What Do Retailers And Hookers Do After They’ve Discounted It All?

Even the Verizon stores are making customers think they are going out of business with these signs posted in Manhattan. When all you can offer is cheaper, cheaper, cheaper, you’re no better than Vegas hookers.

Keep More Retail Sales Show Them The Forest for the Trees

During a recession you are bound to be out of stock, especially right after the holidays. Take a moment now; what are some of those “forest for the trees” comments you hear in your business? What proactive questions can you challenge them with to increase your sales?

How Retailers Can Make Money The Day After Christmas

Ok so the big day is almost here. Then what? You have one mission: to minimize returns to grow sales. Most stores have a storewide sale from 10-20% off the week after Christmas. Here are seven tips to grow your retail sales after Christmas:

4 Ways Everything Old In Retail Is New Again

It’s the old “this goes with this,” or “if you buy this, you’re going to need that” merchandising we’ve seen in merchandising fashion, home furnishings and hardware stores for generations. Now new categories are putting these concepts in place.

Bankrupt Retail Chocolate Store Reveals Success Tactics

I had just driven forty-five minutes out of my way in rush hour traffic to visit a specialty niche retailer in one of the world’s premiere shopping destinations, and they were telling me everyone wanted Godiva! They had stubbornly decided they would change nothing!

Devil Starbucks to Angel McDonald’s

I applaud the franchisee who thought this up. I built my business taking on two Starbucks within a block of an independent coffee roaster. While I detail how it came to pass in my book, You Can Compete, the ads that knocked the competition (and there were about 150 of them) were the last thing we concentrated on.

Retailers Discounting Their Way To More Holiday Red Ink

We are going to see a lot of red ink in the next few months from major retailers whose CFO said to their CMO, “We’ve got to do something to bring them in – anything.” But sales without profits can be worse than no sales. Paula’s experience showed the difference between these two stores. Macy’s new why the sweaters weren’t there, Chico’s helped her find more than one item. Paula’s surprise discount was used improperly to lower sales rather than boost them.

How Being A Blogger Is Like Being A Franchisee

Many franchisees buy a franchise and expect it will solve everything; they leave the Maserati in the driveway expecting it to drive itself. But you can’t buy any business and expect it to run itself. You have to understand it if you want to make money.

A and E’s We Mean Business- Glorified Janitors For Outback Catering

My take on this episode? This was all focused as if this were a retailer where people were coming to you. The real job of a caterer is pitching the client in their home, upselling and adding on once they see the location. While DOS is an antiquated platform to run business, how does a whole new system really help him make money? Again, never addressed. Here are four of my recommendations:

Reason November Retail Sales Are In A Downspin?

The real reason retailers are struggling? They gave up selling to the nurses, teachers and volunteers of the world – the feelers who want friends and experiences – and figured everyone was going to approach shopping like Bill Gates – it’s logical, value driven, cheaper. That’s a bunch of crap.