Thirsty Scots to visit southern alcohol retailers?

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According to The Grocer, a quarter of the alcohol prices in Scottish supermarkets will have to increase when the Scots introduce their 50p / unit minimum price law. So just as there used to be “booze cruises” run by the ferry companies so that people could buy duty free alcohol offshore, can we expect to see coach trips of thirsty Scots heading south of the border to stock up on cheaper alcohol? I guess we won’t know until April 2013, when the law is due to come into force. At that point, retailers just south of the border might be due for an increase in alcohol sales!!

Retail customers ‘let down’ by outdated IT systems, reveals new survey

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The survey was conducted by Celtech, a provider of real-time centralised systems for multi-channel retailers and wholesalers. Most of the participants were large multiple retailers, and the majority of them felt that they were not integrating IT systems effectively to get the greatest benefit from them.

Most of our retailers are independent, and many do not have more than one channel to reach their customers. But what about one of the most basic needs of customers – being able to find the products they want when they come to your store? How well do you think you are doing on that score? How do you know?

Users of ShopMate are able to access THEIR OWN sales data and compare their own sales with the sales of the top-25 best-sellers in each category. So they can quickly check whether they are ACTUALLY stocking all the best-sellers that their customers might want.

If you are a ShopMate user, all you need to do is enter the User Area of our website, where you can find out how you compare against the top-25 selling products in each category. Why wouldn’t you want to know this?

Shopping baskets

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How many items can a shopper hold in their hands (or pockets) before they have to take them to the till to be scanned?  Would the transaction size increase if they could put things into a basket as they move around the store?  We would be interested to hear from retailers who have introduced shopping baskets to their stores and noted the impact on transaction sizes / values.

Also interested to hear from retailers who have tried shopping baskets, and discontinued them for some reason.

Retailers, Are You Using Social Media?

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Only a few of our hundreds of ShopMate EpoS customers appear to be using social media – such as Twitter and Facebook – as a means of connecting with their community and customers.

If you are not using these tools to communicate with your customers, you are missing out on a powerful means to build customer loyalty.

You need to build the image of your shop, yourself and your staff, as well as your values and the products you sell. Use social media to inform your community about your commitment to and involvement in local affairs and events. Of course, you can post details of special offers and new products in your store as well.

Social media can provide even more for a savvy retailer – they can enable you to see what your customers are saying so that you can interact with them and provide an added service. If customers are disgruntled or have a complaint, they are more likely to air their views online than to your face, so you will pick up issues and be able to deal with them quickly.

Please share your views on the use of social media in retailing!

Do You Sell Electronic Cigarettes?

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Cigarette smoking is becoming more and more socially unacceptable and many smokers are looking for ways to feed their addiction without causing offence.

Electronic cigarettes are increasing in popularity and they offer retailers better profit margins than tradition cigarettes.

We would be interested to hear from retailers who sell e-cigarettes. Tell us your story, please!

Are You Telling Your Customers That You love Them?

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Well, are you?

Do the members of your community know your name? Do you serve on community and charity committees in your area? Do you share your thoughts and concerns with your customers?

Years ago we had an organic vegetable box delivered once a fortnight. Each month the farmer wrote a newsletter, detailing what was happening on the farm, with news of which vegetables had been planted that month and which were nearing harvest. There were snippets on how the animals were behaving and musings about the weather and local activities. We looked forward to the newsletters almost as much as the vegetables. We felt that we really knew the farmer. This meant that until we moved out of his delivery area we were loyal customers.

What are you doing to show your customers that you care about them? Please let us know here!

How do You Deal with Theft?

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As shoppers think twice before spending money, many give in to the temptation to steal from shops.

How do you deal with this?

Most shops have CCTV cameras and strategically-placed mirrors, but thieves often operate in groups to distract shop staff while they shoplift.

High-value items like spirits can be tagged and tobacco is behind the counter, but what other strategies have you used to prevent your profit from leaking into criminal pockets?

A ShopMate EpoS system provides you with records of everything that happens on the till, from detailed transaction records to price-changes. This helps to prevent staff from robbing you, but perhaps the best way to prevent staff from stealing is to treat them well and nurture in them a sense of pride in the business.

It is a tricky one. A shop bristling with security devices is not attractive, but you need to protect your business from crime.

We are happy to share your thoughts and ideas. Please let us know how you deal with crime in your shop.

What’s in your Window?

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Not all shops have windows, but most do.

We’d be interested to hear from independent retailers who use their shop windows to promote their shops and the products they sell in creative and exciting ways.

Assuming that keeping displays simple, uncluttered and free of dust and using strong colours and good lighting are good starting points, what other strategies work for you?

How long do you leave a window before changing the display? How far in advance of a special event – Easter, Father’s Day, the Olympics, the Jubilee – do you set up a display?

Please let us know – we’ll share your knowledge with other retailers!