Sweet treats

Congrats to Write Selection for making the Dallas version of Daily Candy. That’s quite a feat, but Write Selection is quite a store. Susan Foxworth and Betsy Swango understand quality product and extraordinary service better than anyone around; as someone who’s known them for many years, it’s an honor and a pleasure to see such good things come to such good people.

Well done, ladies. You’ve earned it.

Big box, little inventory

I accompanied Mom to the Mall of America over the weekend (aka: The Big Retail Shrine), on her annual Christmas shopping visit to Minneapolis. While she looked for stocking stuffers and gifts, my eyes focused on inventory patterns and staffing...which were more educational than expected.

Because her visit is an annual event occurring the same week each October, I have a pretty reliable yardstick to measure one holiday season against the next. This one held some surprises that made it clear at least a few of the big boys saw a soft fourth quarter coming, and have adjusted accordingly...much to the dismay of hopeful shoppers.

Many stores--and by "many" I mean "a whole heckofalot"--are carrying far less inventory than usual, holiday and otherwise. For instance, the huge Department 56 store just outside of Nordstrom is normally jammed full of gift items by the third week in October, the front portion of the store so crowded with decorated trees, enormous baskets of trimmings, loads of little gifty items, and other non-Village products that it's almost impossible to turn around without bumping into a nearby display.

This year? Big, wide open spaces. Two of the Villages have been moved to share a small display in that area (Christmas in the City and Dickens, for those of you who know the line), which doesn't eat up a lot of room. Hardly any of the gifty pick-up stuff is there, and next to nothing is shown for decorated trees. Looking at that section of the store, I'd venture a guess they're stocking about 20-25% less than what's normally offered. The employee I spoke to said all their holiday is in, so...looks like this is it.

Mom also noticed the enormous amount of Halloween being shown by comparrison--which seemed disproportionately high, measured against past years. Nearly all of it was marked 50% off.

Another store that stuck out like a sore thumb was Crabtree and Evelyn. By the third week in October, this location is typically filled to the gills with holiday items and extra year 'round inventory. Like Department 56, it's show floor usually requires a shopper to be mindful of nearby displays while navigating the many options available for purchase. This year? The new India Hicks product has been given a big, airy display table, with loads of empty space all around. None of the familiar gift items are on the counter...the many show floor product displays are missing, along with the robes and matching accoutrements...and the entire children's line has disappeared, according to an employee we spoke to. At least 1/3 of the normal inventory level has dropped from sight.

These weren't two exceptions to the rule; they were examples of the rule, and that rule appeared in store after store after store, regardless of target market.

This seems to prove two things: Halloween isn't moving, to no one's surprise, given the economy. By the time "the powers that be" recognized a problem, it was too late to back down factory orders on ghouls and goblins, so pushing it out the door at half price is the only alternative.

Christmas production, on the other hand, could still be cut back, given the later delivery dates. Judging by their displays and space allotment, Department 56 doesn't seem to be banking on much beyond returning Snow Village customers.

This bodes well for independent retailers, folks. If the big boxes provide less merchandise and less selection, odds improve that customers will seek options in their neighborhood stores and boutiques. If you haven’t set up your holiday displays yet, do. True, I’m not a fan of Christmas before Halloween, but given the holes I saw this weekend, my guess is 2008’s the year to break that tradition.

It's shipping! It's shipping!

Several media sites are reporting that Adobe's CS4 began shipping today, in spite of last week's speculation they'd hold off 'til month's end.

Means I'm back to bouncing up and down at the door every time a delivery truck rumbles along the street....

If you haven't ordered yours yet, the $200 pre-order discount is still good for upgrades. Still not sure how "pre" fits when the item is currently being sold, but hey, who's gonna look that gift horse in the mouth?

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

All eyes on you....

I was recently asked to comment on the top three qualities of a good leader. The audience in that case was a group of leadership experts, which tends to make one pause before responding. Still...was pretty easy:

1. Integrity, both personal and professional.

2. The ability to inspire others to do their best and the grace to recognize their achievements.

3. Clear vision, both of the future and the past; rewriting history robs us of our ability to learn from it.

Do you possess those qualities?

If you have employees who have been with you for years, odds are that you do. Rarely (especially in retail) do people stay put for bonehead employers.

It’s important to be the kind of leader that staff members want to work for-—right now, they’re you first line of defense against dropping sales or poor customer experience.

It’s also important to be the kind of store owner customers want to shop with-—in a world that seems to be swinging left hooks, they crave stability and confidence in their personal universe.

You owe it to them. You owe it to you. Allow your leader within to shine.

How to Bomb in Six Easy Steps

You’re scared, I know. Much of life in Retail Land changed this year...but not everything. What you knew on Memorial Weekend continues to be true today. Just gotta get your groove back and start thinking with the head, not the nerve endings.

If, however, you’re determined to be eaten alive by current economic conditions, here are six easy steps to assure you’ll crash and burn by December 31st:

1. Make split second decisions
Fear breeds snap decisions. Snap decisions breed nightmare situations. That ought to kill you off by New Year’s. Or...take a moment to rewind. It may feel like the economy is running you over at 90 mph, but it’s not—a day still has 24 hours, a week still has seven days. And you still have the ability to make wise choices and savvy moves, just like you did before all this monkey business began. Put thought into your actions; this isn’t the time for business-related bungee jumping.

2. Put all your faith in the daily register tape
Want to freak yourself out? Hang on every number the register spits out. Or, as a more positive alternative (requiring less Pepcid AC), see it as a small piece of the big picture. Don’t let a lousy Thursday derail your plan for the remainder of the month. Examine which categories are moving, which are stalling, and what tweaks you can make to reshuffle the deck. Clearance out old product at fire sale prices. Bring in new product at the same time so people don’t think you’re closing. Offer as many free services as possible, adding value to each purchase.

3. Spend more money than you need to
You‘re ordering $254 worth of product, but if you bump it to $300, you’ll get free freight. Good idea? Sure, if you want it to be your last. If you’d like to see Valentine’s Day, however, consider this: Why pay $46 for more product when the freight would have only cost $24? If that $46 is burning a hole in your pocket, find another fresh new line to bring in that complements the first. Don’t cave into last minute specials or go deep on single vendors unless the numbers truly add up. Order what you need; let someone count the backstock in their year end inventory.

4. Bet the farm on someone else’s opinion
One of the best shortcuts to early retirement? Decision by committee, with a committee that has no financial risk in the outcome. The alternative? Remember there’s not a soul on earth who loves your store more than you, or understands it better. Sure, it helps to ask others for advice (within reason...fellow retailers, reps, vendors, consultants, yes...your Aunt Mildred who only shops QVC, no), but in the end, only you know what fits. Listen to their opinions and ideas. Consider their recommendations. Draw an old fashioned Pro/Con chart if you must. Then trust your gut—not the mailman’s.

5. Under-appreciate your customers
Just let ‘em drift; you’ll be gone in a couple of months anyway, right? Or...you could try remembering that customers need to feel the love, especially now. Connect to them without tieing a sales pitch into the message. Offer fresh baked cookies. Send handwritten thank you notes. Play happy music in the background. Welcome them with a confident smile (even if you have to fake it), an open ear, and a zero-pressure environment when they stop in. If they’re just browsing, provide them a place that’s comfortable and sane; it increases the odds they’ll return. Stores that provide great customer service and peaceful respite from the world will win the race.

6. Doubt yourself
If you’re planning to crash and burn by January, odds are, this one’s a cakewalk. HEY-—aren’t you the same fearless being who jumped into retail to begin with? Where’s that damn the torpedoes mentality you once had? The creative mind that came up with new ideas at the drop of a hat? You might be scared, you might be antsy, but you’re still the person your employees and customers look up to. Strut your stuff, act the part. Confidence in one inspires confidence in others; right now, you’re the person to deliver it.

Buck up, kiddo. It’s time.

Can we please stop with the P word???

Panic. Panic.

Panic-panic-panic.

Enough already.

I know we’re in uncharted territory, but if I hear “the P word” one more time on the national news regarding retail and the upcoming holiday season, I’m going to lose it. Yes, consumers know things are tight, and yes, retailers are also abundantly aware of the fact. But c’mon....panic? That’s people sobbing in the streets and screaming through hallways. Haven’t seen that-—at least not around here.

Last week, WalMart launched a $10 toy sale, spurring price wars with their competitors. Somehow, the national media has tied that to the fact these same big boxes are putting out the first of their holiday offerings, claiming the juxtaposition of the two is proof positive retailers are in a panic, pushing holiday extra early.

Well, color me silly, but since when is it unusual to see big box behemoths put out Christmas wares before Halloween? Truth be told, if they’re just now unpacking the first boxes, they’re running behind their typical jump-the-gun schedule. Skelator and Santa side by side in aisle 12? Hardly a news flash. And hardly a sign of panic.

C’mon guys. Things are tough enough. Can we please stop with the P word?

End of rant. Thanks for playing.

CS4 release pushed back

Crud. According to Toolfarm (one of Adobe’s Platinum Resellers), the new Creative Suite won’t ship until October 29th-—two weeks later than the original October 16th date publicized earlier.

Means I can take a break from bobbing up and down at the door every time I hear a delivery truck rumble down the street. Still...this is like Santa sending an email to say Christmas will be delayed until mid-January.

::: sniffle :::