EXPERT – Someone having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience.
This is the first in a four-part series on dealing with experts in your retail store from several different perspectives. For the sake of these posts, when I refer to an expert I am referring to someone who has advantaged knowledge or experience about the products being sold and their usage. Today’s perspective is dealing with a customer that is an expert.
I was doing a little research today and I ran across an image that caught my eye. Digging a bit further, I discovered the image source was from Keep Calm-o-matic.
The Keep Calm-o-Matic is the place to express your creativity, dreams and imagination. You can create, discover and shop.
They make a variety of customizable products based on the WWII poster used throughout England to encourage their citizens to carry on in spite of the rocket attacks and bombings from the Nazis. (The website is so easy and engaging I bought a customized poster and a coffee mug and I do not even drink coffee.) See for yourself at http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk
As a start to the new year, John-Henry Perera of the Houston Chronicle reported on the potential demise of three former retail power houses by years end – J.C.Penney, Sears and Container Stores.
This is not necessarily news. For one, the death of Sears/Kmart has been predicted for years while they continue to limp along. Perera’s column is based on forecast from the corporate research unit of Graphic, FindTheCompany. Based on the Altman Z-Scores, FindTheCompany predicted the likelihood of these three retailers bankruptcies. FindTheCompany previously forecast the demise of Aeropostale and Quicksilver using the Altman Z-score.
For more: http://listings.findthecompany.com/stories/14107/companies-disappear-2017
I had the opportunity to drive out to the Portland International Airport (PDX) on the December 31st to pick up my wife returning from Vancouver, BC. Many people dread a trip to an airport particularly if they are not taking off to some exotic place and I would generally consider myself one of those. I have done enough travel in my time to generally dislike most airports.
But not PDX. Those of you that have had a chance to use PDX know that it is a pleasant airport with decent parking, a manageable size, quick & friendly TSA security and operated efficiently; all of which adds up to make PDX a great airport. But you do not have to take my word for it. Travel & Leisure magazine has named Portland’s airport “The Best Domestic Airport” for four years running and Conde Nast ranked PDX the second best airport for 2016 recognizing it for its local shops.
While in the car, I was listening to Oregon Public Broadcasting that was featuring authors talking about the first adult book the read when they were young that influenced them as a writers today. One of the interviewed named The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as being most influential to her. After describing the book, I decided that I would have to get ahold of the book and read it. Which brings me to the focus of this post.
I took the opportunity to wander through Holiday Land at Macy’s in downtown Portland last week. This particular Macy’s store is closing in the coming months; the building started as a Meier and Frank’s in 1909.
As I watched the children anxiously waiting to visit with Santa, I could not help but think of the countless other children who made Macy’s a family tradition for Christmas that will soon only be a memory.
Here is a little homage to the store and its logo.
When one of your favorite stores opens a new location in your area it can be exciting. That happened recently in Portland. And while it seems strange to write this, we got our own Amazon store.
On December 28th, 2000, after 128 years in business Montgomery Ward announced was closing up shop.
Toad Lane Museum from the outside, first premises of “The Rochdale Pioneers” early successful retail Co-operative, Rochdale England. by Scarletharlot69
On December 21,1844, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers opened their tiny shop at 31 Toad Lane. After working months to recruit 28 members and collect £28 in capital (£1 from each member), the store had finally opened. Unlike other shops, the Pioneers operated as a cooperative.
The shelves were sparsely stocked with butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and a few candles. Merchandise was soon expanded to include tea and tobacco and the co-op earned a reputation for providing unadulterated, high quality goods at a fair price.
While certainly not the first cooperative, the Rochdale Pioneers was the first successful modern co-op. What set the Pioneers up for success was the adoption of the now famous Rochdale Principles.
The principles continue to guide all modern retail co-ops. From their humble beginning, the co-op movement began and within 10 years there were nearly 1,000 cooperatives operating in Britain.
The Rochdale Pioneers work continues today with 4500 locations, 4.5 million active members, over 70,000 employees and revenue of £9.36 billion. http://www.coop.co.uk
I forgot that I had taken some shots of the Lolli & Pop shop in Washington Square. Thought you might enjoy seeing a few.
Lolli & Pops is a San Francisco-based “candy boutique” with locations in 17 states. The store is part nostalgic, part artisanal, part whimsical and all-around fun. Free samples are gladly purveyed. Check out a store if you have the chance, it is simply magical.
We published our first blog one year ago today.
Have I accomplished what I set out to do? Sort of. I may have not written as many great posts as I would like to. I may not have gotten the readership I hoped for. I may not have taken the blog in the directions I had originally envisioned. Regardless, I have enjoyed my year as a blogger and continue to learn and grow.
Thanks for reading.
The Observant Customer 