Hardware Connection July/Aug 2013 by NHPA

BY THE NUMBERS –SUCCESS–

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At Do it Best Corp., we believe the numbers speak volumes about our commitment to providing independent member-owners with fuel for growth. From proven retail performance programs, to LBM and industrial-commercial expertise, to an unbeatable distribution network, to industry-leading rebates—

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Publisher/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126

Editor/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864

Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609

Senior Business Advisor: John Hammond jhammond@thehardwareconnection.com

Beacon Awards Director: Tom Delph tdelph@thehardwareconnection.com

Sales: Paula Pasquale paula@thehardwareconnection.com 630-258-5666

Contributing Writer: John Franklin john@thehardwareconnection.com

Contributing Writer: John Fix III

Contributing Writer: Doug Donaldson

By Chris Jensen

Get a Fresh Outlook on Your Business

Every day is a new opportunity to get frazzled by your business. Two employees show up late and both are sporting new tattoos and/or body piercings. You catch a customer shoplifting. Another customer tries to return a product they bought from Depot 10 years ago. A shipment shows up with wrong merchandise.

Sound like a typical morning? That’s why it’s so important for you to get away from your business periodically for a few days and find a way to recharge your batteries. If all you see is your store six or seven days a week, you lose perspective on what’s wrong or right with your business.

The perfect opportunity is coming up for you to get a fresh outlook on your business. The annual Hardware Conference is set for September 6-8 in beautiful Marco Island, Florida. This year The Hardware Conference will be celebrating 25 years of bringing retailers, vendors and wholesalers together in one location to informally discuss how the various segments can work together to improve business.

Tom and Dale Chasteen are independent retailers, just like you,

and they founded The Hardware Conference because they wanted an event where other independent retailers, regardless of wholesaler affiliation, could gather and share ideas. They work tirelessly to organize the event and make sure that everyone has a good time.

Leading vendors are there not to sell you products, but to listen to your concerns. It’s not a buying show, but an opportunity to start a dialogue with manufacturers who are eager to learn how they can do a better job serving the two-step channel of distribution.

Friday night’s banquet will inspire you as you hear the stories of the Beacon Award winners for Best New Store, while Saturday night’s banquet will warm your heart as the vendor booths are auctioned off to raise money for the Miami Children’s Hospital. There is so much to see and do and it’s all fun—a vacation and valuable business trip all in one. Go to www.thehardwareconference.com to register or to learn more about an event that is unlike any other in the industry. Hope to see you in Marco Island! n

Fthe way i see it

By Tom Chasteen

Don’t Wrestle With Pigs

or the first 28 years of my career as a hardware retailer I worked for my father in our family-owned hardware stores. Like most of us who have grown up in the family hardware business our fathers and mothers were not just our parents but they were also our mentors, bankers, landlords and, in many cases, our best friends. Much of our work ethic, business ethics and the way we approach everyday issues in life are heavily influenced by our mentors.

As I got older I used to tell my father in a half-joking manner, “Dad, it’s a funny thing; the older I get the smarter you get.” He would always answer with a smile and respond, “I wish you would have gotten older sooner.” One of the values he attempted to instill in me was a sense of responsibility and accountability, which really boils down to integrity and what kind of a person I wanted to become.

Two generations before my family got into the hardware business my mother’s side of the family were farmers and they also raised some pigs. I used to love to visit my grandparents on the farm, because it was so different from the life I was being raised in. Simple things like the heavy dew on the grass in the

mornings, the smell of hay in the barn and just how messy pigs are!

It seemed no matter how hard I tried not to get mud (slop) on me when I would go down to the pig lot with my grandfather, I would always come back with mud on me. My grandfather would laugh and say something to me that I’ll never forget. “Tommy, don’t wrestle with pigs. You get mud on you and the pigs like it.”

My father used to remind me of that little saying when he was trying to make a point of avoiding people you cannot trust or rely on in business. When I was in my 20s I remember thinking that I could stay one step ahead of contractors or commercial accounts that had poor credit or questionable integrity. Invariably at some point I would regret my overconfidence to manage the situation and my father would give me a gentle reminder: “Don’t wrestle with pigs. You get mud on you and the pigs like it.”

My father passed away 17 years ago, but one of the most valuable things he taught me is the value of integrity. It truly is the most valuable gift you can ever give yourself—only you can earn it and no one but you can give it away. It is how you will be judged your whole life, both personally and professionally. If you

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the way i see it

don’t value your integrity, then no one else will either.

I recently had the unpleasant and disappointing experience of finding out I could not depend on or trust the word of someone I wanted to do business with. I had been working hard to earn their business for more than two years with limited success. Just when I thought we had turned a corner and were making progress, I learned they had no problem going back on both their verbal and written commitments without even the courtesy of letting me know they were no longer going to honor their commitments.

Some people might say “Pull up your big boy pants, Tom. That’s the way business is done today.” They may be right, but that doesn’t mean I have to do business that way myself. There are just too many other people and companies that still value their integrity that I would prefer to do business with.

The business environment is always in a constant state of flux and there are times when circumstances will not allow someone to do what they had previously agreed to do. The difference between someone who is trying to build a long-term relationship and values their integrity and someone who doesn’t is whether they call the person they made the commitment to as soon as they know they cannot fulfill their commitment. It’s a common courtesy to let the other person know the reason for the change in plans, because they

probably have also made commitments they must go back and address.

I know of very few people who won’t continue to respect someone if they make that call as soon as they know they aren’t going to be able to honor their commitment. There is not one hardware retailer or business person I know who at one point or another hasn’t lost money on a sale or paid his suppliers or employees when he or she was unable to take a paycheck home themselves. The reason is very simple—most successful hardware retailers and business people place a high value on doing what they say they are going to do. As one retailer told me when he was asked to sign a legal document: “I place a whole lot more value on my word than I do the ink on this paper.”

When a special order for a customer doesn’t come in when we told the customer it would I insist that we call them immediately and let them know and tell them what we are doing to get the product in as quickly as possible. Bad news doesn’t improve with age. Our customers are not interested in the fact our supplier is out of stock (we should have called to confirm availability) or that they shipped the wrong item. They don’t care if we have to order it from a supplier that charges us more for the item or that we may have to pay additional delivery charges. They trusted us to do what we said we would do— order the right item for the agreed price and have

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THE WAY I SEE IT

it delivered when we said it would. If we cannot do that, for whatever reason, then we have a responsibility to call that customer immediately.

When you as a retailer don’t do what you said you would do then you lose the trust of your customers and your integrity as a business person takes a hit. If you allow it to happen more than once you will probably lose the customer. This is business 101. Ask yourself how many times you have decided to quit doing business with someone or some company because they cannot keep their word. Every time I’m faced with the unpleasant situation when someone doesn’t do what they told me they were going to do and doesn’t give me the courtesy of

letting me know, I remind myself: “Don’t wrestle with pigs. You get mud on you and the pigs like it.”

When I was younger I would call someone out for this type of behavior, but as I’ve gotten older (more mature) I don’t waste the effort. I simply sever the relationship and ﬁnd another person or company that does value their word and do business with them. I no longer have any desire to try and get the mud (slop) stains out of my clothing. My dad really was a pretty smart guy. ■

Tom Chasteen, the publisher/principal of The Hardware Connection, owns a hardware store in the Florida Keys and operates The Hardware Conference with his wife, Dale. Contact him at tom@thehardwareconnection.com.

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HARDWARE STORIES Amazing but TRUE

Our most famous quote from a customer in the “sad but true” category: “Excuse me, does this magnet stick to wood?”

Alan Mayer

The Dry Sink Highlands, N.C.

We had a customer for whom we made a car key come back in complaining that it would not work. We made another one, but still it did not work. To get a better idea of the problem, I asked her if it ﬁt in the ignition. It did. So does it turn at all, or is it sticking? “Oh, no. That part is ﬁne,” she said. “The engine just cranks and cranks but won’t start!

Weldon Bailey

Jed’s Hardware

Houston, Texas

After receiving permission from the parent who had just completed paying for his stuff, our cashier handed a lollypop to the little boy. The father said to him, “What do you say Billy?” Billy looked directly at our cashier and said, “Wrong color!”

Ed Tisdale

Family Hardware Do it Express Cape Coral, Fla.

Acustomer was having problems with his toilet ﬂushing too slowly—the bowl just was not draining properly. After several employees each spent a bunch of time with the customer, a manager ﬁnally stepped in to help. The manager explained that after the water goes into the bowl, gravity does all the work. The customer replied, “Fine, I’ll take a bag of that gravity stuff.”

Randy Patzer

Garden City Ace Garden City, Mich.

How’s

MIDWEST

Business?

Sales so far this summer? Actually, sales have been quite good. We’re up about 15 percent over last year in one store and up single-digit gains in the other store. Weatherwise, we had a true spring and summer. It’s been a slow rise to warmth. Until recently, we had dry weather interspersed with rain, and now it’s rained enough to keep things growing. Gardens seemed to be doing quite well, so people have been out buying a lot of seeds, tools and gloves. We’ve seen slight increases in customer count and average sale. New initiatives planned for 2013?

I have two stores and in one we offered rental equipment for the

first time. We’re halfway through the first year of it, and it’s still a learning experience. Our big push is to get through the first year in one store and then look at extending rental into the other store. We really had to educate ourselves on tools we didn’t know about. We have been very successful in selling tie-in products with rental equipment.

Umber’s Do it Best Hardware’s Georgetown location.

Umber’s Do it Best Hardware’s Waynedale location.

What niches are doing well?

LED bulbs seem to be really taking off. Customers want to take advantage of the energy savings. We also offer repair services, such as small engine repair and window screen repair. We have the reputation of a quick turnaround. We turn around screens and windows within a week, while for most places around here it’s two or three weeks. We’ve worked really hard on the service side and it’s paid off.

How are you using social

media?

We have a Facebook page that we use for everything from sharing funny pictures to announcing store contests. My son, who’s the fourth generation, runs that for me. We use Facebook to get our names out there, because it’s hard to bring a younger generation into a small, 10,000-square-foot business. We try to have updates at least once a week. We’ll often post weather and seasonal items.

Dave Umber Umber’s Do it Best Hardware • Fort Wayne, Ind.

NORTHEAST

Sales so far this summer?

The cold, wet spring has delayed things, but we’ve had a very solid seven- or eight-week season. We’re up about 4.5 percent, with the average sale up and the customer count slightly down. We may have peaked a little bit early this year— the trafﬁ c seemed to have slowed June 30, as opposed to the Fourth of July.

New initiatives planned for 2013?

That’s a tough call. Our store just celebrated its 100th birthday last Saturday. I’ve been here 40 years, and it may be about time to start thinking about that for sale sign. I’m always looking for new products,

Umber’s Do it Best Rental Center

Ricklin’s Hardware

How’s Business?

though. Our community is quite green, and I’m tilting the product choice in that direction.

What niches are doing well?

Green lines—anything that is environmentally friendly. Also, canning jars. I think people might be going back to basics.

How are you using social media?

That will be a large component to maintaining the future. Right now, I’m just sort of seat of the pants.

Jed Riddell

Ricklin’s Hardware Narberth, Pa.

SOUTH

Sales so far this summer?

It’s better. We’re up about 25 percent over last year. There are better business conditions and more houses being built. New initiatives planned for 2013?

Nothing that’s in the works right now. If anything, we’re struggling to keep up with business we have in hand. I’m not to the point where I’m ready to hire new people.

What niches are doing well?

Composite decking has been selling very well. And installs—everything from doors to windows—anything customers want installed.

Are you using social media? No.

Leon Huneycutt

Locust Lumber Company

Locust, N.C.

WEST

Sales so far this summer?

Things are perking up a little bit around here. We’re running around 20 percent ahead of last year. Finally, we’re seeing a little bit of a change in the economy. We had ﬁve straight down years, last year level and this is ﬁrst year we’re up. There are more residential housing starts and more commercial and multi-family starts. I think it’s a pent-up demand, where

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people ﬁnally decided to kick things back into gear. Customer counts are up in our home center, and folks are starting to do remodels. People seem to believe that things are getting better. What events have worked well?

We’ve always been very event driven. Two times a year, we host a ladies night, and have about 300 or 400 ladies show up. We have one in the spring to kick off our garden center opening and one during the Christmas season. We promote the heck out

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How’s Business?

of it, through Facebook, mail and other advertising. Customers have to register to attend and we cut it off at 500. We have about 20 different vendors come in for demonstrations. We give away gift baskets and provide free food. It’s really done a lot to increase our female customer count. In our home center, I’d say customers are about 50/50 male to female.

What niches are doing well for you?

Our garden center is always a huge hit. We’re just winding down from peak now. Popular products are pottery, fountains and pavers. We also have a large inside nursery department with tools, lighting and chemicals. Paint has always been huge for us. We have a store-withinstore for paint. And recently, garage door sales and installation have been a new niche.

How are you using social media?

Especially for events, we use social media. I have an advertising person who handles that, including updating the web page and updating Facebook. But we still do a lot of traditional advertising, such as monthly and bimonthly ﬂiers and a lot of radio.

Pat Garrett

Moscow Do it Best Building Supply Moscow, Idaho

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From Tom’s Shop HARDWARE

PRODUCTS REVIEW

Weather probably affects our hardware businesses in the short term more than any single thing in our local markets. In the long term it is obviously the economy, home sales and employment statistics. Unfortunately, none of us have much inﬂuence over the short-term weather patterns or the long-term economic outlook.

By Tom Chasteen

However, we have total control over how clean and organized our stores are as well as the product offering we present to our customers. Nothing gets customers or retailers excited like great new products. It’s hard to explain, but we all look for those products that help make things easier in our lives.

PRODUCT #1: SHERLOCK GT® EXTENSION POLE | WOOSTER BRUSH COMPANY

The Wooster Brush Company is truly one of the “Blue Bloods” in our industry. They have been successfully developing new painting products for 162 years, since 1851, and they are still privately owned. As a company they still feel that when their name goes on a product their reputation must stand behind it as well.

Last year I had the opportunity to take a plant tour with a long-time Wooster associate and personal friend, Casey Mathews. I had no idea what it takes to make a quality paint brush, but I can tell the difference between a good paint brush and a cheap paint brush even before I dip it in a can of paint. I’ll bet most hardware retailers can as well.

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The same can be said for extension poles. There are any number of companies making extension poles in every imaginable shape, color and size. Some companies strive to make a

good product while others…let’s just say they fall a little short of the mark. But like a paint brush, when you pick up a Wooster Sherlock GT® extension pole you know from the weight and balance it’s a quality product.

“I listed used fixtures and equipment I didn’t need on www.wingateclassified.com and found a buyer right away! “

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If you aren’t completely convinced or if you really want to impress your paint contractors or serious DIY customers, just extend the pole and ask them to see how stiff it is. The fiberglass handle and hexagon aluminum extension eliminate the slipping and the flex that traditional round fiberglass extension poles have. Click here to see a demo video.

The product features two other really cool features. One is the Sherlock mechanism that locks the extension in place without twisting or pulling (or banging on it) to secure it at the right length. The Sherlock GT ® Convertible™ extension poles also have the Sherlock mechanism on the end, which make taking off the paint roller handle a snap (no pun intended).

LOCK JAW™ TOOL HOLDER | WOOSTER BRUSH COMPANY

The other new product Wooster has come out with is the Lock Jaw™ Tool Holder. It is an extension pole accessory that can either screw onto a traditional threaded extension pole or can snap onto any of the Wooster Sherlock GT® Convertible™ handles. The Lock Jaw™ allows the user to

attach a paint brush, paint roller or even a ﬂashlight to the end of an extension pole. It has eight different positions and has a 150-degree range of motion.

The best part, as with most Wooster products, is that you don’t need any tools to change the angle of the Lock Jaw and when the spring-loaded teeth mesh together it is rock solid. There isn’t any wobble, which makes it ideal for attaching a paint brush or scraper to it to get to those high, hard-to-reach spots.

From Tom’s Shop

HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW

If you have a strong paint department you will deﬁnitely want to look at these products, and Wooster isn’t done. They have just designed a fantastic new paint roller we will be reviewing in the November/December issue that you will be able to see at the fall shows. Stop by the Wooster booth and ask my buddy Casey to show you the new products Wooster is introducing. Tell him I will stop by later after I get in from ﬁshing.

PRODUCT #3: PIVOTJET™ PRO | HYDE TOOLS

Hyde Tools is another “Blue Blood” company in our industry. They have been making quality painters’ tools long before my grandfather was running our family-owned hardware store. We have reviewed their pivot head pressure washer wands in the past and I haven’t spoken to one retailer or consumer who doesn’t think the idea and product is great. Hyde has taken the pivot head concept and incorporated it into the PivotJet™ Pro hand wand nozzle, which attaches to your garden hose and also has a built-in clear soap reservoir. The

How many times have you tried to get to a place where you have to stand on your head to reach, like tire wells on your truck or car? Or perhaps you’ve had to reach around the corner of the house from the second-story railing to wash the windows, clean out the gutters or spray degreaser under an ATV or even an airplane like I have.

other standard garden hose accessories. Wait, there is more. It also has an easy and convenient soap mixture control and it has a place to hold extra hose washers so the wand doesn’t leak down your arm as you are using it above your head.

Not only does the head of the wand pivot 135 degrees, it also can adjust the spray pattern and it will even accept

The Hyde PivotJet™ Pro really is a great idea and it will make a great endcap item in your stores this summer and early fall as customers begin putting away their summer toys and cleaning one last time around the house before winter comes. Check out the video and see for yourself — click here.

Click Here to Watch a Short Video of the PivotJetTM Pro

By Bob Phibbs

Exceptional How to Deliver Customer Service

Matt Noonan III of Noonan

True Value in Springﬁeld, Ill., says customer service starts with good listening skills to ﬁnd out what the customer really wants.

Alot of retailers brag about the exceptional service they provide their customers, but just what is exceptional customer service?

It is making that one person in front of you feel, for those moments you are together, they are the most important person in the world. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do to make their day better. There’s nothing you would hold back. It’s all about the customers’ experience.

For nearly 20 years I’ve been saying in my speeches and writings that my litmus test is the answer to this one question: Would a customer be willing to crawl naked over broken glass to return to your store? If not, you still have work to do.

If you think it is OK to remain silent to customers, huddle by the counter or for your customers to be dehumanized when calling your store, you probably won’t appreciate the story I’m about to share. For the rest of you, read on…

Cynthia and Tim Holliday’s daughter Faith wanted to go to Roy’s in Sarasota, Florida, for her ninth birthday dinner. As Tim told me, “Not that we go there all the time, because it is on the pricey side, but that’s what she likes for her special day. OK, I know it’s a chain, but they really run the place like it’s locally run, which they do a

CUSTOMER SERVICE

great job of. They keep electronic records of their customers, so they know how often they come in, what they like, and so on. They treat the kids great, as they get a free cheese tortilla with apples and carrots, shortly after they sit down.”

Now if you are not familiar with Roy’s Hawaaian Fusion restaurants, here is an overview from their About section of their website, “In Hawaii, there are two things of equal importance—food and the “aloha” spirit. The blending of these two dynamic principles is how Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion® Cuisine was born. European

CUSTOMER SERVICE STARTS WITH SELLING MERCHANDISE

By Bob Phibbs

We’ve all heard the need for customer service. We’ve all felt a lack of it. We’ve all tried to manage it.

So should we put the words “customer service” out to pasture? And along with that the Disney-eque way of referring to all customers as “guests?”

I think so. “Guests” come to tea and visit, like “Downton Abbey.” Customers buy things from us. But retailers have kept ignoring customers. Dropped prices like some reality show contestant willing to do anything to win. Under-appreciated

what it took for customers to even come into our brick and mortar locations in the ﬁrst place.

That’s because we’ve had a movement called customer service, which has made many authors, trainers, speakers, consultants and department heads well paid.

But in the end, results have gone down. Why is that? Because many left the selling out of the service.

Back in the day, merchants wanted all of your business and actively

Continued on page 37

Continued from page 35

controlled the sale by being on the ﬂoor, engaging customers, talking-up their best ﬁnds and giving the marching orders, “No one leaves here without buying something.”

That may seem pushy in 2013 but we have swung to the opposite end; satisﬁed to use the words customer service and guest which have made many retail employees passive when it comes to the customer buying the merchandise.

Case in point, I called a specialty retailer looking for a $200 speciﬁc item one day. Response, “Let me check. Nope don’t got it.” Silence.

Someone else got the business that day by saying, “We can order it and you’ll have it tomorrow.” That’s not pushy, that’s selling.

Customer service is not being left alone to browse, or being asked, “Debit or credit?” or as we’re walking out the door, “Did you ﬁnd everything OK?” No wonder self-serve checkouts are becoming so popular.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

techniques and Asian cuisine meet Hawaiian hospitality to create a ﬁne dining experience unlike any other. Where the “aloha” style of service comes straight from the heart, and where any occasion becomes an unforgettable evening.”

Customer service is not propping up your crew by saying, “Oh, it’s not your fault, it’s the economy, that’s why no one’s buying.”

When did you ever have a coach in sports give the team the loser’s limp? Exactly. When I grew up in the sixties, you either won or lost a game. Simple. For many retailers it seems customer service training is in many ways “Trophy Day” at the mall.

If we taught selling as the important part of customer interaction, we’d be able to train an exceptional interaction. Why?

Because a sale is an act of completion. Customer service is an act.

In many cases customer service is an illusion brand managers tell themselves they passionately

Continued on page 38

They had asked Tim when he made the reservation to email a picture to them. They decorated the table with little sparkle “Happy Birthday” pieces, and they printed a little birthday story with her name in the front of the menus for our table.

They took her back into the kitchen, where she helped make a sushi roll, which ended up being complimentary.

Of course, they brought her a dessert that had “Happy Birthday” written on the plate in chocolate.

And then the waiter took a picture of the three of them, which they printed and delivered to the table in a Roy’s picture frame.

Tim shared, “Memorable experience?

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Couldn’t be any better. Customer service? Unmatched.

This is the kind of thing we like to try and take and modify for use in our retail shop, so customers leave and want to talk about us to everyone they know.”

My take…

Smart marketing? Sure. Authentic? Yep.

Memorable? Absolutely.

One could say, “It’s easier for a restaurant, they told them it was a birthday.” Well, true, but name one—one—restaurant who ever took that much initiative for a birthday of yours? I doubt any.

I share this story because when you are in the presence of exceptional customer experience, you know it. It is real. You are, for that one moment, like Faith, the most important person in that team at Roy’s eyes.

What’s stopping you from delivering an exceptional experience to your customers? ■

Continued from page 37

support. But in reality, to customers, they don’t devote the time or money to train it.

I wrote the book on how to compete and it wasn’t through discounting or “customer service,” it was through selling.

Instead of complaining about the state of the economy in general and retail in particular, go out on your salesﬂoor or visit a competitor and watch the folly of many customer service programs as employees text each other how bored they are.

IF I CAN SEE IT, WHY CAN’T YOU?

Count the number of times an employee actually walks up to and engages a customer. Then count the number of transactions. Then count the number of times an employee rung up a sale and added one thing to that sale. I’ll bet that ﬁnal number is zero.

Instead of looking to fancy technology and “best practices” of your competitors, why not see a low conversion rate is often the failure of developing a retail selling culture. Once we deliver that, we’re bound to create truly exceptional customer service.

If we can do that, we can get back to the role of a merchant: to sell the merch, not just welcome customers as guests.

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor®, has helped thousands of businesses in manufacturing, service, restaurant and retail since 1994. His clients have ranged from multi-national brands to small business mom and pops. With over 30 years experience beginning in the trenches of retail and extending to senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate ofﬁcer, franchisor and entrepreneur. His newest product is SalesRX, his online retail sales training.

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Maintaining the Family Business LEGACY

Click to Learn How the Pitkins Deliver Exceptional Customer Service

Sarah Pitkin’s father, Tom, and uncle, Ron, opened Pitkin’s Home Center in Dale City, Va., in 1978 and the business now includes three Ace Hardware stores in northern Virginia: Dale City Hardware in Dale City, Woodbine Hardware in South Manassas and Sully Station Hardware in Centreville.

Sarah Pitkin (right) and Amy Pitkin Monroe are 50-50 partners in the business.

Sarah Pitkin

President

Pitkin’s Ace

Dale City, South Manassas and Centreville, Va.

www.pitkinsacehardware.com

SARAH HAS A MASTER’S DEGREE in special education from Vanderbilt University and a PhD in speech pathology from Kent State. She worked ﬁve years as a speech pathologist before coming back to help run the family business in 2006.

Sarah’s sister, Amy Pitkin Monroe, has a master’s degree in administration. The two are 50-50 partners in the business. Amy handles most of the buying and promotions while Sarah oversees bill paying and back-ofﬁce functions.

Wholesaler: Ace Hardware

% Sales DIY: 90%

Square footage: Dale City and Sully Station are 18,000 sq. ft. and Woodbine is 15,000 sq. ft.

Best niches: We have a huge bird section, with at least 48’ in each store. Grilling is huge in two stores. The paint area is big. We have a large housewares section—Amy is good at ﬁnding crazy

Sarah Pitkin (right) and Amy Pitkin Monroe gave up careers in education to take over the family hardware business started by their father and uncle in 1978.

gadgets. Woodbine store has a fullservice U.S. Postal Ofﬁce and all three stores offer Stihl power equipment and tool, equipment and party rental.

What made you decide to take over the family business?

When your father says, ‘Do I sell the business or would you like to take over?’ that’s an easy decision to make. Both Amy and I had teaching backgrounds, but we knew what we were getting into. We didn’t want to see the institution go away that our father and uncle had built up.

Do you have any plans to add more stores?

Yes we do. We are actively seeking new stores.

According to research published in the open access journal PLOS ONE*, recent test results conclude that 70-77% of influenza virus particles were able to cause infection after one hour of being airborne when humidity levels were sustained at 23% or less. However, when increasing the humidity level to approximately 43%, tests show only 14% of the virus particles could cause infection after 15 minutes.

Based on these findings, scientists recommend using a humidifier in areas where the threat of the flu virus is higher.

INFEC TABLE FLU VIRUS PARTICLES

Common high-risk locations include hospitals, nursing homes, schools, offices and homes.

Residential humidification experts emphasize consistent humidity levels be maintained in every room of the home or office to provide sufficient protection from the flu virus. Since single-room humidifiers are not designed to sustain humidity levels of an entire residence, consumers are encouraged to use wholehouse evaporative humidifiers to provide an easy and energy-efficient solution to maintaining safe and healthy humidity levels year-round.

*Research published February 27, 2013 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by John Noti and colleagues from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

whole home humidity solutions

• Profitable Product Line of Whole-House Evaporative Humidifiers

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• Product Features Include: Quiet Nighttime Setting, Auto-Shutoff, Auto Refill Indicators, Variable Speed & Digital Displays

• Profitable Residual Wick Sales

• Outperforms Competitors’ Replacement Wicks by up to 650% Anti-Microbial & Particulate-Trapping Wick that Creates No White Dust

DEALER PROFILE

How do you ensure your stores deliver exceptional customer service?

Knowing your customer is a big part of it. We do training. A lot of our people have worked here for many years. Hiring is important—the way you hire and who you hire and then really getting them into the culture of the store. The people who have been here awhile take the new hires under their wing and show them this is the way we do things here. Mentoring is a big key to the service we provide.

What is your pricing strategy?

We have to price competitively. We try to get a higher margin if we can on certain items. A lot of the gift items that Amy brings in are a little high because the gift stores are getting a higher price than we do. People already have the idea that Ace is overpriced, so we really have to manage our prices and see where we are competitively priced

because we’re not overpriced compared to other places. We pretty much follow the Ace retails. We don’t do many extraordinary changes with retails unless we know it’s something that is priced differently in our market.

Left: Pitkin’s Ace was founded in 1978 by Tom and Ron Pitkin.

Upper Right: The Dale City store is 18,000 square feet.

Lower Right: Grilling is a year-round niche at two of the stores.

– Byron Bunnell, Rainbow Ace Hardware, Rice Lake, Wisconsin

We’re in a suburban marketplace. People live on government paychecks around here and they know what they’re making each month, so they don’t have big bonuses. That means our prices have to go up slowly—a big price increase won’t work.

Greatest challenges facing business?

Keeping up with the marketplace. Getting the younger generation to

DEALER PROFILE

Each store is a community store, with a wall of pictures showing all the youth sports teams they have sponsored through the years.

Lower Left: Two registers are open to ensure customers receive fast and courteous service.

Right: Outdoor living products and gift items for the garden are strong-selling categories.

shop. Getting people to understand what the hardware store is and what it isn’t and how we can be helpful to them. Keeping the sameness and the interests of the older customer while still making it fun for younger customers or customers who have little kids.

The next step is getting the next generation that doesn’t know how to do projects because dad always did a lot of the repairs and teaching them how to do those projects. ■

Join Us in Marco Island for the of

25th Anniversary The Hardware Conference

You would think it would be hard to improve upon an event that has been running smoothly for 25 years, but the industry’s largest annual gathering of independent retailers is an exception. The Hardware Conference will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year by kicking off an enhanced and expanded program that promises to deliver even more value to attendees. HArdwAre ConferenCe

The Hardware Conference takes place at the beautiful Marco Island Marriott right on the beach.

THE HARDWARE CONFERENCE WILL take place from September 6-8 at the Marco Island Marriott resort, which is directly on the beach in Marco Island, Florida.

“The most exciting change is the fact we are expanding the long-standing Beacon Awards program into a national program this year to recognize the best of the best in our industry,” says Tom Chasteen, who puts on The Hardware Conference with his wife, Dale.

The Beacon Awards program will honor retailers and their wholesalers at a banquet on Friday night in the following categories:

• Best New Store in two categories

• Retailer Beacon Award Winner for each participating wholesaler

The program will include video presentations of each of the Best New Store winners and promises to be both informative and entertaining.

Adds Dale, “The women have been looking for an excuse to get dressed

Friday night’s banquet will feature an enhanced Beacon Awards program.

The open dialogue sessions address topics of concern to independent retailers.

Testimonials

“I always appreciate the variety of opportunities offered to us not only to educate but to enlighten us relative to what is going on with our fellow ‘hardware people.’ I love the roundtable discussions and all the valuable input from the group. I just always have such a pleasant time and love being able to visit with all of my ‘hardware families’ and friends.” — Alan Baro, Baro Hardware, Miami, Fla.

“This was a wonderful venue for hardware dealers of all kinds to come together and talk about issues that affect us all. I had the opportunity to meet with Ace dealers as well as True Value, Orgill and Do it Best. We all learned something from one another.” — Keith Davis, Stephens Ace, Fuquay-Varina, N.C.

“The roundtable discussions bring the retailers, vendors and distributors together. This forum is usually an eyeopening experience. Retailers and distributors gain a better understanding of why vendors institute certain policies and procedures.” — Casey Mathews, The Wooster Brush Co.

hardware conference

Vendors interact with dealers in a relaxed environment with no pressure to buy.

up, and we are going to put on a firstclass gala event that the whole industry can be proud of.”

The Beacon Awards, which are coordinated by Tom Delph, are co-sponsored by Apex Tool Group, Sunnyside Corporation, Epicor, The Hardware Connection and The Hardware Conference and co-sponsored by Ace Hardware, Do it Best Corp. and True Value Company.

Kicking off the event is a new Hardware Technology Forum that starts the day before the Conference officially opens on Thursday, September 5. For the first time, Epicor, ECi Advantage/ECi RockSolid and J-3 POS will offer a full-day, hands-on training session for their retailers. Bring your tablet or laptop so you can log right into your store as you learn new “tips and tricks” to make your POS software more productive in your store.

The Technology Forum continues on Friday with morning and afternoon

The Hardware Conference is truly a venue where lasting relationships are formed.

seminars from Fred Pryor & Associates covering Excel, Outlook and Facebook.

To attend the Technology Forum and the Conference the cost is only $349 per person and includes all training programs for two days plus breakfast, lunch and cocktail reception on Thursday in addition to the other Conference meal functions and activities the rest of the weekend. The registration fee for attending just The Hardware Conference is $149 per person.

Once again, there will be a meeting on Thursday afternoon, sponsored by Centurion, for all those who participate on Hardlines Digest.

Dealers Talking To Dealers

Come and share ideas with fellow independent hardware retailers and wholesalers on how to grow your business and interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store. In addition to two open dialogue sessions where no topics are off limits, dealers will have many formal and informal opportunities to network with other attendees.

Technology Forum Sponsors

Epicor

Rock Solid

J-3 Point-of-Sale

Leading vendors participate in the Conference with tabletop booths showcasing their product lines, and dealers get a chance to have informal dialogue with manufacturer executives without feeling pressured to buy. Ace, Do it Best and True Value all hold luncheons for their members on Friday to discuss new 2013 programs and solicit feedback from retailers.

The Conference is designed for the whole family, with plenty of free time for fun activities such as golf, sailing, shelling and walking on the beautiful sandy beach.

Attendees enjoy special room rates of $161 per night—a significant savings from regular rates of $250+. To make your room reservations, call the Marriott at 239-394-2511 and be sure to mention you are a part of The Hardware Conference.

For more information on attending the Conference or to register, call Tom or Dale at (305) 853-0049 or go to www. thehardwareconference.com. To see a photo gallery of the Five-Star Marco Island Marriott resort click here. n

ECi

hardware conference

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Wednesday, September 5

Vendor Only Meeting 10:00 A M - 3:00 PM

Thursday, September 6

Hardware Technology Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 A .M . - 5:00 P.M .

Vendor and Dealer Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 A .M . - 12:00 P.M .

Vendor Set Up .

. 9:00 A .M . - 4:00 P.M .

Vendor and Dealer Registration 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Hardlines Meeting 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

All-Industry Cocktail Reception 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Friday, September 7

Vendor Set Up

8:00 A M - 12:00 PM

Vendor and Dealer Registration 8:00 A M - 6:00 PM

Fred Pryor & Associates Training 8:30 A M - 11:00 A M

Ace Hardware Dealer Meeting/Luncheon 10:30 A M - 2:00 PM

True Value Dealer Meeting/Luncheon 10:30 A M - 2:00 PM

Do it Best Dealer Meeting/Luncheon 10:30 A M - 2:00 PM

Fred Pryor & Associates Training 2:00 PM - 4:15 PM

Dealer Seminar - Vendors Welcome 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Cocktail Party 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Beacon Awards Banquet

Hospitality Suite Open .

Saturday, September 8

Breakfast

Exhibit Areas Open

. 7:15 PM - 9:30 PM

. 9:30 P.M . - 11:30 P.M .

7:00 A M - 8:00 A M

8:15 A M - 10:00 A M

Open Dialogue 10:15 A M - 11:30 A M

Trolleys leave for Krylon Golf Outing 12:00 PM - 5:45 PM

Wooster Brush - Day at the Beach 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Hospitality Suite Open

Minwax Shelling Trip

Kids’ (ages 4-12) Night Out

1:00 PM - 5:30 PM

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

6:15 PM - 10:30 PM

Cocktail Party 6:15 PM - 7:15 PM

Buffet Dinner Party and Auction

7:15 PM - 10:30 PM

Hospitality Suite Open 10:30 PM - 11:45 PM

Sunday, September 9

Breakfast .

Exhibit Areas Open

. 7:00 A .M . - 8:00 A .M

8:15 A .M . - 10:00 A .M .

Open Dialogue 10:15 A M - 11:30 A M

Closing Remarks 11:30 A M - 12:00 PM

Marquee Sponsors

The Hardware Conference would like to thank and recognize its Marquee Sponsors for their support over the years. It is with their cooperation and that of all of our sponsors, vendors and retailer attendees that The Hardware Conference has become the largest annual dealer event in the hardware industry. The following companies are Marquee Sponsors of this year’s event: Gilmour

The Hardware Connection magazine

The Hillman Group

Krylon

Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation

The Wooster Brush Company

Apex Tool Group is a Proud Sponsor of the 2013 Beacon Awards

Apex Tool Group is one of the largest manufacturers of professional hand and power tools in the world, serving the industrial, vehicle service and assembly, aerospace, electronics, construction and serious DiY markets.

With a portfolio of over 30 brands, the tools stand for quality, innovation and value. three hand tool brands leading the way are Crescent®, Wiss® and lufkin®.

after completing his historic solo transatlantic flight, Charles lindbergh was quoted as saying he only carried the most basic supplies, including “gasoline, sandwiches, a bottle of water, and a Crescent wrench and pliers.” the Crescent® brand adjustable wrench was already widely recognized as an essential part of every toolbox. the year was 1927, just 20 years since it had been introduced.

today, the Crescent line has expanded beyond adjustable wrenches to include

a wide selection of pliers, ratcheting wrenches, screwdrivers and tool sets. Year after year, the Crescent brand remains true to its heritage of offering quality tools that solve real problems and continues to introduce new innovations across various professional and DiY product categories. Whether tearing down a wall or building a piece of flat pack furniture, Crescent is the hand tool brand you can trust to get the job done faster.

Wiss® began producing premier scissors, snips and specialty trade tools in 1848. from supplying scissors to Union army medical units during the american Civil War to providing metal snips to the U.S. army for use in building aircraft

Performance • Quality • Innovation

during World War II, the Wiss brand has a rich history of making tools that offer extraordinary performance and long life. Generation after generation of sheet metal and HVAC professionals choose Wiss snips because they have a longer blade life and are easier to use due to a unique wave-pattern serration on both the upper and lower blades. Wiss is the only snip manufactured using a casting process, a method that produces highly consistent parts. Computer numerically controlled machining is then used to create highly uniform, wave-shaped serrations. All Wiss compound action aviation snips are made in the U.S. and feature similarly cast and machined blades. This results in snips that stay sharp longer and require less cutting effort so users experience less fatigue, reduced strain, and higher productivity. The Wiss brand is driven by two simple principles: performance and durability.

Ever since the first Lufkin® wood rule was introduced in 1869, the Lufkin® brand has been synonymous with high quality and unmatched accuracy. Initially designed to measure logs for the logging industry, generations of specialized tradesmen, such as plumbers and brick masons, have relied on wood rules through the years.

Today, the Lufkin brand produces tape measures, stick rules, pocket tapes, folding rules, oil gauging measuring tools, industrial long tapes, fiberglass tapes and measuring wheels for use by trade professionals and DIY enthusiasts. A more recent game-changing innovation is the new Lufkin® Control Series™ tape which has a unique opening in the bottom of the case allowing users to regulate the feed and return of the tape with their finger for greater control, making it feel more like an extension of their arm than a hand tool. Over the years, the Lufkin brand has developed a solid reputation for manufacturing rugged and tough measurement tools which has allowed the Lufkin brand to expand its product offering in many areas.

Apex Tool Group continues to embody the characteristics that have made its brands the tools of choice for generations of professional tradesmen and other serious tool users.

HARDLINES DIGEST

Dock Hinkle of Hardware…That’s Us in Craigsville, W.Va., maintains a positive outlook, which is reﬂected in this sign of appreciation he posts on his salesﬂoor.

HandleP-O-P

DEBATING HOW TOSignage

By John Fix III

Summer heat has hit most of the country, and the “Out of Ofﬁce” messages are occasionally popping up on Hardlines as retailers sneak away for vacation. Here are a few topics that generated some discussion on Hardlines over the past few months.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Point-of-purchase signage generated a short discussion on Hardlines. Andy

Darnell of Howard Brothers in Duluth, Ga., posted the following: “I’m sure y’all are like us. Too many signs explaining return policy. Returns if paid by check. Check processing requirements. ID requirements. It is a mishmash of 8-1/2 x 11 sheets. Luckily we don’t use papyrus or comic sans in any of them. What do your notices look like? One uniﬁed ‘board’? Hanging up or on counter? Do your people understand the policies or do you have to come up and explain

every time there is a question?”

Jim Ertzman from South Hills True Value pointed out that signs don’t always solve the problem for return policies. “We refuse return on very little. We take back way too much stuff we shouldn’t even when it is clearly the customer’s fault. But that is the way it is with the no-fault Walmart mentality. The customer feels rules are made to be broken and when you refuse return they want to know where it is posted on your return policy.”

Nutter Ace Hardware in Columbus, Ohio, posts a sign near the checkout clearly spelling out its return policy.

every customer policy plus it gives customers a negative image of your store. It does for me when I’m in a store and see a bunch of “thou shall not” signs. Why not simply follow the boxes’ lead and print policies on the customer’s receipt?”

Jay Bullock from Jay’s Ace Hardware in Wrens, Ga., provided a musical reference. “We tend to feel like the old (Five Man Electrical Band) song: “Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs, blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind.” These signs send negative connotations when you need to keep everything positive. If they really read them then it is distracting to the great customer service experience/fun. Print your return policy on the receipt. Keep ‘em happy!”

Dick Beal suggested to stay positive with your messages. “Other than your return policy I really don’t see the need of a bunch of signs explaining each and

James Jarrait pointed out that printing your policy on the receipt alone may cause problems. “Courts have frequently held that return policies not visible BEFORE the purchase is made are not valid. If you want it to pass legal muster, make out a large sign. Look at the customer service counter at any large retailer.”

ChiCken Wire

Long ago you could buy anything by the each or by the foot at a hardware store. James from Durst Lumber (Berkley, Mich.) wondered “Does anyone out there still sell chicken wire by the foot off the 150’ rolls? We have some controversy as to whether the suggested retails are too high or not. Is everyone stocking full 25’ and 50’ rolls and leaving the 150’ in the dustbin of history?”

John at JBK True Value in Chestertown, Md., replied, “We

Jim Ertzman of South Hills True Value in Pittsburgh no longer sells chicken wire by the foot.

stopped cutting rolls a few years back and started selling 25’s and 50’s. That was a sweet day.”

Whitney McKellar from M&M Lumber in Tulsa, Okla., agreed. “We too have changed over to just selling chicken wire by the roll in the 24”, 36”, 48” and 60” size. Much easier to track!”

K&K True Value in Bettendorf, Iowa, adheres to the old-school option. Don Keller reported, “We still sell by the foot on our fencing. We take retail price per foot and double it. So few places sell by the foot, how can they price shop you? Most sales per foot are for 10 foot and less.”

Linda in Lawrence, Kan., also sells by the foot. “We sell chicken wire (and hardware cloth) by the foot out of the backroom and by the roll on the salesfloor. By-the-foot is usually close to twice the by-the-roll price per foot. That way if someone wants a larger amount we can easily upsell them into a roll and avoid cutting 20’ of wire. People looking for only a foot or two are happy to pay a premium and avoid purchasing an entire roll.”

Jim Ertzman from South Hills True Value in Pittsburgh sells some wire by the roll and some by the foot. “We used to sell chicken wire by the foot until I

hardlines digest

looked at the sales history vs. the prepack rolls and decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. Most of it is sold this time of year and tying up a staff member during our busiest season cutting chicken wire doesn’t make sense.”

He adds, “We only sell hardware cloth and 2x4 welded galvanized wire by the foot. Customers rarely need a full roll of hardware cloth and the welded wire is just so we have some fence to sell by the foot or roll. This is akin to selling nails and drywall screws bulk vs. pre-pack. We switched to pre-pack years ago and have never looked back. Employees aren’t tied up weighing them. Display is easier to maintain. Retails are higher and rarely is there a complaint. Consumers are trained that this is how this stuff is sold. They are often just happy that I have it and they don’t have to go elsewhere.”

Paul Nielsen from Stratford Hardware pointed out something amusing when he looked up chicken wire. “Is this chicken wire actually wire? This is how my catalog describes it: Simple twisted, asymmetric hexagon shaped netting. Double line wire at top and bottom.” n

John Fix started the Hardlines Digest in January 1996. The list was run for many years using servers in John’s hardware store, but recently the list migrated to Google Groups. There are currently more than 1,500 subscribers reading the Hardlines Digest. To read more or subscribe, head to www.hardlinesdigest.com.

LAWN & GARDEN TRENDS

Sales of Weed Killer (Independent Hardware Channel) 12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago

Unit Sales Breakdown for Weed Killer

OUTDOOR LIVING BUYING UPDATE

• Sales of outdoor furniture increased 5.1 percent in 2012, according to Furniture Today. More people view outdoor spaces as an extension of their homes to be used for relaxing and entertaining.

• Hotter temperatures around the country have created increased demand for products that provide cover for outdoor spaces such as pull-down shades, shade sails, umbrellas, canopies, retractable awnings and pergola covers.

• In 2012, more than 14.3 million grills and smokers shipped in North America with a slight decrease (2.6%) from 2011, according to the Heath, Patio and Barbecue Association. Gas grills continue to top the charts as the most popular type of grill (57% of sales), followed by charcoal (41%) and electric (2%).

• This year, grills and smokers boast traditional, simplistic appearances with modern touches and ﬁnishes that have the latest technologies from easy ignition systems to even heating distribution. Whether the grill includes a fully loaded pizza stone, stainless steel baking racks or ﬁre bricks, consumers will be able to bring the high-quality cooking experience from a restaurant, to their backyard.

• From cooking sheets that keep the grill marks intact and the grill clean,

Bright colors are the trend in garden planters on display at L.A. Reynolds Home & Garden Showplace in Winston-Salem, N.C.

to a robot that gets all the grease and grime off your grill with minimal effort, these new products are designed with easy clean-up in mind.

• Fire pits that can be converted into stovetops with the elegance of a dining table can transform a gathering into a sophisticated, intimate affair. Cabinets that can be sized to easily ﬁt into outdoor kitchens add the extra space you need to store your accessories and tableware.

• Always a hot trend, outdoor cooking accessories continue to be more innovative. Forks now act as a baster, brush, bottle opener and ﬂavor injector all in one device. Grilling baskets now can auto-reverse up to 180 degrees before pausing and re-rotating 180 degrees continually until you reach the perfect ﬁnish on your burger or steak. ■

Hartville Hardware in Hartville, Ohio, artfully incorporates accessories to showcase casual furniture.

LAWN

GARDEN TOOL LINE

NITRILE TOUGH GLOVES

• The Nitrile Tough collection from Bellingham Glove has been enhanced with high-performance nitrile coatings.

• Designed by a woman, with women in mind.

• Line includes a trowel, hybrid soil knife, cultivator, weeder, pruner, hat and tool organizer.

• Ergonomically designed, the tools feature an indentation on their handle to serve as a resting spot for the thumb.

• Stainless steel construction and a high-polished ﬁnish mean these tools are sturdy and attractive.

Patricia Ann Tools

www.patriciaann.com 800-457-8665

• The Nitrile Tough outperforms leather with abrasion- and punctureresistant nitrile coating that molds to the hand and features a breathable, seamless nylon knit liner.

• The Nitrile Tough GT features breathable micro-foam palm and ﬁngertip coating that protects hands and enhances grip, making it ideal for repair, maintenance or working with small parts.

• Nitrile Tough MAX features moisturewicking knit liner with COOLMAX ﬁber to help keep hands cool and dry.

LFS Glove

www.gloves.lfsinc.com 800-426-8860

Join us for this important recognition program that will honor the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.

Honoring the following categories:

• Best New Store

• Retailer Beacon Award for each participating wholesaler

The Beacon Awards will be held annually at The Hardware Conference in beautiful Marco Island, FL. This year’s Beacon

Awards are sponsored by Apex Tool Group, Epicor, Sunnyside, The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection magazine. They are also co-sponsored by Ace Hardware, Do it Best and True Value.

For more information about attending this event along with all other educational seminars, open ﬂoor discussions and social activites at the 2013 Hardware Conference, visit www.thehardwareconference.com

ROBOREEL WATER HOSE REEL

• Winds your hose in nice and neat automatically at the touch of a button on the unit or on the remote at the end of the hose. Comes with heavy-duty, “NeverKink” hose that will not kink or go ﬂat.

• Two hose sizes: 100’ of 5/8” hose or 150’ of 1/2” hose. Also comes with a remote control and ﬁve different nozzles for all your watering needs.

• Rotates 360 degrees continuously so you can water any area within a 200300 ft. diameter depending on which hose size you choose.

• Powered by a 12-volt rechargeable battery that lasts for over 100 full retractions on a single charge. All connections include double O-rings to prevent leaks.

Great Stuff Inc. www.roboreel.com 888-478-7883

BIG GREEN EGG XXL

• The largest capacity high-performance ceramic grill in production today, Big Green Egg XXL is simple to start and large enough to roast a whole hog, 20 racks of ribs or 40 burgers.

• Stainless steel cooking grid measures 29.25” in diameter for a whopping 672 square inches of cooking area.

• Can handle virtually any cooking need, from cooking low and slow for hours to ﬂash searing at ultra high temperatures.

• Features patent-pending hinge design that allows easy one-handed operation of opening or closing the green dome.

Big Green Egg www.biggreenegg.com 770-938-9394

LAWN & GARDEN PRODUCTS

SCOOT MOWER CLEANER

• Non-abrasive, non-acidic, enzyme-based, 100% biodegradable, Made in USA product used to control rust corrosion.

• Easy to use. Simply spray it on, let it soak and wipe away the grime. Hose off and let air dry. A clean mower deck reduces corrosion from decomposing grass while improving the cut of your lawn.

• Scoot Mower Cleaner also reduces corrosion on motor vehicles, bikes and snow-blowers.

• Active enzymes penetrate through grass build-up. Scoot Products

a growing community of thousands of independent

“I created Hardlines Digest in 1996 as a way for my fellow retailers to swap tips about the nitty-gritty of running an independent hardware store. Today, it’s grown to a community of thousands of independent hardware store owners just like you. I hope you’ll join today and start sharing your own expertise.”

John Fix Owner, Cornell’s

Hardware Eastchester, NY

By Fred Fischer technology update

Why Should You YourManageInventory?

Managing your inventory is an ongoing challenge. In June and July you cannot keep up with all the customers, while in January and February you hope to see a customer. Other than your building (if you own it), inventory is the single biggest dollar number that you will deal with in your business. The challenge is how to manage the entire inventory.

There are a number of factors to consider in managing inventory. For example, width—what kind of product mix do you offer your customers? This includes what types of products and brands.

Next is depth—how much product do you keep on hand or how fast can you get additional stock to your store(s)? How do you know how much depth to keep in stock and when? And how do you ramp up stock when you are busy and then trim it down to a manageable level for the slow months?

Managing a business is much like flying an airplane. Regardless

of the speed of the plane if your thinking is staying ahead of the plane, then flying is pretty easy. However, if you get behind the action of the airplane, you are in big trouble.

Managing your business and inventory is much the same as piloting a plane. In May, June and July all your attention is on customers. How do you know how much inventory to have in your store and when to meet your customers’ needs and wants?

One of the primary functions of a point-of-sale (POS) system is to help you manage your inventory. If you are not using a POS system, in the big picture all you know at the end of the day is you take some money to the bank.

With a POS system there is a lot of data to help you make better decisions and manage your inventory. First of all, you will know what kind of inventory you have on the shelf. Secondly, you have sales history both by what has sold in the whole store and by what each type of customer has purchased.

With a good POS system you should be able to analyze that sales history. You will know what is selling and what is not selling. More importantly you will know

how much of what you are selling and when. It is amazing how much our customers are creatures of habit. From one year to the next, just by your customer’s habits, the big picture of their purchases will have a similar look and feel.

If you have access to both your store sales history and your customers’ purchase history, then anticipating your inventory needs is much easier and more accurate. Too many times inventory management is done by “gut feel.” You walk around with a note pad and look at stock and somehow magically come up with “I need to order 10 of this item.” Not real scientific, but surprisingly it probably got you to where you are today.

Ordering takes a tremendous amount of time and it is all about minding your “P’s” (the order Point) and “Q’s” (the Quantity you want to order). The first step in setting up auto order in a POS system is using the “P” and “Q” from the “gut” information you use to order now. Once sales history has accumulated you have data to act on. As an example, in J3 Point-of-Sale we have a program called J3 Dynamic P Q. Every week it uses that sales history to re-calculate new order points and quantities based on past sales history.

The program looks ahead and back a given number of days and then calculates new points and quantities

weekly based on the number of days of supply of inventory you want to keep in your store. As it looks ahead 60 or 90 days it determines in June or July that you will need more inventory. When it looks forward to January and February, it will reduce your inventory. You still have a chance to review your orders before they are placed with your suppliers.

For all this automation to work, you have to have sales history. We have all heard about the old 80/20 rule: 20 percent of your inventory generates 80 percent of your sales and most likely profits. In some areas we see that number being more like 86/14. Purchase history is a common way to review what to order for the next season. Remember that what you buy is not necessarily what or when you are selling that product.

If you currently have a POS system, how easy is it to get to all this information? Much like being the pilot of an airplane, when it is June or July, you still have to fly the plane. Plan ahead and have the systems in place to help you better manage your inventory. You might find you will make more profit and have some time for yourself. n

Fred Fischer is the president of J3 POS –Ganymede Technologies Corp. He can be contacted at fred@j3pos.biz.

IN THE NEWS

NEW STORES:

■ Walter Toole and Toole’s Ace Hardware are celebrating the opening of their 8th store, Colonial Ace Hardware in Orlando, Fla., as well as the company’s 30th anniversary.

Walter Toole

■ Greg and Lisa Bleile have opened Ace Hardware in Norwalk, Ohio.

■ Levee Lumber opened a new store in Westport, Wash.

■ Ziggy’s Building Materials is opening a new store in Spokane, Wash.

■ Manuel Rodriquez has opened Freedom Ace Hardware in Freedom, Calif.

■ Frattallone’s Ace Hardware opened its 19th store in Eden Prairie, Minn.

■ Rick Bibens has purchased Brown & Roberts in Brattleboro, Vt., giving him six stores now in the state.

■ Brandon Clarke has opened Falcon Ace Hardware in

Columbia, S.C.

■ North Hill True Value opened in Minot, N.D.

■ Bill Marrs has opened a second Marmac Ace Hardware in Maui Lani, Hawaii.

KUDOS TO:

■ Epicor Software Corp. announced that Cornell’s True Value in Eastchester, N.Y., has been named a winner in the Nucleus Research 2013 Technology ROI Awards, which recognizes companies for deploying IT solutions that produce a positive, bottom-line return on investment.

■ Ace Hardware Corp. ranked highest in customer satisfaction with home improvement stores for the seventh straight year by J.D. Powers and Associates.

■ Walt Wenzl, owner of Wenzl Hardware in Nebraska City, Neb., is marking 70 years working in the business.

■ Bill Englert, owner of City True Value in Bristol, Conn., was honored with the E. Bartlett Barnes Distinguished Service Award by the Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.

■ Phil Hiller celebrated the 50th anniversary of Hiller’s True Value

Hardware in Janesville, Wis.

■ Roger and Reta Azulay are marking 25 years of Northway Home Hardware in Inverary, Ontario.

Nowosielski family and staff outside Kraus Department Store and PRO Hardware

■ Kraus Department Store and PRO Hardware of Erie, Pa., was honored by PRO Hardware with the 2013 Cosgrave Memorial Award.

■ Congleton Bros. PRO Home Center of Beattyville, Ky., was named a Cosgrave Award ﬁnalist.

■ Welches Mountain Building Supply in Welches, Ore., was named 2012 PRO Hardware Retailer of the Year for Horizon Distribution.

■ Dixie PRO Hardware of Montgomery, Ala., was named 2012 PRO Retailer of the Year for LongLewis Hardware Co.

WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS:

■ Distributors afﬁliated with PRO Group and Val-Test met with manufacturers during 962 scheduled private 30-minute buyer/ vendor appointments for the Group Merchandising Conference held June 17-19 in Atlanta.

■ At its summer dealer market in Sevierville, Tenn., House-Hasson Hardware introduced a new customizable program that makes it easy for dealers to capitalize on the sales potential of online commerce while taking advantage of electronic marketing opportunities.

■ Littlejohn & Company was on track to close on its acquisition of Handy Hardware Wholesale in early August. Doug Miller, the retired former president of Jensen Distribution Services, was appointed interim CEO of Handy Hardware.

■ Ace Hardware Corp. plans to close its distribution center near Toledo, Ohio. The co-op will move by the end of 2014 to a warehouse facility to be built in the Columbus suburb of West Jefferson.

■ At the co-op’s annual shareholders meeting June 11, Ace Hardware Corp. elected two new member directors: Stew Elliott Jr., of Elliott Ace Hardware in Milwaukee; and Amy Kaplanis of Country Ace Hardware in Granby, Colo. Also, Ace members voted to extend the term of its current Chairman David Ziegler, with his new term expiring in 2014.

■ Do it Best Corp. recognized its Waco, Texas, Retail Service Center team for its efforts in recording three straight years without incurring any missed days due to a

safety incident, accident or injury. OSHA recognized Do it Best’s RSC in Mesquite, Nev., for successfully completing a rigorous safety assessment program and earning the program’s highest rating.

Do it Best Corp. Waco RSC staff

OTHER NEWS:

■ ACO Home, Garden & Hardware announced it is closing 14 stores in Michigan.

■ The owners of McFarlanes’ True Value in Sauk City, Wis., vow to rebuild after the store was destroyed by a ﬁre in May.

■ Orchard Supply Hardware declared for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and later agreed to sell about 60 of its stores to Lowe’s Inc., who plans to use the 36,000-squarefoot OSH stores as a growth strategy for a small-market format.

■ Central Network Retail Group opened a new Town & Country Hardware store in Benson, N.C., and acquired Etheridge True Value in Natchez, Miss., and Moore’s Hardware in Dahlonega, Ga.

Town & Country Hardware

GET THE FULL STORY:

■ Frager’s Hardware, which has operated in Washington, D.C. for 93 years, was destroyed by a ﬁre on June 5. Click here for more on Frager’s and the public’s reaction to the ﬁre. Click here for a statement on Frager’s from Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Also, Frager’s employees were treated to a night out for a Washington Nationals game, click here.

■ Anderson True Value in Joppa, Md., was demolished by a ﬁre June 18, click here.

■ The employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act has been delayed until January 1, 2015, click here.

■ David Letterman and Jerry Seinfeld paid a visit to Taylor & Son True Value in New Milford, Conn, click here.

■ Ace retailer Tom Glenn of Chattanooga, Tenn., is among the small business owners who want online sales tax loophole closed, click here.

AUGUST

Florida Building Material

Association Annual Meeting and Expo

August 22-23, Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Fla.

Florida Hardware Fall Market

August 17-18, Doubletree Hotel & Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

Handy Hardware Fall Market

August 15-17, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio

Independent Garden Center Show

August 20-22, Navy Pier, Chicago

Orgill Fall Dealer Market

August 22-24, Boston Convention and Exhibit Center, Boston

Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen Co-op’s Summer Buyers Show

August 7, PAL office, Grand Rapids, Mich.

SEPTEMBER

Ace Hardware Fall Convention

September 10-12, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market

September 13-14, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan.

Bostwick-Braun and Southern Hardware Fall Market

September 26-28, SeaGate Convention Center, Toledo, Ohio

ECi Connect Conference 2013

September 24-26, Hyatt Regency Dallas, Dallas

HDW Fall Dealer Market

September 6-7, Shreveport Convention Center, Shreveport, La.

Jensen Distribution Marketplace 2013

September 11-13, Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, Wash.

Monroe Hardware Fall Dealer Market

September 21-22, Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, N.C.

The Hardware Conference

September 6-8, Marco Island Marriott, Marco Island, Fla.

www.thehardwareconference. com

True Value Fall Market

September 20-22, McCormick Place, Chicago

OCTOBER

Do it Best October Market

October 19-21, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis

House-Hasson Hardware Fall Dealer Market

October 17-19, Marriott Chattanooga at the Convention Center, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Send calendar dates to chris@thehardwareconnection.com

Thriving in The Face oF Big-Box compeTiTion

Debbie Supply PRO Hardware is a second-generation, family-owned business that has thrived in a competitive market since 1957.

The personality and family atmosphere of Debbie Supply PRO Hardware strengthens the East Rochester, N.Y., store’s appeal. And for the last eight and a half years, without a missed workday, Luca, a labradoodle, has been a friendly ambassador.

“He has become sort of an attraction,” Owner Mark Barbero says of his dog. “He will come to the counter, office or warehouse when paged over our PA system. He also fetches duct tape on command.”

Barbero’s father and uncles started the business, named for Barbero’s cousin, Debbie. He says there are bigbox stores within a mile of his traditional hardware store, which has a 10,000-square-foot showroom plus 7,000 square feet of warehouse space.

By focusing on depth of inventory in core categories such as plumbing

and heating, Debbie Supply is able to price competitively yet maintain overall margins.

Debbie Supply promotes consistently through advertising, community outreach and social media, including circulars and a Facebook page. The business uses Facebook to maintain a dialogue and relationship with customers and to promote the store’s events, staff and customers, frequently posting photos.

The store is also aggressive with promotional events and sales, even promoting certain items at cost to drive excitement and spur sales. Special events include NASCAR parking lot promotions through tool suppliers as well as big anniversary sales. “The more commotion we can make in the parking lot, the better,” Barbero says.

Debbie Supply’s service also sets the store apart and keeps customers coming back. On a daily basis, the Debbie team will spend 45 minutes with a customer on

Left: Debbie Supply PRO Hardware in East Rochester, N.Y., has held its own against big boxes.

Above: Owner Mark Barbero with Luca, the store mascot.

what might amount to a three dollar sale.

“We want customers to walk out of here saying, ‘I will never go anywhere else because there’s no reason for me to ever go anywhere else.’ One hundred percent of customers that walk through our door are approached immediately and asked ‘May we help you?’ Five minutes later we ask them again,” Barbero says.

Using Rock & Roll to Boost sales

Carl’s Ace Hardware is bringing rock & roll to the hardware stage. The Peoria, Ariz.- based store, which held its grand opening in March, hosted a free twohour concert every Tuesday in July in its parking lot. Also on tap were a variety of family-friendly activities and special offers, all designed to boost business on the store’s slowest day of the week.

The concert series featured a different local artist every week, along with a performance by store co-owner Carl Herrgesell, who has spent most of the past 20 years on the road as a professional musician for artists such as Kenny Loggins.

Carl’s Ace in Peoria, Ariz., hosted a concert series every Tuesday in July to build store traffic and create a family-friendly atmosphere.

eveRyone Wants to Be a WinneR

In his book 101 Bright Ideas: Winning Tactics to Increase Retail Sales, Elias Amash suggests holding a contest that rewards shoppers with exciting prizes. The result will be happy customers and busy cash registers.

Here’s how to run a great contest:

• Offer lots of prizes (everyone wins something)

• Create excitement by letting customers create something cool.

• Advertise your contest in advance.

• Promote in-store.

• Capture customer names.

• Celebrate the winners. Share news with local media.

• Post photos of winners on an in-store display board and your Facebook page.

• Review the results. You will learn something new every time. Hold a staff meeting to discuss the lessons learned and plan your next one. In-store contests drive foot traffic, spread goodwill, spark sales and let you add customer names and addresses to your mailing list. You can even build a following by running a series of contests, so shoppers will be excited about entering your next one and stop back frequently. Contests can be another winning tactic to increase retail sales.

Go to www.101brightideas-grip. com to receive a free digital version of this book. n

Behind theNumbers

5.7%

Percentage U.S. retail sales increased in June (adjusted yearover-year), according to the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census Bureau.

$205 million

200

Purchase price for Lowe’s to acquire substantially all the assets of Orchard Supply Hardware.

Number of miles 11 motorcyclists rode from Ace corporate to Grand Rapids, Mich., to raise $100,000 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through Ace Hardware Foundation’s “Motorcycle Miracle Mission.” They presented a check for $10,000 to Helen Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, while local retailer Rylee’s Ace Hardware donated an additional $7,500.

20%

Number of small businesses that were victims of employee theft in the last three years, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

Number of stores

ACO Home, Garden & Hardware is closing in Michigan.