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Bill Fishman & Affiliates

11650 lberia Place

San

Diego, Qa.9212E

(Since "A Nobody Asked Me. But" column of several years ago attracted so many comments, Bill Fishman is repeating the format with comments anticipating 1987-ed.)

oroo" asked me. but:

Those highly promoted low price guarantees and club membership cards that were so prevalent last year will be discontinued by many of the home centers.

Building material dealers are surprised to find that industrial and commercial buyers react to advertising and promotion directed specifically at them.

' o The sale and rentals of "How-To" videos will reach its peak within the next twelve months. o The theme "Once in a Blue Moon" is the second best promotion in the home center industry. Grand Opening is still the best. o .A store"r ide sale of'f'ering -i01[, oli' eVer) thing in the storc u'ill bring in l() times nrore traffic than 20'X, off.

Independent dealers are getting stronger as the major chains absorb one another. These dealers will find ways to retaliate against their suppliers who sell directly to builders and contractors.

Enthusiasm will sell more products than product knowledge.

If there are lots of printed signs in the store that begin with the words "no" or "don't" you can bet that the sign-making equipment is under the jurisdiction of the store manager not the sales promotion manager.

The shift has started. There is more available management talent than there are positions available in the home center and building material industry.

Independent retailers still do a poor job of utilizing and administrating cooperative advertising funds.

Invariably, the counterman who produces the largest volume also offers the biggest discounts.

Point of purchase audio/visual equipment will be sabotaged if it is not strategically placed out of ear shot of the selling stations.

Lost sale slips (want cards) will supply a home center with almost all the research needed about fast moving and newly introduced merchandise.

.\ honre center that doesn't havc a lriglr cr cning traffic count is in l poor retail Iocation.

Prol'essional speakers are more cntcrtaining, but I learn more from rctililer punclisls.

Iletailers who arc not enclosing stufl'crs u'ith their nronthJl statcnrents urc *asting 22c per custonrer per nronth.

Nlost honre center aclrertrsing now connotcs a scnsc ol urgcncl.

The ar.ailabilin of installllion will be an important and prolitablc scrr icc offered b1 building nrateriul dea lers.

Nc\\ computer technology will makc it cost cffective for building material clcalcrs to offer blueprint take-olf scrviccs.

Intercst rate bu1'-dow'ns rvill spark big ticket packagc salcs next 1ear.

,\t lcast onc hor.r.rc center \\'ill derclo;t lt :;tlcr lrr{rnt{rtion Lilntpaign that docs not l'clture lrroduct prices. Thc ads u ill be dirccted at the most alflucnt nrarket and promote thc loe:rlions. seleetion. priting polio. services and the eclucational and fun aspcct of'shopping their stores. I he .tds lrrrr c conlinuitr and n'ill be gimnticky. east to read. The promotion will be successful.

J'hc t\\,o biggest profit contributrtrs ncxt Vear will come from kitchens ancl winclow treatment products.

R'1 .\ (reacly-to-assenrble) f.urniture will bc thc largcst new volume produccr tor nranl honrc centcr charns.

In spitc ol' incre usecl conrpetition lionr uurchousc opcrators. resourcelul honrc ccnter operators u'ill register thcir best prolit lcar in

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