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C U STOM E R S E RVIC E
MAXIMIZING MERCHANDISE
Build an image through branded products B Y PA U L H O D O WA N I C
to market themselves appropriately and to as large or an audience as possible is essential. Most shops will run advertisements in local media, push their brand hard on social media, or send out mailers, but not too many shops consider merchandise. Common in other industries, merchandise can be a great way to market a service while also creating a connection between the business and a customer that an advertisement or social post couldn’t. Through the merchandising of t-shirts and stickers, Turbo Tim’s—a repair shop in Minneapolis, Minn. that does roughly 200 oil changes per month—has been able to cultivate a robust customer base that cares deeply about the success of a shop. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to merchandise. Hats, t-shirts, sunglasses, pens, keychains, stickers—the list goes on. So how should a shop decide what to choose and what should they keep in mind during the process? National Oil and Lube News discussed those questions with Rachel Grewell, co-owner of Turbo Tim’s, and Erin Shea, the North American market director for the online printing service Vistaprint. Don’t treat it as another revenue stream. The making of the Turbo Tim’s t-shirts were never intended to come with a high price tag, Grewell says. Currently selling them for $5, the shop will often give them away for free during community events and through different promotions.
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At first the t-shirts were just for employees. But after customers expressed interest in purchasing a shirt, Grewell saw it as an opportunity. The amount of money the t-shirts generate alone isn’t much. They could charge more for them if they wanted to, Grewell says. But it’s not about maximizing the profit of every t-shirt sale. To Grewell, it’s much more of a marketing and customer retention tool. “There’s something to be said for return on investment, but when it comes to branding and brand recognition and community participation, it’s hard to put a value on that,” Grewell says. And the cost doesn’t have to be enormous to purchase merchandise or other promotional items. “Whether a business is buying in bulk or small quantities across our other product categories, it is easy to impact your business regardless of the size of your budget,” says Shea, adding that the average order is only $55. By far, Turbo Tim’s most successful merchandise turned marketing campaign is its bumper stickers. Available for free to any customer, the shop will give out a 10 percent discount for anyone that puts a Turbo Tim’s bumper sticker on their car. That discount lasts for the life of the car. So every visit that car makes with the sticker somewhere on it, they’ll receive a discount. “We’re incredibly grateful when someone is willing to put something on a valuable asset of theirs that has our name on it. So we like to reward those customers,” Grewell says.
NATIONAL OR LOCAL?
Deciding where to order merchandise can often be as stressful as what to order. Rachel Grewell, co-owner of Turbo Tim’s in Minneapolis, has used both local and national companies for the shop’s merchandise. While the t-shirts have always been made local, she began using a national manufacturer for the Turbo Tim’s stickers. She found the stickers were starting to wear with the local provider she was using and they wanted to expand into other types of stickers, like decals. With the expanded need, a larger manufacturer was the way to go. But Grewell recommends assessing exactly what your business needs. National manufacturers, like Vistaprint, will likely have more resources to buy in bulk which may lead to a greater discount. Local shops have the benefit of being local, giving them a leg up on customer service and the benefit of being very close to the business to work through any concerns or questions.
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