Retail

The 3/50 Project bag stuffers are here

by Cinda Baxter on March 16, 2009

in Economy, Local, Retail, The 3/50 Project

3-50-project-logo_500px2 You emailed…you asked…you shall receive.

I’ve created bag stuffers a flyer for The 3/50 Project that can be easily printed on any color printer, from an $80 desktop to an $8,000 press. Just print, cut in half, and start slipping them into your customers’ bags.

Or better yet, hand them to your customers WITH their bags, with a big smile and personal thank you for shopping in your store. Who doesn’t like to be thanked for doing something nice, after all?

The bag stuffer flyer can be found online by clicking here.

Seth Godin mentions The 3/50 Project
Save the economy three stores at a time
Let’s get The 3/50 Project on the Today Show
Oprah, you’ve got it wrong
CNBC host Erin Burnett reminds us the battle is about more than just money
Enough with the carnage
The 3/50 Project grows legs
Want to be a 3/50 Project rock star?

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Kate’s cancels vendor appointments

by Cinda Baxter on March 14, 2009

in New York, Real World, Retail

kates_sign Several emails have landed on my desk the past few days asking if I knew what was going on with Kate’s Paperie. According to first hand sources, vendor appointments were cancelled last week, many without prior notice…even for those coming in from out of state. The reason given was the sudden departure of President Hans Parrado (previously Sales Manager for the multi-store retailer). [click here to continue…]

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A conversation with ShoLo founders Joya Helmuth and Rebecca Maalouf

by Cinda Baxter on March 13, 2009

in Local, Marketing, Retail

sholo As you know from last week’s post, I am bursting-at-the-seams-proud of an Indiana “shop local” project appropriately named ShoLo. They stand as a shining example of just what can be done when community business owners pull together.

According to Joya Helmuth, owner of Spark Fine Stationery, the seeds were sewn during a regular meeting of the Women in Retail Group (facilitated by the Small Business Development Center). She shared customers’ comments about their preference for locally owned businesses, then suggested members of the group “capitalize on it as a way to differentiate ourselves from national/chain stores. If it’s important to our customers, we should shout it from the rooftops!”

By the time the meeting ended, Joya had a partner in crime—Rebecca Maalouf, owner of Camelia, The Makeup Store. Within three months of launching, ShoLo had swollen to fifty members.

Recently, I asked Joya and Rebecca about their experience setting up ShoLo, and what advice they had for other retailers hoping to do the same. [click here to continue…]

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Save the economy three stores at a time

by Cinda Baxter on March 11, 2009

in Economy, Marketing, Retail, The 3/50 Project

3-50-project-logo_500px2 A friend turned me onto a great piece about strengthening the local economy by patronizing local brick and mortars. Written by Rieva Lesonsky (Consulting Editor at BizWomen.com), the post titled “Support Your Local Small Business” touched my retail-lovin’ heart in a big way.

Her article sprang from a customer service-related experiment last summer. In that case, a guy decided to purchase goods and services only from businesses whose owners he’d met. Before long, he was frequenting the same three restaurants repeatedly, which inspired Lesonsky to twist the concept slightly, then consider the implications of her own shopping habits: [click here to continue…]

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Ten reasons it’s great to be an independent retailer

by Cinda Baxter on February 27, 2009

in Real World, Retail

thumbs_up 1. You don’t work for [insert: name of a financial institution], who most of the public distrusts despises hates wants to see on a skewer over raging flames.

2. You’re part of the solution-—not the problem-—where the economy is concerned.

3. You have the ability to make adjustments to your business on a moment’s notice without waiting for board approval or risking corporate pushback. [click here to continue…]

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IndieBound: Support for storefront retailers

by Cinda Baxter on February 24, 2009

in Real World, Retail

indiebound_logo My thoughts about “buy indie” programs are pretty well defined. I’m not a big fan of sites that make unachievable promises like high Google rankings, streams of new customers, and exponentially increased revenue-—especially when they ask retailers to pay a hefty fee to participate (see here). I do, however, stand behind programs that support stores through online referrals, set realistic goals, and provide materials that can be used to build campaigns from the grass roots up.

Enter stage right: The American Booksellers Association, arguably the king of the mountain when it comes to promoting independent brick and mortars. Their website, IndieBound.org, is not only info-packed, but hyper-hip in that hyper-hip-but-safe-for-middle-agers kind of way. [click here to continue…]

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Hammering it home

by Cinda Baxter on February 20, 2009

in Discounting, Independent Retailers, Retail

home_studio_1 Before I even get started, let me be clear: my heart and soul are with storefront retailers, not home based businesses who purchase the same product being sold to brick and mortar stores, then sell it at a discount.* Having taken plenty-o-kicks in the shins the past two weeks from the kitchen table crowd, I fully expect the following post will result in my photo being plastered to dartboards everywhere.

Oh well. Just be sure to use one with me smiling. [click here to continue…]

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Age is a beautiful thing

by Cinda Baxter on February 18, 2009

in Marketing, Retail

antique_car_radio It’s amazing what a valuable education I’m getting from the radio these days. Even short hops to the post office and airport seem to be fruitful.