Home Center Merchant

Bill Fishman

Bill Fishman & Affiliates

11650 lberia Place san Diego' ca' 92128 ty atmosphere of warehouse operations.

MARGIN squeeze has taken a toll

I on the level of serrice that dealers can cffer. "Full service" stores have reformatted their store layouts and visual merchandising for more self-selection and reduced floor coverage. lt does work, but be careful!

D-i-y customers are telling us that they have stopped shopping in those stores where the salespersons are visible but inattentive, uncaring or downright impolite. They are finding that the price spread (sheif prices) from one dealer to the next is not great enough to subject themselves to a degrading experience.

While warehouse stores have been capturing segments of the market in metropolitan areas, there are many d-i-y customers who are intimidated by the warehouse's phvsical plant. Women, who are accusiorired to'shopping in decor'd surroundings, especially avoid the cavelike and dir-

While the black skid marks on the floor and the constant warning bells of the fork lifts connote low overhead to some shoppers, others avoid shopping in the mass confusion of warehouse stores.

But the conventional tlpe stores have their turn-offs too. Why, oh why, must the volume be up so loud on the store's intercom system? And it always appears harder to find help and get through the check out during "slow" hours than during high volume days.

Our industry today is contributing greatly to the wea.lth of the newspaper, and radio and TV stations. The ads shout lowest prices and friendly, knowledgeable salespeople. But many times it's easy to tell that the guy that wrote the ad is not the guy that's waiting on customers.

You and I have watched television programs in which the retail salesperson or service man is portrayed as a fumbling, clutzy idiot. We mimicked the laugh track because it's usually a funny routine. I'll agree it's funny on the tube, but u'hen you're the customer in a real life situation, face-to-face '*ith an individual spouting stupid comebacks instead of helpful suggestions, it's no laughing matter. o "That's the last one. Mac. Take it or leave it." o "Sorry, we sold out of the advenised item at 9.50 the firs hour, but we have another one over here thar will cosr you $9.75." r "lf you donl see it, we don't have il."

In 35 years of retailing, I've overheard some classics on the sales floor. Read them and laugh. Then worry just a little that one or tu'o of these remarks in this collection came from your home center's Stupid Remarks Depanment. Could one of your salespeople be saying this to Your customers....

"...ya, we have it, if you want to pay $79." . "l just work here I don\ make the rules."

. "No, it's not on sale."

. "Oh, I believe you, thil their price is lower, but just wait, they'll raise it. They can't afford to sell it at thar price forever."

Copy at the bottom of an ad. "Cash & Carrv Only. We honor Visa and MagerCard." "l knon'you bought ft here, but I canl tell you where to ga replacement parts."

"Yes we handle mo$ barteries. but not the one for our remote door operator, try the hardware store down the $reet."

We back our products with factory-trained Personnel and a strong product warranty. lf You have a special application or problem, call our chemists on our toll{ree number. We'll helP however we can.

We work hard to Protect our product's reputation so You don't have to worry about Yours.

Gray Seal, the Paint Pros Paint. Painting's iust too much work to use anything else.

February 1986 r \\'hen the cashicr is askcd il she buvs hcr matcrial at the store. "l don't shop hcre, the nrerchandisc is too shabb1." r "l clon'1 makr- 11 , l.iust sell it." r "\\'hat elsc catr I sc// Iou to I'inish thc pro.ject'i "

. "So rcport it to lhe Beiler Busincss llLrrclttr, I rl()n'l eilrc."

" I llll '' I irrrr Irrtrirlcnt l clllr. " o "\1r Irlicln'i upJrroaeir lhcrn. Icarr tcll l hcr 'rc rcailr nol llcr c lr) lru) " o "Harciholuci nanclirt.g clocsn't:cll in I his nlrlkct " ()nc r-lrrpjr)\'cc t() lutolhcr litrrcllr \'1r)lt-!ll l(,1 ( 1\trrt)let \ lr) ,)\\.! lf Clrf : .' l lle i r:rr rr uill hi tL'.tr'.kcrl ilt trr,' setk.. Irrit vort kno\\ *hat that mcAn\ at tlri: orrtlit." o "Too bad rou clicin't buv it restcrclar sir. it sas irn salc." o The movablc sign on the home ccnter fiont door Lrnchanged at middal. "C-losed." o "Here 's m) pricc, il'it's too htgh I can shave it. " o 0erheard br custorners nearbl , one stock per\on Io another: "l hate uorking on Saturclal: *hc-n ali thesc clantn cu\lontcrs arc in thc \torc."

. "\irr.r cion"t \\ant to br-rr nothing dt'r )ou?"

.

".\re rou cnlitlecl lo oLrr birilclcrs cliscount ? "

"\\'h) don'l r ou q ait a eoLrplc o1' lre-cks, thc btircr u:uallr puts it on salc that tirnc ol thc rcar. " o "l'll *ritc uf thc orclcr 1()f thc llaragc at this clc\k, bril \ou uill irarc trr llncl \()nreollc clsc 1o scll \ou 1l)c rrails ancl painl "

Tlrc rctail sales tkror is no place to plav thc ganrc oi onc-upntanship. \\'hcn lr cristorner is on thc rccci\nt-[ cncl ol a strrpicl rcrnark hc nttr.irrst lnakc \urc tltal \orlr sarlcspcr\()n hacl thc last $Orcl lorcrcr.