Posts Tagged ‘retail store supplies’

Tuesday Tip: Keep Merchandise Looking New

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Nothing can turn a customer off more than shabby looking store merchandise. Keep your products looking their best by following some simple tips.

Keep garments away from windows and out of direct sunlight. The sun will fade clothing materials, especially cotton, and can leave streak marks on clothing. Even bright, direct lighting can fade materials.

Dust off your merchandise and displays. It only takes a small amount of dust on items to give away that products have been sitting there for some time. Feather dusting will suffice on a daily basis, but try to take the time once every couple weeks to use glass cleaner or other liquid cleaners such as plastic polish.

Don’t allow smoking, eating or drinking inside of your store. This is especially important for employee drinks as a small spill could potentially ruin merchandise.  Smoke will ruin clothing, making it smell forever. If smoking, eating or drinking can not be avoided in your establishment, protect your merchandise by displaying in glass display cases or behind the counter.

Remove damaged merchandise from the shelves. Once a customer sees a damaged product, they usually keep walking. When you are doing your daily sweep of your store, pay close attention to the quality of shelf items. This includes looking at expiration dates, price tags and other small details.

Make note of how you keep merchandise in your storage areas. We recommend storing merchandise in containers protected from sunlight, dust and water damage. Keep in mind that cardboard boxes are vulnerable to water and sunlight can discolor items in clear containers. Storing items in newspaper may protect breakables, but the ink can also rub off on products.

Taking extra care of your merchandise will have customers coming back for quality products.

How do you keep your merchandise looking its best?

Friday Feature Product: Mobile Displays

Friday, August 21st, 2009

When you are out at local events, make your business stand out from the rest by creating eye catching displays in your designated spot or booth. Some things to find out before the event are how much space you will have, if tables and chairs are provided and the set up and pack up times.

Traveling with displays that are easy to store and move will make things much easier when you are at events. Salesman Rolling Racks are perfect for keeping clothing items organized and visible. The racks feature industrial casters so you can simply roll and lock them in their place. They are durable for everyday use and easy to transport.

Dump tables and other large display items are usually too heavy and bulky to take on the go. A Wire Folding Dump Table is a great alternative. It easily folds and wire is much lighter than other materials for transport. Other wire displays like baskets and shelves are also great for events.

Also, countertop displays and risers can help create eye catching table displays as well. These displays create height layers that enhance the real estate on the back of your table in order to maximize your space.

Just remember that you should have an extra set of hands to help you load and unload so that you don’t have to leave your merchandise behind while you are in the middle of transporting it.

What type of display fixtures do you use when you’re out promoting your store?

Tuesday Tip: Taking Your Store on the Go

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

For any brick and mortar store, or any online store for that matter, one of the hardest things to do as a business is to reach new customers. Sometimes you need to take your store on the road in order to present your merchandise to perspective customers that otherwise are not familiar with your store.

There are many ways to go about doing this. One way is to participate at local events. Events like arts and crafts shows, flea markets or fairs are a great opportunity. Purchase some booth space and sell your materials at the event. Make sure you have plenty of signage, fliers with your address and website on it and business cards at the event in order to make new customers aware of your company.

Also, find local “shows” that highlight your business. For example, every area has bridal shows multiple times a year. These shows are perfect for retailers in the dress and tux industries, but also for florists, framers, shoe stores, accessory stores, bakeries, restaurants and even gift stores. By enhancing your presence at these events, you can reach brides that not only will maybe use your services for their wedding, but they may become long term customers. Home and garden shows are also a great way to showcase your organization.

While at these events, make sure you have displays that are not only portable, but that show off your merchandise. If the event booth is only a table, use countertop displays that allow you to layer your items at different heights so that merchandise on the back of the table gets as much attention as the front. If you have clothing, bring rolling racks of clothes that can easily be transported.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you participate at an event or show, that the show itself is a reflection of your company. So do your research ahead of time and make sure that the event is aligned with your business’ values and mission.  Then, remember that your main job at a show is not only selling one piece of merchandise, but introducing your company to a potential repeat customer.

What type of events do you attend to promote your store?

Friday Feature Product: Combination Racks

Friday, August 14th, 2009

With so many different products for the back-to-school season, it is the perfect time to get creative with your displays. However, this can be difficult when items are so varied. Combination racks are an ideal solution to display different items in one store fixture.

Combination rack options include:

  • H Shelf Racks – These racks have a sturdy metal frame that is supported in the middle of the rack and on the sides. The result is a two sided rack that can be customized with different shelf types.
  • Hanging Rolling Shelf Racks – These racks combine hanging racks with stacking shelves and feature wheels so that they can be easily rearranged in your store.
  • Hangrail Shelf Racks – These racks feature a hang rail in the middle and two side shelf racks, making it an efficient and attractive use of space.

Combination racks, shelves and racks ship the same day your order (on orders placed before 3 p.m.). So it isn’t too late to spice up your back-to-school displays.

Store Supply Warehouse Releases Summer 2009 Catalog

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

The summer issue of the Store Supply Warehouse catalog is now available, featuring 121 new products, 47 closeout items and 262 reduced price items. The 80-page catalog is easy to navigate with color coded categories and more, so you can easily find exactly what you need.

Some of the exciting, new items include:

  • Eco Friendly, Non-Woven Tote Bags in 2 sizes and 2 colors
  • 12” Rotating Slatwall Unit
  • Economy Tier Tables
  • Color Tag Fasteners

Store Supply has never featured so many savings in one catalog. Some of the closeout products are over 60% off their original price. Store Supply already offers a no risk, low price guarantee every day and with these discount prices they won’t be beat. These items are also available online where customers can shop in the closeouts category for all the savings listed together.

If you have been thinking about making a change to increase sales in your store, now is the time to act. Whether you would like discount packaging options or to enhance the security in your store, the Store Supply Warehouse is the one stop shop for all your retail needs.

The latest catalog can be requested at www.storesupply.com for FREE and orders can also be placed on the company’s website.