We sometimes forget that retailing is really very simple: you need to have what the customers want, be wherever they are when they want to buy it, and to make all your transactions as simple and enjoyable as possible. We sometimes lose track of these principles when we get caught up in the technology and complexity of modern retailing. But in these troubled economic times, adhering to these basic tenets is more important than ever.

Do you have what your customers expect you to have in stock? Every store has certain basic merchandise, often called “bread and butter” lines that should always be in stock. If you are a florist, it might be certain types of cut stems. If you are a candle store, perhaps it is solid tapers and pillars.

Your customer service can be the best in the world, but if you don’t have what a consumer came into the store expecting to find, that person is likely to leave disappointed. In addition to bread and butter items, you need to have new merchandise to surprise and delight. Now is the time to buy these items in a broad assortment rather than stocking them deeply – but you still need to have something exciting to show your regular customers the next time they stop in.

Location, location, location is an old retail adage, but it is true that your store must be conveniently located where your customers like to shop. As you can see from this Mexican honey vendor, sometimes you have to go to where the customers are, in this case at an outdoor food market. If your shop is less mobile (and I’m guessing it is), you need to carefully consider your customer base when choosing a location.

The last basic tenet is to make the customer’s purchase transaction as easy and enjoyable as possible. Certainly a friendly smile and sincere interest in your customer comes into play – but so does having correct change and a bag to keep the honey from dripping onto your other purchases. Small things, but they add up to make each retail transaction a pleasure rather than a chore.

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder