Tag: merchandise

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Retailing in a Recession: Part Four

Retailing in a recession

Many retailers closed their doors during the last recession and lately, the economic outlook has been uncertain. Although we have steered clear of another recession to date, we want to give you the tools to succeed in the event there is one. In the final part of our series Retailing in a Recession, we cover how to tailor customer research and merchandise planning to your customer’s needs.

Customer Research Strategies for Retailers in a Recession

Customer research is as easy as asking your clients questions at check out. Below are four questions you should train your employees to ask.

  • Did you find what you need?
  • Did you ask for help finding it?
  • Is there somewhere else you’d expect to find the item?
  • Is there something you want that we don’t ever carry?

These questions help establish different data points including if current offerings are in stock, shows the customers you care, and improves your offerings to better meet their needs.

Merchandise Planning

Customer research can also help determine merchandise planning. In all economic climates, merchandise selling well should stay, and merchandise not selling well should go.

During a recession, retailers should take extra care to plan their merchandise offerings to align with customer needs and preferences. Can merchandise be fixed, rather than shrunk, if productivity is low but headroom is high? And what about merchandise that has high productivity but low headroom? Should it remain?

In summary, some retailers will turn an economic downturn to their advantage. Consider starting with a customer survey using a mix of open- and closed-ended questions to gather both qualitative and quantitative data on preferences.

Inspiration for this post comes from the Harvard Business Review’s Five Rules for Retailing in a Recession. Check out Rule 5: Retool Core Processes for more information on customer research.

If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to Creative Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.

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Jazz Up Your Fabric Displays

fabric display

In honor of the upcoming AQR Academy workshop on April 7 – “Jazz Up Your Fabric Displays!” – we’re covering how to display one of the best parts of owning a quilt store: the fabric!

Fabric Focal Point

When you walk into any fabric store what is the first thing you notice? The fabric bolt of course! They’re the most prominent fixture in any quilt shop. One way to get shoppers through your store is to stock a bolt on the rear wall.

And speaking of stock – how exactly should you fill said fabric bolt? You can create the illusion that you have more selection in your store if you group similar merchandise together – compared to scattering it throughout the store. Customers not only are more likely to notice these groups, but they’ll also be attracted to the color schemes they like.

Take advantage of the vertical shelves on your bolt by hanging sample projects, fat quarter bundles, or patterns (think of what grocery stores do). Quality over quantity is important as you want to create inspiration the shopper wouldn’t have seen if they were shopping online.

The Display

Outside of the fabric bolt, what else increases sales? The reality is, customers love to touch fabric. Folded merchandise on a table turns faster than merchandise that is hung. Merchandise that is hung however is typically better maintained, so consider that when you’re setting up your display.

Inspiration for this post came from “Strike the Right Note,” by Anna Woodward published in the February 2022 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.