Auntie Kate The Resale Expert

Why are we resalers such a tight bunch?

Well sure, we believe in the sanctity of a bargain, and nothing delights us more than beating the trash pick-up guys to a terrific display piece sitting out on someone’s curb (I once rescued a no-seat rattan princess chair that became my favorite window prop for years!) or finding a store going out of business with hangers for a penny apiece. And yes, most of us opened our shops on a shoestring and are leery of overspending.

But darn it all, there are some little splurges that could make a big difference in your shop’s public image.

How about fresh size rings? Wouldn’t it be nice if they all matched, if we didn’t have to alter them with a black marker, if we could toss the yellowed ones? And after all, they are not very expensive.

Proper hangers go a long way to making our gently-used good clothes look almost new. Foam hanger covers save garments from stretching or falling on the floor, and both these items make our customer’s browse through our racks a more pleasant experience.

Fresh, sharp tagging needles and loop attachers for handbags and belts and other difficult-to-tag items make tagging go smoother. Why frustrate yourself daily rather than spend some money here?

I was in a shop recently where all the employees’ coffee mugs matched, and were various vivid shades. If you’re going to drink coffee on the sales floor, might as well do it in style.

Another shop, which I know makes good money, was years past the point where the carpeting should have been replaced. Not a cheap splurge, but I couldn’t help but imagine how much classier the shop would have been without the stained, worn carpet it now has. Chances are it would look so good that she could raise her prices a dollar or two per item and make back the cost of the carpeting within a month or two. Yes, the look of your store can make a difference in the prices your customers are willing to pay.

And being a cheapskate can cost you dollars.

I guess that’s the point. A little money spent on image can mean a lot more money in your pocket. So reprint new business cards and toss those old ones that you have to manually alter to show your new hours, paint those dressing rooms, replace those liquor boxes you store incoming merchandise in with fresh laundry baskets. Are you worth a bigger splurge? How about replacing the scratched glass on your showcases or that banged-up outdated mannequin with something more upscale? Getting rid of those wood clothing rods your spouse installed before you opened eight years ago, and installing an adjustable system that you can double-hang tops on?

Are you putting up with… or worse, ignoring… that amateur web site that introduces your shop to new folks? Splurge on a site you will be proud to send people to from your social media messages. One that reflects how polished and professional your shop truly is.

Spend your money where it will save you time, too. If your vacuum is so old and tired that vacuuming takes hours, would a newer unit give you back some of that time? Do you not clean your windows often enough for lack of time, when a window-washing company will keep your image bright and polished for a pittance?

Splurge a little. You’re worth it. And your bank balance will be worth more when sales rise because you finally have enough time to spend out on your crisp, clean, efficient sales floor interacting with your impressed-by-your-image customers…

which is where you belong.