The stationery department in an independent retail business responds well to attention yet it is often the poor cousin when it comes to labour and capital investment. A small investment in re-jigging stock can drive sales growth. I have seen this first-hand in my own news agencies and in others. Here are some suggestions which have worked for others:
Decide what you stand for. Your stationery department must have a focus. It could be brand, range, price or something else. Whatever you stand for, it will guide every decision you make. If it does not guide every decision, you are not standing for the right thing. I'd suggest you not stand for being the retailer of last resort. There are too many retailers who think like that already. You cannot retire on profit made from selling a obscure stationery item once or twice a year.
Eliminate dead stock. When assessing stationery in retail businesses, I usually find that 30% of stationery in a news agency is dead. Print a report of stock items which have not sold for six months. This report should include the value of current stock holdings. In an average news agency we often find this to be around 30% of all stationery stock holdings. Look at the list carefully. Do you really want to carry these items which are not selling?
Restock to serve your customers. Determine the space which would become available by quitting these items and plan on how this space can be best used in the business. Now would be a good time to talk with stationery wholesalers and others who guide your stationery decisions. Stationery wholesalers can provide a top sellers list for your region. There may be extensions to current ranges you could consider or whole new categories.
Clean up. Once you have a commercially viable use for the space, quit the items in a way which deals with this quickly - any cash is better than none which is what you are getting now.
Refresh. Use the opportunity to reinvest the look and feel of stationery, re-price all stock if price has been an issue for you. Re-train your staff. re-educate your customers. Re-launch.
Manage by touch. Take every item off the shelf and put it back. This process of touching every stationery stock item will have you review your position on stationery.
Obsess about what you stand for. Remember, your business must stand for something. With stationery, it could be brand, range, price or service. If customers don't perceive that you stand for something they will not think about you when they need to purchase stationery. Whatever you decide to stand for, pursue it relentlessly.
Stationery responds well to attention, especially in independent retail businesses where service is personal and shopping is convenient. Give your stationery department attention and expect good rewards in return.
Will these simple ideas turn stationery sales around? I don't know. They have worked in other news agencies and they may work for you. They are not bad ideas and, if followed, will do no harm to your business.
Author Resource:-
submit article has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Retail Business
You can also check out her latest website about :
wholesale giftsWhich reviews and lists the best
Wholesale Soaps
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.healthandwealth4you.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
