This week I will publish five deliberately provocative suggestions on aspects of retail newsagency management and operation. My goal is to challenge newsagents and their suppliers to break free from the past and engage in more present day retail
Suggestion #5: trash your counter.
When you are closed, take everything off your counter and from behind your counter. By everything, I mean everything: all products, stickers, posters, signs, technology, EVERYTHING.
Next, put on music you love. Turn the volume up.
Clean the counter from top to bottom and inside out.
Now, place the essential items back on the counter: technology and mandatory signs.
Finally, place product at the counter but to it from the customer’s side. Make conscious decisions with the goal of driving impulse purchases at the counter. In placing products, place less, tell a consistent story, constantly think of your shoppers. Create a fresh offer at your counter, something which causes your customers to comment on the change.
Oh, and fill any shelves or drawers at your counter which items which must be there.
Your counter is probably one of the most active places in your business. make it relevant, efficient and profitable by rebuilding your counter (and behind) offer from scratch.
Don’t delegate this job to anyone else.
While I am publishing the suggestions I am not necessarily advocating them for all newsagents. I see this blog as playing a role in challenging how we look and manage our businesses and from that encourage newsagents to think carefully about decisions they make.