Home Center Merchant

Bill Fishman

Bill Fishman & Affiliates lIg$' YEAR'S Da1 sale ar Forcsr IICin \\as an annual event in thcClerelani market. It gare us rhe largest volume day of the )ear riith trafttc bought rrith radio adrcrtising.

1 1650 lber a P ace San Diego. Ca. 92'128 it.r, rrere marked doqn a lille lo(r-rr) s\\eeten the pot.

Radio stations can't sell commercial time on Neu Year's Ere. National adrertisers don't want lt. \1ost retailers sh1' a*a1' from it. The stations run all night long danee partie) from 8 p.m. December 3lst thru 8 a.m. Januarl lst. \\'e bought 'em all-dirt cheap. The statrons \\'ere happy to negotiate for a total package for this one evening.

Each year ue sponsored the all night programs on as man! as a dozen dif ferent stations at a cost that \\as less than our regular l2 page ne\\'spaper tab. \'ou couldn't push a button on a car radio * ithout hearing that the "Annual Clearance Sale Stans Tomorroq (Todar ) at all Forest Cit-v Stores. Free coffeefree aspirin for all shoppers." The radio promotion r,'as backed up with a double truck ad in the holidal neuspaper. Our headline read: "Starts toda) -Ne\\ Year's Day."

Except for the blizzard one vear, the cro*ds rvere waiting for us to open the doors. Plentl of onesie and t*oste damaged items, displai models, weathered goods, and our ot erstocks and buyer's mistakes \\'ere promoted. Basic

\es Year': Da) care u. a greai kr:).oif fcrr our threc' ri c'ek Januarr JIL'arAnJ!'. It'' nice to start thc'ne$ \r.ar \\iih a \\t:tnlllg r'rolllotlon.

Sonre holidar s are a natural for homc' ..pnl('r nromotj,rn. Sp61g rrill nerer riork. Here are a ie* oi mr rrinner: ant.i lo:ers.

\',{LE\Tl\E'S D.{\: .{ roral ilop.

T*iee rre rnrg'1r'cl in promotinu .'u: stores for cift items. \\'r'u-.ed plentr oi hearts in our ads. ran a riishrng *ell contest entitled "\\'rn Your Heart's Desire" and eren ofiered iree giit \\rapprng. Nothin-s uorked. I don't thrnk it erer u ill.

PRESIDE\T'S BIRTHD.\\': Crrmirining Lincoln's and \\'ashingron': birrhda1s rnakes a good handle for a :hon terrn \alL'. CIerer merchandising is the ker to prolitabilitv, \\'ithout careiullr analr zing the mcr;h.indi.g ppg.r'v1111i,rn ,l retailcr can g!'t ll cented inltr a ;orner \\ ith lots of traifrc but onlr onlr a :nrall dollar r olume.

EASTER: Leare it to Ine read)-to-\\ear retailers. The ueek beiore has traditionalli been slo* for hardline retailer:.

\IOTHER'S DA\': chain mer.-handised rr arc'. :mall e lectrics, teler i:irrn and audio, the.c ,lpnrrtmpnr< iigure' did nrrt reflect .'rea'e\.

E\ en though rrur nouse\\ares. glllmajor appirance.. *e could not peak The overall store anl significant in-

\lE\1ORl.{L D.{\: Thi: .ignal. :irc' kick-oii tri the outdtror \eason. \\ e rrc'rc able to bur Sundal iir;ulation ir)r \\eekdar rale: itrr rruf iat\:eaii!rn. Holidar \tL)re lraiita s3: bi,s. The arera,ee licke: * a: brg. The ttrral s eek :egl:le:eJ : hc' highe:t dtrllar r trlume ol the 1ear. Sale. rr. e\er) depaflment \\efe't:!rng: \rlnlnlr': :BdStrflil i.:he leader. La*n anJ ca:Jr':r. ouldLrLrr b,uilding nrirrear. la;kag.-. erJ the trpreal .pring tlr-up :ne::r'..ilr..l:.a f,eak thi. s eek.

F.\.fHER'S D.\\ : \lsat\ ::r\ir'.:\:r!. .{lirar. di.appoinrrng : l\DLPE\DL\(L D.\\ : S.n:c::i1.. ,soodI Sometirnc. tcr:iL,lei \Ir;ir Jcpe::;. ,'rt titc \\cirllrer I:rr' .':"r:Jq:'::r' \lclnorlal Dar .alc. i he nttrrc' rj t.app.,l ;t:ine the Indc'pcnJen;c' Dar rolunrc'. t-..\BOR D.\\. Blahl

C'OL L \lBL S [).\\': .\ ,1..J :]anJl. l.':- .t ,'ttc Ja) rr.)ll)\\tl\)1. :t \.'u -J:: :ili:-l:.r:l' Ji:c:tr11c'glrop deaJ priie.. Besa:cl In 'rl|ne iitic' 1-!'tailer-. gci rulir loJ.ir. Cust.rnter' get a littlc Jrrz) lrrrr.

TH.\\KS(llVl\C D.{\ : Eretr * :tir :i:e itorr'r Ji0ic-d thi: rrar the tradit:.'nal iay to t'la:t ihe 'Ccl YJU: Hlrme RcaJ'. i.rr thc' HolrJari" thcme. Tne gtll\ :\iic

South Bay Forest Products, a very special manufacturer of specialty lumber products, has a winning combination for you.

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R EDWOO N FINISH PATTERNS CUT STOCK manufacturor spociallzing in westem specialty sottwoods * ',3n.tE*e,"f!-'r:r.i {fii 1-ll};1,ii,, i::UGLAS FIR FINISH SIDINGS BOARDS DIMENSION TIMBERS DECKING SPRUCE & PINEPATTERNS SPECIAL ItIOULDINGS

INDUSTRIAL MOULDINGS & MILLWORK

Wholesale only

December 'l985 itcms gave us lhc tonnage (thanks to trima-tree, housewares, rnajor appliances and television and audio co-op). B1' experimenting rve discovercd that our Iurnber and building matcrial sales did not die on Decembcr lst. When *e aggrcssir e-lr prorn()tcd our [rlsic depart rncnts througft [)cccrnber l0tlt we tnlrintaincd our volunic in these basics until a wcck bclirrc Christnras.

CIFIRISTMAS DAY: When the economl' was strong, and bonuses were common, the day'aftcr Christmas was a good day to prornote big ticket sales: rernodeling packages, major appliances, telerisions, etc.

\\'hile holidals and salc themcs give cohesion and justification to a storcwide event-il's the merchandrsing that deterr.nines the success and profitabilitl' of the advertising expcnditure. It takes impact, creati\rty and sorne bold price cuts to bring in the traffic.

"And, Boswell, I want .tou tr.t heatl u torntnittee thctt rrill go to n'ork utttl organi:.e ct t'orrtrnittee o.f

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Home Size Grows

Ne* singlc-famill' homes are being built larger, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The median size rose in 1984 to 1,605 sq. ft., an increase of more than 40 so. ft. over 1983.