An update of a popular blog post from May 20, 2013 You have probably used color blocking in your visual merchandising without realizing that you are applying ‘color psychology” to your displays. According to Michael Dillon, “Color psychology has emerged as a powerful tool in shaping customer perceptions, emotions, and purchasing behaviors. Color harmony enhances… Read More

Do you ever have days when you wish you could clone yourself? An independent retailer always seems to have too much to do – routine management tasks, buying, social media posts, advertising, merchandising, and assisting customers. Add to that the time it takes to respond to requests and problems (or even just to answer the… Read More

An update of a popular blog post from August 8, 2011 When I first wrote about Jason Solarek’s online wedding registry platform, Bridge was only one year old. There were about 30 brands represented in the database, and the fledgling company had just been selected as a finalist in the British Airways Small Business Competition… Read More

There are few national chains admired for their innovative approach to retailing – but most people would agree that Trader Joe’s is unique in the crowded field of American grocery stores. There are several things Trader Joe’s does differently that independent retailers might want to emulate: We are fortunate to have one of only three… Read More

An update of a popular blog post from December 3, 2018 Here’s a great idea for an in-store or online promotion: combine cause marketing with BOGO, the tried-and-true “buy one, get one free” concept, to offer Buy One, Give One.  A few big companies have been doing this for years, specifically the shoe company TOMS.… Read More

How often do you visit the other stores and restaurants in your business area? It’s easy for most of us to get so caught up in the day-to-day drama of running our own shop that we don’t appreciate what our local colleagues have to offer. Promoting together, especially under the buy local theme, is a… Read More

An update of a popular blog post from October 24, 2016 Do you know how many different types of toothpaste are offered in the average grocery store?  A Consumer Reports article said 27 — and that’s just under the Crest brand. Colgate added another 32 (up from 25 when this post was first written). It’s… Read More

Good customer service is the goal of businesses everywhere – and one that is notoriously difficult to achieve consistently. I was interested to recently come across a technique used in Tivoli, the amusement park in the center of Copenhagen that is one of my favorite places on earth. This quote is from Meik Wiking (author of… Read More

An update of a popular blog post from January 19, 2009 Successful shopkeeping means paying attention to so many details.  For example, what does your restroom say about your store? The illustration above, which is based on what I saw at a branch of a well-known women’s clothing store when I first wrote this post,… Read More

The 4th of July this year will mark the 250th year since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Our shop was offered its first semiquincentennial item six months ago, and of course this winter’s trade shows will have many more.  This brings up two questions – how do you pronounce semiquincentennial, and should you… Read More