail stock prices to be doing back flips. Indeed, I hope you'll please consider all this.

Candy Store Equipment

2009-11-01T05:38:00.003-08:00

Becoming familiar with some of the most useful pieces of candy store equipment will help you create the best display for your candy - whether you manage an old-fashioned candy store or stop-and-go style gas station.

Plastic and Glass Containers

Not all candy displays will require containers to hold the candy, but many will - especially those you plan to create using additional display fixtures like display racks and wooden tables (see below).

When it comes to choosing candy containers, your options are plentiful, and you can make your selection process easier when you think about the following factors:

Material: The most common materials of candy containers are glass, plastic, and acrylic, though you can find wooden barrels and wicker baskets (see below). Choose the material that works best both with your store's décor and the amount of traffic your store normally sees.
Size: You can find candy containers in numerous sizes - from mini to large - which helps you create displays that work with the space you have allotted.
Shape: Containers are available in everything from traditional round, square, hexagon, and "fish bowl" shapes to those in holiday-inspired shapes like Christmas trees and Santa Claus boots.
Color: Clear is the most common "color" for candy containers, but many plastic and acrylic bins and even some glass jars are available in a variety of translucent colors.
Accessories and Other Extras: If you plan to display unwrapped candies and candies that customers will need to pour out, look for containers with lids, handles, and handgrips as well as extras like plastic or aluminum scoops.

Display Racks

Think of "display racks" as an umbrella phrase for the numerous kinds of racks available for you to display your candy containers.

Traditional convenience store racks with shelves.
Neon pegboard racks that allow you to place your candy on shelves or hang it from pegs.
Bucket display racks designed to hold buckets filled with your candy.

Note that you can find most kinds of candy display racks in rotating or fixed-position models, as well as racks that are designed specifically for floor or countertop displays.

Wooden Table Displays

Like display racks, wooden table displays are great choices for holding your plastic or glass candy containers. You can find wooden table displays with round or square shelves that wrap completely around the base and in varying shades of "wood" colors, such as maple and cherry.

Wooden Display Barrels and Wicker Basket Displays

Wooden display barrels and wicker basket displays are fantastic candy display fixtures for shop owners who want to add a bit of rustic charm to their merchandise displays. Take note that wooden barrels and wicker baskets work best with wrapped candies; there is nothing included with these candy store fixtures to keep unwrapped candies fresh and protected from dust and debris.

Pre-Filled Candy Displays

While they're great pieces of candy store equipment for all stores, pre-filled candy displays are especially useful for retail stores and other businesses that don't focus solely on selling candy. Gumball machines, lollipop trees, and bucket display racks pre-filled with popular and novelty candies are excellent choices for these businesses because they require so little work. Simply order the candy fixtures and set them up when they arrive!

Wholesale Cosmetics

2009-11-01T05:38:00.001-08:00

The cosmetics industry is one of the biggest in the world. With a lot of products being used by both men and women, it isn't a surprise that people find where they can buy lower-priced cosmetics in the Internet. That's why a number of entrepreneurs are now looking at cosmetics to retail.

The usual $20 mascara in the malls can be bought at $10 in the Internet. But how can that be possible? The answer lies in the production. For example, a particular cosmetic company produced a lot of that particular product and they aren't able to sell it in a particular time, they can sell it for a much lower price. Since these products usually have a certain shelf life and expiration date, they must dispose them quickly or sell them to others. However, there are others who manufacturers who choose to sell their unsold products in wholesale lots - that's what you need to find if you want to retail them.

Other cosmetic manufacturers mark down their cosmetics and/or sell them in wholesale lots because they will be re-branding or launching a new variety. They need to get back their 'capital' so that they can start anew again, which means that you get to have more cosmetics at lower prices.

eBay is a good source of finding these wholesale cosmetic lots. You can choose to buy them, mark them up a bit then sell them at retail prices. Like always, buying in wholesale lots is always cheaper than buying per piece.

Another good source of these wholesale lots is a wholesale directory. This lists down a number of wholesalers and suppliers for cosmetics. Therefore, you have a big chance of snagging a great deal on wholesale cosmetics. By buying at much lower prices, you can have higher profits and still keep offering reasonable prices to your customers.

Always check the cosmetics before you buy. Establish a good relationship and communication with your supplier, and ask him or her all the questions that you need. You don't want to buy a wholesale lot of expired cosmetics. You should still think of their quality, so you can be confident to sell them to your customers.

As Seen on BBC News, FORBES and CNN Money
Wholesale Dropshippers is the Only Turnkey system that eBay Powersellers use! See how you can get products at real wholesale prices, Guaranteed to be lower than the prices on Ebay! Get the Platinum Edition of the Wholesale Dropshipping List and Directory, at 75% Discount!

Going Out of Business Sale

2009-11-01T05:37:00.002-08:00

How a going out of business sale is ended in the last week could mean several thousand dollars difference to the small business owner. It is crucial that steps are taken to finish the sale properly.

First, the retail owner must understand that the inventory left is not the best inventory and needs to be liquidated. Otherwise, you will have a garage, house or storage building full of merchandise instead of cash in your pocket.

Usually, this inventory depreciates. I had a few owners take stuff home and if they sold it made less than they could have during the sale.

The last day of the sale, you should be 90% off. In addition, make good prices for sections of merchandise. The leftover merchandise will cost you money for the time to remove it.

The next to last day have an 80% discount. In some cases, this should be two days.

Before the previously mentioned discounts, you should have at least a week of 70% off. I have found often, it is best to run an extra week of ½ off and then go to 70%.

Fixtures need to be marked down for the last week. Fixtures are sold as is price and any discounts do not apply.

Call local businesses to see, if they can use any of your fixtures. Place an ad on craigslist and if needed in the classified section of the paper.

Keep condensing aisles to have traffic limited to specific aisles. It will help with the shoplifting and by being neat will increase sales.

Make sure all the end caps and front of the store are filled. Sometimes, putting some of the fixtures with prices in these areas can help move these items.

Make sure anyone buying fixtures understands when, they can get them. When possible have fixtures picked up at time of sale, if they are empty or the merchandise can be moved easily.

In today's business climate, If you try closing your store and any of these areas are done in a haphazard way, you can either lose thousands of dollars by selling off to quickly or not fast enough and in either case you lose money or have a great deal left at the end.

Wholesale Clothing

2009-11-01T05:37:00.001-08:00

Wholesale clothing seems to be the hot business to set up these days. But at the same time, you want your wholesale clothing business to be a big success. Past experience has shown that business success comes to those who love the business they are in. That adulation for the business may manifest itself in the love of a particular business activity or the love and admiration for the specific product they are selling. The past has also shown that most people do not love all clothing. They are only interested in a particular type of clothing; or niche. There are generally three clothing niches; menswear, ladies fashion wear and children's clothing.

Menswear has traditionally been a fairly straightforward niche. Dark business suits of black or blue, casual slacks and pullover shirts and athletic gear were the basics of the man's wardrobe. Convenience and efficiency characterized the clothes shopping habits of the successful male. That could be interpreted to indicate that an online menswear clothing business could be successful. However, experience again shows that a male does not spend excessive amounts of time online shopping for clothes. He spends his time online checking out sports or what's happening in the car market.

Women certainly spend more time than men online shopping. There are volumes of ladies fashion wear available online all over the world. This is the niche you want to be a part of. But wait; there can be all sorts of drawbacks. Popularity and name recognition is vitally important and tends to flucuate rapidly. The winners have to be aware of market trends almost on a daily business. This can be a tremendous burden just to keep up and keep your website or marketplace listing current. This niche may be just a bit too challenging.

Lastly children's clothing would seem to have many advantages and far fewer disadvantages. Children constantly need new clothes because they are constantly growing. Style is not such a major issue with children. Besides, the mothers mostly make the purchasing decisions and they usually look for the best price. The high demand can be very good for the new business. But the cost of the clothes you are going to sell needs to be managed very closely.

Given the considerations identified for each wholesale clothing niche, it is quite clear that children's clothing provides you with the best opportunity for success with your wholesale clothing business.

As Seen on BBC News, FORBES and CNN Money
Wholesale Dropshippers is the Only Turnkey system that eBay Powesellers use! See how you can get products at real wholesale prices, Guaranteed to be lower than the prices on eBbay! Get the Platinum Edition of the Wholesale Dropshipping List and Directory, at 75% Discount!

Shopkeepers! Stylish Gift

2009-11-01T05:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas may only come once a year, but shoppers are always on the lookout for stylish, attractive gifts.
After all, think of the steady stream of birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and special occasions (like celebrating a new job or moving to a new home) for which the done thing is to turn up with a gift in hand.

It is these events that have made the gift market such a hugely lucrative business. Just look at the amount of space the large department stores offer to their ranges (especially in the run-up to Christmas) and the number of websites which specialise in gift purchases.

However, if you're just a small boutique in the centre of town, how can you possibly compete with the High Street and web-based giants?

Well, while your store may be smaller, and you possess nothing like the buying clout of your bigger rivals, it can work to your advantage.

When buying a special gift for a loved one, buyers appreciate a personal touch and that's something that no matter how hard they try, department stores and Internet sellers can't offer.

Offering fashionable gift and retail packaging can add a dash of style to your shop, and it's the sort of special detail that will have your customers coming back for more.

Thick, high-quality shopping bags printed with the logo of your store can be a highly effective marketing tool. It gets your brand out there and increases potential customers' knowledge of your business and the sort of clientele you attract.

And you'll be surprised how many men you can attract to your store with the offer of in-store gift wrapping! It is an easy and simple service to provide, and one that will make your enterprise really stand out.

All the essentials that you'll need to stylishly pack gifts are available online and, if you buy in bulk, at a reasonable cost. Again, you can pick up gift boxes, crepe paper and presentation bags in the livery of your store to help spread the word.

If you are a specialist wine or whisky store, ordering in smart bottle bags and boxes can add value to your purchases, and offer a quick solution to gift buyers who may be rushing around to find a last-minute present.

Overall, gift wrapping and the provision of stylish and liveried shoppers is an easy way to differentiate yourself from your competitors, and the High Street giants, while offering something extra to your customers.

Department Stores?

2009-10-01T17:18:00.002-07:00

Why should hang tags with metal eyelet be used in department stores? Some upscale department stores that carry high-end products such as: ladies designer hand bags, designer jeans and high-end leather products use special hang tags with metal eyelets to help prevent thief. After the special hang tag is attached to the product then a theft prevention cable is strung through each of the metal eyelets on the hang tags that would connect all of the like items together. This would make it difficult for one of the items to be removed from the store without it being paid for. A sales clerk would have to unlock the security cable to remove the item in order for it to be purchased. Many retail stores have found it necessary to adopt several methods to help prevent loss of products by theft. By having a hang tag with an eyelet attached to the tag makes it a little more difficult for the tag to be removed. They also attach these metal sensors in the tag that would allow the metal from the eyelet as well as the sensor to alarm if the item is being removed from the store when it hasn't been paid for.

Hang tags with eyelets are used in a variety of products that you see and perhaps you used these items every day. Here are a few items that you probably have seen eyelets attached to: men's work boots, sports tennis shoes with strings, interim office envelopes, belts, ladies handbag shoulder straps, on craft items and on greeting cards, these are just a few items that you probably have seen metal eyelets on. Eyelet are used on a lot of things they are just one of those small unimportant things that you don't notice very much.

Hang tags with brass eyelets are also used in department stores to increase the sale of particular items. That marketing department for the product will use a high end designed hang tag with a brass eyelet because it can be used to get the attention of the consumer. A hang tag with a brass eyelet will stand out a little more than one without an eyelet. Plus it would cost a little more which would also say to the consumer that this company believes in making high quality items. Studies show that the consumer will purchase a product because of how it is promoted or marketed in the store. If an item has a hang tag attached to it verses a product that does not have a hang tag attached the consumer is likely to go with the one that has the hang tag. This is even more true if that hang tag offers a discount off the purchase of the item.

Hang tags with brass eyelet are found in the appliance section of department stores on the door handles or inside the appliance. These hang tags often provide the consumer with expected performance information of the item. Hang tags with brass eyelets are also found in furniture department stores. They are often used on lamps and other light fixtures because it is difficult to attach a price tag to those items due to their shape. If you should go to any jewelry department store they will have a small price hang tag attached to the item. Most of the time those hang tags do not have the brass eyelet attached to them because they are so small.

Now do you understand some of the benefits of why hang tags with metal eyelet are used in department stores?

Making Sense

2009-10-01T17:18:00.001-07:00

Is EMV just another cash grab?

There is a new technology sweeping through the retail payments landscape that promises to revolutionize the way that consumers pay for goods and services. In the United Kingdom, the geographic region that is the furthest into their adoption process, this technology has been described as the biggest change in payments since decimalization, but is EMV, or chip and PIN as it is also known, really the silver bullet that Visa, MasterCard, JCB Co and American Express would have us believe? Retailers aren't convinced it is.

It is hard to blame retailers for their skepticism. In the past 5 years they have been bombarded with changes to their payment card acceptance networks that have come at a significant cost and provided little additional value to retailers. The mention of a term such as PCI, EMV, contactless or interchange rate is enough to send a chill down the spine of small shop owners and CIO's alike. The problem is that retailers view these changes as individual challenges rather than an opportunity to revaluate their approach to retail payments, increase the security of their store systems and boost their bottom line.

Infinite cards - infinite fees.

The interchange rate refers to the percentage amount of each card based transaction that a retailer must pay for the right to accept a specific payment card brand. The interchange rate is tiered, with rates for standard cards ranging from 1.6% to 1.9% of each transaction and rates for premium cards significantly higher at 2.3% to 2.5%. It is the influx of these new premium cards that has increased the average monthly cost of credit card processing by 10% to 20% for many retailers. According to a study by investment firm Morgan Stanley, interchange costs in the United States will reach $32.4 billion by 2010. Merchants around the world have complained of their inability to negotiate these rates and in several geographies including Canada and the United States they have taken their concerns to the government in an appeal for increased regulation of the entire payment card industry.

In response to merchant concerns Visa and MasterCard have pointed to the wide variety of payment options available to consumers and stressed the fact that accepting payment cards is a business decision, not a requirement. Merchants argue that payment cards have become an industry standard to the point where they must accept multiple payment card brands or risk losing business. Merchants that choose to accept payment cards are bound by a card acceptance contract which mandates that any merchant who wishes to accept a specific credit card brand must accept all cards issued by that brand. The card acceptance contract also forbids merchants from setting minimum dollar amounts for payment card transactions or imposing surcharges on certain types of cards. In effect merchants are paying more for card processing, with no added value and there is absolutely nothing they can do about it.

Who does PCI really protect?

A second blow to retailers came in the form of new data security best practices. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards or PCI DSS is a set of 12 rules designed to protect card holder data at the point of sale and within a retailer's enterprise systems environment. This standard was created in response to a growing trend in high profile data breaches, such as those with T.J. Maxx and Hannaford Bros. Co., where a combined 50 million account numbers were stolen. According to the Ponemon Institute benchmark study, "2008 Annual Study: Cost of a Data Breach" in the United States the approximate cost per compromised account number to U.S. companies is $231. If you were to apply simple math to this research study, the value of the T.J. Maxx breach is over 10 billion dollars without consideration for fines and lost business.

It is obvious why the payment card industry is motivated to put standards in place to prevent data breaches of this magnitude and at first glance PCI regulations appeared to be a giant step forward in the security and protection of card holder data but as the initial excitement has worn off, the PCI standard has revealed itself for what it really is, a method for card issuers to boost their bottom line while transferring the responsibility and risk of card payments to the merchant.

This point became clear in May 2008 when Heartland Payment Systems, a PCI DSS certified organization, fell victim to a data breach that exposed the details of up to 100 million accounts to cybercriminals. Despite Heartland's certification as PCI DSS compliant and a successfully completed audit by a third party PCI examiner they were condemned by much of the payment card industry. In the wake of the data breach Heartland was immediately removed from the list of certified PCI compliant organizations, forced to recertify and had heavy fines imposed upon them.

This served as a lesson for many merchants who were lead to believe that PCI compliance was the end game rather than part of a much more intensive and far reaching data security program. Merchants were shocked when they discovered that the huge investment many had made in order to achieve PCI compliance did not guarantee their immunity from an attack or a breach. Adrian Phillips, Visa's Deputy Chief Enterprise Risk Officer refused to acknowledge Heartland's PCI compliant status and stated that "[Visa has] never seen anyone who was breached that was PCI compliant. The breaches that we have seen have involved a key area of non-compliance."

Where is the ROI for EMV?

EMV is global standard for credit and debit payment cards based on chip card technology. These chip cards, or smart cards as they are also known, contain an embedded microprocessor and the microprocessor contains all of the information needed to use the card for payment. The chip is protected by various security features and is a more secure alternative to traditional magnetic stripe payment cards.

After enduring rising interchange rates and costly PCI compliance initiatives only to be punished with increased risk and responsibility in regards to card payments many retailers have shown a steadfast resistance to EMV migration. However, this resistance has not prevented more than 100 countries from taking the plunge in an effort to stem credit card fraud. The United Kingdom, which announced their adoption of the standard more than 5 years ago, leads all markets in EMV migration and therefore provides the greatest amount of insight as to how EMV will perform relative to the initial assumptions underlying the transition.

After the U.K. migration deadline of February 14^th 2005, the U.K. payments association APACS reported a remarkable reduction in fraud for the year end of December 2005. Fraud due to counterfeiting and lost or stolen cards was reduced by U.S. $110.5 million dollars which was a decline of as much as 31%. This fact alone appears to validate the primary intent of this new technology but as with previous changes in the retail payments environment the benefits of this new standard would be experienced by issuers and associations while a large investment would be required on the part of the merchant. In order to avoid compounding this crisis issuers and acquirers have been careful not to release cost estimates of their own migration efforts and have simultaneously released studies that ignore or largely underestimate the costs for integrated merchants while justifying the migration based solely on the significantly lower migration costs of merchants with stand alone or non-integrated terminals.

Is it all doom and gloom?

While reviewing the vast library of negative press surrounding the payment card industry it is easy for many individuals and organizations alike to acquire a negative, one-sided view of the current retail payments landscape. In fact, the existence of many lobbyist groups is closely tied to their ability to slant various studies and statistics on the topic in this way. It would however be premature to end our analysis here. As with all good arguments, there is an alternative view point that paints a drastically different picture, one of a highly successful payments medium that supports the global economy and steadfastly focuses on security of its billions of subscribers.

Supporters of regulatory intervention in the structure of interchange fees typically ignore an analysis of the evidence in the Australian market. Since 2003 the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has implemented a series of regulations on their national payment card industry. Most notable among these regulations is the reduction of interchange fees by approximately 50%. The merchants and lobbyist groups which argued for a reduction in interchange rates promised that positive benefits would be experienced by consumers, the same fundamental argument that similar groups have promoted in Canada and the United States. Official reports on the state of the industry after 5 years of regulation starkly contrasted this initial assumption. The RBA's regulations have resulted in higher cardholder fees, reduced the value of rewards programs and eliminated the incentive for card associations and issuers to invest and innovate. In fact there is no evidence that these losses have been offset by price reductions or an improvement in the quality of retailer service.

It is clear that the reduction in interchange rates that merchants seek will not come as a result of government interference in an industry that does not exhibit clear market failure, instead it will come as a result of operational changes that promote increased efficiency within that industry. For decades the card associations have footed the bill for fraudulent usage of their payment networks. With the introduction of mandatory data security standards the payment card industry is taking a long overdue step in stemming fraud due to insufficient security measures on the part of the merchant. Until standards were introduced merchants had little incentive to secure cardholder data at all and many kept payment card details in completely unencrypted files. As cybercriminals became ever more cunning the retail industry focused primarily on reducing the theft of hard goods and largely ignored the growing threat to cardholder data. While it is true that the fines levied due to non-compliance are exorbitant and are more likely to bankrupt a retailer rather than punish them, it forces retailers to individually take responsibility for their security deficiencies rather than divide the cost of compromised accounts amongst the entire industry in the form of interchange rates. In fact if PCI DSS is able to reduce payment card fraud by the amount that card associations promise, the savings realized will be far beyond those experienced as a result of mere government intervention.

The EMV standard could have a similar effect on interchange rates. While globally EMV migration is still in its infancy, its ability to reduce fraud is already apparent. Card associations have even begun to address the unequal cost/benefit distribution through a variety of intra-systems transfers that have been designed as an incentive for individual parties to take action. Chief among these incentives are interchange subsidies and liability shifts. The card associations have proved adept in utilizing these intra-system transfers in order to achieve a critical mass of support from a group of stakeholders whose business case for EMV can be significantly better than the business case for the average merchant.

If payment card fraud is analyzed on a higher level, outside of retail payments and the association-issuer-merchant dynamic, taking billions of dollars a year out of the hands of criminal organizations is a positive benefit of EMV and PCI DSS that everyone can agree upon.

How long can the U.S. hide?

The United States is the largest country yet to announce an EMV migration timeline. Despite the fact that EMV offers greatly improved security over magnetic stripe, banks and merchants have shown little interest in footing the bill to distribute the cards and install the necessary readers at the point of sale. Some analysts have warned that the financial industry's reluctance to adopt EMV in the United States will make the U.S. payment system a target for international fraud as criminals back away from markets with tighter security.

Since EMV migration in the U.K., fraud abroad has increased 11% as criminals look to markets that have not yet adopted EMV technology in order to exploit stolen magnetic stripe card data. At U.S. $380 million per year fraud abroad accounts for 38% of total card fraud losses on cards issued in the United Kingdom and fraud on U.K. issued cards in the United States has increased 181% since the U.K. adoption in 2005. By comparison, France which was the largest target for U.K. fraud abroad in 2005 adopted the EMV standard and has since seen a reduction in fraud on U.K. issued cards of U.S. $9.2 million per year, or 48%, over the same time period.

Mexico and Canada are set to complete their EMV migration projects in December 2009 and October 2010 respectively leaving the United States sandwiched between two EMV complaint nations. With EMV projects already complete in Europe, Asia, Latin American and South Africa, the United States will be the final developed market yet to implement the international standard. While losses thus far have been written off as a cost of doing business, fraud is expected to increase at an unprecedented rate once EMV adoption is complete in every other geographic region. It is therefore only a matter of time until the cost of card fraud will justify the expense of upgrading the enormous card-acceptance infrastructure and the United States will implement the EMV standard.

Chip and PIN is coming but contactless is here.

Another possible source of momentum for the U.S. migration is the growing acceptance of contactless payment cards. While it may initially appear that contactless and EMV are moving in opposite directions this is not the case. In fact EMV is a security protocol that works with contact and contactless chips. Visa is already using EMV specifications in their contactless payWave technology equipped cards that are accepted in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Merchants have been eager to adopt this technology because of the dramatic improvement in customer throughput that contactless payments provide.

U.S. market demand for EMV compliant chip cards is growing from consumers and issuers which are two segments of the industry that have not traditionally led the push for adoption. Demand for EMV chip cards is increasing from U.S. consumers as they more frequently encounter issues using their cards when traveling abroad and issuers that are keen to stay "top of the wallet" in the extremely competitive U.S. card issuing environment are looking to EMV as a new means to differentiate themselves.

Paying with the wave of a cell phone.

The ability to pay for products at the point of sale by simply waving a cell phone near a reader device represents a new payments frontier in North America even though the technology has been in use in Japan since 2004. The NFC standard employs similar technology to that of contactless cards and will enable a wide array of mobile commerce services for cell phones, such as contactless payments and ticketing. Stakeholders in North America have demonstrated a strong interest in deploying mobile payments and are now actively implementing pilots. These pilots have shown that consumers find mobile payments to be both functional and convenient. Results which were not surprising as analysts have widely speculated that NFC will be an easy sell to consumers, who have already demonstrated a fondness for contactless payments.

Mobile payments implementations will allow merchants to further capitalize on their contactless payment infrastructure and offer immediate benefits in the form of faster payment transactions and improved customer convenience. Issuers and card associations will benefit by offering a new, differentiated payment service as well as increasing transaction volumes and extending their respective brands. These benefits coupled with the fact that NFC phones will almost certainly utilize EMV standards only emphasize the case for the impending EMV adoption in the United States.

Conclusions

The problem for retailers with the adoption of so many new payments technologies in a compressed time frame is that they have chosen to view each technology as an individual challenge and the tactics that they have taken as a result have been largely reactionary. Viewed as individual projects it is difficult for retailers to imagine a return on investment sufficient enough to warrant their migration to these new technologies. The point they are missing is that PCI, EMV, contactless and even NFC are not separate projects but rather a single opportunity to re-evaluate their entire approach to retail payments. Instead of augmenting obsolete bank code, retailers should instead consider implementing a modern retail payments application that is modular and flexible enough to incorporate solutions to both today's pains and tomorrow's opportunities. This new wave of applications that is already available in the marketplace also incorporates new functionality that allows retailers to easily transfer from one acquirer to another, effectively altering the balance of power and providing the merchant with the much desired ability to negotiate their interchange rates.

The winners and losers in the constantly evolving retail payments landscape will be determined not by one's position as an association, issuer, acquirer or merchant but by the decisions and tactics taken in the face of the monumental changes already underway. While some retailers continue to debate or deny the merits of PCI DSS and EMV others have already leveraged these standards to transform their organization for the better.

Industrial Wire

2009-10-01T17:17:00.002-07:00

You will find many different types of shelving that you can find at retail outlets and on the Internet, but if you are a business who is in the need for shelving that can take the extra load, you might just have to think about purchasing Industrial Wire Shelving. This type of shelving is built extra strong in order to withstand the heavy weight that is put on them. You can use the Internet in order to review the many types of wire shelving that is available as well as compare the prices between manufacturers to make sure you are getting a good price.

There are many suppliers of the Industrial Wire Shelving includes Grainger Industrial Supply, Safco, Omega Shelving Corp, and Housway Company. This Industrial Shelving is used in many applications, but it is popular because these shelves allow there to be free air flow below, above, and around stored items as well as these shelves will resist the build-up of mold and dust. These shelves are often found in areas where they may be a lot of particles in the air such as garages because they will not catch all that build-up.

Another popular name in supplying Industrial Wire Shelving is Safco. They are a well-known company that supplies many units of this type of shelving to many businesses as well as to homeowners. They have industrial kits that can be purchased one section at a time so that the customer only gets the amount that they need at the time that they need it. One section consists of four posts with four shelves. Each one of these shelves can withstand up to 650 pounds. As the business grows or needs for storage grows, new sections can be added to the original.

These Industrial Wire Shelving units that Safeco makes available also have adjustable feet on them so that the customer can make sure that the unit is level on whatever floor it is placed on. These feet also have plastic caps on them, so they have an extra wide foot for extra support. These shelves also have the certification of GreenGuard Certified, which means that they do not have any chemicals on them that expel dangerous emissions into the air. This danger is minimized by this certification. These units are 48"Wx18" deep with the customer deciding on the height of the shelving unit when they decide on the measurement of the shelf span between the four different shelves and the ceiling.

Tag Finishing Service

2009-10-01T17:17:00.001-07:00

Tag Finishing Service is the process of putting an elastic string into a paper material tag allowing it to hang onto the item to be sold. Now this tag is called a hang tag. You may have seen hang tags on items in the grocery store as a coupon around the neck of the container. The coupon may offer a discount, which is intended to encouraging you to purchase the item. This type of hang tag can be used as a promotional hang tag, a coupon hang tag, a price tag, or a luggage hang tag. Now that you understand what a hang tag is, let me explain how this process is done.

For the most part this is a service that is provided to printing companies or to the printing department of a large company that has their own inside printing shop. Let us say that a customer had 500,000 pre-drilled printed tags that they need a 1½"white elastic string attached to them to hang around the neck of a wine bottle. After the printing company has printed the tag they outsource this service to a specialized company that have automatic tag finishing machines. Once we receive the tags the first thing that is done is:

Unpack the tag and began to spindle them. Spindling is the process of putting the tags on a thin rod to later put them onto the machines' elevator.
Load the spindled tag onto the machines elevator. The elevator will allow the tags to automatically advance until all of the hang tags have been strung with white elastic string.
There is a pick up arm that will come across and pick up the tag at the top of the elevator, one tag at a time.
When the arm picks up the tag it will then have the string in that single tag.
Then arm will carry that tag across to a holding point that would allow the predetermined length to be made.
Next a pair of "automatic fingers" will twist and tie a knot into the string. Fingers are a part of the machine that looks just like two fingers. This is a key function of the machine.
The arm will hold the tag in place until the knot is tied and cut.
The hang tags will collect on a holding shoot until the automatic counter has reached the set quantity that is to banded together. Normally this is 100 tags per bunch depending on the size of the hang tags.
Next the machine operator will remove that bunch of tag and place them into the box to be shipped back to the printing company. This process is done until all 150,000 hang tags have been strung and tied with a 1½" white elastic string.

Tag finishing machines can allow large quantities of hang tags to be strung with elastic string at a very fast speed. Now I hope that I have provided you with a clear understanding of what tag finishing service is and how this process is done with automatic tag finishing machines. The process of tag finishing service is also sometimes called tag stringing service but they are one in the same.

Using a POS System

2009-10-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

The right Point of Sale system will give you control over many different areas of your business operations increasing efficiency and profitability. A Point of Sale system will streamline business operations, including inventory and vendor management along with streamlining Point of Sale processes. The following overview, categorized by area of operation, highlights some of the typical benefits of using a Point of Sale system.

Inventory: a Point of Sale system allows you to categorize your inventory by a number of fields for easy lookup and sorting of your merchandise. A typical inventory hierarchy would include Store, Dept., Class, Subclass, Item Description, Size, and Color. Most systems also offer extended inventory descriptions to track additional information such as alternate lookup and additional product descriptions. You can quickly search and sort your inventory to track quantity on hand and restock levels for each item in your inventory. In addition you can typically track suppliers, substitutes, aliases, and parent relationships.
Purchasing: a Point of Sale system will help you replenish items efficiently and negotiate lower vendor costs. You can quickly generate purchase orders and add items on the fly. Purchase orders can be created for standard items as well as matrix items (size and color). Purchase orders can be tracked by order date, receive date and cancel date so you can take the appropriate action on your open orders. You will be able view what is on order and backorder at all times and print aging reports for open orders.
Point of Sale: allows you to reduce pricing errors and speed up checkouts. A Point of Sale system enables cashiers to process transactions and serve customers efficiently, and allows managers to maintain tight control. Some of the benefits of using a system include the ability to automatically look up and sell items based on pre-set sales, quantity discount, and preferred price levels. In addition at the Point of Sale you can check availability of items on the fly and be able to support multiple tender transactions, including cash, check and credit card.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): keep a complete profile of every customer who has shopped in your store. Customer information typically includes demographics, preferences and purchase history. Using CRM features will allow you to target market and send promotions to customer based on purchasing history or other specific customer preferences.
Reports and Analysis: a Point of Sale system will allow you to preview, search and print daily sales reports and journals by register, batch, and receipt number.

A Primer Before Opening a Clothing Store

2009-09-01T08:42:00.001-07:00

I'm going to assume that you've done some research before you decided to open a retail clothing business. Actually, I hope you've done extensive research. It would help if you have experience in this area yourself. Maybe work in a retail clothing shop or for a wholesaler. Perhaps even a merchandising course.

You will need to decide which type of clothing you wish to sell. Are you looking at childrens, men's, or women's clothes? Will the clothes be new or preowned? The clothing business is one of the largest industries of today. This is why you will need to make this choice. Of course, this choice will depend somewhat on the funds you have available.

You can begin with just a few items and then add lines as your business prospers. Where will you buy your clothing? Lets say part of your inventory includes various fashion tops. You will need to find some place that deals in wholesale fashion tops or will wholesale tank tops to you. You can search the web for wholesale tops for a start. You can, of course, find many wholesalers this way.

You will need to have a place to sell your goods, unless you plan to sell on line, and that's a whole different article. Most likely you will need to rent a retail space. Look at a number of stores for rent. Compare cost of rent or lease, look carefully at the neighborhood the store is located in. Check other businesses in the area. Another clothing store near by may not be good, but a shoe store can compliment your business. Don't forget to try to bargain with the landlord, you may be able to talk him down on the rent. It can't hurt, after all, you're a sales person.

Lets talk about financing your business. If you don't already have the money you're in for a fun time. Opening and operating a retail clothing business can be very expensive. There's rent, you can't keep you clothes in boxes so you will need racks, counters, shelves etc. There are signs, advertisements, registers etc. So, if you don't have the money yet, where will you get it?

If you can't get it from friends or family and you're not independently wealthy, you will need to go to banks or the Small Business Administration. Either of these entities are going to ask to see your business plan. By the way, a business plan is not "If I buy something for $2.00 and sell it for $4.00 I've doubled my money". There are numerous sites on line that can help you with writing a business plan. Some, if not all, lenders will ask to see some proof of sales performance in your past. If you lack this, you'll most likely have to provide collateral. See, I told you this part would be fun. By the way, you can pretty much forget grants from good old Uncle Sam. These are usually given to non-profit projects.

Using Glass Candy Jars in Your Store

2009-09-01T08:41:00.005-07:00

You don't have to be a candy store owner to want to create an attractive candy display for your customers. All sorts of businesses - from convenience stores and grocery stores to bookstores and ice cream parlors - create candy displays to both please their customers and increase sales.

But before you head out to order glass candy jars wholesale, there are three things you should consider: Your customers, your store's environment, and the kind of candy you want to display.

1. Consider Your Customers

Glass candy jars might be best known for the roles they've played as charming display fixtures in old-fashioned candy stores, but that doesn't mean the typical candy store customer (i.e., a child) is the best person to trust around glass candy containers.

Of course, not all candy store customers are children - many customers consist of parents and adults who like candy, too! If your candy store customer base consists of a mix of ages, consider using plastic candy containers as display fixtures in the areas where children are most likely to venture, and save the more elegant glass candy jars for the areas where you display candy products geared toward adults, such as gourmet chocolates.

2. Consider Your Store's Environment

Even if your store sells no other kind of candy but the kind of candy adults would be most attracted to, such as gourmet candies, you need to consider your store's environment before you decide whether or not to use glass candy jars.

Fast-paced stores with high volumes of traffic lend themselves to the kinds of situations that can lead to broken glass, so if your store stays pretty busy, you might want to opt for plastic candy jars instead of glass candy containers. Of course, you could also mix your containers up, using plastic containers in the higher traffic areas and glass containers where things seem to be calmer. You know your store's usual traffic volume best, so be sure to consider it before you order your glass candy jars wholesale.

3. Consider Your Merchandise

Obviously, candy is going to work well with glass candy jars - but you need to consider the kind of candy you want to display in your jars before you actually purchase them.

Some store owners like to use glass fish bowls to display their candy. These containers work well for a number of merchandise displays, and it's no surprise the work well for creating candy displays, too; however, fish bowls leave the merchandise exposed, so if you opt to use glass fish bowl containers as part of your candy display, make sure you choose wrapped candy.
If you plan to display unwrapped candy, choose glass jar lids. These glass jars are just as attractive as every other kind of glass display fixture, and the lids offer extra protection to the unwrapped candy.
Note that some candy just isn't right for glass candy jars. Candy bars, for example, look out of place and fit awkwardly in these kinds of candy containers. Save your glass candy jars for smaller pieces of candy. And remember: Brighter pieces of candy help create even prettier displays!

How to Start a Clothing Business

2009-09-01T08:41:00.003-07:00

One of the most important aspects to start considering while you're doing your research into opening a clothing store is what your demographic is. For example, if you're in a college town and intend to open a small to medium sized clothing business, you would mainly cater to a younger audience. One of the things to also take into account is the season of the state you're living in. For example, Colorado has warm summers but winter is freezing cold. So you would have to be able to change your stock out so that you can meet the demand.

Meeting the demand of your clients is very important and remember, variety is the spice of life. People enjoy options, not only in styles, but remember everybody is shaped differently, so you'll also need to provide different size options. Some people prefer tight clothing and some people prefer looser fitting clothes. Both the positive and the negative is that fashion is forever changing. So on the one hand, this will allow you to buy last year's seasons, relatively cheap and they will still be pretty much in style, but it also means keeping the most up to date styles will require extra capital. Once again both these options have advantages as some people prefer to pay for the extra style, while others are happy just to look good.

Once you start your profitable clothing store try to use a variety of distributors or suppliers. This way you can help spread the risk and the cost. If anything was to happen to one supplier, you wouldn't be left high and dry, and it also helps to be on a personal level with your clothing distributors. This could help you secure extra sales that they have or they might just think of you first, whenever they have excess stock they want to get rid of at rock-bottom prices. Owning your own clothing business has many advantages. You might also choose to not only buy clothes in from national suppliers, but also from local distributors. Always look at issues from a client perspective in buying clothing stock. Knowing your demographic is important. Is this piece of clothing something that they would want to buy, is this something you would actually like to sell in your store. Your budget and running capital is something to be considered too.

While you are doing research into your demographic and potential store locations you should also pay to have somebody draw out a business plan for you. This will give you a clear and precise indication of where you are going and a backup plan should you need to secure funding to open up your store. You will need a business plan to present to potential investors, whether they are private or through a bank. Never underestimate the importance of the business plan. Even if you've raised all the capital yourself, a business plan will help give you clear guidelines on what your goals are. How long you expect to accomplish them, who will supply your needs. What your demographic is and give you a general outlay of the next three to five years in business.

How to Buy Wholesale Clothing

2009-09-01T08:41:00.001-07:00

To operate a clothing business and be able to buy your clothing wholesale you need to be a legitimate retail business. This means you will have to obtain a Sales Tax ID. This is an easy, low cost process. You can even do it online. Real wholesale suppliers will only deal with legal retail businesses. There a lot of unethical companies who claim to be wholesale distributors or drop shippers that will tell you that you don't need to have a Sales Tax ID or be a legal business to buy wholesale.

Now that you have the legal stuff out of the way, its time to decide what type of woman's fashion you wish to sell in your clothing store. Compose a list of what you think will sell, then visit other clothing stores to see what appeals to you. The tags on the clothing you look at may have a style or color number. Make a note of these to use when you finally contact a wholesale fashion clothing dealer or clothing wholesaler. Take note of the prices other clothing stores are charging for the type of merchandise you will handle.

Now you may ask yourself, "where can I buy these items at wholesale to resell it at retail in my clothing store"? The answer is there are thousands of clothing wholesalers on line. It is easy to look up companies that deal in wholesale woman's fashion to use as your clothing supplier. Most of these are set up to deal in smaller quantity orders for smaller buyers.

As a new buyer you will most likely have to pay in advance for shipment. By the way, when pre-paying, I suggest you use a credit card and not cash. This can help if any problems with the company arises.

When first dealing with a wholesale fashion clothing supplier, there are questions you need answers to. What is their policy when it comes to returning items. If the item is defective or not up to your expectations what do you have to do to return it, and at who's cost? Keep in mind, if the prices of the clothing are super low, it may not be worth buying.

You should find out if there is a minimum number of items you must purchase to get the wholesale price. You may have to buy more more then you need or can afford. Keep in mind shipping can sometimes take a while to arrive at your store. It could take up to 6 or 7 weeks, longer if you purchase from out of the country. Remember to factor shipping costs into your budget.

You are not limited to the internet to find wholesale clothing. There are many wholesale trade shows in the US each year. Every big city has wholesale only centers you can visit. It can prove to be difficult to get into these shows. You will have to prove you are a legal business in the trade. To get in the first time you visit be sure you bring something to show you are in the business. Sales Tax ID, business card letterhead etc. It will be worth your time and effort because dealers can offer trade-show deals. You can make new contacts there.

How to Find a Merchant Account

2009-09-01T08:40:00.001-07:00

There are several different aspects that need to be understood about merchant accounts before anyone decides on which account provider to sign up with.

Generally, the people who do NOT take the time to understand these things end up with a nasty surprise when they get their statement at the end of the month, or when they cannot actually process transactions.

Firstly, do not ask a company for their best rate. What everybody needs to understand is that there are many charges that can be applied to an account not just the rates, such as a standard transactions fee for example.

Also the rate that is charged can vary greatly, from when and where the transaction is taken to what information is recorded at the time.

The only real way to understand how much it will cost you to accept credit cards with each different company is to have a proper consultation with them so that they can explain all the charges.

However, most won't do this, preferring hard core sales tactics and hiding hidden charges in the contracts. if any company you approach tries this then it should set alarm bells ringing and they should be avoided no matter what they promise.

Also it's very important to choose a company with an excellent customer service and technical support record. I can't stress this enough.

Unique Ideas For Using Wooden Barrels

2009-09-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Wooden barrels are attractive and functional fixtures for many different environments, but how exactly can YOU use them? Do they work well as display fixtures for store merchandise? Can you use them at home, and if so, how? What about special events - would wooden barrels work for those?

Clearly, wooden barrels open the doors to many possibilities in terms of decoration and function. Read on for how you can start using them for both your business and personal needs.

Using Wooden Barrels In Stores and Businesses

Wooden basket and barrels are wonderful fixtures for creating merchandise displays. These visually appealing barrels and baskets are durable and available in various sizes, making it easy for store and business managers to choose the ones that will work best both for holding the merchandise they want to showcase and fitting within the space they want to display them.

Depending on the kind of store or business you manage, you can use wooden barrels to:

Create displays of items on your store's floor - near or within aisles, against walls, or in the open center.
Create POP barrel displays of impulse purchase items near your store's checkout counter and register.
Hold bulbs or packets of seeds in your greenery.

Of course, the possibilities are numerous; these are just a few ideas. Think about the kind of store or business you manage, the kinds of merchandise you want to display for your customers, and the amount of display space you have to work with to think of the best way you can use wooden barrel displays in your store.

Using Wooden Barrels At Home

You can use wooden baskets and barrels in your home for both functional and decorative purposes. Consider using wooden barrels:

As flower planters or pots both inside and outside your house.
As tools for organization in your work shed.
As parts of decorative displays on your porch, in your yard, or in your garden.

How you use your wooden baskets or barrels depends on your own personal decoration style and the kinds of functional needs you might have for them.

Using Wooden Barrels During Special Events

Whether this is the first time you've organized a special event or you have a few festivities under your belt, you should understand both the decorative and functional benefits of using wooden barrels and even creating wooden barrel displays.

Whether you use barrels or baskets, they offer a visually appealing rustic charm wherever they're located, so depending on the kind of even you're organizing, you might not want to use them. For example, a wooden barrel display probably wouldn't be the best choice for an extremely formal black tie affair.

However, if the event's environment does allow for them, wooden barrels work great at:

Birthday parties and anniversary parties.
Weddings and wedding receptions.
Graduation parties.
Proms and formal dances.
Business parties and gatherings.

Wooden baskets and barrels are quite versatile, and you might want to use yours to hold decorative items like flower displays or you might want to use them to serve functional purposes like hold game prizes or bagged snacks. It's entirely up to you - let your imagination run wild!

Edge in Competition

2009-08-01T07:16:00.003-07:00

The concept of productivity management is essential in the retail business. However, retail stores have unique characteristics. Thereby, it is impossible to just adopt retail indicators used by other stores. You have to know your own purpose why you would want to measure productivity. If you know your reasons, then you know how you would measure productivity. When you have measured what you intend to measure, then you will know the necessary actions that you have to undertake.

More common among these indicators would include those related with sales, such as turnovers and transactions; loss prevention, like stock loss and cash loss; matters related to operations, like availability of stocks, and the reliability of inventory, salaries, service, and several others. It may also be relevant to include as indicators those matters that pertain to human resources and the variable costs in order to determine which among the expenses may be avoided.

Owning, much less managing a retail business, is not an easy task, especially with the current economic situation and stiff competition. There are a number of aspects that should be dealt with day after day as long as the business exists, which all have considerable effects on the success of the business. KPIs can also help shed light on how sales revenues, especially if they are insufficient, can be improved.

Of course, you should also be prepared to implement measures that would guarantee improvement in the performance in the business as a result of the application of KPIs. Also, you should expect that this course of action will definitely affect the employees in several ways, particularly in how they perform, and hence, you need to be prepared, as well as the employees themselves would need to be prepared. After all, the purpose in doing this is to make the business more competitive.

These indicators provide the metrics you use as basis in the decisions you have to make regarding the entire operation of the business. Remember that in the business, as is elsewhere, whatever that can be measured can be improved. And if a business is constantly improving, one can just imagine how successful it could become.

Business conditions are constantly changing. Therefore, it is necessary that we are prepared and equipped when changes have to be made, as well as to adjust present plans and future ones in order to remain competitive in the market, if not gain an edge over the competition.

There is more to the retail business beyond the purchase of goods, adding your markup, and then selling them to consumers. The purpose of employing indicators is for you to be provided with the necessary information that would assist you in analyzing your entire operation, to be able to identify problem areas, and to take corrective measures to prevent the problem from getting out of hand. And if you decide to use retail indicators, which we highly recommend you must, you have to use them in order to benefit from them. Their purpose after all, is to help you do what you have to do when you have to do it. Make sure the indicators you use do not contradict each other. Rather, they have to be able to unify your operations towards the right direction, and that is gaining more profit instead of losing more.

Portable Credit Card Machine

2009-08-01T07:16:00.001-07:00

A portable credit card machine is a great way for businesses to take customer payments while in the field and not sitting in your office or store. Usually these machines allow you to scan the card right there and the transaction happens via a cellular network. Even if portable credit card machines may be a bit expensive to buy, they offer some dramatic advantages to your business that can save you money and head aches along the way. First, if you currently bill by sending an invoice, you have probably encountered customers who won't pay or take as long as possible before paying. When a credit card machine, you can get paid right away.

These machines can also save you money because the rate is usually lower when you scan the actual card versus writing down the number and typing it in back at the office. This also allows you to deal with expired or otherwise rejected credit cards right away by asking for another card or suggesting a check or cash. When you are back at the office, it may be difficult to track down the customer again. Finally, many customers like it because they can often get a receipt right away, and they also don't need to worry that their credit card information is written down on your papers where it could easily be lost or stolen. These portable machines are usually best for businesses who do the majority of their work at a client's site like a plumber or a carpet cleaner.

Pre-Printed Till Rolls

2009-08-01T07:15:00.002-07:00

Ever wondered why retailers go to the trouble of printing logos and information on the back of their receipts? Or have you thought your company would benefit from this practice. Read on to find out what different types of information are frequently printed on the reverse of receipts and how this could generate revenue for your business.

Let us consider the types of information business select to print on the reverse of their receipts and what benefits they expect to see from doing this.

The most common practice is to merely display company information on the back which normally consists of a single or dual colour logo followed by the HQ address, phone number and web address. The receipt issuer's purpose for this information is not simply to make their customers life easier but make their receipt stand out from the crowd and thus reinforcing the brand. This indirectly with other brand reinforcements encourages return visits by customers and increases sales. Placing web addresses and mail order numbers on the back also encourages customers to use the companies other sales channels with the intention of once again increasing sales and increasing brand loyalty.

Many business have information that they wish to deploy to their customers via the receipt. This can be very cost effective compared to other methods? You will find a wealth of information displayed from returns policies to dietary information to terms of sale and all easily accessible to every customer who makes a purchase.

It is hard to escape advertising wherever you go these days from billboards to digital screens and now even the back of receipts does not escape this phenomenon. It will not surprise you that the fastest growing utilisation for the reverse of the receipt is for advertising material in both text and graphical form. This tends to fall into two categories, advertising for the issuer of the receipt and secondly advertising for third party businesses. Retailers spend a great deal on promoting their business and products to us so what better way of doing this than by advertising to us via the receipt itself. In addition to this stores may want to promote high margin, unique or repeat products directly to the customer and consequently use the back of the receipt for this purpose.

The most interesting use of advertising is when the advertising is not for the receipt issuer but for a third party or for another non competing business. Let us look at an example; have you ever purchased parking via a vending machine only to find a coupon on the back of the receipt for a popular burger franchise? If not then you can certainly understand the concept. So why would the receipt issuer advertise other businesses or their products? The answer is simple, revenue. If a company issues tens of thousands of receipts a day you can guarantee that other business are prepared to pay for the privilege of getting their message across to the issuer's customers. This procedure is acceptable and beneficial to both parties as long as they are not competing against each other now and in the future.

But surely cost it prohibitive to small businesses?

In reality the costs are not as steep as you would think and the costs are coming down all the time as more businesses adopt this practice. Most suppliers will give you two costs if you ask for a quote. Firstly you will encounter a single one off fee for the configuring of the printing software and hardware for your design. You will have to provide the artwork design to the supplier including details of the exact colours you wish to use for them to provide you with a sample to sign off. Secondly you will receive a cost for the rolls themselves. All suppliers will ask for a minimum order with some stipulating a quantity of repeat orders. You may well be surprised how low the quotes are and how small the minimum quantities can be. Consider carefully the number of colours you use in your design as the greater the number of colours the greater the initial and ongoing costs.

What else is there to consider?

So you have print or advertising on the reverse of your receipts and may even be making money from third parties, what else do you need to think about? One last thing to deliberate is coloured paper. With or without pre-printing on the back, coloured paper is an excellent way to make your receipt stand out from the crowd. This can be a cheaper way of reinforcing your brand as certain colours are manufactured as standard and if your brand colours match these colours it can be quite cost effective. Most suppliers can provide rolls in any colour that you specify but request a minimal order quantity. Deciding whether pre-printed or colour rolls are right for your business is a simple process of working our whether the additional costs outweigh the returns in brand awareness, return customer visits, additional revenue and Information promotion. So what are you waiting for?

Sell Clothing

2009-08-01T07:15:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered how much of an impact your garment racks have on your customers? You may have if you were really researching retail merchandising. Merchandising has more of an impact on a customer's decision whether or not to buy than any other marketing approach or advertising campaign. There are a few reasons for this and you should consider them when merchandising your store. This includes the decisions that you make when buying your displays and store fixtures, like garment racks.

It is every business owner's dream to be able to influence their customers' thinking. The fact of the matter is that you can't make people spend money. However, you may be able to point them in the right direction. To do this, you have to show them what they need to see in order to make them feel like spending their money was their idea. Not that you are trying to trick people, but making them comfortable.

When they enter your store, you are essentially bombarding them with messages and promises of delivery. You want them to get that first impression that they need to decide if your store is right for them. So, you gear your window displays, signage, lighting, music and general atmosphere toward attracting the right customers to your store. The right customers are the ones who will likely spend money in your store.

So, in order to do this, you need to come up with what messages you want to send and what promises you want to make. Your message may be something like this: "This is a store for teenagers and young adults. We are a reasonably priced, but not a bargain basement store. We carry name brand clothing that is fashionable, yet conservative enough to wear to school. We have unique items that you won't find anywhere else."

People can pick up on all of these messages simply by glancing at your window display or by peering inside for only a second. Your initial focus needs to be on making this first impression one that you mean to make.

Now that you've got the attention of the right customer, you can concentrate on your promises. As they walk into your store, they are mentally testing you to see if you are worthy of their trust and their business. They take note of literally hundreds of details in your store without even really having to try.

Think about whether or not they will enter and see that the quality, condition and cleanliness of your store matches the promise that you are making with your prices and apparel. If you have stained carpet, squeaky uneven garment racks and harsh lighting, then I would expect that you were not promising me any type of high quality clothing.

On the other hand, interesting, high-end details, like vintage style garment racks, interesting art and clean glass on the counter display, would set my mind at ease about the quality of the merchandise in the store. Then I would feel more comfortable buying from you and spending more money in the process.

Do You Deserve to Fail?

2009-08-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

No, not you personally. I am talking about several of the shops that I visited yesterday, as I made an infrequent trip into the City of my home town. I was out shopping for a birthday present for my sister, what amazed me, I just could not believe how 95% of the stores that I visited, were throwing away sales and sales opportunities.

My sister loves a particular perfume, let me tell you that it is not cheap, at £85.00 a bottle and a small bottle at that. This is not something she would normally buy for herself because of the cost, but it was her birthday and I had decided to treat her.

I visited several shops to ask for this perfume and the responses given to me were amazing.

In one shop the assistants were in the middle of taking stock of the lower shelves, sitting on the floor, this was not the problem, I have done enough stock taking myself, when asked if they had the perfume I wanted to buy the response was: If it's not on the shelf then we haven't got it. They did not get up, ask what the perfume was for and could they find me an alternative, or some other perfumes by the same label. They did not engage with me at all, not even eye contact.

In some shops I received polite responses, telling me that they did not stock that particular perfume, but not one sales assistant actually asked me if they could show me an alternative. One very helpful assistant, in the last shop I visited, did give me directions to a store that she believed did stock the perfume, they did which was very good news for me, but, and it is a very BIG but, they too should have asked more questions and at least attempted to sell me an alternative.

I have no idea if the managers or owner's of these stores were on the shop floor, or even in the building, but I can guarantee they would be the first to complain about the state of the economy, agree with all the media babble about falling sales, when what they need to do is - deal with the poor sales and service in their own backyard first.

Many sales people have never had to really sell before, because times have been good for so long. In the emerging climate of the new economy, consumers are more careful and particular about where and on what they spend their cash, unacceptable customer service is the last straw for some, and they will make a decision to spend somewhere else.

Poor sales people and business owners, who are not stepping up their sales and marketing techniques, are leaving themselves exposed and vulnerable, and they will suffer for it.

Don't let this be you. Step up your marketing so that your customers know that YOU are the person they should be doing business with.

In the examples above, the first weak link in the chain were the shop assistants. The second weak link has got to be the structure that allows this level of customer service to be acceptable. Always go over your business looking for the weak links and fix them, you will be surprised with what you find. Do this regularly, it is not a one off exercise, but a way of life. Invest in staff training.

Planning

2009-07-01T02:32:00.001-07:00

I recently worked with a client who was concerned about excessive markdowns. Over the past several years, he had watched his markdown percentage steadily climb, his already slim profit margins erode and cash flow become a recurring problem. It did not take long to diagnose that his markdowns, the heavy inventory levels they represented, and resulting cash flow issues, were the result of mistakes made months earlier, when preseason planning was being done.

In fact, as our discussion continued, it became clear that there was really very little preseason planning being done at all. There was some financial budgeting taking place, but the detailed plans of what to buy, how much to buy, when to buy and when to have it in his stores didn't exist. His buyers were, in fact, doing little more than buying to the prior years sales, shipping most of it into the stores early in the season, and then reacting to sales by buying even more to be sure they never ran out of key items.

Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon amongst small retailers. With all of the day to day urgencies that small retailers face, there seemingly is little time for detailed planning. In fact, the planning that does take place is frequently confined to financial planning or cash flow projections.

What exactly should a small retailer be planning? How should he or she go about preparing these plans? And what should he or she do with them once they are completed? Here are a few tips:

Plan sales. In order to effectively manage your inventory, you need to know what you expect to sell. For larger retailers that are stocking many SKU's, sophisticated sales forecasting software may make sense. For many small retailers, however, developing a simple spreadsheet from your POS sales history, by month by key category, is most cost effective. Start with last years sales histories, and make adjustments for unusual events, such as weather, out of stocks, one-time promotions, etc. Then factor in the appropriate sales increase or decrease percentage, based on a reading of the sales potential for the category for the upcoming season. Finally, for larger categories, it may make sense to break the sales plan down by sub-categories, styles or vendors.

Plan inventories. It makes little sense to bring in more inventory at any given time than you need to set your displays, support your planned sales until the next delivery, and provide a safety stock in the event of an unexpected sales spike or a late vendor delivery. Buying inventory too far in advance is one of the surest ways to find yourself over-stocked down the road. For many small retailers, the best way to plan inventories is to plan to have enough on hand at month end to support the next two or three months sales.

Plan inventory receipts. If you've planned sales by month, and ending inventories by month, it's easy to calculate how much inventory to bring in each month. You need to bring in enough to cover that month's sales plan and ending inventory, less the prior months ending inventory. In this way, a buyer can know in March, when preparing for the fall season, for example, how much inventory to plan on bringing in each month of the season.

Plan markdowns. Planning markdowns goes hand in hand with planning inventories. If you plan the date of the first seasonal markdown before the season even begins, you can plan the inventory you want to have on hand at that point in time, and thus your markdown percentage, as well as your markdown sales before your second markdown, as well as all subsequent markdowns.

Plan dynamically. Once you've completed your preseason planning, don't put it in a drawer never to be seen again. Use that plan as a dynamic tool to track the progress of the season. As each week goes by, and sales trends begin to develop, adjust future sales plans accordingly, and adjust inventory plans for those updated sales plans. If sales are exceeding plan, you want to be sure you have the inventory to keep the momentum going. Conversely, if sales are coming up short of plan, the sooner you adjust your inventory plans, and thus your scheduled receipts, the less likely you are to end up with excess inventory that needs to be marked down at season's end.

The root cause of many inventory problems faced by small retailers is the lack of adequate preseason sales and inventory planning. It may seem that there's never enough time for such planning, as if it's a luxury that just can' t be afforded, but in reality, it's a critical necessity, a vital investment in the future health of any small retailer.

Accurate Demand Planning and Forecasting

2009-07-01T02:31:00.004-07:00

When retailers seek help with issues relating to inventory management, they are usually concerned about an increasing level of out-of-stocks, which are leading to lost sales and customer service complaints, or over-stocks, which are resulting in slow inventory turnover and a build up of dead inventory. In fact, out-of-stocks and over-stocks are actually the flip side of the same inventory management coin.

Any effective initiative to resolve these issues must address the core structural causes of these inventory management problems. Superior inventory management begins with timely, accurate, detailed demand forecasts.

It is critical to differentiate between demand planning and purchase planning. Demand planning is the sales plan from which inventory planning, purchase planning and replenishment parameters are built. It is impossible to plan inventory and purchasing activities or build replenishment parameters without a detailed forecast of what will be sold, how much will be sold, when it will be sold, the channels it will be sold through, and who the ultimate customers will be. And yet, all too frequently replenishment parameters are rolled over, existing purchasing patterns continue, and inventory is allowed to ebb and flow as if on auto- pilot. The result is out-of-stocks and over-stocks as demand changes.

Without highly reliable forecasts, retailers must attempt to strike a delicate balance between carrying too little or too much stock. Frequently, they feel compelled to protect themselves against out-of-stocks and backorders by stocking layers of additional inventory in reserve, unnecessarily tying up valuable resources that could be used in more productive ways to serve customers and grow the business.

Review Historical Sales Data

Accurate demand planning and forecasting begins with a thorough review of historical sales data. It is critical that sales not made from stock, special orders, large closeout sales and any other extraordinary sales be excluded from this historical data. Most demand planning and forecasting software packages will exclude these sales if the forecasting software is fully integrated with order management software, and those excluded orders have been properly tagged or exclusion parameters have been loaded into the system. It's also critical that lost sales due to out-of-stocks are also factored in so that the history reflects actual demand rather than just sales.

It is important that the planning process drills down to the lowest possible level so that every category, sub- category, style or SKU is reviewed not just for potential opportunities and current sales trends, but also for the potential negative impacts of increased competition, emerging technology, changes in promotional patterns and new product introductions. For distributors and wholesalers this may mean planning at the individual SKU level. Planning can be further refined by breaking key categories and items down by customer type, key customer, and even key customer by shipping location. Important sales trends, both positive and negative can be identified, and important historical events, such as unusual local weather, can be taken into account.

Once the historical sales data has been reviewed and adjusted, the data will frequently be averaged or smoothed to eliminate any remaining fluctuations in the sales pattern. Smoothing, however, can often lead to problems if not done carefully. For instance, using a three week moving average to smooth weekly historical sales may lead to out-of-stocks or over-stocks if sales are typically heavy at the beginning or end of each month. Utilizing monthly historical data rather than weekly data may seem like a reasonable way to simplify the planning process, but may in fact have the unintended consequence of smoothing historical sales in a way that may conceal meaningful sales patterns.

Understand Selling Characteristics

It is imperative to clearly understand the selling characteristics of each category, sub-category, item or SKU. These characteristics will determine the appropriate methodology for developing a forecast, as well as the level of detail required in the forecast. The most obvious characteristic is the degree of seasonality. Items which exhibit little sales fluctuation from month to month throughout the year require a very different forecasting methodology than items which exhibit significant seasonal sales fluctuations.

For seasonal items, most forecasting methods will start with the prior year's sales by week or month, apply some smoothing technique, and then apply a current trend factor to arrive at a current year forecast for the corresponding time frame. For non-seasonal items, sales by week or month for the most recent weeks or months will be used as a starting point, smoothed and adjusted for the trend factor to arrive at a current forecast. In fact, it is very easy to completely overlook non-seasonal items when forecasting. It may seem sufficient to merely update replenishment parameters. A thorough analysis of non-seasonal items is necessary, however, to identify sales trends which may affect future sales volume, as well as to build an overall sales forecast.

Another characteristic which must be clearly understood is the sales velocity of an item. Sales velocity is defined as the number of orders an item generates over a given period of time. Items with high sales velocities generate a substantial number of orders during a given period of time, which makes their sales volume during that period more predictable than items with low sales velocities, which may only generate orders sporadically.

It is important to note that sales velocity is not the same as sales volume. For example, an item that generates 50 orders of 2 units each over a given period of time will have the same sales volume as an item which generates 2 orders of 50 units each, but the velocity of each item will be dramatically different. Clearly, the sales history of the item which generates 50 orders will lead to a forecast that will be more meaningful in the development of future inventory plans, purchasing needs and replenishment parameters than the sales history of the item which generates only 2 orders.

Many distributors group their items by sales volume using an A-B-C-D system. A items are those items which generate the vast majority of their sales volume, while B, C and D items generate increasingly smaller fractions of their sales volume. As a result, frequently these distributors will forecast and replenish their A items using one methodology, their B items another, and so on. However, while the grouping of A items may be made up primarily of high velocity items, every item will not necessarily be an A item. Conversely, while the grouping of D items will most likely be made up entirely of low velocity items, it is likely that within the B and C groupings that there will be a mix of both low and high velocity items. Utilizing sales velocity rather than A-B-C-D groupings to determine the appropriate forecasting methodology will result in forecasts that will result in fewer out-of-stocks and over-stocks.

Low velocity items may include supplementary items, which may be necessary to complete a given customer order for high velocity items, such as specialty ceramic tile trims to go with standard field tile. Low velocity items may also include complementary or customer convenience items, which are stocked so customers can purchase all of their needs in "one stop". For low velocity items which exhibit an irregular sales pattern the forecast may reflect smoothed historical sales data, but that forecast would be less meaningful for actual replenishment than the average customer order quantity. As a result, the replenishment parameters would likely be calculated based on maintaining enough quantity in stock to support a given number of orders at the typical or usual sales order quantity.

Bottom Up versus Top Down Planning

As SKU's are rolled up into sub-categories, and then into categories, the resulting planned sales increase can be evaluated in the aggregate at the total company level. This "bottom up" planning must be done in units. Regardless of what the actual unit of measure is, the obvious purpose of developing any demand plan or forecast is to provide the information necessary to build replenishment parameters, plan purchasing activities and issue actual purchase orders to vendors.

As the demand plan is being developed, however, unit plans must also be "dollared out." As management assesses the overall market environment and the strategic opportunities and risks for the company, they will likely establish a financial budget, critical for cash flow forecasting, from the "top down", which will be stated in dollars. As managers develop and roll up their forecasts, they must be careful that their "bottom up" unit plan remains in line with the financial "top down" dollar plan, and be prepared to adjust the unit plans accordingly.

Frequently, "bottom up" unit plans will forecast a sales increase significantly greater than the company's "top down" financial budget. The reason for this is that in the course of building a "bottom up" unit plan far more items or categories are likely to be planned up than planned down. The natural tendency is to plan sales increases, especially in organizations with multiple buyers who are evaluated on their ability to generate sales increases with their items, categories and departments. Clearly, every item, category or department is not going to generate an increase, and companies which discourage their buyers from forecasting sales decreases are building in potential inventory problems right from the very beginning of the process.

Forecasts Need To Be Continually Updated

While demand planning and forecasting are generally thought of as a process that takes place at the beginning of each year or selling season, superior inventory management requires that forecasts remain dynamic and be continually updated to reflect the most current market conditions and sales trends. It does little good for a company to have taken the time to carefully forecast demand for the upcoming season or year, only to open the door to out-of-stocks or over-stocks by failing to update those forecasts on a continual basis. Static forecasts which have not been updated will invariably lead to faulty purchasing decisions.

Updating forecasts may be as simple as carefully monitoring the sales trend and updating the forward periods accordingly. In other cases there may be leading indicators that can be utilized to continually adjust the forecast. For those items or categories where customer orders are booked well in advance of actual ship dates, advance bookings may be able to be used as a leading indicator. In order for this to be an accurate indicator, however, prior year orders must be cross referenced between the period in which the order was booked, and the planned and actual ship date. Without a fairly sophisticated order management system to track this information, and very careful assessments of individual factors which may be impacting the timing of the placement of orders this year versus last year, utilizing advanced bookings to make significant adjustments to the forecast may by itself lead to variances between planned and actual sales, resulting in out-of-stocks or over-stocks.

A far more accurate leading indicator of sorts is, in fact, the demand forecast of a company's customers. In fact, the closer any forecast is to the ultimate point of sale the more accurate and timely it will be.

Vertical information sharing throughout the supply chain is at the cutting edge of efforts to improve forecasting accuracy. The Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment Committee is made up of retailers, manufacturers, and solution providers dedicated to this effort. It was formed to create collaborative relationships between buyers and sellers through shared information and co-managed processes. The Committee states that by "integrating demand and supply side processes CPFR® will improve efficiencies, increase sales, reduce fixed assets and working capital, and reduce inventory for the entire supply chain while satisfying consumer needs." This group has developed a set of guidelines for developing business processes that enable collaboration across a number of buyer/seller functions.

The potential of collaborative forecasting is to finally fully rationalize the supply chain so that unnecessary inventories can be completely eliminated rather than inevitably building up with the company in the chain with the least economic leverage. In a supply chain where information is not shared, but, in fact, is closely held, it is inevitable that inventory risk will be pushed back by the companies with the greatest leverage onto the companies with the least. But the mere presence of excess, unnecessary inventory anywhere within the supply chain inflates costs for every member of the chain, and ultimately weakens the chain.

Measure and Analyze Variances Between Forecast and Actual

Finally, once a forecast has been developed, it is critical to measure its accuracy. It's important to recognize that a forecast is just that, a forecast. There will always be variances between forecasted and actual demand. By measuring and then analyzing those variances, the factors that contribute to variances can be identified and strategies can be developed to account for them, so that future forecasts are that much more accurate, and variances minimized.

Conclusion

The greatest challenge to finally achieving superior inventory management, and maximizing the return on inventory investment, lies in developing accurate forecasts. Much work has been done over the past ten to fifteen years to rationalize processes in the supply chain, and eliminate unnecessary inventory. This has led directly to truly astounding cost saving and productivity gains. But for all the gains that have been made on the supply side of the inventory equation, the greatest opportunity for additional gains today is on the demand side. Not only does superior inventory management begin with accurate demand planning and forecasting, but making the commitment to developing accurate forecasts, continually updating them, and measuring their accuracy against actual sales also offers independent retailers the greatest opportunities today to maximize their return on inventory investment.

Using Plastic Fish Bowls

2009-07-01T02:31:00.003-07:00

Plastic fish bowl containers are classic display tools in all retail settings, and they're especially useful in convenience stores.

Like their glass counterparts, plastic fish bowl containers are versatile and ideal for a variety of purposes; however, they're more durable when it comes to withstanding the fast-paced, high-traffic environment of a convenience store. They're also available in an assortment of sizes, making them perfect for everything from gumballs to small children's toys!

Use Plastic Fish Bowls to Create Countertop Displays

Each display in a convenience store is important in its own right; without them, there would be no merchandise for the customers!

However, countertop displays are perhaps one of the most crucial kinds of displays in convenience stores. Countertop displays use a small space to showcase a vast array of merchandise just as a customer is getting ready to check out.

As you're thinking about how to use these kinds of containers in your countertop displays, consider these ideas:

Plastic fish bowls are great for candy displays. Fill your bowls with anything from Tootsie Rolls to Jawbreakers!
You can use these plastic bowls to display small children's toys like bouncy balls.
Fill your bowls with small convenience items like travel-sized manicure sets, sewing kits, or eyeglass repair kits.
Use your plastic bowls to display common convenience items like lighters or matchbooks.
Plastic fish bowl containers are perfect for creating a display of souvenir items like key chains with your state's logo.

Pair Plastic Fish Bowls with Wire Display Racks

Just as they work well for countertop displays, plastic fish bowls are ideal for use on wire display racks. Because wire display racks are available in many sizes and shapes, you can create larger displays and position them anywhere in your convenience store.

For example, you might want to create a display of fish bowls filled with wrapped gumballs near a larger candy display, or you might want to showcase travel-sized hygiene products near a shelf filled with full-sized bottles of shampoos, soaps, and lotions.

Use Plastic Fish Bowls in the Deli

Many convenience stores sell more than just fuel, quick snacks, and last minute items like full- or travel-sized hygiene products customers might have forgotten to pack for their trips or pick up while they were doing their regular shopping. Some convenience stores include deli-style areas where customers - whether traveling through or local to the town - can stop for a meal.

If your convenience store offers a deli-style area, you can use plastic fish bowls:

On your deli's countertop or on each table in the deli to collect tips from customers.
Near the coffee machine or on each table in the deli to hold packets of sugar, creamer, and sweetener.
On each table in the deli to hold packets of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, as well as seasonings like sugar, salt, and pepper.
On your deli's countertop or on each individual table to offer customers after-dinner mints, toothpicks, or complimentary matchbooks.

Plastic Or Glass?

2009-07-01T02:31:00.001-07:00

Fish bowl containers are ideal for more than just providing a home for your pet fish! These versatile containers have been helping convenience store owners create perfect merchandise displays for many years.

Convenience store's can use fish bowl containers to:

Create countertop displays of edible merchandise like candy, or non-edible merchandise like ponytail holders, all-in-one pocket tools, key chains, or children's toys like bouncy balls.
Position your fish bowls on wire display racks and situate your displays throughout your convenience store.
If your convenience store has a deli-style area, you can place fish bowls on the countertop or on each individual table to collect tips from patrons or displays packets of condiments, seasonings, coffee extras, breath mints, toothpicks, hand wipes, or complimentary matchbooks.

Both plastic and glass fish bowl containers work well for convenience store displays, but the kind of convenience store you operate will determine which material you should choose.

When are Plastic Fish Bowls Best for Convenience Store Displays?

Plastic fish bowl containers are usually always the best options for convenience stores that experience high volumes of fast-paced traffic.

Plastic is generally less likely to break if a customer should bump into the bowls in a countertop display or into the wire display rack holding the bowls.

When are Glass Fish Bowls Best for Convenience Store Displays?

Quite the opposite of plastic fish bowls, glass fish bowl containers work well for convenience stores that don't experience high volumes of fast-paced traffic.

Generally, the less traffic a store experiences, the fewer chances there are for customers to bump into and break fish bowl displays.

Tips for Choosing Plastic or Glass Fish Bowls

If you're still unsure about which fish bowl containers to use in your convenience store displays, consider these tips:

If your store experiences a high number of customers each day and the environment is generally fast paced and hectic, consider plastic fish bowl containers.
If your store operates at a slower pace, consider glass fish bowl containers. Slower-paced convenience stores present fewer opportunities for the fish bowls to break and create dangerous situations.
In addition to the kind of traffic your store experiences, consider your store's "feel." If your store leans toward a particular theme or décor, chances are one or the other material - glass or plastic - will work best.
Think about the kind of merchandise you plan to display in the bowls. If it's merchandise adults are more likely to grab such as mini eyeglass repair kits or lighters, glass fish bowls might work; however, if it's merchandise more likely to catch a child's eye such as gumballs, candies, or bouncy balls, it might be best to choose plastic fish bowls.

Remember, when it comes to choosing fish bowl containers for your convenience store displays, you don't have to choose just plastic or just glass. You can select a variety of bowls to use in different areas of your store. For example, if your store experiences a high volume of traffic on one area but a low volume in another, you might want to use plastic bowls where the most customers frequent, and glass bowls in the less busy areas.

Retail Storage

2009-07-01T02:30:00.001-07:00

Choosing garment racks for your store means that you need to look for three things; strength, value and durability. Choose professional grade garment racks that will be most useful in your store. Whether you use clothing racks for storage, inventory, fitting room organization or prominent product display, you will surely appreciate a well-made product that is reasonably priced and strong enough to withstand whatever use it is put through.

For storage, you may not need to get ornate or elaborate clothing racks. Strength will be your main concern. Large casters and heavy duty construction are a must. Z-racks, or nesting racks, are popular for storage. The bottom bar is molded into a z-shape. This allows you to push more than one rack together. They fit together like puzzle pieces. This helps you to maximize storage room space without sacrificing durability or the quantity of clothing you need to hang.

To find the best value, compare prices of top manufacturers. You can easily find customer reviews online. Buying directly from the manufacturer will help you save money. Compare specifications about the garment racks you are considering, as well as the price so that you can make the best decisions. Make sure that you ask for professional grade clothing racks when you order. Many racks on the market today are made for home use, or light use. A lot of them only hold around one hundred pounds, which is not nearly enough for most retailers. Retail stores generally need a rack that can support around two hundred pounds or more.

Make sure that you order from a manufacturer that has been in business for a long time. Ask about returns or satisfaction guarantees. Select a company that is reputable and stands behind their product. Ask about construction. Most garment racks will need to be put together after they arrive. Will you need any special tools? How many pieces does the rack come in? Are there sharp edges that may be a hazard to customers? These are all questions that you may want to ask.

Unique Counter Top Displays

2009-05-28T19:53:00.001-07:00

Counter top displays are great ways for any storeowner to showcase additional merchandise. These displays - generally constructed of colored or clear plastic containers - offer customers a look at extra items while allowing those smaller items to stay in clear view of the store's employees and safe from sticky fingers.

Whether your store sells food, non-edible merchandise, or a mix or both, you can use these displays. Below are some of the most common places you can use counter top displays in your store, as well as ideas for the kinds of merchandise you can display.

Convenience Stores and Specialty Shops

Convenience stores are probably the most popular location for counter top displays. Convenience store customers can find a wide assortment of food and nonfood items like within these displays. Gumballs, bulk candy, children's toys, travel-sized hygiene items you might have forgotten to pack - you can find them all within the plastic containers that make up convenience store displays.

However, specialty shops that don't focus on convenience items can also use counter top displays. Jewelry boutiques, for example, might arrange these displays to hold samples of jewelry cleaner or small clothes designed to clean rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. At the same time, hobby shops like those that sell sports memorabilia might use counter top displays to offer customers a look at key chains or cards that feature their favorite team or player as they check out.

Bakeries and Delis

Bakeries and delis - like yogurt shops, ice cream shops, and bagel shops - can use counter top displays made of plastic containers to both display and store their food items. Deli-style restaurants can use the containers to hold and store their sandwich makings, but yogurt and ice cream shops can make extra use of these containers when they use them as yogurt topping dispensers and ice cream topping dispensers. They can position these dispensers into attractive counter top displays that are convenient for both the shop's employees and customers.

These kinds of shops can also use clear plastic containers to hold nonfood items like utensils, napkins, and drink-related items like cups, lids, and straws. Chances are that every customer is going to need these kinds of items, and counter top displays make it easy for customers to get what they need without waiting in line or asking wait staff for assistance.

Cafeteria Environments

In most cafeteria environments - such as those you'd find in a hotel, hospital, school lunchroom, and institution - food preparation and storage goes on behind the scenes. Plastic containers are helpful in these situations - as well as for buffet-style cafeterias that place all food items out for customers - but counter top displays come in especially handy for showcasing additional food items for which customers or diners don't need a server. Such items might include:

Additional meal items like bags of chips, dinner rolls, and fruit.
Dessert items like brownies, pieces of cake, cookies, or candy bars.
Nonfood items like utensils, napkins or hand wipes, and drinking cups, lids, and straws.

Commercial Kitchen Use For Acrylic Dry

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Commercial kitchens across the board depend on clear plastic containers, such as acrylic dry food dispensers, to keep operations running cleanly and efficiently. When you think of commercial kitchens, large kitchens in restaurants and hotels - the kinds of kitchens we use when we prepare food for sale - probably come to mind; however, because of their functions - and often their sizes - other kitchens like those in schools and other institutions require the same kinds of equipment, and this equipment includes plastic food containers.

Below are a few ideas for how you can use these containers within your commercial kitchen setting.

Using Food Grade Plastic Containers Behind-the-Scenes

Food grade plastic containers are essential when it comes to keeping a commercial kitchen clean and organized. You'll need these kinds of containers to:

· Keep food that you've prepared until you're ready to serve it.
· Hold food that you're ready to serve, and hold it while you're serving it.
· Hold leftovers suitable for upcoming meals.
· Store ingredients when you're not using them.

Generally, you'll want to choose food grade plastic containers with lids for these kinds of uses. Plastic containers with handles might also work well depending on the kind of food item you're preparing and storing.

Display Food Along A Buffet

Your commercial kitchen might be part of a buffet-style restaurant or a cafeteria setting like the kind you might see in a hotel, school, or institution. Displaying food close to the dining area means plastic food grade containers play just as important a role up front as they do in the actual kitchen.

Think about the last time you dined at a buffet-style restaurant. Most of the food items - including the main dishes, side dishes, and deserts - were probably in some kind of plastic container or acrylic dry food dispenser. A buffet-style restaurant depends on these kinds of clear plastic containers to safely hold and display nearly every kind of food item the restaurant offers customers.

Keep in mind that many food grade plastic containers come with lids, and these are especially important when you're transporting the food to and from the dining area, or want to keep the food covered when it's not in use. For smaller food items, you might even find you need plastic containers with handles so your staff and your customers can easily access the food.

Showcase Goods In or Near the Dining Area

Even if your commercial kitchen isn't part of a buffet-style setting, there are still plenty of uses for acrylic dry food dispensers in or near the dining area. Depending on the kind of serving and dining areas you have, these containers might sit alone or atop wire displays for counter tops, and are perfect for food items your customers can select and retrieve themselves such as:

· Breakfast Items: Acrylic dry food containers are ideal for holding food items like cereal, donuts, bagels, biscuits, and muffins.
· Lunch Items: Extra items that customers might want to add on to their meal purchases, such as bags of chip, candy bars, and bottled or canned drinks, fit conveniently atop wire displays for counter tops.
· Dinner Items: Clear plastic containers are great for extra dinner items like rolls.
· Desert Items: You can place desert items like brownies, cake, and ice cream toppings such as sprinkles in a variety of clear plastic containers and acrylic dry food dispensers.

You can also use these dry food dispensers and other clear plastic containers to hold utensils, napkins, straws, coffee stirs, and packets of seasonings, salad dressing, sugar, and sweetener.

Keep in mind that even if you don't offer food items in or near the dining area, you can always use plastic containers to hold items like breath mints, chewing gum, and toothpicks near the register.

Retail Profit In An Economic Downturn

2009-05-28T19:52:00.001-07:00

Despite what you may have heard, profit is not extinct. The potential for profit in retail is always there, we just need to look a little harder for it these days. So, while retailers leave no stone unturned, they also must stay relevant and forward focused during this economic downturn. And, yes I have seen many retailers that can chew gum and walk at the same time.

That is what retail is all about. Juggling customer relations, employee issues, multiple tasks and thoughts (some of them great...but always forgotten) at the same time. Wow, aren't retailers great! You bet they are, but it's all this multi-tasking that hinders our potential greatness. Because of this we sometimes loose our focus and enthusiasm. That's when, during good times or bad, we lose profit. So, in this first part of the article, let's get refocused together and take an introspective look at our possible "low hanging fruit" or profit making potential.

1. Look For The Obvious
Let's start with your exterior. That's how you attract or scare away customers. The outside of our building is who you are as a retail business. It relates to your most important commodity...your brand. No, I am not telling you to spend a ton of money right now on a new exterior design, but I am telling you to make sure the weeds are pulled, the trash is picked up, lights are working, the parking lot is in good condition and you have a fresh coat of paint on your building. The same goes for your interior. Are the bathrooms clean? You need to bring customers in and keep them in the store longer in order to support your retail profitability plan.

2. Expense Control - Comparison
Before you even think about making big cuts in expenses, have an idea of what your retail industry averages are for your type of retail business. A comprehensive comparison will help attain clarity and will be the basis for a new retail profitability plan. Now that you know what to aim for, let's move forward. Let's say that after your comparison you have found major issues with the following expenses. What steps will you take to cut expenses and improve profit?

-Rent is too high - Right now is a good time to renegotiate with your landlord. Commercial property is going through the same issues that the housing market has been facing. A paying tenant is better than no tenant. Lower costs improve profit.

-Utilities are high - Lighting can account for 40% of a retailers utilities cost. Make
sure all unnecessary lights are turned off. Review any light timers and reset them. Heating and cooling costs are always an issue with retailers. Look at raising your thermostat 1 or 2 degrees in the summer months and lowering them in the winter months.

3. Profit Margin
During your comparison of similar retail businesses you have noticed that your margins are almost 2 points lower than the average. Where would you look to gain more margin?

-Buy better - Work with your suppliers to obtain lower costs. Consolidating suppliers could give you some bargaining power and simplify the buying process. More Profit.

-Raise your retails - Do some comparison shopping and raise your prices. You're in business to make money. Provide good service and customers will pay a little more.

-Training - Invest in retail sales training for your employees. The add-on and up-selling results will begin to benefit your retail profit picture immediately.

4. Address the dead weight
In every retail business there is dead weight. It has many forms, and needs to be addressed during an economic downturn. Let's examine two possible problems.

-Inventory - At any given time at least 20% of a retailer's inventory can be deemed dead or obsolete. These products are eating up space that could be occupied by more profitable products. Turn these items into cash. Have a side walk sale to clear out these items and use the cash to reinvest in more profit producing endeavors.

-Employees - It is hard to let go of any employee. You have invested time and resources in them. However, the time is now to cut the unproductive part of your wage expense. Review each employee and ask yourself this question: is this person good for my company? If the answer is yes, hold on to them. If the answer is no, get rid of them now.

Economic downturns do happen. It's how you react and how soon you react that determines your future as a retailer. The important things to keep in mind are to maintain a positive attitude and to take a time out to do some research. Once you have developed a plan to cut expenses and maximize your profits the feeling of empowerment will return to you. With expenses under control and a system in place to keep them in check, it's time to go on the offensive. Profit can be found or made, it's up to you.

Barcodes and Barcode Scanners

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When you stop to think of it, barcode technology is one of the things that has completely revolutionized the world of commerce. Barcodes can be found simply everywhere, and on almost every single thing we buy.

We sometimes get used to the everyday applications of this technology as we grab a few things at the supermarket. We are vaguely aware that each box of crackers, or each plump grapefruit is being scanned, magically added to our bill, and subtracted form the store's inventory.

Many of us remember the small neighborhood grocery where we could buy just about anything. We'd run in for a loaf of bread, a bottle of milk, and perhaps some licorice pipes.

Everything would be itemized on a bill pad, and added up the old fashioned way. Or the clerk would enter the price by hitting the manual keys of a cash register. We'd hand over our money and the cash drawer would fly open. Then our change would be counted back. When is the last time something actually counted back your change? These days it's merely dumped into our waiting hand.

It's no wonder it was the grocery industry that first began pioneering the use of barcodes. With so many items to keep track of, it was a natural beginning. There had to be a better way than shutting down for stock taking, and eyeing the shelves to see what needed to be ordered.

It wasn't so long ago that the first real test of a barcode system took place. It was in Cincinnati at a Kroger store, where employees placed codes printed on sticky paper on items for sale. It was the summer of 1972, and the experimental codes were in the shape of a bullseye.

Due to printing problems and smeared ink, the codes were often distorted and not readable. This problem was solved by developing a striped linear code that was printed in the direction that the paper was fed through the printing press. That way, if there was any stretch, the code would just appear a bit taller, but would still remain readable.

Then in Troy, Ohio, on June 26 1974, history was made. A gentleman by the name of Clyde Dawson approached the checkout counter at Marsh supermarket with a package of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum. Sharon Buchanan made the first official scan of an item actually being purchased at 8:01 that morning. Visitors to the Smithsonian Institution can now see that pack of ten sticks of gum, along with the receipt.

Today, as summer approaches and we tend to our backyard spaces, I sometimes marvel at the fact that every pot of petunias, every bag of soil, and every clay pot, has a barcode on it. However, there's no barcode at the gas pump, or at the drive through coffee shop on the way home. Not yet anyway.

It seems that barcode technology has found a brand new use, one that will integrate our everyday world with the internet. This is how it works. A barcode is photographed with a camera phone, and instantly a mobile web site is accessed. The barcode could be on a print ad in a newspaper or magazine, an object, or a poster advertising an upcoming concert. Imagine the possibilities.

Learn Which Kind of Wholesale Poker

2009-05-28T19:51:00.001-07:00

Wholesale poker sunglasses have gained immense popularity over the years. However, this journey from the world of oblivion to popularity has been studded by severe controversies over the use of these sunglasses while playing poker. While one school of thinking advocates that the use of any kind of an accessory to mask your face or your eyes while playing poker is unethical, this opinion is downplayed by many players and poker lovers, who state that they gain immense control over their game due to the added confidence that they obtain when they wear their sunglasses.

However, you cannot just wear any kind of sunglasses while playing poker because normal sunglasses will darken up your vision and make indoor vision difficult. Instead, you should go specifically for lighter lens glasses only. They have gained immense popularity over the years. One classic example of such excellent shades is the Smith & Wesson Sunglasses.

Firstly, you should go for metal-framed ones instead of plastic ones. This is because metal frames appear much more trendy, they match with almost any kind or shade of attire, are much more durable and most importantly, they are much more comfortable than their plastic counterparts. You should go for this type, which are provided with strong metallic frames and silicon nose pads, which are very comfortable to wear while playing, and which do not hurt the wearer or strain his eyes at all even on prolonged use.

Secondly, your wholesale poker sunglasses should have a gold or silver mirror coating to provide you with a much needed masking effect on your eyes. This is a very essential attribute that is required in any poker sunglass because the coating helps in hiding the eyes of the player completely from the view of the opponents. As a result, the opponent is never able to gauge the wearer's intentions or predict his next move. The wearer has complete freedom to contemplate his moves and bluff as he pleases. However, the coating does not obstruct normal view of the wearer. Since the glasses are clear, they do not hamper the clarity of vision and one can get an absolutely clear view of things indoors.

Thirdly, you should go for such kind a kind of wholesale poker sunglasses, which suit your facial shape and structure, are comfortable to wear for a prolonged period, and are also capable of hiding your eyes effectively, even from the edges, so that you can easily bluff while playing.

Benefits of a Stacking System

2009-03-23T10:15:00.002-07:00

Space is the kind of constraint that one feels and has to contend with on a regular basis as a business grows. It would be close to impossible to find a retail outlet or business that has abundant space. In extreme cases, stock and warehousing issues can only be resolved with external warehousing options. If you're a small business or working out of the comfort of your own home, having a stacking shelving systems makes a whole lot of sense. Not only will a stacking system benefit your business in the long run, it'll save you time, money and floor space.

For home offices, small stackable shelving systems will suffice. You don't need anything too expensive and besides, as long as it is practical and saves you space, it would be quite enough. A retail outlet, on the other hand, need a stackable shelving system that is practical, meets with all the requirements, blends well with all the other decorative items or shelving units and be cost-effective as well. A tough call for a small business, we would say, but not impossible.

The true value in using a glass shelving system is the transparency. Glass, as you may very well know, fits in with just about any type of interior design. In fact, with good lighting, it really complements the other existing furniture.

With a good glass stackable shelving unit, the system is mobile and can be transformed according to your needs. If you need a three-level shelving for a line of new products to be placed near the entrance of your store, you can unstack them easily and place one on top of another to form a sort of beautiful glass tower. Glass shelves placed at the counter or at the point of exit might also compel your customers who are checking to make that last minute impulsive purchase.

Glass shelving are low maintenance options. Repair is often not required except for minor replacements of parts and also if in the eventuality, the glass panels crack (which is unlikely unless it has been dropped).

And of course, a glass stackable shelving unit is like the black tux....conventional, classy and timeless. Glass is almost never unfashionable, so, the lifespan is often for as long as you need it.

For ideas and uniquely different yet affordable shopfitting and wall-mounted display systems, check out our Decowall Plankwall wall-mounted retail outlet shop display system right now. Be stunned with our flexible and affordable these wall-mounted display systems can be. Formedge is a leading exhibition and shopfitting display system provider. It's a name that you can trust..

Trade Suppliers

2009-03-23T10:15:00.001-07:00

From my experience, trade suppliers have had very poor service. I have contacted them looking to buy stock from them and their responses have astounded me! They seem oblivious to selling me stock, have no enthusiasm for partnering with me or even giving me the opportunity to do business with them.

Hey, maybe it was something to do with me, my haircut or whatever, but to me it seemed that they were just poor performers. They were not interested in customer service or supplying good quality stock at good prices. Maybe you have had the same experience?

If you have, you will know that this is a key element in the success of your retail store, either online or offline. You need results and you need answers. You cannot deal with monkeys that simply do not want to deliver when you need it. These types of trade suppliers, wholesalers or dropshippers will make you company go broke. Do not risk doing business with them.

You should be careful when choosing suppliers. Look carefully at their website. Do they have a phone number you can call? Is their website professional? Where did you find their details? Was it a referral or did you simply stumble across them?

All of the questions are questions you should consider before partnering up with suppliers. If you don't consider these things or find suppliers, wholesalers and dropshippers that have been screened for reliability and trustworthiness, you certainly will put your business at risk.. The other thing this could impact is your profits.

No one wants to run a business and earn a tiny profit or break even or even lose money. If you are going to work for yourself you want results and awesome results, so do not compromise on the quality of your trade suppliers, dropshippers or wholesalers.

Are you looking to line your pockets with cash? As you know, all you need to do is find reliable wholesalers, suppliers or dropshippers that you can trust. Find these, and you know you can make significant returns and good profits

Your wholesaler, dropshipper or supplier is the corner stone of your business. If they don't deliver quality and competitive prices, then how is your business ever going to be a success?

If you are serious about finding good wholesalers and suppliers, then you must check out the website link below. If you keep doing things the way you have, then chances are you will get the same results, which I know for a fact are terrible

Don't Make These 5 Common Mistakes When Displaying Jewellery!

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1. Not differentiating a product. There should always be a couple of "hero" pieces, or key pieces. Trays and trays of rings for example are dull, so there should always be some displayed in boxes separately or at a different height for example, otherwise customers just scan the trays, but don't take the merchandise in.

Height is very important in jewellery displays, if all the stock is one level, our brains are programmed to scan, and if nothing stands out, customers will think they've seen everything, when they really haven't.

You should always make a few individual pieces stand out from the rest (not necessarily the most expensive ones though)They could be the ones that are the best perceived value for example.

2. Not leaving spaces between the jewellery displays. Each display should be separated from the next, you don't want the displays to just run into each other. If you do this, then the "scanning effect" will reappear and people will simply scan over your merchandise, while you want the opposite effect.

3. Prioritise display space -ie allocate the most space to the items that make the most money and/or profit. So don't for example put tiny studs in the best location if they sell pretty much anywhere you put them and you make more profit on the pendants you sell.

Big stores are experts at this, using complex algorithms to work this out. Small shops may not have the mathematical formulas to work this out, but then since were around our stock most of the time, we just know what the top sellers are. So, make sure that you allocate the appropriate space for items, of course, you can rotate this from time to time, so the display doesn't get stale or you too set in your ways.

4. Unlit, unclean or unloved displays - enough said on this point - Its too sad! Lighting is important for almost any product, but when it comes to jewellery, its essential, vital and a must - do you get my point ! Make sure the lighting is white light, you don't want the jewellery to look dirty! Make sure the background and the props are clean and selected with care.

5. Items not displayed with any care. A display should be a choreographed set of merchandise, chosen for its symbiotic qualities. Either by type, colour, designer, season, style - there are a myriad ways to select product for displays.

Well merchandised displays pretty much sell themselves, there's a reason why point of sale displays are called "silent salesmen" Its because well laid out product leads the customer to the buying decision, leaving you time to build your relationship with your customers.

10 Ways For Retailers to Increase Margins Without Working 23 Hours a Day!

2009-03-23T10:13:00.001-07:00

1. Audit your costs: Review your outgoings and incoming revenue. This will highlight any costs that seem particularly high and any parts of the business where your revenue has dropped. Have key customers stopped spending, or could you get more creative with some of your costs - such as advertising?

2. Streamline your running costs. Could you cut your utility bills by turning off all electrical equipment every evening or making sure your heating system is energy efficient? Get everyone involved with this, and make it a game, who can save the most money! Have a chart up on the wall, with the winner so far!

3. Assess your staff bill. If you have surplus staff for the work available, look for ways to reduce staff costs. Ask employees if they might be open to voluntary measures, such as reduced hours or pay. Take legal advice if considering changing employees' terms and conditions. Basically, this will have to come from you, no member of staff is going to walk up to you and say "I've noticed we're not as busy, so I could work less time, or take overtime as time off in lieu, to help you out here " Not going to happen, so seize the bull by the horns - Not pleasant, but necessary!

4. Improve your purchasing. Assess the costs of your stock. Are any of your suppliers having special offers, creating buying groups or generally acting responsibly to help retailers? Could you reduce costs without making your products less desirable. Review your utility providers - there are a lot of gains to be made by comparing tariffs from different energy companies.

5. Reduce your stock. Consider whether you can cut back on the level of stock you hold. Can you get hold of or manufacture items quickly enough to satisfy customer orders without having goods sitting in storage for long periods? Aim to keep just enough stock to service your customers' needs. If you look at the multiple retailers, I'd estimate they've cut their stock levels by around 30% this year - you only have to look at the store layouts to see this in action.

6. Look for growth opportunities. With competitors potentially falling by the wayside, look for ways to take advantage and expand into different parts of the market. Can you start that website you've been talking about for ages, run a workshop, have an open evening, team up with the local college?

7. Protect your marketing spend. Cost-cutting is key during a downturn, but continuing to spend on marketing is vital to attract and retain customers. Focus your marketing efforts on your most profitable customers and cost out your advertising and marketing. Calculate how much revenue you need to make for your advertising spend to be worthwhile. Remember there's a key difference between advertising and marketing - if you have no money for advertising, make sure you're still marketing yourself well!

8. Boost staff productivity. Home and work worries can make employees less productive during a recession. Try to increase morale by offering low-cost incentives, such as monthly vouchers for the best performing sales person. Keep employees informed about what's going on in your business if you can, without scaring them ! Promote team spirit - xxxx shop team against the recession - Recession busting ideas from the team!

9. Loyalty schemes - Re-look at any schemes you may have in place, or be thinking about putting in place - Loyalty schemes breed just that - loyalty, and if you're fighting for customers, this will bring them to your door, and make them come to your shop first! It doesn't have to be expensive to run, a few vouchers are usually all it takes, ie spend £100 and get a £10 voucher, which is going to cost you around £3.50 / £4 so its not going to break the bank.

10. Use social media to communicate with your customers - Its cheap and effective and ensures you maintain a presence in the market, even if you have little money for advertising - start a blog, twitter about your shop, or update your newsletter with recession beating tips for your customers.

11 Ways to Recession Proof Your Business For Retailers Today

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"I've heard there's a recession, but I have no plans to join in" Zig Ziglar.

Well, it seems that the media have pretty much succeeded in talking us into a recession. But I subscribe to a more can do approach, I love the quote from Zig Ziglar, who was a pretty interesting guy. So before we all go slightly hysterical....here's a salient fact to remember - Over 90% of the population will not lose their jobs, they will continue working and living, albeit scared witless by the media's portrayal of our economy, but life will go on. I prefer to think of it as "Recession - a new adventure!"

But we are small independent retailers, what can we do that Woolies couldn't?

Firstly, Don't despair - We're all entrepreneurs, that's why we do what we do, when we could choose to work for other people and moan about them. Instead we've decided to take it on the chin, and work it all out for ourselves.
So we need to begin to figure out how to work in this new economy.

Problem is, there's no entrepreneurs school that tells you how to run a business. The number one thing that entrepreneurs get wrong is that we learn by experience (you can substitute mistakes here... - we all know when we want to hire someone with experience, what we really mean is "someone who's b******d it up on someone else's payroll).

Sure, there's academic courses (and I've done a few of those), but they only give you the nuts and bolts, they don't explain how it all fits together. Its like a giant puzzle and even if you get a corner, and you're pretty sure its all blue sky, there's always some bits that just don't fit! Right, enough of the puzzle analogy, here's some real steps that you can take to thrive in a difficult economy.

Here's 11 ways:

1. Definition - Define your niche! Clarity is power. When you know who you are and what you're about, you can market yourself effectively. Are you a specialty or niche store? Are you a one stop shop? Are you a gift shop, or a boutique? You should be able to answer the "who are we? question in a single sentence. Then you can expand it into a paragraph that you tell everyone that you come into contact with.

For example: We are a lifestyle Gift shop, we solve our customers gift buying problems with our fabulous product selection and our fantastic customer service.

Write it on the fridge / on the toilet wall / in your handbag wherever you and your staff will see it constantly!

2. Effective Perspective - Make sure your shop stands out from the myriad of other choices - Step back and take a good long look at it from a customers perspective (Note: this can be really painful) If in doubt, ask passing shoppers for some comments about your shop. Remember that other people don't see it as you do. So ask yourself: Is your message clear? Are your windows displays effective? Does it need painting, a new logo, new lighting? Look for anything that looks incongruous, does the carpet go with the fittings? Etc etc.

3. Customer Service - This really is the numero uno of retailing. This is one area where the independents really really really have a chance to compete with larger stores, where lets face it, the service is not usually the selling point of the stores offer!

People buy from people - and if yours are nice and helpful - you'll get more sales! There's a quotation I love, "People buy the seller, not the salt! But make sure your staff know what they're supposed to be doing, what the targets are? How many sales should take place in an hour, day, week. If you don't already have one, please put an incentive scheme in place. Just try it, you will be amazed.

4. Needs, features and benefits - Firstly establish the customers needs. You can't sell them anything until you know what their needs are? Once you've done this and don't try to skip this vital stage.... Make sure your staff know the difference between features and benefits. The features might be fun, but it's the benefits that sell the products. Ie, this will save you time, money or make you look great, cool or sexy!

5. Sell on Value - In a recession economy people place more emphasis on value ! which is not dissimilar to benefit, ie the value of this product to you is x y z. Make sure your staff can convey the value of products, e.g. if you were selling a stereo, you wouldn't bang on about the 120 features, you'd talk about how cool it would be to imagine yourself experiencing the music, like you've never heard it before, etc.

6. Soundbites - Make sure that you have soundbites to say about each range or collection you sell, so that even the most junior Saturday girl can say something sensible about a product. This also makes staff feel more professional and more likely to approach customers as they don't feel as if they're going to be caught out.

For example: These watches from XXXX they're an Italian company, they are very design orientated. The movements are swiss so you can almost guarantee there'll be no problems with them. They're often featured in fashion magazines. We loved the look of them, that's why we stock them, and they're so popular. You can see from the details why we love them. Let me show you this...

7. Don't lower your prices! The majority of the population don't make their purchasing decision based on prices. They think they do, but in reality they don't. If they did there would be no expensive cars on the roads, we'd all be driving Skodas (you know, the old styles, before they built proper cars!) Only 10-25% of the population decide on price alone, so you should very definitely focus on the other 75-90%. (unless of course you're a £1 shop - then all bets are off on this one)

8. Bundle offers - If you must move stock, bundle items together and make offers, but don't discount. You should be proud of your prices and be able to justify them. Instead of lowering prices, focus on your sales and marketing offers - this is where you have an opportunity for new customers and therefore growth.

9. Mailing list - If you don't already have one, start compiling a database of your customers. It took me 12 years to think of this blinding flash of the obvious. If you don't have a database or mailing list of your customers you'll have to wait for them to come to you, they'll have to negotiate their way past all the other marketing messages that are assailing them on the way to your premises. Its not good odds is it? Once you have a mailing list with very simple technology you can keep in contact with your customers - not too frequently, you don't want to be stalking them so they avoid you in the supermarket, but you do want to be reminding them of your existence!

10. Loyalty cards - There's a good reason why big stores use them - its because they work! In these days of computers and home printers its easy to rustle up a DIY loyalty card - and just try it. You can always refine it further down the line.

11. Extras - Throw in something extra, whether it's a voucher for future discount, additional information on how to use the product, or a fantastic genuine smile. People love to get more than they thought they were getting. A gesture really doesn't have to be large to be effective...

Remember the old saying, "Tough times never last. Tough people do!"

The Small Retailer's Guide to Savvy Cash Management

2009-03-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

Whether you're selling gardening supplies, trendy clothes, or high-end electronics, your retail store's success is largely connected to your cash management procedures. Many small business owners treat their sales and cash flow with little regard for process. Instead, they approach it haphazardly without considering the benefits of integrating sophisticated point of sale (POS) systems and procedures related to petty cash and drawer balancing.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at efficient cash management procedures for small retailers. I'll explain how the traditional cash register can impact your ability to compete. I'll also provide an overview of a robust POS system and describe its value to improved inventory control.

Will A Traditional Register Suffice?

The answer depends upon your needs and budget. For example, if you have a small shop that processes a minimal number of sales throughout the day, a simple register may be enough. But, there are a number of limitations to keep in mind.

First, a traditional register will probably be incapable of tracking your store's inventory. Second, it won't allow your vendors to manage your inventory status in order to replenish products as needed. Third, a register will not offer the level of reporting that a point of sale system provides.

Each of these factors plays a key role in improving the efficiency of your retail business. For example, allowing your vendors to monitor your inventory levels in real time through a POS system reduces - even eliminates - product shortages. Vendors can keep your shelves filled which removes your need to store excess inventory. With fewer resources tied up in inventory, you can better allocate funds to take advantage of other opportunities.

Your Point Of Sale System

Most POS systems include the same basic components. There's a computer which manages the entire system. There's also a cash drawer in which you'll keep the money and receipts from credit card transactions. You can also invest in a pole display, though it's optional. Other pieces of the system include a monitor, keyboard, scanner, credit card terminal (again, optional), and a printer for the receipts.

You can also invest in POS software that offers varying levels of functionality. For example, basic packages can easily handle sales taxes, pricing flexibility, and printing product descriptions. Software that is more robust can process coupons, track inventory, connect to vendors, and provide detailed accounting reports.

The prices for POS systems start at several hundreds of dollars and can climb to several thousands. However, even as their functionality increases, their prices continue to decline. Plus, they add enormous value and flexibility to the small retailer's inventory control procedures. That leads to quicker inventory turnover, fewer product shortages, and more efficient cash flow management.

Coping With Increased Competition

One of the major concerns that specialty retailers have is how they can compete when the big-box merchandisers penetrate their market. Indeed, the presence of chain stores and discounters can siphon sales away from small shop owners. There are, of course, viable solutions. The important thing to realize is that small retailers have a number of advantages over giant chains. For example, they can move more quickly, provide better service, and enjoy high margins on products that are produced in lower quantities.

While installing a POS system won't resolve all of the challenges inherent with battling the large discounters, it will improve your ability to compete with them. Don't underestimate the value of maintaining strict cash management procedures combined with a robust point of sale system. As the megastores struggle under broad inventories and slim margins, you can leverage your size through better inventory control.

How to Price Match on Libby Glass

2009-03-23T10:09:00.002-07:00

Many distributors selling ARC, Anchor Hocking or Chinese knockoffs use aggressive price strategies to undermine their competitors. The problem with price-based selling, however, is that the customer feels no personal connection to the supplier. Last year we went through a brutal rebranding process. We revamped our image from being relatively low cost to a quality domestic provider, from China private label to a national distributor for Libby Glass - America's finest. As such, we knew that we would lose the majority of our price sensitive customers who buy strictly on price and utility over quality, personal preference or saleability.

After settling into 2009, we've come across a different breed of dissenting clients. Some of our competitors have been nipping at our heels by undercutting. The most active use whatever means necessary to generate a quick sale. We've let this process occur far too often over the years; we felt that meeting a price or constantly giving discounts would create a pattern of behavior that is difficult to break. How could we possibly raise price or even command a decent profit margin if customers are always used to low balling us?

I've learned that if your clients do not link their relationship with you to their success in business then you have failed to communicate a mission worth following. We believe that our close relationships with clients balance good faith and accountability. We get our price because we deliver; we've earned their trust. However, we also recognize that we need to change to be successful in this new retail and wholesale environment. If consumers expect lower prices, then we need to adapt.

One method that I think works well is a price match guarantee; in other words, like electronics retailers, we ask our customers to show up with proof of purchase. Show us a competitor's invoice, freight included, for the same or equivalent product at a lower price and we will match and/or beat that price. As soon as we started pursuing this process, we came across opportunities wherein we couldn't possibly match price without taking losses. We realized that we needed to set some ground rules.

Here is what we learned:
(1) the glass jars must be exactly the same. If they are not showing you an invoice for a specific piece of Libby Glass, like a Libby Status or Libby Vibe, you cannot compare them. For example, Anchor Hocking's pressed glassware is slightly cheaper to manufacture than seamless. However, the walls are seamed and the shapes are not as beautiful;
(2) freight cost must be factored into the equation. Freight accounts for at least 15 to 20% of the landed cost of goods;
(3) closeouts on equivalent products are one-time buying opportunities and are not valid comparisons;
(4) availability and service levels should offset slight differences in price. If the competitor cannot ship or doesn't have sufficient inventory, then price matching is irrelevant. You can charge a higher price for convenience;
(5) lastly, make sure that you are spending your time matching price on orders worth pursuing.

5 Ways to Connect With Your Customers

2009-03-23T10:09:00.001-07:00

You got the customer in your store. Now how do you keep them coming back for more? These 5 clever ideas will create buzz, add excitement, get your staff involved and spread goodwill.

1. Collecting Contacts: Instead of asking our customers if they'd like to be on our mailing list, we created a monthly drawing for a store gift card. We called it our free $63 shopping spree because it was memorable and rhymed. With every sale, we let them know they can sign up and reward our staff each month if they get over 60% participation. The monthly winners are always delighted and we end up collecting a lot of contacts.

2. Sending Handwritten Thank You Postcards: Instead of only sending promotional material to our customers, we also make it a regular practice to send personal notes. During the slower times at the store, we have our staff randomly pick addresses out of the raffle jar and send them nice postcards thanking them for choosing to shop with us. Our customers often comment what a pleasant surprise it was to find a nice note amid all the bills & junk mail in their mailbox.

3. The VIP Treatment: Instead of lumping all our customers into one list, we also have a special list of our loyal customers. Every quarter we send them something unusual in the mail. For instance, this year we created handmade wooden Valentine postcards thanking them for a great 2008. And when they brought the postcard back before February 14th, we gave them a package of cookies we recently started carrying at the store. The VIP's loved getting a cool piece of 'art' in their mailbox and it also gave us the opportunity to get them hooked on a new line of cookies we offer.

We also send them birthday cards with a little treat inside (like a herbal tea bath bag) and remind them they get 20% if they shop with us on their birthday.

4. Make Your Emails Interesting: Instead of sending an email just about your sales or special promotions, add other interesting information that your customers may enjoy or want to forward on to their friends. Some of our features include:

New Products: When I write an order at a trade show, I always ask if I can take a photo of the goods. Then I share some of my finds and our customers get excited when they see what's coming to the store soon.

Staff Favorites: Each month we ask our staff what they love in the store and why. Then we take a photo of them with the item. We've found our customers like to see what our sales gals like and it also connects our customers with our staff.

Feature an Artist or Product Line:Put a spot light on a particular product group for a month. Share the artist's story or explain more about a certain product line. And to entice sales, offer 15% off the featured item(s) for that month. This creates an awareness of the unique goods you offer.

Share Other Interests: Talk about the music you're listening to in your store, the book you can't put down or a recipe that is a big hit. And if you can tie them into products available at your store... even better. Ask for your staff's input as well - once again creating that customer/staff relationship.

Share the Love: Put together a grouping of popular products and offer a goody give-away on a regular basis. We just promoted a Valentine themed one and asked our customers to tell us what they love. The response was amazing and their replies uplifting. This gets your customers involved and creates good will.

5. Staying Social on the Web: Instead if hoping your customers will remember to come visit you in their free time, lure them in by giving them glimpses of what's happening at your store. You can encourage your customers to subscribe to your blog or become a fan or friend on face-book in your email newsletters. This keeps your place of business in the forefront of their mind and creates customer loyalty. The two main ways we do this are through Blogging and Face-book (both free!)

Some ideas you can share with your customers via a blog or face-book page can include: new products, artist features, music reviews, crafty ideas, seasonal recipes, highlight how you're giving back to the community, show your staff having fun, product give aways, create a photo album of special events you've hosted, showcase other stores in your area, post any press you receive, promote yourself for local 'best of contests', do a day-in-the-life story about you, create a photo album of images around your store, share tips on how to pick out the perfect gift for (dad, mom, grad, bridal couple etc...) - and the list could go on because it's totally up to you. To see what some other shops are blogging about check out delightful blogs.com.

We hope a few of our ideas inspired you to create some new customer connections. We've found it truly is all the the little things that make a BIG difference in life and retail.

Laptop Wholesale Suppliers

2009-03-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

The use of technology is increasing every day and retailing laptops is a great way to earn income. If you are looking to get into retailing laptops, then you need to find responsible laptop wholesale suppliers to support your business endeavor. Retailing laptops or any electronic device is becoming a great business endeavor these days because of people's growing obsession and need for the digital world. New technology makes our lives easier and laptops are certainly a convenient way to keep in touch with almost anybody in the world even in personal businesses wherever you may be. Once you go into the laptop retail business, you need to find a supplier or wholesaler who can give you what you and your customers are looking for. Here are a few criteria to keep in mind when deciding on your supplier.

Things to Keep In Mind

Assuming that you already managed to get potential wholesalers on a directory list, you can start looking for the right supplier for your laptops based on the following decisive factors.

* Credibility. Once you have your eyes set on a particular laptop wholesaler, you need to look into his background to make sure that he belongs to a legitimate and reliable company. You have several options to check on a particular company's background. One option is to check online through Better Business Bureau. All reliable companies and wholesalers should be listed there and you can view any complaints that they might have gotten from their customers. Another option is to join forums about the subject, like wholesalers. You can get valuable information and insights about the business of retailing and finding the right wholesaler for you.

* Pricing. One thing to remember when purchasing your products is that you should never pay too much on the price or too little. If you feel that the wholesaler you are looking into is selling their laptops at very high prices, then look for somebody else. You can find great discounts and cheaper prices, but of course, watch out if they are too cheap and ask for the reason why the prices are very low if you encounter any.

* Quality. When you are in the reselling business, especially electronics like a laptop, the quality of the product is very important. It is important that your wholesaler provides you with products that are of high-quality since this could cause you your reputation to your own clients. If you are dealing in bulk, you should ask for a sample of their product if possible to prove that their machines are indeed of good quality. Laptop wholesale suppliers should be able to provide you with reliable merchandise to satisfy your own customers.

Wholesale Children Clothing Suppliers

2009-03-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

Any good reselling business requires good dropship wholesalers. If you are planning to put up a business reselling children's clothing, then finding reliable and honest wholesale children clothing suppliers is essential in your business' productivity. We all know that most parents want only the best for their children. This includes finding clothes that reflect the children's personality. Parents want to find clothing that is comfortable and attractive for their children. Most importantly, they want to get it at good and reasonable prices. Putting up a children's clothing business can be a great help in providing for a market that require great quality clothing for kids with affordable prices. As a retailer, finding the right children's clothing supplier is important for your business to succeed.

Things to Remember When Choosing a Wholesale Supplier

Here are four things you need to bear in mind whenever you choose a certain wholesale supplier.

* Credibility. When choosing the right wholesale supplier for your business, make sure to check into their background. It is essential that you find a supplier that is credible and reliable. A great way to check into a company's background is to check with Better Business Bureau and find out whether the company has had any complaints. You can also join forums and find out the views of people who are in the same business as you are. You can gain plenty of information this way.

* Reliability. Another important thing to remember when finding a wholesale supplier for your children's clothing business is to find a supplier that is reliable. They should be able to send your products on time without any hitch. Most importantly, they should provide you the flexibility to buy small quantities of clothing of any style so that you can provide a good range of choices for your clients.

* Quality. In any business, it is important that you sell good quality products to your clients. Once you get the first set of merchandise, make sure to check it thoroughly and decide whether they are the kind of products you would want to sell to your clients. As a children's clothing retailer it would be helpful to ask yourself whether the clothes are something you would let your own children use or not. Make sure that they are the right fabric and that your supplier holds a high regard for quality of their products as well.

* Pricing. When it comes to pricing, make sure that your supplier sells their products at reasonable prices. If you are budget conscious, then it would be helpful if you compare prices from several different suppliers before deciding on the right one. Good wholesale children's clothing suppliers should provide you with great discounts if you are purchasing in bulk for your business.