A Friday note from someone who’s been where you are. Every Friday morning since August 2021 — a story from the shop floor, and a point you can actually use. The whole archive is here.
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” — Tony Robbins When I was a retailer I would describe my buying style as intuitive with eye-balling. I was good. I loved it. I sold a ton for the space my business occupied. But if I knew then what I know…
More customers stopped for 24 jams, but 6 jams sold six times more. Choice overload is real — know why you carry what you do, and share it.
Taste is subjective. Data is objective. The winning recipe for retail is around 40% taste and 60% data.
A little pricing psychology: $0 is better than ‘free,’ and 119 is charm pricing while 125 is rounded. Charm is better.
A painful PTO board grew its budget from $20K to $140K once the real problem was fixed. The parents weren’t the problem — the structure was.
A New Year’s stay at a boutique hotel in Wilson, Arkansas, and the little surprises that say ‘we want to delight you.’ You delight your customers every day.
Why even go to a store if all you want is product? People shop in your store because of the way it makes them feel. Set yourself apart with experience.