Wholesale Changes
Mom-and-pop stores are so passe. It's time to give your store that warehouse feel.
In an effort to appeal to cost-conscious consumers, some
retailers are taking a lesson from warehouse stores. Even stalwart
Sears recently announced plans to revamp the standard layout of its
stores to give consumers a more spacious feel, featuring wide
aisles, simple displays and streamlined checkout.
Discounts and making customers feel they're getting more for
their money are what a warehouse store promises, says Gayle Marco,
an associate professor of marketing and expert in retailing at
Robert
Morris University in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Smaller
retailers might use a unit price comparison or use words like
"wholesale" to show customers what a value they're
getting.
Greg Balanko-Dickson, owner of business consulting firm The
Company Workshop in Edmonton, Canada, suggests selling store
memberships or having a special open house
"behind-the-scenes" tour to get that same warehouse club
feel. "Membership is revenue," he says, because it
encourages repeat shopping-customers come back because they feel
like they're getting something special.
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Before following the trend, however, Balanko-Dickson reminds
store owners to know their customers. "Just because a trend is
popular doesn't mean it will fit your customers'
needs," he says. "Find out if they want it
first."