Story of $20 Fish Called Cotton Candy

Fish called Cotton Candy

“The ‘Big Al’s’ attendant viewed me as a long-term customer, despite my modest $20 fish purchase.” I’d done my due diligence, exploring online for a mini aquarium along with its necessary accessories: gravel, plants, conditioner, ornaments, etc. These items were already en route and set to arrive just in time. The only missing piece of the puzzle was the…

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Performance Based Compensation

Performance Based Compensation

It’s about time DMSRetail shared its thoughts on performance-based compensation plans in the retail industry. First and foremost, let’s debunk the misconception that performance-based compensation plans negatively impact the shopping experience. This is far from the truth. Instead, a well-structured, straightforward performance-based compensation plan can actually improve the shopping experience. Those who buy into this misconception fail to see…

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Store Manager is the Key to the Success of Your Store

Store Manager is the Key

The Retail Mаnаgеr Is The Kеу Tо Attrасtіng More Customers Tо Your Store Have you еvеr wоndеrеd why уоur rеtаіl store іѕn’t аttrасtіng аnd kееріng аѕ many customers as уоu wоuld lіkе? The аnѕwеr hаѕ muсh to dо with уоur store mаnаgеr. In mу уеаrѕ іn the rеtаіl industry I hаvе соmе асrоѕѕ ѕоmе outstanding mеn аnd wоmеn іn…

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Why Retail Managers Shоuld Get Mоrе Rеѕресt!

Respect Store Managers

Arе уоu a сurrеnt or former mаnаgеr іn a rеtаіl buѕіnеѕѕ? Do уоu work in a сlоthіng, shoe, оr discount ѕtоrе? Arе you mаnаgіng an еlесtrоnісѕ, jеwеlrу, оr specialty ѕhор? Stаnd рrоud. Chаnсеѕ are you dоn’t gеt muсh respect, but уоu ѕhоuld. Yes, уоu have a thаnklеѕѕ jоb with tеrrіblе hоurѕ, mеdіосrе benefits, and a раусhесk thаt bаrеlу соvеrѕ…

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Know How to Interview, Hire and Train

Hire and Train Effectively

The Highly Successful Retail Manager (HSRM) knows the ‘cause’** is maximizing revenue and profit and that he must hire people who will further that cause. The HSRM interviews with the purpose of hiring competent – potentially great – individuals who show indications of being able to move up in the organization. In retail, a competent associate must have the…

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How Important are Retail Associates to Your Business

How important are sales associates?

A study recently published by Wharton, University of Pennsylvania and Verde Group discusses the findings of a survey of 1000 randomly selected consumers. The objective of the survey was to discover what problems shoppers were encountering during their shopping experiences at retail stores and which of those problems were most likely to be discussed with others and which actually…

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Everything Old is New Again

Be nice to customer

We know this. We’ve heard our parents say it; we’ve heard fashion editors say it. And now it is going to work to the retailers’ advantage. Now that so many grocery stores, gas stations, banks…you name it, have moved to self serve, or barely serve, those of us who actually want to serve customers can stand out. Retailers have…

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Downside of Self Scheduling

Self Scheduling is not a good idea

Self scheduling creates headaches for Store Managers! Calendar girls…or calendar guys…absolutely love the sight of a calendar with an invitation to choose when they will, and will not work. Some Store Managers practice what we describe as self sabotage!! They leave a calendar in the back room, lunch room, wherever employees gather when they are on break or just coming in…

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External Conditions

External Conditions

External Conditions Most retailers generally plan their targets, or budgets, based on the actual sales of the previous year. As the saying goes ‘past performance is a great indicator of future performance’. But every wise retailer will also carefully look at external conditions before committing a target or budget to paper; before using the numbers as a basis for…

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Crying Over Lost Revenue

Crying over lost revenue

CRYING OVER MISSED OPPORTUNITIES…LOST REVENUE? Some retail teams don’t seem to understand the importance of ‘making the sale’. Why? Really, retailers should be wondering ‘why aren’t the people on the sales floor, motivated to sell our products’? A sales associate in a large furniture retail store is much more inclined to ‘sell’ products to customers than a floor/service/sales associate…

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