One out of 10 shoppers shops resale...how will you target the other 9?
America’s Research Groups estimates that 15 percent of people shop at resale or consignment shops each year; 21 percent shop at a department store at least that often.
That’s a figure worth pondering.
(Goodness only knows the percentage of people who shop resale regularly. I’m guessing it’s less than half of that 15% who say they do. And half of those people, probably shop say in a used-book store or an antique shop, once in a great while. So I’m gonna restate that figure and err on the side of caution: Only 10% of people shop resale more than once a year.)
Which means that there are 9 potential customers out there that you can appeal to. Not all of them will be the customer for your shop, but enough of them are future “regulars” that you should be excited. Wouldn’t you love to have TEN TIMES THE BUSINESS you have now?
My challenge to you: think of SIX ways you can get that 90% at least come EXPLORE what you have to offer. Even if only ONE out of the NINE decides that your shop is for her/him, why, you can DOUBLE your business.
SIX ways. Go ahead, grab a pencil and start scribbling. I’ll wait.
Look over your ideas now. Pick the “easiest” TWO to try right now, before the fall/BTS season hits. What makes one of your ideas “easiest”? Well. time money effort of course…but also “likelihood of success”.
Share which two you’ll try starting NOW by telling us below! Then come back and tell us what happened when you decided to broaden the audience for your business.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
We participate to different street fairs during the summers across town : a pop-up kind of shop to attract customers + it is direct marketing : they can see the merchandise we carry , our prices and we distribute flyers. We also put our business cards in the envelope when we pay our bills (one of the reason why we didn’t switch to e-bill payment)M
[…] most often used by journalists but it reflects what so many (as many as 9 out of 10) people think about used, secondhand, thrift, consignment, resale shops. Now maybe you, as a resale […]
[…] Imagine what our shops would be like, if each of us addressed the issue that only 1 in 10 consumers shops resale. […]
[…] One out of ten consumers shops resale. That’s right: you could double your sales if you could make your shop appeal to another 1 out of 10 shoppers. Share with us your plans or actions to broaden the appeal of your shop by commenting here, and you could win: […]
[…] 4, 2009 by Auntie Kate Not in YOUR mind or even your customers’ minds, but in the minds of that 85% who haven’t shopped consignment or resale? What do your potential clients think of your business…and is that impression, that […]
[…] Their current, historic, customer could well be hurting, and the lack of sales from this segment of the community could be drastic. But what of those 90% of shoppers in every community who have never, or seldom, shopped resale? […]
[…] 30, 2008 by Auntie Kate That Challenge to all Consignment and Resale Shops? It was a good idea in July. It’s an even better one in […]