Posts Tagged ‘tuesday tips’

Tuesday Tip: Top 5 Tips for Displaying Jewelry

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

The way you display jewelry is a very important aspect to generating sales. Chances are that customers are not going to know exactly what they want before they purchase jewelry. These types of purchases are personality and style based and not focused as much on functionality. That is why you must cater these displays to your target buyers’ tastes.

1. Match the display with the style of jewelry you are displaying.
The jewelry you sell probably matches the personality type of your customers. If you sell high end, one-of-a-kind pieces, then you should focus on displaying each piece in a special way. When you have many of the same kinds of pieces, than a variety of merchandise will give customers more choices.

For example, the materials of the jewelry you sell can be a good indicator of what displays are right for you. If you have pieces with precious gems and stones then we recommend using black velvet and lights to make those items really shine and sparkle. Some merchandise might be more eclectic and made with beads, smooth rocks, string and wire. Using other textures and colors in these displays could be more eye catching. Think of a few adjectives you would use to describe your jewelry inventory i.e. casual, funky, formal. Then, have your display match those describing words accordingly.

2. Utilize a variety of mirrors in several places in your store.
From countertop mirrors to floor mirrors, customers will want to view all angles of themselves. Having mirrors around encourages customers to try on pieces and that will make them more likely to buy. You can even strategically place mirrors closer to sales associate stations, so you can ask if they need any assistance. It would also be a good idea to have hand mirrors behind the counter for people to view the backs of their heads or a close up of their face.

3. Make the jewelry the focus.
Be careful not to let your merchandise become hidden by your display materials and accessories. It can be easy to get carried away decorating displays, but sometimes less is more. Take a step back to look at your display and make a note of the function of each material you are using. If you can’t think of a reason for a particular decoration, chances are you would be better off without it.

4. Think about how portable you want your displays.
If you have jewelry displayed during store hours and then put it away at night for safe keeping, then you will want displays that are easy to maintain and move. Think about the difference between stationary displays and portable displays. Stationary displays are more appropriate for stores that do most business in-house. Owners that conduct a large part of their business at craft shows or trade shows will lean toward portable displays. You may find that you have a need for both.

5. Be organized.
Customers can be very frustrated messing with tangled necklaces and bracelets. Likewise, finding a card with a missing earring is a turn off. Choose displays that will be easy for you to maintain and straighten up regularly through the day.

View a previous feature product blog post about portable jewelry displays.

How do you effectively display jewelry in your store?

Tuesday Tip: Gear up for Valentine’s Day

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

You have probably noticed the Valentine’s Day merchandise already hitting the shelves. Although most Valentine’s Day sales come three days prior to the 14th, getting your Valentine’s items out earlier this year could be to your benefit, for a couple of reasons:

Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday. Historically when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend, retail sales drop a bit. This is because instead of buying products, couples go out to restaurants and date destinations. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), when Valentine’s Day was on Saturday in 2009 consumers spent about $14.7 billion compared to $17 billion in 2008.

The Super Bowl is early this year. With Valentine’s Day falling on the week after the Super Bowl, retailers will have to be on their best selling game. Men’s attention will be preoccupied, so getting them into the Valentine’s mood may be tricky. Start reminding them early that they need to think about the ladies in their lives.

The most popular items purchased for Valentines from the NRF include:

  • Cards
  • Evening Out
  • Candy
  • Flowers
  • Jewelry
  • Clothing
  • Gift Cards

If your store sells these items, highlight them at the front of your store, near registers and with Valentine’s Day sale signage. Appeal to men’s shopping behavior by making it easy to see items that would be perfect for their wife or girlfriend.

What is a big Valentine’s Day seller for your store?

Tuesday Tip: Cyber Monday Information

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Stemming from Black Friday, Cyber Monday falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year Cyber Monday will be on November 30, 2009. With entire websites dedicated to help consumers find the best deals for this year’s Cyber Monday, it can be very competitive to get your sale noticed. Obviously if you don’t have an online store, Cyber Monday is not as big of a “selling holiday” for you, but it doesn’t hurt to be knowledgeable about online sales.

Here are a few facts about Cyber Monday to keep in mind:

  • Victoria’s Secret’s website was completely down between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. during Cyber Monday in 2008, resulting in a decrease in sales and backlash from customers.
  • Cyber Monday sales were up 15 percent in 2008 at $846 million compared to 2007.
  • The term “Cyber Monday” was coined by shop.org in 2005 as a marketing tactic.

The number one, most important thing for eCommerce sites is to be able to remain functional with high amounts of traffic on Cyber Monday. When sites are down, customers are not willing to wait around, they will simply find what they are looking for with a click of a button to a competitor’s site. Though, some situations cannot be helped, do everything you can to test and retest your site to make sure it does not crash right as a customer clicks purchase.

Tuesday Tip: Black Friday Information

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

The day after Thanksgiving, commonly known as Black Friday, officially marks the first Christmas buying day of the year. This year Black Friday will be November 27, 2009. Black Friday can be a retailer’s best and worst dream. While traditionally this day brings in the most foot traffic of any day in the year, it has not always brought in the most sales. Usually the day before Christmas rakes in the highest amount of profit for store owners.

Here are a few facts about Black Friday to consider as you prepare your store for the crowds:

  • The term Black Friday originates back to the 1960s in Philadelphia, referring to the overcrowded sidewalks and busy streets.
  • At the top of the selling list in 2008 was the Nintendo Wii, Ugg boots, Sony Blu-Ray Disc Player, Samsung’s 52” LCD TV and Nintendo’s Wii Fit.
  • Black Friday is not an official holiday, however most employees get the day off (except those working in retail and banking).

The key for retailers is to turn window shoppers into buyers this holiday season. Some tactics to consider are utilizing holiday signs, advertising early bird specials, giving freebies with a certain purchase or offering a percent off at a certain time of the day.

What are some of the best and worst experiences you have gone through with your store during Black Friday? We would love to hear your retail stories!

Tuesday Tip: Avoid Holiday Chaos

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

The holidays are the busiest time of the year for retailers. While the season of buying can be very stressful, it is necessary to put in the work now because it will carry you through some of your slower months. You can not plan for everything, but going into the season organized will only help create a smooth holiday season.

Add extra staff on the weekend and during peak store hours. It can reflect poorly when your store is full and you are understaffed and can’t accommodate customers. Get detailed schedules of your employees and plan for some sick calls. If necessary, begin looking for seasonal employees now. College students are ideal seasonal workers since they usually have around four weeks off from school.

Set-up a system for back stock and damaged merchandise. Chances are workers behind the counter will be swamped and not have time to put away unwanted or returned items. Designate a specific place for each of these and have someone keep an eye on the piles.
Keep your store room organized. Don’t try and control everything, you’ll drive yourself crazy.

Post important messages to customers. These can include:

  • Return policy
  • Holiday store hours
  • Gift wrapping availability
  • Holiday events you are sponsoring

Because your employees will take their cue from you, if you stay positive even when things are rough they will follow. Think about doing little things that will put your employees and customers at ease such as adding music to your store, having refreshments in the break room or making sure there is a greeter at the entrance.

How do you make the holidays in your store go by smoothly and successfully?