Brick & Mortar
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Sunday, March 8th, 2009Like any shopkeeper, there are a ton of different things I’d love to change about my store. For one, I’d just like it to be bigger. It’s very cramped as it is. A few other things I want?
-New windows - The old ones aren’t well-insulated.
-Kohler sinks - because they just look nice.
-Better lighting - It’s pretty dark at the moment.
-A better location - Something with more foot traffic would be nice.
So basically, you can see that I want an entirely new store - but I get by as it is 
My Recent Stroke of Genius
Sunday, March 8th, 2009Recently, I decided to set up an Xbox360 in a corner of my shop. Although most of my customers are older women and mothers, they often bring children who drive them insane while they shop. Do you think women with bratty 8 year olds tugging at their coats like to spend a lot? Of course not. Half of them get fed up and drag their kids out of the store before they get a chance to find anything they want.
Now that I have a gaming system, the kids are silent. It was a little expensive, but it’s been worth every penny, even with the occasional broken game to replace. If you want to do the same, I’d recommend getting an Xbox360 or Playstation 3 - not a Wii. I started with a Wii and the controllers kept going dead or getting un-synced with the system and it took up way too much of my staff’s time.
Furniture in the Shop?
Monday, December 29th, 2008Given the number of people buying flat screen TVs these days, I’ve been giving some thought to carrying tv stands in my shop. It seems like a lot of people are coming in with concerns about the digital switch, and in addition to new flatscreen TVs, they’re also buying new TV stands since they no longer need enormously strong furniture to hold their TVs.
What do you think? Is it wise for a gift shop to get into small furniture pieces?
Christmas Gifts
Monday, December 29th, 2008I’ve spent so much time helping people find Christmas gifts over the last two months that it was almost a surprise when the time for me to receive gifts actually rolled around. All in all, I’m very pleased with the results of the holidays, including the gifts that were purchased for me. I got several great books, a George Foreman Grill for healthy grilling, and a new coat. It’s not a ton like some people I know, but everything was very special and from the heart.
What did you get for Christmas?
Best Books From the Holidays
Monday, December 29th, 2008As I’m tallying up the results from the holidays, I’ve noticed that a few books did particularly well in my shop. A couple of them were very surprising.
First off, “Will Cook for Sex” was a surprise hit. It talks about how men can create meals to woo their lady friends. I also did very well with the I Can Has Cheezburger book (no surprise there). Finally, I had a display of several sappy Christmas titles and those outsold pretty much everything else.
What did well in your shop this holiday season?
Holiday Headaches
Sunday, December 14th, 2008I feel like I’ve had a non-stop headache for the last three weeks now. Ever since we got close to Thanksgiving, it’s been completely insane. To make up for missing my gym appointments to spend time at the store, I’ve been using diet pills to keep things under control. I’m not sure that they’re working - it’s too soon to tell - but I certainly hope they are. Keeping fresh cookies in the shop for customers has had a majorly negative effect on my diet!
More Ideas for Your Store
Sunday, December 14th, 2008I’ve gotten a couple e-mails asking for more unorthodox items for gift stores. Apparently, one woman picked up some exercise equipment and started selling it in her shop and her customers went nuts. They said they were thrilled that they no longer had to go into huge, manly sporting goods stores. I’m really glad to hear it.
Some more ideas: pet supplements, jewelry, small furniture, karaoke equipment, or high-end beauty products. What do you think? Any other ideas?
How Do You Handle the Holiday Rush?
Friday, December 5th, 2008Things are crazy here at the shop, and I’m actually amazed that I’ve managed to get out for a couple of hours today. The holiday rush is on, and it definitely doesn’t feel like a recession here. Sometimes, I feel bad because I see people putting things back on the shelf and leaving because the line is so long - that’s never something I like to see.
So how do you deal with it? Do you get stressed out, or do you keep yourself sane by visualizing the light at the end - a peaceful holiday with your family, Vegas vacations, or maybe a nice year-end bonus?
New Car Insurance
Sunday, November 30th, 2008I’ve been considering the costs of moving to a new city, and one of the things I’ve been taking into account is the cost of car insurance in each location. My current location is extremely cheap. I’m not sure why, but I guess drivers here are pretty safe. When I checked out San Francisco and New York, however, I was absolutely astonished. Even Phoenix and Milwaukee were crazy-high compared to where I am now.
Do you pay a lot? Have you found any good ways to get cheaper car insurance without cutting back on coverage?
Digital Signage For Your Storefront
Sunday, November 30th, 2008Since my shop is in a pretty bland storefront, I really have to go out of my way to attract visitors. Lately, I’ve been considering getting some kind of digital signage to create a moving message that will be visible from a reasonable distance. There’s very little that I can do outside of movement or lights that would get someone to look at the shop and visit.
Of course, blinking neon signs might work, too, but I’m not really going for the blinking liquor store light look. Something modern and tasteful would be perfect.
Hot Products You May Not Have Considered
Sunday, November 30th, 2008If you’re looking for new ways to expand your product offerings, consider weight loss or over the counter nutrition and pharmaceutical items. Leptorexin, Allii, and the like can be very profitable if you have a large female customer base.
Beyond that, what about minor gadgets or accessories for gadgets. iPod stuff is always popular, but if you cater to young moms, consider Nintendo DS accessories, too. Every time I leave the house I see another kid with a DS. Someone has to sell them their accessories - might as well be you.
Odds & Ends
Monday, November 17th, 2008For the last week, I’ve been placing some unusual orders with my suppliers. Although I usually stick to a lot of decor and “old lady gifts” (as my nieces and nephews say), I’ve added a lot of items for kids during the holidays. I found a Floam-like snowman kit, along with a bunch of cute odds and ends from Worldwide Fred, too. It’s not like I’ll be adding Harley parts any time soon, but I do like to have some variety during this heavy buying season. I just hope the customers keep coming like they have in years past. With the economy as it is, it’s hard to tell.
All I Want For Christmas
Monday, November 17th, 2008As a retailer, you’ll probably spend most of the next month thinking about what everyone else wants. That’s why I’m taking a few moments to think about what I want, because after Thanksgiving, it won’t matter (at least not for a few weeks, anyway). I would love for my husband to set up a home theater room. Not the ugly kind that men often create, either. I want a plush room with thick home theater carpeting, tiny little theater lights in the flooring, and tasteful decor - not sleazy movie posters.
What about you? What would you like to have this Christmas?
Apple Distributors
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008Although I’m usually the one posting sources, I have a request today. Does anyone know of an Apple distributor that would make it possible to purchase small quantities of iPods and resell them in my shop? I know I can’t meet the minimum purchase requirements of going direct with Apple, but I’d love to carry iPods in the shop throughout the holiday season. I’m sure we’d be able to move quite a few of them with all the people who are so desperate to get them for their kids. Let me know if you have any leads on a distributor.
A Death Plan
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008When you run your own business, it’s important to know what would happen in the event of a major illness or even your own death. If you have kids or a spouse, you need to make sure that they will know what to do, and that they’ll be financially cared for later. Lately, I’ve been looking into term life insurance quotes and overall coverage. It’s still all very new, and pretty confusing. Have you ever been through this process? What did you look for in a policy? How did you sort it all out? Any tips are welcome!
I Love Promotional Pens
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008I’m a huge fan of promotional products. I love going to trade shows and meeting people and getting all kinds of imprinted promotional pens and notepads. At the last show, I ended up coming home with over 50 different pens, and I’ve been using them over the last couple of months. I’ve even called one of the companies and placed an order since then. Given my own experience using promotional products, I’m considering getting some of my own promotional pens to give to customers this holiday season. What do you think? Have you ever invested in promotional items?
Replicas
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008Although I’m not sure how legal it is, a lot of stores in my area carry replica products. I suppose it may depend on the way they deal with the logo. I’ve seen a lot of local stores carrying Tiffany jewelry or replica watches, and people love it. You never know who’s carrying a real Louis Vuitton and who isn’t, or who’s wearing a real Rolex and who isn’t. You can guess, but no one knows for sure.
What’s your take on replica products? Do you carry them in your store?
Medical Supply with a Gift Shop?
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008There’s a store here that has come up with a surprising combination that seems to work. Instead of being “just” a gift store, they’ve opened up a medical supply shop in one half of the store. They sell canes, adapted toilet seats, and bandages, among other things. Given that sick and injured people often get gifts, it actually makes sense. Whether you need an adult diaper or a get well soon card, they have you covered.
Consider these kinds of unconventional combinations if you want to increase your foot traffic. You never know what could work.
Investing Outside the Business
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008When you have a small business, it’s tempting to invest all your money into the business and ignore other avenues. I try not to do that, though, as it’s important to diversify your revenue streams. Lately, I’ve been doing some online trading to build up a portfolio that I can use to retire someday. With the markets down, it’s a great time to put money in before things eventually go back up again. I’ve been investing in an S&P index fund for now, along with a few random stocks that I just wanted to buy to satisfy my urge to pick a few.
What’s your strategy? Do you maintain outside investments?
Great Stocking Stuffer Items
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008I love the holiday rush, and it’s a great idea to experiment with new products you wouldn’t normally carry in your store. A few ideas? Candy, CDs, golf balls, and jewelry can all make great stocking stuffers for your customers. By including these small items near the register, you can help your customers satisfy another need AND you can increase your average order size. You’d be crazy not to pick up at least a few new items around the holidays. What do you carry?
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