sportstyle

16 • May/June 2023 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com e single visible sales associate stopped us; he was working what I believe is an 8,000 sq. . selling floor, and he engaged us in a conversation. His entire play was to try and sign us up as a member of "the club," but he didn't take the opportunity to try and make any sale even though we demonstrated some interest. We were very impressed with the quality outdoor apparel assortment. We wished we could have sold this much apparel in our stores; add-on, ticket-maximizing sales always excited us during our 40 year store owning experience. I was surprised at one thing and I hope this isn't an issue in any of your stores. On at least 90% of the clearance clothing, the prices were scribbled very hastily and small, with what appeared to be ink from a cheap fine point red pen. e amounts were most illegible. In most cases, even though we conferred with each other, we were unable to discern what those prices were. My point about proper ticketing is four-fold: 1. Your clearance customer is not the same customer as your regular customer. e clearance customer is always looking for a deal and oen "bites" (i.e, executes) — since they are, by definition – A SALE CUSTOMER, but in order to convert this customer, you need to make sure they understand what that deal actually is. ey are probably more experienced at your segment of the industry and working a clearance sale than your employee is. However… a good mystery is a book and not what clearance sale pricing should be designed around! at isn't good marketing nor good retailing. 2. Clarity will improve your sales. is particular consumer is in search of clarity. They are used to shopping lots of sales and walk when they recognize that clarity is not apparent in your offer. Anything that makes them wonder is more likely to result in NO SALE than a sale. And, this is true, regardless of your signage. You wrote the signage, of course YOU UNDERSTAND it. Don't make the faulty assumption the target customer understands it as well as you do! On my trip to REI (and I am sure they are a great retailer, normally, or they wouldn't be around), I was not about to go find a salesperson and ask for clarity on even a single piece I loved. I, like many customers, crave consistency and reward a straight forward and good deal. Your clearance deal can be the best deal in the market, but if your target consumer doesn't get it, THEY WALK, it's that simple. While I was in the market that day (currently on a fitness binge and had bought 3 pairs of jogging pants in the prior 60 days), I was turned off and was not converted. I don't think I am the exception. 3. National Stores have a format and standard for this sort of thing (pricing and signage). By the way, the signage was fine in REI. It was someone locally who dropped the ball. District Managers (or owners) should be checking to make sure this standard is met. 4. e big point… Locally owned stores should adopt professional standards and this was another opportunity for the local competitor to take business away from the national. Summit Hut is that local outdoor apparel competitor in this market and they have an easily accessible and very nice location only two miles north in the direction of plenty of residents who can afford the price points) with people who are knowledgeable and care and execute. A local retailer can always outperform a national chain. Salesmanship Most employees (and their supervisors, unfortunately) would like to believe that clearance goods sell themselves. I don't believe that will always work. Sales assistance always adds value, so please encourage staff to offer assistance (and stick around if necessary to ask questions and encourage sales). e sooner goods leave your store the better. Small markdowns, if they don't work quickly, will turn into large markdowns, so it is in your interest to get your staff focused on the goal of getting the goods out the door to the first customer who shows interest. You need to sell your staff on the value of helping reduce the growing inventory of obsolete goods as a means to their goal of increasing their own ability to improve their sales and their own commissions. Summary… Supervise and double check how your store personnel are executing the tactics associated with your clearance strategy. Errors are sometimes created because your staff may not know how their actions impact your plan. is miscommunication could be costing you lost opportunity in dropped sales! n is is one of a series of columns—published in our sister publication Footwear Insight—authored by Alan Miklofsky, an industry veteran whose business earned the top score in the Footwear Insight Gold Medal Service Awards in 2019. Aer a long, successful career as a shoe store owner, e-commerce pioneer and trade association leader, Alan is currently a business consultant. I, like many customers, crave consistency and reward a straight forward and good deal. Your clearance deal can be the best deal in the market, but if your target consumer doesn't get it - they walk - it's that simple. RETAIL

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