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Do you hear that? Among the sleigh bells and holiday carols is the unmistakable sound of the clock ticking down, reminding all your customers that time is running out for them to find the perfect gift for everyone on their list.
While there’s no question that the holidays and holiday shopping can be frustrating and stressful for shoppers (and retailers), it’s also a chance for you as the retailer to become a problem solver and not just a product pusher.
Think of all the times you found yourself wandering in and out of crowded stores, not exactly sure what you were looking for but knowing that you needed something. Did you want someone to come up and randomly accost you with perfume samples or did you want someone to approach you and ask you what it is that brought you into their store?
Unless you were looking for perfume, I will assume you chose the latter. With all the holiday craziness and chaos, customers appreciate finding solutions to those shopping problems instead of pressure to purchase things they don’t need. It’s important to stay aggressive with sales, but as you know, there is a tactful way to go about it that can reap more benefits in the long run.
Just take the time to listen to their individual needs and together you can find exactly what they didn’t know they needed. When you offer customers nick-of-time solutions to their holiday shopping and entertaining dilemmas, they'll thank you with their sales, a grateful smile and future patronage.
And as we close in on the end of 2008, I thank all of you for your patronage of Museums & More and wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009!
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Barb Mannion
Manager of Merchandising and Retail,
Harley-Davidson Museum
What makes your store unique?
The Harley-Davidson Museum is not your typical Museum, and our Museum Shop is no exception. Visitors to the Shop will find unique items that are only available here. Our retail experience builds upon the excitement visitors feel when they are inside the Museum and offers products that have a direct tie to exhibits and artifacts. One example is a replica motorcycle club uniform shirt that pays homage to the authentic motorcycle club memorabilia in the Museum’s “Clubs and Competition” gallery. We want visitors to be able to bring a piece of their experience back home with them when they leave.
What is your retail background?
I have a degree in retailing from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign. In addition, I have held various positions in retail, buying and product development with specialty and catalog retailers. I joined Harley-Davidson in 1997 as a category manager for men’s and women’s sportswear. In 1999, I became Director of the Motorclothes division before moving to this once-in-a lifetime role at the Museum, where I have been able to develop a unique retail experience from the ground up.
What is the most popular product you sell?
T-shirts! It’s kind of a Harley-Davidson thing. Riders and enthusiasts collect T-shirts from the different Harley-Davidson dealerships and retail stores they have visited around the world. The Museum has the benefit of drawing from the artifacts in our Archives collection to create some really cool T-shirt designs that are found only here in our Shop. Our guests have really responded well to the wide variety of unique images and logos from our Archives.
What trade shows do you attend?
Having just opened the Museum and the Shop this summer, we have been intently focused on the start-up process the majority of this year. We did attend Global Shop, and are looking forward to attending more shows now that we are open and fully operational.
What are the least and most expensive products you sell?
We try to appeal to a wide variety of visitors so that everyone can find something special to commemorate their visit. The Shop offers everything from postcards, guitar picks and customized Harley-Davidson Museum poker chips to hand-made purses created from recycled automobile tire tubes. We even have a one-of-a-kind, 200-plus pound bronze statue of a 1920’s Hillclimber motorcycle and rider that was the inspiration for a larger-than-life-sized bronze statue just outside the Museum.
What advice do you have for other retailers?
Know your customer. Provide products and experiences that set you apart from other retailers and that allow customers to connect with you in unique and meaningful ways. Provide excellent customer service and have fun! |
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What do you think was the fastest growing product segment in 2008?
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All Roads Lead to "Northwest Directions" at Seattle Gift Show
It's North-by-Northwest to Seattle, one of the country's most magnetic cities and home to the Northwest Directions division of the Seattle Gift Show. The doors will open to the Seattle Gift Show January 24-27 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.
GHTA Announces New Board and Executive Director
The Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA), the industry's non-profit professional trade association, announced that Diane Carnevale Jones was recently appointed as the executive director of the Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA) during the 2008 GHTA Conference, held Nov. 20-22, in Sanibel Island, Fla.
NSS to Offer Variety, Show Daily
As North America's leading marketplace for discovery, education and networking for the social stationery industry, the 63rd annual National Stationery Show (NSS) will be the place to be for 14,000 retailers and industry professionals and 1,100 key exhibitors, May 17-20, 2009, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
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New Line, New Styles
Cottage Press is introducing five new collections with unique assortments. Each collection includes a mix of journals, boxed notes, thank you cards and more!
Cottage Press
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A Grrreat Puzzle
This black bear Scramble Squares brain teaser puzzle is easy to play but hard to solve. For everyone ages four to 104.
b.dazzle
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Hand-Dyed Scarves
Velvet Moon Scarves from F.A.C. Productions are handcrafted in America by velvet artisans and are unique gifts items for any destination specialty store.
F.A.C. Productions
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Squawk of the Town
The vibrant yellow head crest of this cockatoo from Folkmanis separates it from the crowd and has a moveable mouth and wings.
Folkmanis
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TEXT-ONLY ADS ARE AVAILABLE!
Call Gavin Cribbs to find out how you can advertise your product or business in this special text-only ad area! 800-825-0900, ext. 109 |
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