changing face of retail

[Lee]

Over the past couple of years I have seen a change in the items I am retailing.

I did a bomb on silver/aluminium gifts and engraving for a time but this has slowed to a grawl as now you can buy these gifts at places like Tesco.

I have however noticed a jump in the amount of shoe care I am selling. Mainly laces, Polish and insoles but also a noticeable increase in brushes!

 

So in the last 2 years what changes have you seen?

 

Lee

[kobblers]

we seem to be selling less shoecare, mainly dyes for some reason at the moment we seem to have fits and starts with the giftware and it isn't seasonal trends which causes it.

[Guest kam]

i too have noticed things changing, lots of other traders i talk to seem to say the same its as if something is missins,

each month that goes by i look at things that move and notice some that dont

strange thing is it all juggles along

shoecare is always a pain in the a... i think that because the profit isnt as good, imean you stock a stand of it and always end up with crap as the wholesalers change the packaging and no one buys it you always end up with old and new + we dont want to throw it away. why do they keep changing packaging? we dont sell any more of it! perhaps this should be a topic on its own. sorry.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

2kam, part of the answer to your questions are that no-one can stand still while others forge ahead with new products.

Changing the format, the colour and shape of the container makes believe to the customer that you have a new product.

 

We are also in a world of International trading where companies get taken over in the name of global imagery.

The new owners want their own logos on the product, so although the product sometimes remains the same the outside of the container has to match the parent companies existing range.

 

Many times this universal imagery does not workout as the new product name does not have the old familiar ring to it, takes years to get familiar with everyday products sitting on self service shelves.

 

All the same colour containers with a logo no-one has heard of, poor descriptions of contents. couple this with a generation who do not know how to care for footwear and you get an idea where things are going wrong.

 

There will be some who will quite rightly state that their sales are on the increase but there will be a whole lot of different circumstances accompanying each claim, like a re-fit, a new opening, new displays, re-location of shop or products, or as in some cases an awareness of the extra sale opportunity.

[Auto Key Wizard]

 

All the same colour containers with a logo no-one has heard of, poor descriptions of contents.

 

Yeah too true of all the shoe care manufactures,

but it's the same on most stuff, the brand name is bold, but what it actually is/does is in small print,

bit like hair shampoo, I always condition 1st & shampoo after.

[Guest monkeyboots]

Like lots of apparel shoes seem to be increasingly becoming just another cheap disposable item, i bet most under 30's wouldn't dream of having a pair of shoes repaired or re-soled, quite sad really and not very eco friendly. For my sins i know peolpe that still wear brougues that they bought inthe 70's.

[ironplanet uk900]

Over the past couple of years I have seen a change in the items I am retailing.

I did a bomb on silver/aluminium gifts and engraving for a time but this has slowed to a grawl as now you can buy these gifts at places like Tesco.

I have however noticed a jump in the amount of shoe care I am selling. Mainly laces, Polish and insoles but also a noticeable increase in brushes!

 

So in the last 2 years what changes have you seen?

 

Lee

 

Well Heres how I see it, It goes back to a post I made last year I think.

 

http://www.shoerepairer.info/bb/viewtopic.php?t=747

 

I asked members what their Business's were called.

 

I think if the sign above your shop says "The Cobblers" You can't expect to sell much in giftware, as the only customers that will know you sell em are your normal customers.

Remember, a hell of a lot of folk never have there shoes repaired, so looking in your shop won't be high on there agender when shopping for gifts.

Also if you want to do well in this market, you'll need a nice range of gifts, displayed well, no dusty cabinettes, etc.

We do gifts in a big way, and have put some of our local jewellers nose's out of joint,

 

You can sell anything if its marketed correctly

 

PS Not saying your not marketing correctly Lee, just general comments.