A Little Retail 101 Goes a Long Way…

After so much hand-wringing on the state of our industry and the sputtering attempts to spur consumers to part with their hard-earned dosh, I had the most delightful experience recently which reminded me of everything great retail is supposed to be about. And it happened in the most unexpected of places.

I was in the market for a new lawnmower and had decided after much internal debate to go with one you “push.” I’d like to tell you this was just the latest step on a greening-of-my-life type strategy, but in reality the timing was set when the kid down the street doing my lawn went to college in the fall and his mom didn’t think his 7-year-old sibling was up to the task. Although, admittedly, I did ask.

Having taken the plunge to do the job myself, I went the way of “push” during my research (read: stalling) for the upcoming endeavor. Apparently its better for the lawn, you get a better result and when I decide to do something, no matter how reluctantly, it’s at least partially important to me to try and get it right.

So, I find what’s considered to be the world’s best push mower according to all the online lawn geeks (a group I now am proudly a part of) and then set about what I anticipated would be a long, arduous journey to get one into my hands. Here’s the steps I went through.

1. Went to the manufacturer’s wonderful, beautifully designed, informative Web site to discover (surprise, surprise) the best push lawnmower in the world is made not hours from my house. Wow! My initial joy at buying a true heartland, American-made classic was then wholly deflated when I discovered they make them there but don’t actually sell them there. Arse.

2. Go to the Supplier Finder and, low and behold, there’s one in the next neighborhood--a big, national hardware store chain even. But still, I steeled myself that they wouldn’t have the one I wanted as I picked up the phone.

3. Called them. They had one in stock. What were their opening hours? Again ready for the inevitable “We close at 6,” only to find “We close at 10.”  10? Really? Wow again. Loving these guys.

4. Drove over after work. It’s a measure of how hit and miss things have been these past months (or perhaps just a measure of my rampant paranoia) that I spent the drive convinced when I got there they wouldn’t have it or would in fact be closed. But the sun was out and it was a beautiful evening drive--so what the hell.

5. Arrived at the store and wandered around a bit looking for my lawnmower. Well-lit, well-signed and there it was--perhaps surprisingly--in the lawnmower section.

6. And it was on sale.

7. Then of course I wondered, how does one actually buy a lawnmower? Does it come in a box? Do you need tools? As if by magic, at that very moment a chap shows up. “Can I help you?” “Um yes, I’d like to buy that.” He paused, and smiled. Here it comes, I thought, the inevitable up-sell, the admission that it wasn’t actually in stock. “Oh man, excellent choice, you are going to LOVE this!” he exclaimed. Imagine my surprise; someone who not only knows the product--he uses it himself. Someone who was just given the easiest sell in creation and yet took the time to share his enthusiasm regardless.

8. Still, I didn’t know how exactly to buy it. “Oh…I’ll just give you this one,” the associate says. “Isn’t that your floor model?” “Yeah, but you don’t want to worry about assembly, and it’s a beautiful day so you are going to want to use this tonight. I’ll just put another one together in the morning.” And with that, he picked it up and carried it to the front desk.”

9. As I was paying--still somewhat in shock at how easy this all was--he came over and gave me a free sharpening kit. Then he gave me his card and told me to call if I had any questions or problems. Then he carried it out to my car. Then he shook my hand and wished me luck.

I drove home slack jawed. It couldn’t have gone smoother. I couldn’t have been happier.  And the mower was a simple delight. What did I pay for this experience? $79. Where did I have it? Ace Hardware. What was it worth to me? To borrow the slogan from Mastercard--it was priceless.

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger

Buy with a Buzz

I’ve been known to imbibe a cocktail or two in my time. I’ve also been known to drop more money than anticipated in a single shopping outing. I have not, however, done both simultaneously (unless you’re counting a few miscalculated T-shirt buys at touristy bar gift shops in years past). Some retailers have spotted a new way to keep customers in their stores.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal caught my attention with the simple headline: “Belly Up to the Bar And Buy Some Jeans.” Um, yes please! A girl should have her inhibitions slightly whacked when dropping a credit card on the most frustration-inducing purchase known to man (or woman). Turns out a men’s clothing boutique in Washington, D.C., is doing just that. At Lost Boys, customers are offered free beers and a place to lounge in front of a big-screen TV…all while shopping. The article states that a growing number of men’s retailers are trying to get men to adopt more of the linger-and-browse approach that women take to shopping. Bring on the happy hour!

Other stores, such as Kesner, an upscale men’s store in New York’s West Village, and Lisa Kline Men in Los Angeles, also offer up the aperitifs with customer service a plenty. While trunk shows and fashion events have often integrated champagne and cocktails with special events, the everyday shopping venue has not fully embraced this concept on a wide-scale basis until now. As retailers come up with every last ploy they can to get shoppers in their stores during this tough economy, here’s to one more reason to make them stay. Bottoms up!

--Alison Embrey Medina

Photo: Lost Boys

Tales from the Trenches: Part 1

As we enter into the holiday shopping season, even one like this year’s, retailers around the country are busy gearing up for the rush.

At least I hope they are. In this most challenging of times, one might even expect those in the retail sphere to impress upon their in-store legions that now, more than ever, would be a good time to work just that little bit harder. To put a smidgen more effort into spreading some season’s cheer. To go perhaps the extra mile to elicit a sale from shoppers that seem jittery at best, and downright freaked at worst.

Alas, I recently got a stark reminder of how such intentions may be getting lost in mix.

You see, this past Thanksgiving my mum ventured to these shores for a little holiday. And good European tourist that she is, she arrived armed with a modest mound of moolah and a list from the folks back home of American desirables on which to spend it.

Should be simple right? Cash in pocket, list in hand, all that remains is to locate the stuff she needs. And doesn’t that oldest of promises that we make as retailers go something like this--if you’ve got the dough, we’ve got the goods and nothing would make us happier than to provide them to you? There, it seems, is where the proverbial wheel came off the wagon.

For a big percentage of her planned purchases she visited a retailer with so great a reputation it has attracted the attention of my sister across the pond. Not an insignificant achievement let me tell you. For the purposes of this tale the retailer shall remain nameless, but there’s a clue or two in here so you can probably figure it out.

Upon her visit to said store, my mum--being an old fashioned sort when it comes to her shopping needs--approached the first sales person she saw, showed him the list and waited to pay for her goods. He offered a cheery “Sure, I’ll be right back,” and promptly disappeared.

When this peppy (and preppy) youth did not re-engage with her for a tedious 10 minutes, she approached another associate, this one of the fairer sex, and tried once more. This one also promised a speedy return, but then disappeared as well and was only located when my mum elected to venture into the bowels of the establishment, where she located both of them chatting away and ironing product.

That she actually still bought something sort of amazes me, but she was loyal to the list and keen not to disappoint. She’s like that my mum. She keeps her promises.

I hope for all our sakes that there are plenty of retailers out there this season that are planning to do the same. The tales I heard a few days later from Black Friday didn’t inspire much confidence, ranging from understaffed to underwhelming. 

Did the boom years do nothing more than make us lazy? And wouldn’t it truly be a shame if we compounded the problems out there by forgetting the basics of what it is that we do? 

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger

Customer Dissed Service

Salespeople may be nuts, but only because customers are crazy. I know that as a fact, as I’ve been on both sides of the retail counter, which brings me to yesterday. I was shopping at store in my neighborhood, I won’t use its real name, but let's call it “Lovely Homes,“ a store known for it lovely home merchandise. I was the second in line, not complicated, looking for a replacement lamp harp, which I could see right behind the sales associate, no problem I thought. While not in a rush, I did want to get to the movies a little later. I had plenty of time. Here is the exchange…

Curtain Opens...

Customer (In front of me): Is this your best scented candle oil? You see I’m having a little soirée tonight and I don’t want anything too smelly or overwhelming. Does it say 'I’m here, but you can ignore me?'

Sales Associate: (takes a whiff of green apple and bay rum elixir) I think it smells nice. I like it.

Customer: You don’t get it do you? This isn’t for you; I’m having important people over!!! (The hair on the back of my neck begins to stand up.)

Sales Associate: It’s one of our best sellers; Swoozie Kurtz bought a bottle just last week.

Customer: (rolls her eyes as if Swoozie Kurtz was the Kaiser) Then show me something else. (Looks around exasperated) What else do you have? (Lovely Homes stocks more than five dozen scented fragrances, it‘s going to be a long ride.)

Sales Associate: This is nice. It’s called "Beach."

Customer: Is that beach like the ocean or Beech like the tree? You do know the difference? (My blood pressure begins to rise.)

Sales Associate: Between a tree and the Atlantic Ocean? Uhh …It smells like the ocean.

Customer: No, no, no, we’re more woodsy types. Do you have anything along the lines of something that smells like… I don’t know…an Appalachian spring?

Sales Associate: I think we have something called “New Moan Hay.”

Customer: Think, you don’t know? That sounds god awful anyway, we’re not horsey. Do you have a manager? (My inner voice “MUST… NOT… KILL”)

Sales Associate: I’ll ring. “Manager to small housewares! Manager to small housewares!”

Customer: (holds up green apple and bay rum elixir) How long does this stuff last anyway?

Sales Associate: (still on phone) It depends on use.

Customer: Yes, I know that, but on average, how long does it last? A day, a week, a year, the box doesn’t say.

Sales Associate: It depends on how much you use, Maam.

Customer: Look if you can’t answer a simple question, can you please find someone in this store who can, I haven’t got all day! (Inner voice gets louder, GO TO SMALL HANDGUN DEPARTMENT SHOOT SELF IN HEAD WITH DEMO MODEL.)

Sales Associate: The manager is on his way.

Customer: I’ll be right over there. (Vaguely indicates fragrance and candle area.)

Sales Associate: (fake chipper voice directed at me now) Welcome to Lovely Homes, how can I help you today?

Me: Do you have a spare bucket of water so I can get the floor wet and trip her? (Sales Associate laughs)

Sales Associate: I hear it all day.

Me: Well, I just I need that little brass lamp harp right there. (I point to one 4 ft. from her counter.)

Sales Associate: Opps! I’m sorry that’s in electrics, you’re at the wrong counter. (She smiles)

Me: But there’s no one at that counter. Can’t you just get it any way?

Sales Associate: It’s not in my department. I’m not allowed to ring it up. The Electric Associate should be right back; he just went to the stockroom for something. (Now I’m ticked off, after exhibiting the patience of a saint, I’m being rewarded with the corporate line.)

Me: No. Seriously, you can’t sell something else in this store?

Sales Associate: Not if I’m not assigned to that department.

Me: So Lovely Homes would rather I don’t purchase anything?

Sales Associate: If you can just wait a few more minutes he’ll be right back. Or you can visit our Web site and order one?

Me: Can I just reach over and grab one, and take it to the main counter upstairs? They can ring up anything, right?

Sales Associate: They can, but we’re not allowed to let customers behind the counter, it’s too dangerous, liability? (makes baby face) I’m sorry.

Me: Can you tell me where the nearest Home Depot is?

End Scene

P.S. You don’t want to know what happens when I get to the Lowes Movie Theatre and am forced to pay more for a medium popcorn than a large. Arrgh!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Penny What?

Maybe it's just me, but what on earth is "penny merchandise?" I've worked in retail before and have never heard this term uttered. However, a couple months back, a shopping trip to Macy's at Lenox Square mall in Atlanta introduced me to penny merchandise and left me perplexed. And by "perplexed," I mean infuriated, which is why it has taken me so long to blog about it. I had to let things cool off, otherwise this blog would have contained far too many expletives, therefore making it unpublishable--and that wouldn't have done anyone any good, because I must spread the word.

So this is what went down...On a brief shopping trip to Lenox Square I made a quick stop in Macy's, in search of a very particular, and fabulous, pair of Kenneth Cole earrings that I had been eyeing for several weeks. After locating the earrings, I was making my way around the jewelry counters in search of the ever-elusive cashwrap (or at least one that was staffed). On my way, I got detoured by two tables set up in the middle of the aisle. "Clearance!" they screamed at me. "Stop here now!" So I did what any hurried shopper does when confronted with a big sale--I stopped and started browsing.

After giving each table a quick once-over, a dainty gold necklace by Monet caught my attention. Entangled with about 500 other chains, it was hard to even discern it from the other pieces of jewelry--luckily I'm equipped/cursed with a keen shopper's eye and I spotted it right away. Once freed from the other necklaces, it was even more gorgeous than I had originally thought. In fact, it was THE perfect necklace...the kind every shopaholic dreams about, with just enough glam for night, but simple enough for day. It was a shopping urban legend come true. I HAD to possess it. And the best part was that it was on sale for only $16!

Giddy on my shopping high, I clutched my items and scrambled to the register. First, the sales associate rang up my earrings. Then I slid my necklace across the counter reluctantly, not wanting to let it out of my grasp for fear that it would evaporate in mid-air. The associate ran the scanner over the price tag, paused and then fake-frowned, "I'm sorry, this is penny merchandise," she said. I looked at her completely confused, thinking, if it only costs 1 cent then why is she frowning? "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, hoping for clarification. "It's penny merchandise. I can't sell it to you," she said with a lopsided grin. I stood there silent and still confused, don't panic, stay calm and fix this, I thought. "Well if you can't sell it to me than WHY IS IT OUT ON THE SALES FLOOR!?" I asked, probably not so nicely, while feeling my face slowly start to turn red with fluster. "It's not supposed to be. Sorry about that," was all she managed to muster in return. Still determined, I continued: "So can you sell it to me for a penny?" "No," she said. "It comes up as penny merchandise in the register and I have to damage it out." "How about for the price on the tag? Or sell it to me on the side?" I suggested, growing frantic as I watched her violate my necklace, pouring the chain back and forth, from hand to hand.

She wasn't budging at all, and explained that there must have been too many complaints about the product or a defect from the manufacturer that caused the item to be designated as penny merchandise. "Well can you at least tell me what trash can you are going to throw it out in so I can go dig it out!?" I insanely demanded, hoping she would feel bad for a pathetic, pleading customer and just slide it across the counter and let me have it. But she didn't relent. "Sorry, I have to send it back," she said.

I dove across the counter, arms outstretched, frothing at the mouth, and tackled her, ripping the necklace out of her hands...only kidding! But I DID contemplate it for a fleeting moment. However, at that point, I knew the fight was over. I had made myself look pretty ridiculous and all for nothing. I didn't bother to ask where she had to send it to, or ask if Macy's received payment for it from the manufacturer or what kind of arrangement there was. It didn't matter--my perfect necklace was lost.

I stormed out of the mall in an outrage. What had just happened was so cruel! If the necklace was on the sales floor, I should have been able to purchase it! I didn't care if I had to sign a contract waiving my rights if the necklace gave me lead poisoning or some other equally awful thing--I would have signed it. A week or so later, I tried to find the necklace at another Macy's store, but to no avail. It's probably a good thing, because I may have been tempted to start a career as a thief had I found it. Months after the whole debacle, I'm still incensed. So let this story be a lesson to any retailer with a "penny merchandise" policy--if you are going to refuse to sell items to your customers, you better make sure they're aren't on the sales floor!

--Jessie Bove

Web Service Wins

Imagine: You need the most basic wardrobe staple pronto. You’ve seen it a million times when you weren’t looking for it, and now that you literally “have to have it,” it’s impossible to find.

Now, I’m all for browsing the racks, but sometimes the clock just isn’t in your favor. I’m also not one for online shopping--aesthetics rule, and ordering clothes I can’t see or try on usually results in a full box of returns. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Last week, when the clock was ticking (I had to mail my sister’s birthday present the next day… oops!), I found a fantastic system for people like me (impatient procrastinators) on American Eagle Outfitter's Web site.

Even if I had wanted to go store to store in search of her “must have” gift, the malls were closing soon. Out came my laptop, and my discovery of actual helpful online shopping. I thought I’d have to find the skew number of my item online and either run to the closest location and cross my fingers or call all the stores in the area until one had it in stock. Not so.

I found what I was looking for on the site, and there it was--just a simple button, really, that read: “Locate in store.” I clicked it. Up sprung a page to choose the item, color and size you want, and a list of all the stores closest to you with the exact piece in stock.

This concept facilitates great convenience in Internet shopping--no more never-ending searches, no more wasting time, no more traffic jams from place to place. And especially now, no more unnecessary waste of gas. Love it!

Know of other retailers implementing this shopper-friendly system online? Let us know!

--Kelly Shaul

Nordstrom Makes Online Shopping Easier

Online shopping made all of our lives easier. You needed something, but didn't want to spend the time driving (especially with gas prices as they are!) or waste precious moments of your life wandering through a store to hunt it down, then stand in line and turn around and drive all the way back.

With online shopping, we surfed, found what we wanted and placed our order. A few days later it arrived on our doorstep. Only then, we began to find fault with the ease of online shopping. Those pesky shipping charges became rather annoying.

And soon consumers began demanding that retailers find a way around the extra charges. Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. has done exactly that with its new "buy online, pick up in-store" program that hit stores a couple of weeks ago. Right now, it's available for women's and men's apparel, women's shoes and cosmetics. However, the retailer promises the program will expand to all categories by September 2008.

Now, online shopping just got a whole lot easier. While you'll still have to drive to pick up your ordered item, you don't have to pay shipping charges or spend hours in the store searching for what you want.

With consumers becoming pickier about what they buy and when, services such as this will start to give particular retailers an edge. Lean times mean going back to basics, where customer service rules. In today's market, it's no longer acceptable to treat customers as if they're a dime a dozen (and really, it never was). Taking good care of them can make all the difference in the world.

Know of any other retailers catering to customers in such a high-tech/high-touch way? If so, leave your comments here. OR have you tried Nordstrom's new system? Tell us all about it!

--Heather Strang

New Clothes Are Like Old Friends

There is an old adage that you can judge a person by the company he keeps. There is another old adage that clothes make the man. If both adages are true, than I’d say, “New clothes are like old friends."

I love shopping for new clothes. I say that because new clothes, like old friends, have the ability to make us feel good about ourselves. New clothes help to define us. New clothes are welcome. New clothes are intimate, but seldom reveal the truth. Some retailers have grasped this seductively simple philosophy. In doing so, customers offer their patronage and sometimes undying affection. To me, Brooks Brothers is like an older friend, offering sage fashion advice, direction and mentoring. It’s so waspy! I sometimes feel like I’ve betrayed Brooks when I head over to next-door-neighbor Paul Stuart, who has become my new best friend. Their Phineas Cole collection is my envy. I do pray they don’t speak to one another. Both retailers are as dear to me as an old friend.

A recent BIGResearch survey, which polled 8,877 shoppers, asked a simple question, "Which retailer delivers the best customer service?" In order to develop a fair comparison, regardless of a retailer's size or geographic coverage, the BIGResearch responses were compared to each retailer's 2006 revenues to develop overall rankings. Here are their surprising findings…

First-place winner went to 92-year-old L.L. Bean, now that’s an old friend. L.L. Bean remains as consistent, and true as an old friend. It has confidence, and doesn’t need to impress us. It’s reliable. Like a pen pal, second-place winner went to Internet shoe retailer Zappos.com, which proves that bricks and mortar are no longer elements of financial success. Zappos.com offers the unexpected, comfortable shoes that fit. Cynics scoffed, "no one will ever buy shoes online." The same people prophesized that no one will buy bottled water. Third-place winner was Amazon.com, followed by fourth-place winner Overstock.com--both like old friends, offer safe “secure” sites, and place no judgments on our purchases, no mater how mundane or ridiculous they may be. Fifth-place winner was Blair. Sixth-place winner was Land’s End (now owned by Sears), and like L.L. Bean, conservative, calm and familiar, always bringing us back to center. Seventh-place winner was Coldwater Creek. Eighth-place winner was Nordstrom, a venerable institution, a bit haughty and pompous like some old friends, but glamorous and a part of the “in” click. At the retail cafeteria of life, they would not let me sit at their table. Ninth-place winner was Lane Bryant, a specialty store that has personified the trend to embrace real beauty in all sizes and shapes, like the old friend with a big waistline and a great personality. Tenth-place winner was Newgg.com.

Four of last year's winners fell right off the list--Boscov's, Kohl's, REI and Macy's. Perhaps this year they will try a little bit harder to become like old friends too. I hope they and other retailers will ponder this top 10 list and ask themselves not only what kind of retailer they are, but what kind of old friend they are.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Ring Ring

Q: What’s the one thing that we almost always don’t figure into our design plans, and yet should be top of mind?

A: Who’s answering the phone in a smaller store setup?

How many times have you called a store for information and not been able to get through to anyone? Or worse, you get a computer operator voice that can’t help anymore than to give a pre-recorded message that doesn’t answer your question, and then puts you on hold forever while no one picks up. Is it that the store doesn’t care about you being on the phone, that they are giving their full attention to the real live shoppers in the store, right? Wrong? Or is it just that the person dusting the shelves or straightening the clothes didn’t have easy access to a phone from out on the floor to be able to pick up and talk with you.

Unless you’re in a one person operation, there should be someone free for the phone calls most of the time. If there’s not, then the store should probably hire some more staff; they are too busy to deal with business effectively. I know that the customer in your store is, and rightly should be, the focus of the most attention. And it is annoying to me as a customer to have a salesman drop me to talk on the phone for an extended period of time to someone who let their fingers do the walking, or who doesn’t know how to use Mapquest. It is a fine line between good phone service and great in-store experiences, but shouldn’t there be a happy medium? Like taking the phone away from the cash wrap where people are trying to give you their money and discretely putting some extensions out on the floor for the lesser busy staff to put their time to good use.

But how often have you incorporated phones into your floor plans and design? How about doing a roaring '20s vignette and having a working candlestick phone in the picture? Or an old time farmhouse or country store look with a wall crank replica hanging there? Or even a '50s, '60s or '70s themed scene with an old rotary dial phone? A bedroom with a princess phone on the nightstand? You get the picture, there are a lot of great new antiques out there that could work well and help the staff to work as well. Just because we are designing a new display doesn’t mean that we can’t design some behind the scene mechanicals for the staff too.

Just remember to tell the mannequin to hang up the phone when it’s done.

--Scott Caldwell, Guest Blogger

Customers Don't Shop Here, People Do

I understand the machinations, but have failed to accustom myself to the new retail moniker "guest," as when I am in line, and the cashier says, "next guest please." I am not a guest. My guests do not stand in line. The retail experience and expectation is not improved by what is said. The retail experience and expectation is transformed when better service is provided.

People need to sit down. Retailers who do not provide chairs and benches risk loosing and alienating customers. Retailers' floors are crowded, packages are heavy, and floors are hard-- especially for women in heels. Guests are always invited to make themselves comfortable upon entering someone’s home. Customers are not cattle. Invite your customers to have a seat and offer them a glass of water, and they will remember who treated them so nicely.

People need and want assistance, but people are reluctant to ask for help. Walking into a store is like walking into a party where you don’t really know anyone. So retailers need to approach their customers, smile and say, "Thank you for coming, how can I help you?" Way back when, more than 100 years ago, many department stores had pages to personally escort ladies to their destination in the store and even carry their bags. It was simply a nice way to help customers. That was service. Can you imagine receiving that level of service today?

People need a second opinion; people need advice and suggestions. People watch makeover shows. Instead of having sales people, hire stylists to assist customers. Older people with good taste, students in fashion school, people who love shopping. Have them strategically stationed to help customers find the right size, offer options for add-ons like "would you like to see some belts for that pair of pants" or "do you think you’d like some matching hosiery for that new skirt" and "we just got in tops that would be perfect for that, can I show you?"

Customers are people. People shop. Some doctors treat patients, the best doctors treat people-- not patients. The best retailers sell to people, not customers.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger