Have you ever bought an item you do not really need simply because it is discounted? Many people do. Many stores keep reeling out discounts and promos to attract buyers.
I have observed a few things shops do to make more sales.
They sell the same product to the customer, but raise the price and even put a discount on it, so you are happy with the discount, while you are actually paying more. But discount is good isn’t it?
Everyone likes a discount. On the other hand, stores sell more products through promotion, so the shoppers spend more and come back more often. Oh yes, discount are good but mind, no matter how big the discount, a store almost never sells at a loss.
It is funny what luxury retailers do to get the attention of shoppers some times. I remember an Italian shoes store that was doing the ‘buy two get one free’ promo last year. A friend of mine was so excited that she ran off to go get the awoof, only to discover that the price of the two items could fetch her four of the same quality stuff from another shop she knew. Of course, she left the place and came back to tell me that she would have played the mugu if she had not known the other store.
But one thing was certain. The offer made people rush to that store and they did make great profit.
It reminded me of when the GSM first came out. So many promos were on. Calls were N50 per minute and people rushed at the great offer. The communication companies, in collaboration with handset companies ran similar promos. The spate of sales today explains how huge the profit they made at the time. Yet, they continue to make huge profits.
But the method I love is the one where stores offer good services, thereby endearing customers to always come back. Sales and discounts, but then once they see all the products offered and the prices that are available everyday and the excellent customer service that they will receive, it is almost a sure bet that everyone will be coming back over and over whether there is a sale or not.
Friendliness, good service, better
I have been to many shops where all they are concerned about is for you to buy something. All they want to do is make sales. If you find yourself in such a shop, woe betides you if you are not sure of what you want. You would either be thrown into confusion or end up buying the wrong item.
That’s why it is always advisable to go to a reputable shop where you can ask questions and receive good answers concerning your purchases. Such shops would care about maintaining their name and reputation, so they would most likely give you a good service.
Shopping is about so much more than a sales transaction, so shops that haven’t yet got the message ought to get out of the game.
Even if the shop is 20 years past its last refurbishment, it is amazing how well we would understand if the workers are knowledgeable and friendly and recognise us as individuals. The worst offenders are those who take your money without acknowledging your presence.
For me, people who do not give a hoot about providing an exceptional customer experience ought not to be trading. If you are not being served, walk out.
I went to a cosmetic store sometime ago. There was just a young man selling and customers were so many. He attended to each individual so well that the customers waited patiently until he could attend to them. All they said was that he should not be the only one attending to customers.
In such a situation, some customers could have gotten angry and left but the young man’s disposition made them wait. That is what good service can do for you.
For any store to grow, friendliness and good service cannot be over looked. All too often we hear complaints by word of mouth stating that an employee at a certain business was rude, callous, or uptight while servicing a customer. This creates a huge problem for the business. Word of mouth travels extremely fast and we all know that when we hear something, we take it to heart and usually stay clear of the business without even trying it out for ourselves, especially if it came through someone whose judgment you trust.
Talk to your customers, smile, make suggestions but do not be overbearing at the same time.
Keep in mind that once the consumer is in the store, your focus should be on merchandising. We have already established that the discounts could draw customers to your store but it does not guarantee that they will come back on days you are not offering discounts. So what do you do? Avoid filling racks with discounted products. It is better to move appealing products to the front and promote by using eye-catching displays.
Maintain the value of your retail brand with a clean and well-presented store front. Regardless of the economy, consumers want to enjoy their shopping experience. Make sure your store front is warm and inviting get-away from the daily economic downturn.
Yes, buyers may be looking for bargains, but they also value a fun and entertaining shopping experience. If you provide that, the customers will come.
