Veteran consignment, resale and thrift shopkeepers smile behind their hands when a customer says “Oh I have always wanted to be my own boss so I’ll open a resale shop.”
We know that resale retail is a business with (if you’re lucky) 10,000 bosses.
All of whom are calling you in for a performance review on an hourly basis.
And isn’t that wonderful?
Yes, it is. Because each and every one (well, except for the wackydoodles) of them want you to succeed. That is, they want your business to be their favorite destination. They’ll tell you what you need to do to be a thriving entrepreneur.
All you have to do is listen.
Here’s how:
1- Do not fear hearing about exactly where you’re going down the wrong path. Allow, welcome, court feedback. It’ll make your business stronger. Ask questions in the shop. Run a survey through your emails. Give ’em a choice between several alternatives on Facebook. We’re expanding our hours. Is Thursday til 9 better for you, or should we be open on Sundays noon to 4?
2- Make them love you so much, they’ll still love you when you mess up. Then give them a lollipop to make it all better. We’re all gonna mess up sometime. Big or small error, having your clients on your side makes it a lot easier to make up for mistakes.
3- Build loyalty and do word-of-mouth worthy things so that your fans spread the word for you. Everything from a lovely thank-you note to a Preferred Customer Club. A blog series on how to dress or decorate. A Pinterest Board with things to do around you. Caution: It needs to be exceptional, otherwise, you’re not getting the WOM you need. A cold bottle of water on a hot day is nice to offer, a festive bottle of water is worthy of a remark to others.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
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