The Container Store: From Start-Up to Industry Leader

Posted on November 6, 2012 by bermanevansretail
As MSNBC reports: “The Container Store opened its doors in 1978 filled with products like colorful milk crates, straw baskets, and other organizational items. Since then, the company has opened locations from coast to coast. We sat down with co-founder and CEO Kip Tindell to talk about minding your wake and understanding the customer dance in this Learning from the Pros.”

Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Retail Executive Interviews, Video Clips (non-career) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Holiday Retail After Sandy

Posted on November 5, 2012 by bermanevansretail
Superstorm Sandy is already having an impact on the supply chain for the Christmas 2012 holiday season.
According to Stephanie Clifford and Nelson D. Schwartz, writing for the New York Times: “The economic effects of Hurricane Sandy are reverberating beyond areas hit by the storm as businesses warn customers of delays, try to get merchandise out of closed ports, and face canceled orders. The supply chain is backing up at a crucial time, just as retailers normally bring their final shipments into stores for the holiday shopping season, which retailers depend on for annual profitability. ‘Things are slowing down,’ said Chris Merritt, vice-president for retail supply chain solutions at the trucking company Ryder. ‘This whole part of the supply chain is clogged up.’ FedEx, for example, has rented fuel tankers to supply its delivery trucks as commercial gas stations run dry. Ryder has been hunting down rental trucks to add capacity.'”
Click the photo to read more.
Angel Franco/New York Times

 

Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 4: Store Location Planning, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Technology in Retailing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Small Retailers Can Compete During the Coming Holiday Season

Posted on November 5, 2012 by bermanevansretail
Still coping in NY. (No power at home. 🙂 ) But, back to blogging.
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Small retailers have many points of differentiation against their big-time competitors, such as a more personal approach and a more convenient location.
Anita Campbell, writing for OPEN Forum, offers some holiday tips for small firms:
  1. “Get an early start. You, too, can benefit from soft launching holiday promotions early. Consider targeting customers you think will be most receptive, or promoting certain products.”
  2. “Consider offering layaway. Layaway plans have been making a comeback at big retailers, and are a great way to garner what is essentially ‘pre-sales’ so you can predict your cash flow with more confidence.”
  3. “Discount with care. Consumers are still price-conscious, but it’s tough to compete with big companies on price alone. Instead, see where you can offer extra value that makes your products worth a premium price.”
  4. “Hire now. The Hay Group study didn’t forecast a shortage of qualified workers, but with big retailers hiring permanent employees, competition will be stiffer than in years past. If you think you’ll need extra hands on board, start recruiting now for best results.”
Click the photo to read more.
Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment