95% of retail companies have only one location.
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Category Archives: Retail Musing
They still like stores
I was doing some reading today and ran across these findings from PWC from 2015 and thought I would share an excerpt and the link.
“According to the survey, only 27 percent of U.S. consumers say they shop online weekly. Reserving the strength of the traditional store, 68 percent of U.S. respondents say they have intentionally browsed products at a store but decided to purchase them online, while 73 percent say they have browsed products online but decided to purchase them in-store. Sixty-five percent of the respondents noted delivery fees as the reason for purchasing in-store, as well as having the item immediately (61 percent), and trying it on/seeing it (61 percent).”
from Physical Store Beats Online as Preferred Purchase Destination for U.S. Shoppers, According to PwC
The last line is critical. Immediacy and the tactile experience are the key advantages of brick & mortar.
Dropping off the card
I have followed Bob Phibbs, the The Retail Doctor for several years and I am a big fan of his work. He once wrote about a card that he carried with him when he was out and if he ever visited a store and was ignored, he would leave the card when he exited the store.
When I read that post, I thought that is something that I should do. So I produced a stack of the card that you see above and have carried them in my wallet ever since. The other day, I dropped a card off in a local shop.
I just wish they knew that it was also a gift from Bob.
Poler – Making the outdoors fun again
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- Poler Sign
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- Flagship Store 413 SW 10th Ave Portland, OR
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- Come on in & sit a spell
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- Camp Vibes Wall
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- The Nest
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- Mug Shot
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- Stove-top Packs
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- Pack Wall
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- Sign of Good Stuff
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- Sacks of Napsacks
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- Poler Bear?
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- Camp Vibes Board
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- Nike Hikers & More
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- T-shirts
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- PBR me, ASAP
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- Poler Patches
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- Lids
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- Camp Vibes Cap
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- Worthy Cash Wrap
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- The Outsiders New Outdoor Creativity
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- Chapter on Poler
Poler gained a following for its unpretentious and inclusive approach to high-quality gear and outerwear
There was a time in our lives when “the great outdoors” meant our backyard, the neighborhood park or the woodlands and wetlands that we could walk/bike/skateboard to without getting into too much trouble from our parents. Then, slowly, things began to change.
Now, if an adventure is not epic or extreme, it’s not viewed as worthy. It seems that adventures need to involve exotic locations like Papua or Lapland or an esoteric endeavor such as wing suiting or canyoneering for any credibility. Gone are the days of the simple pleasures of being outside and enjoying life with friends.
Or are they?
Leon Leonwood got it right
I received a mail-order catalog yesterday, a common occurrence in my home. Like most homes, catalogs make their way quickly to the recycling bin. Some unopened, others just skimmed and a select few actually read.
The third page of L. L. Bean’s “The Spring Collection” catalog caught my attention and reminded me why I admire them as a retailer. The page contained a quotation from L. L..
“L. L. himself always said that he didn’t consider a sale complete ‘until goods are worn out and the customer is still satisfied.'”
He got it right.
DMV, DEQ, VIP, OMG
(This is not a rant, well, not a bad rant anyway.”)
I have yet to meet a car owner that does not dread receiving a letter with “Department of Motor Vehicles” as the return address. Just the thought of license renewals, surly government employees, emission checks, waiting for numbers to be called and getting your mug shot, sorry, license photo taken strikes fear in the hearts of many. It was with trepidation that I opened the envelope informing me that one of the cars needed its registration renewed.
What is wrong with this picture?
What is wrong with this picture? You don’t see it? Not sure? What is wrong will become clear by the end of the post.
Several weeks ago I was taking an evening walk when I had decided to stop by my neighborhood bookstore for a quick visit. Entering the store I saw that many of my neighbors apparently had the same idea as the store seemed unusually busy for a weekday night. Wandering through the store I found latest edition of a favorite magazine of mine, a book on the Top 10 Things to Do in Paris for an upcoming trip, a used book on backpacking I had been looking for and Oliver Sack’s autobiography, On the Move. Checking my watch I realized that I needed to get home so I gathered my new found treasures and headed to the cashier line. There I joined 5 others already waiting.
Seeing red
(Full disclosure: This photo was taken on an iPhone and this blog was prepared on an iMac.)
As I approached my local Apple store, I witnessed a sea of red. I got to thinking was this a welcoming sign of service or would it be intimidating to an Apple neophyte?
To sale or not to sale…
I saw this sign while I was in the mall today and it got me to thinking; recollecting actually. Any person that has followed retail for some time can recall countless tales about AF. (I even remember when the original company filed for bankruptcy.) One of the tales was about AF and their struggle with sales and price promotion. It looks like for now they are embracing it.
A tough one
How does a salesperson explain that this year’s hottest Christmas gift could possibly get too hot?
The Observant Customer 