The Age today published a good report about challenges faced by online retailers, focused on a specific example of challenges faced by bike retailers. This article drew many comments – 417 by 1pm when comments were closed. It shocks me that they would shut down comments. Okay some were off topic while others were used to push commercial agendas but most comments were contributions to a good discussions.
Comments are the lifeblood of online content. I have seen situations where comments have given otherwise missed content a stronger life.
Fairfax management charged with the online / digital future of the company ought to review their position on comments.
Hi Mark, slightly offtopic but one of my challenges at our store seems to be an increase of people who read magazines cover to cover, then walk out without buying anything.
Now I understanding browsing is a necessary in part of the decision to buy process as can’t just rely on the cover. But these people come back every week, they have a good read for 15-20 mins then walk out.
I’m extremely tempted to bust out the “This is not a library” line, but feel the situation can be handled better that leaves them parting on good terms.
How would you act in these situations?
thanks,
Hi Gary
We get very friendly with these people, offer help them find something in particular (they will usually respond with “oh just looking thanks” which is when we get very helpful, this magazine goes with that, we have a customer who also likes this mag, have you seen our specialty range of ..insert matching range…, last week I was reading… and there was a great article on, this normally disturbs their reading with all your talking and sometimes they think you have a great personal connection so will start to purchase rather than just read. If this doesn’t work we have been known to put a map marking the newsagent and route to the nearest library with a note ” you are here at the newsagent please follow the red line to your nearest library”
Gary I have been helping some bike retailers with this. I’ll pull together some of the advice for them and other advice and write a post here for newsagents for consideration.
News.com.au will also shut down comments if the don’t agree with the direction of the conversions. This is especially true of comments on articles by a certain infamous columnist.
Bike retailers? are they riding the bikes in the shop like a test drive
Bike retailers often offer bikes for a test drive.
Gary, we do something along the lines of what Jessie does, get right up with them, engage in conversation about anything you like so that it disrupts their reading. if they are repeat offenders then don’t feel bad for telling them they cannot just read.
i have one customer who is a grown man and not a kid often sits on the carpet and reads his 4×4 mags , he is often the center of conversation with other customers .
We don’t stop magazine browsers reading but we do offer to help them find a title.
shauns, offer him a seat and really get him the centre of conversation!