Posts Tagged ‘retail store supplies’

Friday Feature Product: Pricing Guns and Sale Labels

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Happy New Year’s!

Wow its 2010 already. Is your store open today?

More and more stores have kept their doors open on the first day of the New Year, advertising extra savings to rake in shoppers looking for a deal.  Along with the tips from Tuesday about how to maximize after holiday sales, changing the look of your labels along with the discounted price will highlight reductions.

An easy way to draw attention to lower prices on price tags is with a one line pricing gun or a two line pricing gun. Pricing gun kits come with white labels, fluorescent red labels and sale labels. These sticker labels are perfect for going over a paper price tag or another sticker. With a wide selection of pricing gun accessories, stores will be able to find labels that will meet their needs.

SSW 1-Line Labeler Kits SSW Regular Tagging Gun Kits

1-Line Labeler Kits |        Regular Tagging Gun Kits

If you are having a storewide sale, an efficient way to mark all discounted merchandise is with a system using color labels, discount labels or sale labels. For example, you can mark all items that are 30% off with a green colored label and items that are 50% off with a red label. Likewise, you could use discount labels that have 20% Off, 30% Off and 50% Off already printed on for easy markdowns.

Blue Color Labels Discount Sign Kit Plus Labels Sale Labels

Blue Color Labels |           Discount Kit + Labels |           Sale Labels

To totally change your tags use a tagging gun that connects a paper tag to an item with a plastic fastener, refer to previous Friday Feature Product Post Tagging Guns and Accessories.

Tuesday Tip: Folding VS Hanging

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

For retail stores that sell clothing, this may be a question that you have: Should I fold or hang clothing merchandise? Sometimes you have to go with what looks best for your display. We have made a PRO/CON list for each method. Hopefully this will help you make the best decision in your store.

Folding Pros

  • Takes up less room than hanging.
  • No Need for Hangers
  • Easy to store.

Folding Cons

  • Takes more time than hanging.
  • A whole stack can become ruined from people searching for sizes.
  • Requires upkeep throughout the day.
  • May hide sizes.

Hanging Pros

  • Keeps clothing wrinkle free.
  • Minimal upkeep throughout the day.
  • Displays the whole garment.

Hanging Cons

  • Takes up more space.
  • Some garment items need special hangers such as pants and boat neck shirts.
  • Could stretch out knit materials, distorting the shape of the garment.

We recommend using a mix of hanging and folding to add interest and variety in your store. Tier tables and shelves are optimal for folding, whereas racks and hooks are perfect for hanging. Also remember to use a hanger that will display the clothing item the best. For more information about hangers, read our previous Tuesday Tip post “How to Choose the Right Hanger for Your Retail Store.”

Friday Feature Product: Portable Posts and Barriers

Friday, October 16th, 2009

An efficient way to manage the high volume of customers you are expecting this holiday season is investing in some portable posts and barriers for easy crowd control. Avoid massive mobs of people blocking key walkways in your store and keep lines to the registers in designated areas. Not only will these items maintain order in your store, they also help protect against theft. Posts and barriers can deter people with un-purchased merchandise from going out of your store.

There are several options in this category to match any store’s needs and budget. We would recommend measuring how long you need your posts to stretch within your store. Also consider if you will need to use these posts for outdoor use, because plastic is a better material for outdoor use than metal chrome.

Available in black and white, Portable Plastic Posts and Plastic Chains are an economical option for interior or exterior access control. For maximum stability, sand should be kept in the base. The Plastic Chains are sold by the foot. A seven foot length chain is recommended to use with the Plastic Posts.

The Portable Post with Tape is a simple, no-nonsense solution for temporary or permanent control. The belt is self-retracting and connects slowly and safely when detached. A three year warranty is included with purchase. End a line with either a Beltway Portable Receiver post or a Retractable Tape Wall Receptacle.

A Chrome Metal Portable Post has a classic, sleek design for any interior application. This light weight post goes with any style hook or snap. The Velour Rope with Chrome Snap Ends matches perfectly with the Chrome Metal Portable Post. This six foot rope will add an elegant look to any décor.

Portable posts and barriers are your solution to keeping order, hosting an event or deterring people from certain areas. Try them out in your store and let us know how it goes!

Tuesday Tip: Prepare for the Holidays

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

It’s better to start planning for the holidays early than to frantically throw things together a week before. And the better prepared you are, the higher the return will be in holiday sales. We recommend using what works, but remember that there is always room for improvement. Think about incorporating some of these tips in your holiday routine, you may wonder why you weren’t doing them all along.

Get your employees excited about the holiday happenings in your store. Employees can be some of your best customers, walking displays and talking endorsements, so use them! Offer incentives for employees and reward those that go beyond the call of duty. Even encouraging words will let your staff know that you are behind them and there for support. Happy employees will rub off and translate into happy customers.

Set-up holiday advertising initiatives and budgets early. If you haven’t already, compare your past advertising budgets to the season’s profits and determine the most successful opportunities. Get in touch with advertising representatives and get estimated pricing so you know your options.

Stock up on gift cards. Last year retail saw around 40 billion in gift card sales. Refer to past StoreSupplyGuy blog article, Making a Profit with Gift Certificates, for more helpful tips.

Conduct a sweep of your store. It’s a little late for spring cleaning, but the more organized your store is, the smoother you holidays will be. Hopefully your store will see a great deal in foot traffic this season, so give your customers the best impression you can by maintaining a clean, attractive store.

What have you found works well for getting ready for the holiday season?

Friday Feature Product: Steamers

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Clothes do not look their best when they come straight out of a box. They are usually wrinkled and smashed. A great appliance to have handy is a steamer that can give clothes a fresh look. There are many benefits you can enjoy with steamers as opposed to irons.

  • Steamers are gentler on clothes than irons because heat is not directly applied.
  • Steamers are designed to use on clothes that are on the hanger or even on mannequins.
  • Steamers are safe to use on fabrics such as silk, cashmere, velvet and wool.
  • Steamers can also be applied to hanging curtains and table clothes.

There are a variety of different steamers available depending on your needs.

* These Jiffy models are backed by at 12 Month Factory Warranty plus an additional six Month Store Supply Warehouse Warranty FREE of charge.

It is important to keep your steamer in the best condition possible for lasting use. Liquid Cleaner for Jiffy Steamers will clean out scale and deposits. We recommend applying this liquid cleaner every six months to keep your steamer performance high.

If you ever have a problem with your Jiffy Steamer, Store Supply is a factory authorized Jiffy Repair Station. You can send us your Jiffy Steamer for repair and order Jiffy replacement parts.