Operations

Gift Cards: Will They Work in Your Gift Shop?

As you know, gift cards have become a major player in the retail world. According to a recent report by Packaged Facts, a market research firm, sales are expected to grow every year for the... more »

Parsing The Numbers

Winter holidays win Over the past few years, holiday sales have been steadily increasing albeit at a lower rate. With the economy in the worst shape it has been for a while, this year promises... more »

Rushed or Relaxed: Make Every Customer Visit Count!

You can see it in their eyes as these customers walk in your store—that sense of anxiety over finding the perfect gift in a limited amount of time. Many of your customers routinely put off... more »

Striking Gold: Gathering and Using Customer Data

If you are like most gift-store retailers, you have many, many customers walking through your doors every day. Are you exploiting the gold mine hidden in their names and email addresses? This information can get... more »

Twelve Tips To Shop the Trade Shows

Trade shows—love 'em or hate 'em, they should be an important event in your life as a businessperson. You get to see new products, renew old friendships, learn about industry trends, and develop a network... more »

How Do You Get to the Heart of Great Customer Service?

Most people are familiar with the expression "laughing like a hyena." But at Hyena's Desert Grille—an upscale casual-dining establishment run by several hyenas from a neighborhood pack—things were no laughing matter. Business had been falling... more »

‘Tis the Season to be Hiring

It's only July, but it won't be too long before you decorate your store with holiday decorations in anticipation of a bustling fourth quarter. Each holiday season, retailers of all sizes—from major department stores to... more »

How do you host a successful in-store event during the holidays?

How do you host a successful in-store event during the holidays? What are some event ideas that can draw traffic? You probably kick off the holiday retail season with a bang. Here are some ideas... more »

What tips can you offer to maintain a clean and efficient back room?

Gail Markert of Markert Group Consulting Gail Markert of Markert Group Consulting 615.292.7819 MarkertGroupConsulting.com Giving some thought to your retail storage area can pay off in big dividends later. When you think how often you... more »

Sales Despite Slowdown?

Fight it Out For Los Angeles area retailer Desiree Galvez, it was a double whammy. First came the writer's strike. On its heels came news of a slowing economy. As a result, sales in early... more »