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Electronic Carneys on Retail Main Streets

“Step right up, step right up and see the amazing…”

You’ve heard it in dozens of movies. I’ll bet you even saw the red and white striped jacket some of the guys wore as they shouted at passersby.

They were called carnival barkers. Their sole job was to interrupt passersby loud enough with amazing sales skills to get you to pay extra and come see the sideshow or oddball attraction.

Hold that visual…

I was reading this week’s issue of Time magazine over the shoulder of a guy in the plane row in front of me. He turned to The Groupon Clipper. While the article was touting some of the headwinds for Groupon, it also described Groupon 2.0. When we landed I had to get a copy myself.

“The next phase is hyper-local: knowing where subscribers live and what their interests are, curating their commercial experiences and sharing with friends. Think of yourself walking around with a locationally aware smart phone and Groupon knowing not just what you like but also what might pique your curiosity.”

It continued…

“To get there will require the kind of data massaging that’s well beyond the average social-shopping site. In fact, Groupon’s investors believe its strength is in its data mining and not necessarily in its consumer interface, which is easily copied. These are the algorithms that conjure perfect deals at perfect times.”

So imagine you are indeed walking down the street…

And your smartphone vibrates or talks to you or beeps you a message has been received because Groupon knew you just walked close to a GAP. Or a Thai restaurant. Or a shoe store. And delivered a “deal.” Or all of them and more hit you with competing messages to get you to come in…

Your leisurely stroll down the street becomes a carnival boardwalk where you are yelled at by an electronic carney to grab your interest to come inside. Is that going to enhance anyone’s shopping experience at bricks and mortar stores or push them over the edge and onto the ‘net?

Good question…

That’s why I wrote a manifesto: Bricks and Mortar Retail At Risk In The Digital Age: From Silicon Valley to Main Street detailing the risks and what you can do about it. You can read the introduction here or if you are ready to download and read [registration required but free] you can do so here.

How To Help Men Buy Like A Hero On Christmas Eve

It’s the week before Christmas Eve. I love this week as a retailer.

All the planners have purchased – with their lists of “must have” items that unless you had it- they were out the door.

The men are now considering going shopping…

On Christmas Eve, the malls gradually thin out and you begin to notice more and more men – the malls are practically fueled by testosterone.

Men can be the easiest to wait on this week because we just want to be a hero. Here are a few tips (no matter what sex of a salesperson you are) to help you sell to men this week.

Understand this about your male customers:

We are not that price driven. We may “say” we are but remember, you’re basically dealing with a boy discovering your merchandise for the first time.
We often show how much love we have for the person we are buying for by the price tag or size of the gift we choose; whether that’s a toy, jewelry or clothing.
Its almost like we are treating ourselves when we splurge on someone else, so don’t try to limit us.
We want to win, be admired from the gift we give.
Above all, men hate shopping, its not a thrill – its a chore.

Help us by getting us to laugh or at least smile when we deal with you so we can acknowledge we want your help.

If it were me I’d put a sign over the most expensive bike or other toy that read, “Yes, you can buy their love.”

If I owned a liquor store I might put up a sign, “Alcohol always makes the in-laws nicer.”

If it were a lingerie store it might be, “Guys: Always guess smaller if you want to be a hero.”

Get the idea?

How to treat men:

Don’t leave us alone – we’ll walk.
Don’t follow us around or you’ll spook us; check-in every few minutes by pointing something out about what we’re looking at.
If you wrap, let us know that up front – it makes a difference.
Acknowledge your return policies right away – make it safe for us to buy.
If we trust you and pick something out ask us, “Who else is on your list?” We only want to do this chore once.
Figuratively take us by the hand if we’ve never been in this type of store before whether its lingerie, cameras or jewelry. Give us options; don’t expect us to know what we want.
If we can’t decide between a couple items (and its not Christmas Eve,) suggest we purchase the best item and return it if we change our mind before giving; that way we’ll at least have something. Remind us that otherwise we’ll have to return to the chore of the mall again and worse, you might lose out because the item could be gone.
If you’re an apparel store, don’t make a big deal if we don’t know the size of our wife, girlfriend, buddy or child. Instead ask us to point out someone in the store about their size. Remind us it can all be returned.

What to show men:

Big, bright,or cool.
The closer it gets to Christmas, the more likely we are to splurge.
Instead of a gift card, suggest an outfit or item of equal value so the giftee has something to unwrap that looks like he tried to get something just for them.

What not to do:

Ask for our budget. If you allow us to limit ourselves, you’ll dumb-down our choices and you’ll lose out.

Men when shopping have different needs than women. If you use these tips, it won’t matter what her size; he can still be a hero on Christmas.

What else would you suggest?

Retail Expert Notes Pundits Pissed: Retail Consumers Shopped In December 2009

Well, they got it wrong again, some 75 percent of retailers beat analysts’ estimates. Pity those talking heads, the doom & gloomers anxious to be seen as smart and savvy missed it – again – retail sales increased. In my white paper which I created last fall I predicted the same stories would repeat with a herald of “whoops” in January and for the 10th out of 11 years, they got it wrong. (You can still download the proof here.)

Maybe you remember the article in Forbes from December 3, “Economists say depressed spending could persist for several years amid stubbornly high unemployment.” Or as recently as December 14 in a USA Today article, “Only 35% of consumers surveyed over the weekend said they would shop in the week after Christmas, according to survey questions posed by America’s Research Group on behalf of Reuters. Last year, 38% said they planned to shop after Dec. 25. Over the past decade, 48% to 55% typically said they planned to shop in that week, America’s Research founder Britt Beemer said.”

Source: Wall Street Journal

Yet in the light of day? Oh, gee most retailers had increases in December. For example, Bed Bath & Beyond Same-store sales rose 7.3%, margins rose to 41.1% from 38.9%.

It wasn’t just the new darling of the media the Dollar stores that increased – even Neiman and Nordstom – hardly the “value” brands of discounting. While reports of only electronics having increases and apparel the worst performers for December, the strongest growth came from apparel chains that cater to both adults and teenagers. Who knew?

Let the pundits go crazy taking shots again at these figures saying they, “Don’t matter.” They do. Get ready for a comeback, not to 2005-7 levels but to those who want them, the customers are out there. Shopping. Luxury. Premium.

Go get ‘em!

To get ready for the comeback, pre-order the new book from Wiley the Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business

Retailers: Welcome Technology & The iPhone Apps

I overheard a story the other day about a retailer banishing a customer for scanning their item with their iPhone. The shop employee figured they were price checking on the Internet and wouldn’t allow them. That is ridiculous.

People often fear what they don’t understand. Maybe that’s why so many mom & pop retailers STILL don’t have a website.

One of the apps I use on my iPhone is RedLaser RedLaser Video which lets you scan any bar code. Many times there is no one around when I have a question about a purchase. I can bring up the application, scan it and find the information online instantly.

Ban the iPhones and Blackberries and you could upset those most able to purchase your products. Can the newest applications (apps for short) price compare? Certainly but the sale is still yours to lose.

amazon app Amazon has an app that allows you take a photo, send to Amazon with optical recognition software and within a few minutes it messages the user that it found the item and it can be purchased immediately.

Is that scary? Maybe.

But what opened the door to all of these shopping apps? Businesses that cut labor, didn’t train employees what features and benefits the products have, hiring employees who don’t use the technology or products the retailer carries and customers not willing to “try to find someone.”

The sale is yours to lose.

How to deal with the app user?

1) Welcome and engage them. “I see you’re using one of the new shopping apps. How do you like it?”

2) Ask to see what the net shows about your product.

3) Fill in the details that the net doesn’t have about your product. Anything to beware of? Something that makes it better? Have you used it personally and found a trick? Now’s your chance.

4) Create a compelling reason for them to buy it from you now.No waiting, no shipping fees, no surprises.

5) DON’T PRICE MATCH.

6) Thank them for educating you about their mobil device.

My advice for those of you who fear this technology? Buy one yourself so you know what you are talking, fearing and worrying about. And stop calling your buddies with the loser’s limp, “They get all the information from me and then buy it online.” Look in the mirror, the reason they didn’t buy is because of you. Drop the anger and fear and embrace the technology.

Retail isn’t going to get any easier, you might as well seize the day so you can capture all of the business that walks in your door; not just what you are used to.

Retail Sales Increase For May Defies Experts

May retail sales released today by the U.S. Commerce Department show total retail sales (which include non-general merchandise categories such as autos, gasoline stations and restaurants) increased 1.0 percent seasonally adjusted from the previous month.   

That’s DOUBLE the growth economists expected.

WOW! Maybe the economy really isn’t as bad as we continue to be told. Maybe those economic stimulus checks so highly derided worked. Maybe shoppers are just sick of worrying and are returning to normalcy.

As each month of 2008 proceeds, the doom and gloom-sayers are upset their dire predictions from 2007 haven’t come to pass. The talking heads continue to say, “Well yes, but this doesn’t prove anything, wait until (new fear) happens.” We’re now halfway into 2008 – there is no recession.

Yes, there are some real issues facing our sales efforts worldwide. Our economic lifestyle is being manipulated back and forth both with speculators in the oil markets as well as an ongoing pessimistic attitude from the media. If the pundits were employees, they would have been fired from your store long ago for attitude.

As Winston Churchill said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Go out there and sell something!