Fall 2006

How does your shop encourage impulse purchases?

Cindy McAdams of Silver Crossing
San Diego, CA
619.325.4925
SilverCrossing.com

Cindy McAdams of Silver Crossing

“My clientele has a large range from tourists to locals to people attending business conventions. So the key thing to encourage impulse purchases for me is to carry items in a wide price range. We have everything from a $2 gift to a $500 gift. We have an assortment of blessing stones and also $2 pick-me-ups displayed in colorful baskets.

“A lot of the jewelry is on spinning displays, with the low- to medium-priced ones set to catch people’s eyes. The most important thing to remember if you want to encourage impulse buys is to have each item well-marked with the price tag. If the customer picks up something and the item is not well-marked, that is a distraction from the impulse. That chance [to make a sale] is lost.”

Melissa Haberstroh of The Burlap House
Boerne, TX
830.249.0204

Melissa Haberstroh of The Burlap House

“We’ll offer candy this Christmas and set out samples to encourage impulse buys. During Christmastime we stock ornaments that work out really well as impulse buys. We have an increasingly aging population, so eyeglasses are an option for us. That way when the customer forgets their glasses, they don’t have to ask, you can find them here. For the year, we sometimes have pillar candles in different fragrances. We are fortunate to have a large counter space, and we are working on having different items that customers can look at while transactions are being conducted. Something like leather luggage tags might be good.

“We are in a historic district with a lot of foot traffic and people have been asking us for some sort of a drink. We have had water but now are debating whether we should also carry some sodas. It is difficult to stock items that fit in—I don’t want the store to carry a drugstore appearance with these products. We also encourage impulse buys by using our window displays to bring customers in. We’ll sometimes set out items made of glass that capture the light, draw the customers’ attention and bring them in.”

Gloria Danvers of The Jewel Box Goddess Shop
St. Augustine, FL
904.827.1030
JewelBoxGoddess.com

Gloria Danvers of The Jewel Box Goddess Shop

“In my shop, impulse add-ons work by the power of suggestion. When a customer walks in through the door, I will pay attention to what she is wearing. If she is wearing a toe ring or ankle bracelet, I will suggest a particular piece of jewelry. You have to be accessible and suggest things that will go with the customer’s personality.

“I have feng shui crystals for sale that would make great impulse items. If I see a customer is wearing purple, I will pick up the purple crystal, hold it up to the light and say, ‘Isn’t this gorgeous?’ Women buy jewelry for a lot of specific reasons. I sometimes ask questions if I know the customer. If she is going through a really hard divorce, then I’ll suggest rose quartz for unconditional love.”