Please have a look at my Facebook page, I have uploaded a couple of before and after photos, showing the difference a display can make. Which one would make you stop and look?

facebook.com search 3retail

I read with interest the news that Trade Me has signed and agreement to allow international companies to sell their products on their site, and traditional retailers concern at the impact to their business.

This again highlights the need to contact 3retail; if your business is creating a dynamic customer experience through a store that looks good, feels great and provides amazing customer service then you will compete directly with Trade Me. If you are not doing these things, then customers will buy online, and experience the complete lack of emotion when buying product this way.

Instead of being concerned, contact me and lets rise to the challenge of this new competition.

Follow this face book link, or us the contact tab from this site: http://www.facebook.com/pages/3Retail/177305462379043

What gives retailers the right to only open when it suits them, not when it suits their customers.

As retailers we should be opening our doors when customers want us to, this means 7 days per week, minimum hours should be Monday to Friday 9am -6pm, Sat and Sun 10am-4pm.

I experienced the small town mentality last week, where all shops in the main street of a particular town closed there doors at 1230 on Sat, and did ot reopen until 9am Monday!! You could see tumble weeds blowing down the main street!

Yet in a town of similar size, less than 1 hours drive away, the retailers open 7 days per week, customers can shop at their leisure, and it was busy. Some customers were shopping, others in cafe’s there was a great atmosphere.

Come on retailers, if you are not prepared to open 7 days per week, then you should not be in retail!!!!!!! It is that simple.

I am a retailer and have all ways had very strong views on Easter weekend trading rules.

Freedom of choice is a big issue for me, as a customer if I want to shop on Good Friday and Easter Sunday  I should be allowed to, if I want to go to church or have family time then that is my choice too.

In my view the only days retailers should be forced to close is Xmas day (family time) New Years Day (retailers open on this day agree it is quiet) and ANZAC morning (in respect of our fallen soldiers). Any other day we should be able to trade and allow our customers to shop when they want.

I have a client who operates in Queenstown, they open all Easter with Friday and Sunday being very busy days, yet Wanaka (which this year has Warbirds over Wanaka) is forced to close for 2 days, or risk breaking the law. This is ridiculous.

Supermarkets and bars cant serve alcohol or are forced to close, so if my fridge is dry, or I feel like a beer I cant on Friday or Sunday. Again ridiculous.

Allow me as a retailer and consumer the opportunity to shop when I want, dont govern me by laws that really do not have any place in todays society.

Till next time. http://www.facebook.com/pages/3Retail/177305462379043

As I have mentioned before retailers play a very dangerous game if constantly operating in the “price” game they just cant sustain it. Warehouse is always on sale consumers are immune to it; Kathmandu, when they have a sale their prices are no different to retail from comparable retailers, consumers can see through their marketing.
Hallensteins/Glasson they operate in the service game, staff are well motivated and you normally get great service, this is sustainable.

If you are wanting help on enhancing or changing the strategy for your retail operation then please contact me on this site or through my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/3Retail/177305462379043

Too often I visit retail stores, and although there are staff there, I do not get served!
One of the common reasons is that staff have been loaded up with tasks such as tiding and replenishment that they want to finish quickly, however staff do not get the time to look up to see customers.
As Richard Branson says “screw business as usual” owners and managers do something different, rostering staff to come in 1 hour earlier WILL guarantee extra sales-your staff will be freed up and available to sell.

Contact me for help, visit my facebook site http://www.facebook.com/pages/3Retail/177305462379043

Phil

I was reading an article on the NZ Herald website which has ranked some of New Zealand’s top brands in terms of value. It discusses how the warehouse although recognised as cheap, it is no longer recognised as being good value. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/retailing/news/article.cfm?c_id=77&objectid=10791832.

Retailers have to be very careful when they continually operate as price only retailers, you can not operate this type of model for ever, eventually you become stale, and in my view this is what has happened to The warehouse.With the ultra competitive retail market, your customers will shop at the retailer that provides the best service, knowing that the price will still be matched.  The key thing for retailers is to continuously look for ways to enhance their customers experience, therefore avoiding the need for them to shop around.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/3Retail/177305462379043 to view my facebook site, a fresh set of eyes in your business can make a big difference.

I have uploaded another photo onto my Facebook site showing a magnificent window done by a clothing retailer. It could  easily have been 4 mannequins and a poster in the window. These guys have created a window that gets people stopping to look, and a window that they will remember.

Easter displays should now be done, think outside the square, along with plans in place for Autumn displays. I will post more photos over the next few days.

How important are windows?

I am sure you have all walked down the fashion precinct of one of the big shopping centres here in NZ, have you noticed that all you see is window after window of mannequins and posters? Nothing catches your eye because they all look the same…boring..

Windows are the first and last thing your customers see, they attract and bring customers to your store. They must tell a story, that highlights a particular season or an event.

Have a look at my facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/pages/3Retail/177305462379043. I am adding photos of great window displays, ones that are designed to attract attention, tell stories and stand out from all the mannequins.

Retail sales were unexpectedly strong in the last quarter of 2011.

In dollar terms sales rose 2 per cent from the September quarter, the fourth consecutive quarter of strong growth, Statistics New Zealand said.

Core sales, which exclude car yards and petrol stations, rose 2.3 per cent seasonally adjusted, driven by supermarkets and grocery stores, food and beverage services, department stores, and electrical and electronic goods stores. Compared with the same period in 2010 sales overall were up 6.6 per cent and 7.5 per cent higher in the core sector.

When adjusted for price changes – mainly falls – real sales were up 2.2 per cent overall, following a 2.4 per cent increase in the September quarter, and up 2.9 per cent for core retailing, the largest increase since that statistical series began in 1995.

Just over half the quarter’s increase in sales was among food, drink and hospitality providers. These had also recorded strong gains in the September quarter and in both periods were much stronger than had been indicated by the electronic card data.

Economists see that as indicating a boost from Rugby World Cup visitors, and a higher than usual proportion of cash transactions.

“However, unlike in the September quarter, there were also strong gains in the durable goods categories,” Westpac economist Michael Gordon said.

Electronic goods were up 10.1 per cent in real terms, with firms citing smartphone sales in particular, while furniture was up 7.6 per cent, department stores up 7.2 per cent and hardware and building supplies up 2.5 per cent.

“In most of these cases, volume growth was helped by falling prices, particularly a 3 per cent drop for electronics, partly due to the lagged effect of the New Zealand dollar’s gains through last year,” Gordon said.

“However, unless there is a massive correction, we’re left with a level of real retail spending that far exceeds what all and sundry seemed to be expecting not so long ago.”

ASB economist Daniel Smith said the continued recovery in retail spending was very encouraging, particularly as the sector had borne the brunt of the recession.

“The continued recovery in the labour market should underpin an improvement in consumer confidence. We expect this will flow through to a continued recovery in household spending over 2012, albeit at a more gradual pace.”