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Archive for the ‘Shopkeeping talk’ Category

A little levity may be in order for resalers.

Posted in Shopkeeping talk on February 4, 2009|

An older lady gets pulled over for speeding…2009feb4

Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?
Officer: Ma’am, you were speeding.
Older Woman: Oh, I see.
Officer: Can I see your license please?
Older Woman: I’d give it to you but I don’t have one.
Officer: Don’t have one?
Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.
Officer: I see…Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.
Older Woman: I can’t do that.
Officer: Why not?
Older Woman: I stole this car.
Officer: Stole it? (more…)

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Just about EVERYONE is affected by CPSIA

Posted in Shopkeeping talk, tagged on January 28, 2009| 5 Comments »

Here at Auntie Kate the Blog, we’ve been talking about the flaw in the new 2009jan28everyonelaw known as CPSIA (the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 ) and how it affects people who consign or sell their children’s items through our industry, the people who shop resale, and our cohorts the Craigslisters, the eBay merchants, and of course, our own small shops. (Scroll back through the last half-dozen entries her on my blog to read up.)

The law,  originally conceived for a great reason: “To protect our children”…has become, like a Federal Frankenstein, a terror in the night to (more…)

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There’s nothing on my fridge

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk on January 27, 2009| 6 Comments »

In my never-ending quest to help you make sense of our fluctuating economy vis-a-vis the resale, consignment, thrift business world, I thought I’d share with you, today, my puzzlement as I wandered around the house eating my breakfast yogurt.

2009jan27refrigerator

There is nothing on my refrigerator.

Now you must understand, I live in a marketplace where real estate used to be red-hot, all anyone talked about, for years. My fridge was plastered with calendars, recipe postcards, calendars-of-events, all nicely magnetized so’s to hang at eye level, right where I’d be most likely to see them: on the front of my Kelvinator.

All of these (more…)

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Keeping your “regular shoppers” regular

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk on January 26, 2009| 1 Comment »

No, it doesn’t involve gift packets of Metamucil with each purchase. It DOES, however, mean paying attention to all the little things that keeps a loyal customer loyal. To do everything you can to RETAIN your regulars, while also increasing the reach of your shop to potential new clients.

Recently on Sharing, several Sharers expressed excitement at the idea of sending their clients a birthday card.  A greeting card is such a little thing. A postcard’s even littler. But it’s a way to keep your regulars coming in and to increase their satisfaction with your shop.

Other Sharers are treating their regulars to a taste of resort and cruise wear in this month’s Swing Shop and reporting increased enthusiasm in a traditionally slow shopping period. That would be a great broadcast email message…or a postcard.bdypcard Giving a loyal customer an extra punch on her Frequent Buyer Card  “because you came out in 10-degree weather!”…another easy way to keep your regulars regular.

There are many more ideas for keeping your consignment or resale shop in the minds of your most loyal customers, and more ideas that will turn occasional shoppers into regulars, in each and every Product for the Professional Resaler.

Statistics say that a mere 5 percent increase in customer retention translates into a 25-100 percent increase in profits.

That means, if you can entice one of of 20 regulars to come in today, and another tomorrow, and so on, you can look at some healthy cash flow growth. Isn’t that better than sitting around praying for a customer to come in?

So now, when it’s slow at the shop and maybe gray and gloomy outside, is a good time to read about and think about how to keep your everyday folks… every day shoppers.

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Recession’s GOOD for Resale

Posted in economics of resale, Shopkeeping talk on January 20, 2009| 3 Comments »

logoladyorangesmallYet another reason to be optimistic about the prospects for resale in a recession. Not only are cost-conscious shoppers discovering that the gently-used market has great deals for great prices, but now the true strength of consignment, resale, and even thrift shops comes to the forefront:

Selection!

Years ago, one of my best ad approaches (best = pulled in the most (more…)

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