Odin Collie

Your store, which was thriving till recently, witnesses dwindling sales out of the blue…… The first assumption is that this is nothing but a passing trend. However as the business continues to erode, you realize you must act promptly to shore it up. And after a quick review, what you conclude is that your retail store deserves nothing but a makeover.

Today, society is highly image-conscious. Everything is judged first by how it looks, even a retail outlet! Further, in this changing retail marketplace, consumers’ likes and dislikes change overnight. If you want to retain your share and fight sluggish sales, your shop ought to be more customer-friendly, more modern and more competitive. So keep your eyes open and always welcome change. … Now you must be wondering from where to start that overhaul? Let us help you a bit.

1. Start with the storefront: Do any of these describe your retail business?

? Your store is on the high street or in the primary business borough of your city, but people don’t visit.

? When asked, they said they didn’t notice your shop.

? They noticed, but weren’t interested in walking in.

When consumers walk past your store, you have got only a few seconds to draw their attention. With the right look, image, product and presentation, your store can excite your customers and lure them into buying. So make sure your retail outlet, and primarily it’s storefront, is attractive enough. With some novel ideas, a dull window can be transformed into a dynamic, unique or contemporary window display. Ideally, displays must be used to maximum advantage, showcasing the newest products or highlighting the season’s theme.  Read more...

Retail business owners and managers are always looking for the best possible means to promote items in their stores. But it is not enough to simply place the items into the retail display. Retail store owners need to create attractive looking displays that garner attention. By getting the customer’s attention, they will be more likely to linger, shop longer and buy more items. Focal Points Help Your Customers A key factor in creating an attractive retail display is to create a focal point.

Having a focal point is a place that people’s eyes will immediately focus on when they first look at the display. Do not worry, a fancy degree in Marketing or understand lots of unusual terms is not required to create a great looking display that works. It is far more important to use some general common sense to help you find an ideal focal point. “But I want customers to notice everything. Not just one area or a focal point!” Some retail store owners and managers may argue. It is completely understandable that you want customers to notice everything. By creating an attractive display you will take the most important step of all, getting their attention. Thereafter, the customer’s eyes will wander and eventually notice each and every item in the retail display.

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One of the critical concerns of retail businesses today is Retail Loss Prevention. This is true regardless of the size of the business. Small family owned businesses face the same problems with shop-lifting and burglaries as large department stores. Such crimes are on the rise and the authorities can do little to prevent them. The best the police can do is to try to catch the criminals after the fact, but this seldom leads to the recovery of lost inventory.

It is up to business owners to find and install good Loss Prevention Systems that keep these crimes from ever occurring or stop them in the act. While no Retail Loss Prevention System is foolproof, modern technology has provided the means to protect even the largest business complex and minimize losses.

However, the best Loss Prevention Systems must contain the latest technology and be properly installed and maintained. CCTV, (closed circuit television) Systems often provide the best protection for retailers if they are properly set up.

Unfortunately, many small retailers try to cut costs by simply installing a few closed circuit cameras on the premises. While this may work to a limited extent, it will not provide the coverage needed to fully protect the business. CCTV Systems are virtually useless if there are blank spots that can easily be spotted by potential thieves.  Read more...

Studies show that businesses lose as much as $70 million per day to a combination of internal and external theft. The retail industry is extremely vulnerable to shoplifting and employee theft. Some thirty to forty percent of inventory losses are attributed to employee theft, and more is lost to employee fraud. Commercial security systems offer various services to curb such losses among retail businesses in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

How exactly do these commercial security systems protect your retail business in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg?

Many retail stores use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on their merchandise. If any of such merchandise is brought out of the store unpaid, it will trigger alarms and alert the guards. This is one of the most effective deterrents against shoplifters.

Retailers should train their personnel well, though, to ensure that RFID tags are always removed before merchandise that has been paid for is wrapped at the counter. If a paying customer triggers the alarm while going out the shop because of employee negligence, this will create a negative backlash on the store. The customer will be humiliated and will, understandably, be very furious. Other customers in the shop will surely sympathize with the victim. In extreme cases this could even lead to a boycott. Security should not be implemented at the expense of customer service and relationships.  Read more...

Retail is the fastest growing sector in India today. With many big players setting foot in the industry, the sector is bound to grow manifold. The growing number of shopping malls and departmental stores has thrown up endless job opportunities in India and abroad. Industry insiders estimate a growth rate of 30 to 40 percent in India in the retail sector and there will be a requirement for an estimated 80 lakh trained professionals.. Hence, it is an opportune time to join a course in Retail Management and bag a job in this promising field. Recognizing the demand for skilled professionals in this field, many institutes have started courses and training programmes at the undergraduate and post graduate level to create skilled manpower for this industry. Here’s all the information that you may require on courses in retail management.

The retail sector is now more organized and efficient. The retail revolution has changed not just the urban lifestyle but also the lifestyle in small towns. Thus, for a retail management graduate, there are opportunities galore across the country in the books and publishing industry, music stores, multiplexes, shopping malls, garment industry and also in the processed foods industry. Somebody opting for a graduation course in Retail Management should ideally have passed the Higher Secondary or 10+ 2 Examination.

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