THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER
ALSO INSIDE:
Rebounding from Adversity
Boosting Profits with a Simple Marketing Strategy
Plumbing Product Trends
Orgill Makes Success Personal
“Orgill’s
By Chris Jensen
Does Your Store Have the ‘It’ Factor?
Ihave been busy traveling to visit some great stores—all selected as 2018 Beacon Award winners for Best New Store. After traveling around the country visiting hardware stores for the past 30 years, I can tell within 30 seconds of entering a store whether it has the “it” factor that leads to success. Not surprisingly, all of these winning stores had it.
Whatever “it” is, they get it, they have it, they know it and they don’t take it for granted.
So what is the “it” factor? It’s an overwhelming sense of excitement that exudes from customers and employees. People like working there and shopping there, which sounds simple but is hard to pull off on a regular basis.
When you overhear conversations, you see that customers are enjoying their interactions with the knowledgeable employees. It’s helpful and personable banter, not like going to the dentist or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. You don’t hear associates griping about having to work a weekend shift or taking a late lunch.
The “it” factor also entails attention to detail—a place for everything and everything in its place, with aisles clear of clutter, shelves full of merchandise and fronted, and restrooms cleaner than yours at home.
The best stores almost seem to anticipate your product needs, even before you know you need that particular product. They have a product mix that appeals to young millennials and older baby boomers with both trendy items (video doorbells) and nostalgic items (old-fashioned soda bottles and tin signs).
The best stores with the “it” factor also have owners and managers who can be found on the sales floor most of the time, not hiding in a backroom office or on a never-ending series of vacations. You cannot reinforce a culture of service from a remote location.
I still remember visiting Hartville Hardware in Hartville, Ohio, when the Miller family opened a new 305,000-square-foot store in 2012. Five years in the planning and building stage, this store had fantastic merchandising and dominant assortments in every core category and just about every niche you could think of. It was a deserving Beacon Award winner for Best New Store in 2013.
Don’t miss our feature articles on all the 2018 Beacon Award winners in the September-October issue of The Hardware Connection. You can see how these distinguished retailers define the “it” factor of success.
By Craig Cope
Exploring New Applications for Geofencing
In my last column of Trend Watch, I highlighted home automation or “smart” devices, the tremendous category growth and how easily hardware stores could add these to their product mix. One of the first smart devices to gain popularity within U.S. households was the programmable thermostat.
The programmable thermostat was designed to save homeowners money on their heating and cooling costs. ENERGY STAR® reports heating and cooling represent approximately 45 percent of a home’s energy consumption, so even minor adjustments can yield big savings.
Consumers are often advised that installing a programmable thermostat can save them anywhere from 10 to 30 percent on the space heating and cooling portion of their energy bills. While reliant on proper use of the programmable thermostat, such savings are easily true in theory; however, there needs to be more field-tested data to better substantiate savings claims, according to the ENERGY STAR report.
The ENERGY STAR report pinpoints one of the largest drawbacks to programmable thermostats—the actual
ENERGY STAR ® REPORTS HEATING AND COOLING
REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 45 PERCENT OF A HOME’S ENERGY
CONSUMPTION, SO EVEN MINOR ADJUSTMENTS CAN YIELD BIG SAVINGS.
programming. “Many households (perhaps 30 percent or higher) with programmable thermostats may be unable, unwilling, afraid, uninterested or otherwise reluctant to deploy default programs or to create or deploy custom programs.”
Another drawback to programmable thermostats is a rigid schedule. How many people leave or return to their home at the same time day in and day out? Busy and/or irregular schedules lead to overriding the programmed schedule and then forgetting to return the thermostat back to the original programmed schedule— this happens frequently in our home. These factors lead to consumers not realizing their anticipated cost savings
TREND WATCH
promised when purchasing the more expensive thermostat.
Manufacturers have responded in a host of different ways. Many added Wi-Fi capabilities coupled with a mobile app to allow consumers to adjust their settings remotely. Others have created thermostats with artificial intelligence (AI) that “learn” the homeowner’s schedule, desired temperature and adjust accordingly. A few manufacturers have launched thermostats with geofencing.
So, you may be asking, what in the world is geofencing and how can it help lower the heating and cooling cost of homeowners? A geofence is a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic area. With the addition of software and GPS or RFID-enabled mobile devices— cell phones—the house lights turn on or off as a mobile device enters or exits the geofence.
The term geofence may be new to some, but the technology has been in use for years. Some early commercial uses of geofencing were to alert owners if their car, motorcycle or boat left a defined space—a geofence. Another usage was to trigger a notification to parents if a child left the house, playground, school, etc.
Thermostats with geofence technology can adjust the heating or cooling settings based on a geofence. With a couple of clicks in an app the homeowner creates a geofence around their house and the thermostat will adjust the
temperature settings when they leave or return home.
If the home has multiple people living together, then the thermostat will maintain the desired temperature until the last person leaves and reduce energy consumption until the first person arrives. The homeowner determines the size of the geofence to fit their personal preference. The larger the geofence radius around the home, the earlier the thermostat will respond to achieve the desired temperature.
The primary benefit of thermostats with geofencing is the elimination of programming to a rigid schedule. Geofencing adds the flexibility to rely on your location for temperature adjustments versus a clock.
The use of geofencing is gaining popularity in numerous applications. One day soon you may use geofencing to alert shoppers in your stores of promotions based upon their exact location within the aisle. However, that is a story for a different day.
HARDWARE HUMOR
Amazing but TRUE
HARDWARE STORIES
Agentleman returned half a pack of cricket and spider traps because he said they were defec- tive. Apparently, he set a trap in the basement and caught crickets just fine. However, he also caught a mouse (presumably the mouse came to eat the crickets). His wife sent him to exchange the traps for the kind that won’t kill mice, an activity she doesn’t approve of. We never told him that it would also kill mice, so therefore we should refund his money. I don’t know which part of that is more unsettling, the fact that she doesn’t mind having mice running around in the basement or the fact that he actually did what his wife told him to do—return the package for refund.
Alan Talman
Karp’s Hardware | East Northport, N.Y.
WWe had a regu- lar customer ask for a better price on a product or he said he’d just steal it. Not sure if he was serious or not.
Mark Swift Brown’s True Value Hardware Marengo, Iowa
e had a man return a package of light bulbs years ago. The package had a little blurb on it that read “great for living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, etc.” The man returned the bulbs to the counter and stated that his wife told him to return them because they were using them in the bedroom and the package didn’t state they were “great” for the bedroom. Of course we refunded—how can you argue with that? Afterwards I thought that maybe he was better off with no lights in the bedroom.
Matt Mazzone
Mazzone Hardware
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Ihad a lady return a digital thermometer. She said it never changed from 150 degrees. She tried it in hot water and cold water and it stayed at 150. Her husband is an engineer and he looked at it. She said it was junk. So I pulled the sticker off the digital screen for her—she was so mad at me. She still wanted a new one.
Lisa Kelly
Kelly’s True Value Newburyport, MA
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How’s
Business?
MIDWEST
How are sales and customer counts in 2018? We’ve seen a little increase this year versus last year. We’re up about 10 percent. I attribute it to the new economy and customers having more confidence.
Best niche categories? We are in a recreational area. If you look out our front window, you’ll see a recreational lake. So we’re not just a hardware store. We have fishing, camping and RV. About 20 percent of the store is dedicated to recreational products. We even sell live worms for fishing, fishing licenses and poles. For the product mix, we make sure we have things such as adapter plugs and hoses for RVs.
New initiatives for 2018? During the winter, we will re-evaluate the store and spruce it up. Two years ago, we added some major space to the store, so I have no plans to expand for a while.
We’ve reset several departments the past few years, so we’re about where we want to be with product mix.
David Dillman Rough River Hardware McDaniels, Ky.
NORTHEAST
How are sales and customer counts in 2018? Less than it has been in the past; we’ve been on a downward trend. Unlike most retailers who are convinced that the biggest competitors are big boxes, I believe the online companies are the true competitors. We’ve seen a lot of trends— like when catalog ordering became a
Rough River Hardware has niche in recreational products.
competitor—because our store has been in the same family for 95 years. Thomas Edison was a customer, and we would make deliveries to his home and workshop.
Best niche categories?
Specialty plumbing and hardware has been a niche for us. They come to us from eight to 10 towns away for hard-tofind plumbing for the older homes that are 60 to 100 years old. We also have the mortise locks and skeleton keys for those who want to keep the original look for hardware. We also have a niche in sharpening services. We’ll sharpen anything with a blade and some professionals come in for precision sharpening.
We offer a wide variety of rentals, from chainsaws to augers. And we’ll explain how to do a project and how much money a homeowner can save by renting a tool and doing it themselves.
New initiatives for 2018? We’re looking to make some modest changes to our website.
Roger Schneider Schneider Hardware West Orange, N.J.
Roger Schneider (left) and brother Gerald Schneider operate the store started by their grandfather in 1923.
CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY
MILTON HARDWARE & BUILDING SUPPLY
RockSolid MAX™ Hardware Store POS Software helps retailer expand into Lumber and Building Materials Supply
When Jeff Paladino took over Milton Hardware in 1998, he brought with him the passion and instincts of a true entrepreneur.
Back then, the business was little more than a modest convenience store, with a limited product mix—both in breadth of categories and depth of inventory—and a retail footprint of little more than 4,500 square feet.
Fast forward to today and Milton Hardware is a dramatically different operation. The product mix boasts new depth in existing categories and the addition of several new ones, while the 4,500 square feet that Paladino started out with has grown to over 10,000.
In addition, the company added a 5,000 square foot building in 2010 to support the introduction of a rental operation for construction equipment and party-related items and another 12,000 square foot building this year, as part of a major expansion into the lumber and building supply business.
That move also brought a name change— from Milton Hardware and Rental Center to Milton Hardware and Building Supply.
“When I purchased Milton Hardware from my parents in 1998, it was very obvious that business as usual was not a viable option,” Paladino recalls. “There were rumors that big box competition was coming and I knew we either had to expand our selection and overall value proposition and become much more of a destination store or face the prospect of a mostly stagnant future.”
All the scuttlebutt back then about big boxes showing up turned out to be a lot more than just rumors. Even though Milton Hardware serves a town with a population of less than 20,000, four Home Depots, three Lowe’s and two Tractor Supply locations are today all within a 15-mile radius of the store.
CONVERTING TO ROCKSOLID MAX SOFTWARE FOR LUMBER/BUILDING SUPPLY EXPANSION JUST MADE
SENSE
Despite the fierce competition—not to mention the challenges of some significant peaks and valleys in the overall economy in recent years—Paladino has kept Milton Hardware on an aggressive expansion course.
Last year’s investment in lumber and building supplies is redefining the company and already opening the door to new business and a new customer segment with major potential.
Managing growth and change on that scale is no easy task and that’s why since 2010, Jeff Paladino has used RockSolid™ and, more recently, RockSolid MAX™ cloud-based software from ECi Software Solutions to run his business.
“Technology has been an important part of the story at Milton Hardware for a long time now,” says Paladin. “We went live with RockSolid in 2010 and it’s been a valuable resource for the business on many levels—not just point of sale but also purchasing, inventory control, and managing the overall finances of the business.”
Adds Paladino, “RockSolid gave us the capabilities and the flexibility that we needed as a hardware store and when we added the lumber and building supply operation, converting to RockSolid MAX was the logical next step.”
Milton Hardware made the move to RockSolid MAX in November 2016. Changing software is never easy and, Paladino reports, there were a few bumps along the way. But, he says, the RockSolid MAX customer service and technical support teams were always there to help smooth things out.
“The level of support we get from RockSolid is generally very good,” he says. “They are always accessible and responsive.”
ROCKSOLID MAX HARDWARE SOFTWARE PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY TO SERVE CUSTOMER EFFECTIVELY
Once Milton Hardware was live on RockSolid MAX, the benefits started showing up almost immediately.
RockSolid MAX, says Paladino, provides an ideal platform for a combination hardware, lumber and building supplies business. “The fact that we’re able to do unit of measure conversions, whether it be for linear feet or case quantities—has given us the kind of flexibility we need to serve our customers effectively,” he says.
The program has also made life a whole lot easier on the pricing front. “When you’re dealing with a largely commodities-driven business where prices can fluctuate, potentially, on a daily or weekly basis, it’s good to have access to a program that can make price changes to a product category on a global basis,” he points out. “That has been a big plus for us, both in terms of time savings and the ability to react quickly to market changes.”
ROCKSOLID MAX CLOUD-BASED SOFTWARE FOR HARDWARE STORES ELIMINATES DAILY DATA BACKUPS
RockSolid MAX’s status as a cloud-based program has also proved its worth pretty much from day one.
“Moving to the cloud has brought us time savings and added convenience,” reports Paladino. “Before we moved to RockSolid MAX, we had to do daily backups and updates ourselves,” he recalls. “All that was work we had to do after hours and updates could take at least 20–30 minutes or upwards of a couple of hours depending on what was involved. Moving to the cloud has not only freed up valuable time to focus on more productive areas, but also given us a greater comfort level with backups and data security. And being able to access the system from anywhere where there’s a web browser is also a big plus.”
As Paladino looks to the future, it’s not too surprising that more growth figures prominently in his plans for Milton Hardware.
If the right opportunity comes along, a second location could be opened. And with or without that addition, there’s still plenty of potential still to work on in the lumber and building supply side of the company.
Regardless of where Jeff Paladino’s future plans may take Milton Hardware, though, one thing is certain: RockSolid MAX will continue to keep the business strong, productive and profitable!
SOUTH
How are sales and customer counts in 2018? We’re up as much as 3 percent. I think the economy is getting better.
Best niche categories? Gutters. We have a whole division for gutter sales and installation. Gutters are about a quarter of our business. I have six people working in that area with one office person. To promote that niche, we advertise in local magazines and do a little bit of radio.
New initiatives planned for 2018? We’re going to reset the plumbing department and paint department along with freshening up some other areas in the store.
Nancy Fisher Allison’s Ace Hardware Lottsburg, Va.
Ace Hardware just opened in Salem, W. Va.
Upper: Allison’s Ace has been in business since 1971.
Lower: Gutters are a major niche for Allison’s Ace.
SOUTHWEST
How are sales and customer counts in 2018? We just moved to a new location and increased size and scope considerably. We’re up about 20 percent on both sales and customer count. We moved from an old lumberyard with 10,000 square feet to an old Walmart with about 57,000 square feet. Best niche categories? We put in a Hallmark store and have a grilling area, offering all kinds of grills and
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accessories. We’re stocking Carhartt clothing and Hi-Pro animal feed. We’re a Case knife dealer and extended that department along with adding ammo and camping. We also have a professional line of cabinets and storm doors.
How’s Business?
New initiatives planned for 2018? We’re going to have a grand reopening on July 28 and during the rest of the year, we’ll keep adding inventory.
Robert Archer
Morton Lumber Ace Hardware Borger, Texas
Upper left: From left, Marilyn Archer and Robert Archer with son Colin Archer and his wife Sarah Archer.
Middle left: Morton Lumber has been in Borger, Texas, since 1950.
Lower left: Morton Lumber added a Hallmark store.
WEST
How are sales and customer counts in 2018? It’s trending up. I
How’s Business?
don’t have a percentage. The upward trend is because of the Ace ad campaign and word of mouth about the store.
Best niche categories? Traeger grills. The barbecue area is at the front corner of the store and customers have really responded to Traeger grills. It also helps that we’re the only service center for Traeger grills in the area.
New initiatives planned for 2018? We’re gearing up for a complete
revamping of the plumbing department to better accommodate contractors. The entire plumbing department will be redone at the beginning of 2019 to offer better selection and quantity. Research from Ace and customer feedback helped determine we should freshen up the plumbing department.
Richard Roberts
Suisun Ace Hardware | Suisun City, Calif.
Suisun Ace held a grand opening for this store in 2014.
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From Tom’s Shop
HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW
There is a saying that the only thing that remains the same in life is change. Retailers in the hardware channel are constantly on the lookout for new products they think their customers will want to buy. This applies to everything from core plumbing and electrical products to impulse items like Bloody Mary mix, candy and ice cream. In my case, it was $30,000 boat lifts that originally started as just stocking replacement parts and accessories for boat lifts.
It has been rare in my travels over the past 40 years of visiting hardware stores to not find unique items they
By Tom Chasteen
are stocking for their specific market. In fact, it is now one of the first things I look for when visiting a hardware store for the first time or the tenth time because things change.
The two things I respect the most about hardware store owners—regardless of the size of the store—is their willingness to bring in new items and to allow their “guts” to play the retail game with their own money. Knowing from the beginning that if they make a bad decision (and we all do) it is their money they will lose, not someone else’s money.
Ring’s video doorbells are a really cool product line. We tested the Ring Doorbell 2 and, in short, I was completely blown away—the applications are truly endless.
PRODUCT #1: VIDEO DOORBELL 2 | RING
For those people who are not familiar with Ring, they make a series of doorbells that have a high-resolution video camera that can either be activated by motion or manually when someone pushes the doorbell. Then the video will be sent directly to your phone or another electronic device.
Now if you are a part of my generation that is technically challenged or rely
on your kids or even your grandchildren to program your TV remote, don’t fall victim to saying that is not for our store. Our testers found the Ring Doorbell 2 extremely easy to use and set up. And
Super-Looking Sales Numbers
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From Tom’s Shop
HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW
the video is very clear with a wide field of view.
If you count the number of homes and businesses in your trade market, I would guess 50 percent of those homeowners and business owners would be extremely impressed with the ability to monitor their front doors 24/7.
Allow me to explain—from a security aspect, how many times did one of your children open the front door when someone knocked at the door without knowing who was at the door? How many times have you come home to find a package sitting on your front porch? How many times have you been working upstairs or in the basement and not heard someone ring the doorbell? How many times have you been short office staff or working late and no one was available to monitor the front door? How would you know if someone came into your office while you were not there?
All of these issues can be resolved by installing a Ring Doorbell 2, because it will immediately ring directly to your phone and you can actually see on your phone in real time who is there or what has been left at your front door. You can even speak to the person at your front door and the voice clarity is really amazing.
Here are some of the other neat features noted by our testers:
It is very simple to install because it uses Wi-Fi, so you don’t need to run any wires. Everything you need to install the Ring camera/doorbell is in the box. The camera/doorbell is only 5” long, 2.5” wide and 1” thick, but it is nicely designed and is not a distraction when you walk up to the door.
Our tester said it took less than 20 minutes to install. Programming is a breeze with simple step-by-step instructions. Ring also offers a free trial to store (archive) all video. It is compatible with Apple, Android and Microsoft products.
The biggest issue our testers had was determining just how they wanted to use the Ring Doorbell 2. However, the built-in programming features allow the user to make changes whenever they want. For instance, if you live on a busy street with a lot of traffic you might want to dial down the motion sensitivity so every time a car goes by it doesn’t alert you. You can do that. When you are home you might want to increase the ring tone volume versus when you are at work.
HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW
The camera/doorbell is weather resistant and the rechargeable battery lasts a long time before it needs to be charged again. In our view the Ring Doorbell 2 is a winner with multiple applications. This product makes a natural end cap item for a hardware store. It’s not difficult to use but really shines when someone can help the customer understand what it is really capable of doing. Although it’s really easy to install and set up, this product will do well with stores that take the time to explain it to customers,
giving them confidence that if they have any questions they can either call the store or come back to the store and ask a question.
However, the best part is that Ring is not a product line that requires hardware retailers to have a computer science degree to help their customers understand how to install a Ring doorbell. We rate the Ring Doorbell 2 five stars!
Check out this video link and see for yourself from one retailer to another.
Contact me at tom@thehardwarestore.com if you have a product you would like us to test in Tom’s Shop.
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Boosting Profits with a Simple Marketing Strategy
Can
you think
of a better marketing advantage to have than hundreds or thousands of happy people relentlessly telling their friends, acquaintances and strangers what a great thing it is to do business with your store? Better yet, they do it 24/7 unfailingly and it doesn’t cost you a dime.
I just described a marketing tactic you already have at your fingertips, but I will bet the farm you are either not using it or you are not squeezing every drop of advantage you can from it. When folks ask me what the marketing advantage is I sometimes get a look of disappointment that I didn’t give them some miraculous secret almost no one knows.
The truth is this: It is miraculous, but it is not a secret. Yet, what seems to be a secret is its profit-boosting effect and how to magnify it. I am talking about online reviews. If you are one of those people who just shook their head because you have heard this before and don’t see what all the hype is about, keep reading because you will become a believer.
There are websites all over the internet where people can and do leave reviews about businesses. Google is the most prominent place for reviews, but Facebook is a power player for local businesses as well.
When Google first made reviews public, many business owners were beside themselves with anger. The general consensus was, “I have enough to do in my business, why is Google giving me yet another thing to worry about?”
However, these business owners did not understand the gift that was just given to them. Online reviews are, in fact, one of the most valuable marketing methods available to you. It is a free referral service. It is a non-stop, customer-generating machine. It is the ultimate word-of-mouth system.
Think about this. If you ever went online and looked at reviews to help you decide if you should eat at a restaurant, use a certain dentist or buy a certain product, then those reviews did one of two things. Either they propelled you to the business or repelled you like enemy fire on a battle ground. That is the kind of influence reviews have. If your online reviews are averaging 4 stars or better, then those reviews have the same clout and influence as the advice of a highly respected heart surgeon.
Facebook reviews for Dave’s Ace Hardware, Milton, Wis.
them, consider using a service that checks for you and sends you a daily summary of all reviews.
Exploited correctly, you will have a powerhouse marketing tactic that will continually boost your profits and frighten your competition. (Unless they are outperforming you with reviews. Do you know where you stand comparatively?) That said, let’s go over how you can turn this into a monster referral machine for your business.
MAKE A COMMITMENT
The first thing to know is you must commit to getting 5-star reviews. Nothing less. You will get customers giving you 4-star reviews or worse, but you can change that. Commit to checking your reviews daily. Numerous websites have customer reviews, so be sure you check all review websites. If you don’t have time to check all of
The instant you spot a review that is less than 5 stars, it is time to get mad. You should get mad, because your customer’s expectations were not met. That means your expectations were also not met, and that’s unacceptable.
Next, set up a systematic way to collect reviews on a daily basis. There are automated ways to get this done where all the details are taken care of behind the scenes. The only thing you have to do is ask the customer for the review.
If the customer is giving you a bad review, this can actually be diverted right on the internet so it does not show on review sites. I will warn you though. Google just implemented a terms policy that basically says, “Thou shalt not prevent bad reviews from showing.” Google calls it “review gating.” Frankly, you could still divert the bad
FEATURE
reviews and take a gamble that Google is no more the wiser. What will they do if they find you have been diverting bad reviews? It’s too early to know.
I won’t recommend you divert or not divert, it is up to you. However, there is a great workaround that Google can do nothing about. You simply have a conversation with customers prior to asking them for a review. In the middle of the sale you will ask what the customer would rate your business at that very moment.
You will probably know by the tone of the conversation, but asking will verify it. If it is 5 stars, then ask them to review your business right then. If it is not, then ask them, “What would have to happen
to make this a 5-star experience for you?” Once they reveal what is on their mind, then do what you must to achieve the 5 stars. Google has no idea you are filtering reviews with conversations, so you are not violating their terms.
Have a computer set up in your business for customers to review you online. Make this computer a dedicated computer for just this reason. You will find some customers won’t do it, because they will either use their phone or not want to review you at all. It’s important you work hard to get customers to leave reviews, because you are building your online monster referral machine and this is how you do it.
HOW TO GET REVIEWS
Do not wait for the customer to review your business, you must ask and ask constantly. If the customer won’t leave a review while there, then you pull out the ace up your sleeve. The ace is that you will guilt them into leaving you a review and they will love you for it. Do this through the law of reciprocity. Shove a small gift in their hand, because when you do they will feel obligated to reciprocate somehow.
This old trick has been used since the pyramids were built. When you give a person a gift, they now feel an obligation to give something to you. How much trouble is this worth? Well, it could be that the review they leave for
you is seen by a customer who has a lot of money to spend at your business.
In case you are wondering, asking for reviews by email is acceptable too. However, you will not know how they see your business. Again, there are online systems to handle this for you if you need it. If not, send only a few requests per day with your own email, because if you are getting an unusual amount of reviews at one time, it will stick out like a sore thumb and Google will know it because their algorithms are highly sophisticated. Assuming they catch it, they will remove your reviews at the very least.
Long ago, I worked with a roofer that offered a $25 gift card to each fan
on their Facebook page who would leave a 5-star review. I advised the roofing company against this. Twenty-four hours later they amassed over 100 reviews.
With a glance, any potential customer
looking at their reviews could tell something was not right. After all, all the reviews came within 24 hours. Customers aren’t stupid; they can see things like that. Even worse, the roofer got a handful of reviews that
were dangerous to their business, because they said things like, “I can’t believe this company would actually pay for good reviews. That’s dishonest and so is this company. I will never use them!” The roofer didn’t think that one through. I personally would have been very stressed out if someone said that about my business for the whole world to read online. The moral of this story: Be smart!
Now here’s an interesting tidbit about getting 5-star reviews. It turns out that Google will do the Jerry Maguire effect and “show you the money!” By that, I mean Google loves it if you are getting 5-star reviews and will in turn make your local business listing more visible, all things equal. That means more customers will find you online, which means you make more sales. So consistently getting more and more 5-star reviews will pour on the love from Google.
Reviews that just trickle in won’t help you much in being more visible, so that’s why you want to be proactive. If you are getting 4- and 5-star reviews, you will be riding the giant of marketing waves.
I urge you to check your reviews daily. Know what customers are saying. If the reviews you are getting are less than desirable, you must get to the bottom of it. One employee could be the cause. Sometimes, business owners discover it is them causing the poor review. No matter what the reason, get it fixed now.
Let me leave you with this thought. Tons of positive reviews will attract business to you. Bad ones (and it doesn’t take many) will repel business. Both work equally well, 24/7. Commit to 5-star review no matter what and get them on a daily basis.
Andy Curry is the Cheap-Marketing Champion who believes in inexpensive but effective marketing and getting a big bang for your marketing buck. For more info on building your online reviews, go to: www. AndyCurry.com/ reviews. An expert marketer, Andy owns several businesses (including a home center) and shares his tactics with audiences around the world. He is the author of “AutomaticPilot Sales.” Download Andy’s free report called “Gets More Customers Buying More Often” at: www.AndyCurry.com/gets-more.
DEALER PROFILE
By Chris Jensen
DAVE UMBER
UMBER’S DO IT BEST
Rebounding from Adversity
Umber’s Do it Best Hardware dates back to 1944, when Lester and Bertha Umber opened for business in a former gas station in Waynedale, Ind., with $700 in inventory and 1,000 square feet of floor space. The business moved to its current location in 1954, when Lester built a 3,200-square-foot building. In 1965, Lester retired and sold the business to Dwight and Marilyn Umber, his son and daughter-in-law. Their son, Dave, joined the business as
the third generation in 1972. A second store in Georgetown was added in 1976. Umber’s Hardware added a third location in Covington Plaza in 1987, which moved to a new location in 1998 before closing in 2006. Dave and his wife, Barb, bought the business in 1997 and their son, Grant, joined the business as the fourth generation in 2003.
Wholesaler: Do it Best Corp. Sales floor size: Both stores feature 8,500-square-foot sales floors.
Hardware in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Rental is growing into a strong niche at the Georgetown location.
Sales in 2018: March business was fair, April stunk and May and June were both up double digits. We worked hard for that.
Best niches: We are the only locally owned YETI® dealer, plus Scott’s and Weber grills. All three are growing double digits. YETI hasn’t cooled off yet. We carry all the Weber colors and try to be true to the brand. I remember seeing my first Weber grill at the National Hardware Show 30 years ago and we’ve sold it ever since. We assemble and deliver for free.
Recent initiatives: We decided last fall that our Waynedale store needed an upgrade. We tore lawn and garden up and reviewed sales of every eight-foot section. We noted anything that hadn’t sold in the last year and relied on Do it Best planograms. Every item was moved to a new location, we lengthened some aisles and shortened others. We meticulously picked every display, even bulk displays.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced? The last 10 years have been an interesting journey. In 2007 I was first diagnosed with prostate cancer. I took the Lord into my life on a Sunday. The
Upper right: Dave Umber shares management responsibilities with his son Grant (right) and son-in-law, Keith Williams (left).
Middle Right: Grant Umber is the fourth generation of the family to be in the business.
Bottom Right: Dave Umber is constantly on the lookout for new items that will be popular with customers.
next day the nurse called and told me my PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level was high and that I needed to talk to the doctor. That’s when I found out I had prostate cancer, so I started my walk of faith. I had a son, Grant, in high school then and a daughter who was not yet married. That cancer got me down, but I ended up winning.
Then the recession hit in 2008. Pencils had to be sharpened. Our payroll was too high, but we still had to pay to keep our good employees. Grant came back into the business full time and my daughter got married and my son-in-law, Keith Williams, entered the business. Then in 2010 my cancer came back. Now I’m cancer free, and I spend time mentoring guys who are suffering prostate cancer.
How did battling cancer change your approach to business? When it came to light that our chances of success against the cancer were in our favor, I made a commitment. I committed to review four important aspects of my life:
My faith, my family, my health and my business. My commitment was to look at each one in detail and refocus on what was best for the future for my family. When I got to the business part, some changes had to happen. We changed supplier and picked up the offensive against the recession. Growing in my faith has been very soothing to me. I’ve been a changed person since. I don’t get too high or too low, but just strive to be better. What does the future hold for your family business? It’s a true blessing to work with family in the business. My wife, Barb, does HR and payroll. My role at 61 is teacher. I plan to step back in four to five years, but keep doing everything behind the scenes to keep the business viable. I haven’t gifted anything yet, but it’s about to begin. My goal is to get stock in Grant’s hands in three to five years and let him know he’s the designated successor, but anything could happen. Grant’s wife has an MBA, so she could get a job opportunity that pulls him away. Keith is the store manager of the Waynedale store and it looks like he will be part of our future as well. These are things we have to work on in terms of a succession plan. I’m working
Right: Umber’s has signed up 12,000 Do it Best Rewards members.
Left: The paint department draws in female customers at the front of the store.
with Gary Pittsford to figure out the best way to transfer the business whether it’s an outright purchase or stock redemption. I want Grant to have time to put together his own plan, not mine.
How important is it to carry on the legacy started by your grandfather in 1944? I have my grandfather’s handwritten notes on how and why he started the hardware store. It’s written history. That’s precious and it’s stuff that isn’t recorded. I can visualize that first gas station that my grandfather owned for 10 years before converting to a hardware store. I wish I could really experience what that was like for him.
For the past 18 months I’ve been writing a monthly 600-word article for the local newspaper, The Waynedale News, on DIY tips or whatever I want to cover. Next year I plan to write about the highlights of our 75 years in business. We have a picture of Grant when he was six with four generations of the family for our 50th anniversary, and we’ll do the same for our 75th with my granddaughter, Bristol, who’s been featured on our Facebook page as Super Rental Girl.
What retail lessons did you learn from your father and grandfather?
My dad was very good at budgeting. He was strong on payroll percentage, margins and left us in good shape to be successful. My grandfather didn’t have a lot of education and wasn’t the best businessman, but he understood how to take care of customers. My grandfather always said, ‘The last thing you want to
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Upper: Umber’s Do it Best Hardware has been serving the Fort Wayne community since 1944.
Lower: The Georgetown store opened in 1976.
do is waste your customers’ time. The worst thing you can do is miscut a key. Make sure you take care of them and go above and beyond.’ We want customers to recognize they’re talking to a human here. For a few minutes, you get to talk to them.
My dad and mom formed an excellent team in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, then I came along in the mid-‘90s right as the competition gets tougher with the boxes coming in. I have to be the face of the business on radio and in print and have knowledgeable people behind me. The leadership of tomorrow has to be
DEALER PROFILE
the same with a front face and voice, although you still have to make key backroom decisions. My dad stressed the importance of having a good accountant, banker, attorney and supplier and said there will be times when you have to lean on each one. I’ve changed accountants, attorneys and suppliers and that has to be part of the mix.
How do you juggle duties with two stores? We have weekly planning meetings. Grant takes care of advertising for both stores and acts like a general manager. Keith is in charge of Margin Master. Our backdoor margins are 50-51 percent and our front-door margins are about 43 percent. This allows us to use discounts and not carry paper for 30 days.
What impact has Amazon had on your business? I think Amazon has only had a single-digit impact on us. In our type of business we’re not shielded, but there’s only a finite amount of products you can lose out on. With Amazon, you can’t get paint mixed, rent a posthole digger or touch and feel the different fabric flags we sell to see which is best.
Our stores are very close to all the homes we serve. We concentrate on homes within a radius of one to two miles and try to be part of their daily lives. Our Do it Best Rewards program is extensive—with 12,000 members. About 40 percent of our cash sales are from Rewards members, and their average sale is $3 to $5 above the regular cash customer.
The Hardware Conference is held at the beautiful JW Marriott in Marco Island right on the beach.
30 Years of The Hardware Conference Celebrating
Developing relationships with other hardware retailers and vendors was the reason Tom Chasteen, Paul Weintraub, Bob Goggin and Dan Hitchcock took their first road trip in 1988 to find a hotel to host The Hardware Conference. It was the same reason they chose the theme “Where Relationships Are Formed.”
From September 7-9 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla., the industry will be gathering to celebrate an important milestone—the 30th anniversary of The Hardware Conference, which has always been held in Marco Island.
After that first-year gathering of just Ace Hardware retailers from Florida, Tom and Dale Chasteen went on to guide the
The JW Marriott in Marco Island recently underwent a $320 million renovation.
Craig and Shanti Cope are carrying on the tradition started by Tom and Dale
Chasteen.
Vendor booths are auctioned off on Saturday night, with all the proceeds going to benefit the Miami Children’s Health Foundation.
Conference through 26 years of growth. They expanded the event to include dealers beyond Florida and they opened it up to retailers from all the different wholesalers. It remains the industry’s largest gathering of independent retailers regardless of wholesaler affiliation.
“The Hardware Conference has prospered for the past 30 years because of our desire to grow our businesses and
All-industry cocktail receptions are a perfect way to catch up with industry friends.
strengthen our relationships with one another. Without trust, there simply can’t be a relationship,” says Tom Chasteen.
Tom and Dale developed a succession plan to transition The Hardware Conference to Craig and Shanti Cope, who took over as co-directors beginning in 2015.
“The Hardware Conference has been the place ‘where relationships are
You can mingle with your fellow retailers throughout the event.
formed’ and it is our intention to remain dedicated to this concept,” says Craig Cope. “Shanti and I bring the same passion and drive to host a first-class, informative, interactive, entertaining and family-friendly event for everyone who supports the independent two-step hardware channel. We want to carry on this legacy of inclusion started by Tom and Dale, while finding new ways to bring the industry together.”
Come to the Conference and share ideas with fellow independent hardware retailers on how to grow and improve your business and interact with leading vendors on ways to increase category sales in your store. In addition to an open dialogue session and a Beacon Award winner panel discussion where key industry topics are discussed with frank remarks, retail attendees will have many formal and informal opportunities to network with other retailers.
Key vendors participate in the Conference by setting up tabletop booths that showcase their product lines, and dealers will find it refreshing to have informal discussions with vendors without the pressure of buying.
HARDWARE CONFERENCE
“Dealers, vendors and wholesalers get together to discuss a variety of issues pertinent to our industry. The facility is wonderful and very affordable. The meals are superb and the entertainment outstanding,” says Matt Noonan III of Noonan True Value in Springfield, Ill.
Dealer registration for The Hardware Conference is one of the best bargains in the hardware industry—$149 per person. The fee covers:
• Three cocktail receptions, two dinners and two breakfasts plus access to the hospitality suite all weekend.
• Your choice of golf, shelling, Everglades airboat excursion or beach activities Saturday afternoon.
• Access to vendor booths Saturday and Sunday.
• Open dialogue sessions on Saturday and Sunday.
• Wholesaler luncheon on Friday.
HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY FORUM
Kicking off the event is a Hardware Technology Forum that starts the day before the Conference officially opens on Thursday, September 6. For the sixth straight year, Epicor and ECi Advantage/ECi RockSolid 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
The open dialogue sessions enable retailers to give direct feedback to vendors about key issues.
Friday evening’s banquet honors the Beacon Award winners.
as you learn new tips and tricks to make your POS software more productive in your store.
To attend the Technology Forum and the Conference the cost is only $299 per person and includes all training programs for one day plus breakfast, lunch and cocktail reception on Thursday in addition to the other Conference meal functions and activities the rest of the weekend.
BEACON AWARD WINNERS REVEALED
One of the highlights of the event promises to be the sixth annual Beacon Awards, which will recognize the industry’s Best New Stores, as well as Retail Beacon Award winners
HARDWARE CONFERENCE
from participating wholesalers Ace Hardware, Do it Best Corp., True Value and Orgill.
The Beacon Awards are co-sponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection with special sponsorship support from Apex Tool Group, Sunnyside Corporation, Epicor and Rust-Oleum. The Beacon Awards banquet will be held Friday evening, September 7.
SIGN UP TODAY
Vendor booths will be auctioned off Saturday night with the proceeds benefiting the Miami Children’s Health Foundation.
The Conference is designed to include the whole family, with plenty of free time for fun activities such as golf, shelling and Everglades airboat excursions, sailing and walking on the beautiful, sandy beach.
Attendees enjoy special room rates of $181 per night—a significant savings from regular rates of $375+. To make your room reservations, click here or call the JW Marriott at 239-394-2511 and mention that you are a part of The Hardware Conference.
For more information on attending the 2018 Hardware Conference or to register, call Craig or Shanti Cope at (305) 853-0049 or go to www.thehardwareconference.com. n
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Marquee
Wednesday, September 5:
Vendor Only Meeting
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Technology Forum, Vendor and Dealer Registration 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Thursday, September 6:
ECi RockSolid and Epicor Breakfast
ECi RockSolid and Epicor Technology Forums – Dealers .
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
. .9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Technology Forum, Vendor and Dealer Registration 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Vendor Set Up 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Vendor and Dealer Registration
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
All-Industry Cocktail Reception 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Friday, September 7:
Vendor Set Up 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Vendor and Dealer Registration 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Do it Best Corp Meeting/Luncheon 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
True Value Meeting/Luncheon 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Orgill Meeting/Luncheon 10:30 – 2:00 PM
Beacon Award Winner Private Reception 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Cocktail Reception .
. .6:00 PM – 7:15 PM
Kids’ (ages 5-12) Night Out 6:15 PM – 10:30 PM
Beacon Awards Banquet Dinner 7:15 PM – 9:30 PM
At conclusion of dinner, hospitality suite is open
Saturday, September 8:
Breakfast 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Exhibit Areas Open 8:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Beacon Award winner panel discussion 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Krylon Golf Outing 12:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Women in Hardware Private Luncheon 12:30 – 2:00 PM
Day at the Beach 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Everglades Airboat Excursion 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Hospitality Suite Open
.1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Shelling Excursion 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Cocktail Reception 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Key West Buffet Dinner Party and Auction
At conclusion of dinner, hospitality suite is open
Sunday, September 9:
Sponsors
The Hardware Conference would like to thank and recognize its Marquee Sponsors for their support over the years. The following companies are Marquee Sponsors of this year’s event:
. 7:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Breakfast 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Exhibit Areas Open 8:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Open Dialogue Session 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Closing Remarks 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
LOOKING BACK AT 30 YEARS OF THE HARDWARE CONFERENCE IN MARCO ISLAND
from 2010 Conference.
Bob Clemence
Bob Vereen & Tom Chasteen
Bob Goggin
Bear & Tina Majcher
Doug Laird & Tom Delph
Brandon & Chris Jensen, Tom Chasteen, Dan & Linda Akers
Dan Hitchcock
Bob Lueders A Seminar
Greg Galen & Rick Heuser
Ed Hayes, June Nash, Libbie Susnik & Greg Jorgensen.
Jim & Teree Ertzman
Walter & Patty Toole, Dave Atkins
Jim Holden Hardlines Digest Gathering
Tom & Dale Chasteen
Sarah Pitkin
Gerri & Mark Madden
Howard Miller of Hartville Hardware
John & Billie Hammond
Paul Weintraub
Pat O’Reilly
“Where Relationships Are Formed”
SEPTEMBER 7-9
3 Days of Networking, Relaxing and Learning
Meet colleagues and new friends at the industry’s largest conference for independent hardware retailers. Share ideas with top retailers on how to grow your business, interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store and attend educational seminars, all-industry cocktail receptions and dinners in an exclusive 5-star resort setting.
Learn More About Your POS System at the Hardware Technology Forum
Epicor and ECi Advantage/ECi RockSolid will offer full-day, handson training sessions 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.
Sponsors:
Honor the Industry’s Best Retailers at the 2018 Beacon Awards
The Beacon Awards are an important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.
Co-Sponsors: FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ATTENDING THE BEACON AWARDS ALONG WITH ALL OTHER EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, OPEN FLOOR DISCUSSIONS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT THE HARDWARE CONFERENCE, VISIT WWW.THEHARDWARECONFERENCE.COM
PLUMBING TRENDS
Sales of Faucets
(Independent Hardware Channel)
12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago
Faucets: Units
Faucets:
Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Unit Sales Breakdown for Faucets
Total of Items with Sales
PLUMBING DEPARTMENT MERCHANDISING
This end cap merchandising display at Orchard Supply Hardware ensures customers can find the plumbing department.
Bath vignettes at Park Supply in Huntsville, Ala., illustrate how to accommodate the needs of elderly and handicapped customers.
Shelf talkers at Orchard Supply Hardware help customers select the right valve or fitting.
Faucets and showerheads are functional at Park Supply, so customers can turn them on to see which one they like best.
Park Supply’s plumbing showroom features a dominant selection of faucets, tubs and other plumbing products.
This kitchen sink display at Hartville Hardware in Ohio showcases the various options available.
Sponsors:
Co-Sponsors:
IN THE NEWS
NEW STORES:
Leah and Joe Walbeek opened Akron Lumber in Akron, Iowa.
Tracy Culpepper has opened Ace Hardware of Valley (Ala.).
Greg and Christine Egelstad are the new owners of Ace Hardware Evergreen Way in Everett, Wash.
Bill, Erik and Karl Young opened their fifth Ace Hardware store in Candler, N.C.
Ron Crowder is opening his third Ace Hardware store in Bradenton, Fla., this fall.
Mike Hendrix and Susan Cobb are the new owners of the renamed Heritage True Value Hardware in Cooleemee, N.C.
Levi Bolthouse has opened his third store, Midtown Ace Hardware in Kalamazoo, Mich.
John Krueger is the new owner of Miller’s Hardware & Bargain Outlet in Geneva, N.Y.
Ted Garrett and Bob Pope have opened P&G Pro Hardware in Weston, W. Va.
Busy Beaver has opened a new store in Greenville, Pa.
Vince Furrie is opening two True Value Hardware stores in Youngstown, Ohio.
Randy and Mary Patzer have bought St. Pierre Ace Hardware in Monroe, Mich., from Al and Donna St. Pierre.
Joel Jacobson is opening his third Jacobson’s Ace Hardware in Eau Claire, Wis.
Hammond Lumber has acquired Ellsworth Builder Supplies in Ellsworth, Maine.
KUDOS TO:
Annie and Roger Gregory, along with Joe and Mimi Hurd, are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Priest River Ace Hardware in Priest River, Idaho.
When a nearby Big Brothers Big Sisters of America chapter needed help updating its offices, Crooksville Do it Best Hardware in Crooksville, Ohio, stepped up in a big way. Led by Owner John Coler, the store donated all the paint necessary for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Licking and Perry Counties to give their headquarters a longoverdue update.
Nebraska-based Millard Lumber is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Thomas Do it Center in Gallipolis, Ohio, is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Kroner’s True Value in La Crosse, Wis., is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
Carr Hardware, with six stores based in Pittsfield, Mass., is celebrating its 90th anniversary.
Brad and Yamileth Clore are celebrating the 80th anniversary of Belmont Hardware, with six stores in northern California.
Kevin Nyberg of Nyberg’s Ace Hardware was named South Dakota Small Business Person of the Year for 2018.
The Biggers family celebrated the 100th anniversary of Biggers Hardware in Corinth, Miss.
Bob Mills, owner of Angle Hardware in Rocky Mount, Va., was honored with the Estwing Golden Hammer for 50 years in the hardware industry.
Jim and Marilyn Lehrer are marking the 20th anniversary of Brownsboro Hardware in Louisville, Ky.
Scott Bishel is celebrating the 120th anniversary of Smith & Bishel Hardware in Middletown, Conn.
Bliffert Lumber & Hardware in Milwaukee was named the 2018 NARI National Distributor of the Year. Moscow and Pullman Building Supply in Moscow, Idaho, and Pullman, Wash., is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE:
Do it Best Corp. has promoted Steve Rose to national logistics manager.
Ace Hardware Corp. has named Kim Lefko as senior vice president, chief marketing officer.
Terry Davis, CEO of Home Hardware Stores Ltd., is retiring after 48 years with the company. PRO Group has promoted Alex Hernandez to associate merchandise manager and Drew Elfin to marketing manager.
WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS:
Ace Hardware Corp. is expanding its West Jefferson, Ohio, retail
support center by 309,000 square feet. More than 400 dealers have signed up for House-Hasson Hardware’s free Digital Deals advertising program since it was introduced in January. House-Hasson creates digital ads for dealers, ads usable on the internet, Facebook, other sites and e-mail marketing. Dealers get special pricing on the products advertised and they can easily make custom ads from the items given at special pricing. “Dealers are recognizing the importance of getting their names and products in front of customers in every way possible,” said Taylor Hasson, vice president-marketing.
OTHER NEWS:
Independent We Stand has recognized Bridge Street Ashtabula in Ashtabula, Ohio, as the $25,000 winner of “America’s Main Streets” contest.
Jerry Barnes
On June 10, Jerry Barnes reached a milestone of 50 years of service with The Wooster Brush Company. Jerry is the 17th employee in Wooster Brush’s 167year history to reach 50 years of service. He began enjoying retirement June 30.
Lowe’s Cos. has named Marvin Ellison as its new president and CEO, succeeding the retiring Robert Niblock.
IN MEMORY:
Blair Douglas, past president of the National Retail Hardware Association in 1999-2000, passed away May 29 at the age of 65. He had operated N.F. Douglas Home Hardware in Caledonia, Nova Scotia, and was also past president of the Canadian Retail Hardware Association. He served as NRHA’s representative on the managing committee of the International Hardware Association. He was an avid conservationist and advocate for ecological research who hosted the first biodiversity monitoring plot on private lands in Canada on his North Queens forest property. Blair is survived by his wife Jean, sons Jeffrey and John, his mother and sister, and three grandchildren.
John Tucker of Waverly True Value Hardware in Waverly, Neb., passed away May 20 at the age of 70. He had owned the store since 1975 and was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife Janet; son Benjamin, daughter Jessie, sister Pamela, brother Robert and four grandchildren.
Darryl Taylor , former owner of C&J Hardware in Olathe, Kan., passed away May 30 at the age of 81. A past chairman of the Southwestern Hardware & Implement Association, he operated four other hardware stores. He is survived by his wife Ramona, sons Bradley and Jonathan, daughter Kara and three grandchildren.
UPCOMING EVENTS
JULY
United Hardware Fall & Winter Buying Market
July 27-29, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis
AUGUST
Ace Hardware Corp. Fall Convention
August 16-18, McCormick Place, Chicago
Florida Hardware Fall Market
August 11-12, Double Tree Hotel & Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
Orgill Fall Market
August 23-25, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas
SEPTEMBER
Blish-Mize Fall Market
September 21-22, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan.
Bostwick-Braun Fall Dealer Market
September 20-22, Seagate Convention Center, Toledo, Ohio
HDW Fall Market
September 14-16, Shreveport Convention Center, Shreveport, La.
Home Hardware Fall Market
September 15-18, Henry Sittler Building, St. Jacobs, Ontario
Horizon Distribution Annual Conference & Trade Show EXPO
September 7-9, Yakima SunDome, Yakima, Wash.
Jensen Marketplace 2018
September 13-14, Oregon Convention Center, Portland Ore.
Monroe Hardware Fall Market
September 14-16, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Hardware Conference
September 7-9, JW Marriott, Marco Island, Fla.
www.thehardwareconference.com
True Value Fall Reunion
September 28-30, Colorado Convention Center, Denver
OCTOBER
House-Hasson Hardware Fall Dealer Market
October 25-27, Sevierville Event Center, Sevierville, Tenn.
Do it Best Corp. Fall Market
October 12-15, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis
STAFDA Convention
October 28-30, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix
Taiwan Hardware Show
October 17-19, Taichung International Exhibition Center, Taichung, Taiwan
Wallace Hardware Company Fall Dealer Market
October 10-12, LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here.
Kevin Pratt tasted success with wine- and beer-making kits.
A UNIQUE WAY TO GET BUY-IN FROM NEW HIRES
Mike MacKay of Vassar Building Center in Vassar, Mich., has discovered a unique way to get new hires quickly engaged in the business.
He has developed a routine of bringing new employees with him to the Do it Best semi-annual buying markets and having them pick one product that they don’t currently carry and bring it back to the store for a trial run.
Cost isn’t necessarily an issue, but moderation is the general rule. “One guy thought it would be good to have a Bobcat,” says MacKay, “so we make sure it’s a reasonable amount like under $1,000.”
The process is informal, but the takeaways and learning experiences are important, even if not always successful. MacKay, who says he has been doing this about a dozen years, also lets established
Tanner MacKay, son of owner Mike MacKay, found success with Flame Genie.
employees take a stab at it so they stay challenged.
“It keeps them engaged while they’re at the market and it gets them to buy in with our program,” says MacKay. “Their challenge is to bring it back to the store and train the rest of the staff so it’s successful. They quickly learn you can’t just throw it on the shelf.”
While driving sales is celebrated, the goal is also to instill a sense of camaraderie as well as learning from failure—and developing a better understanding of what is favored by Vassar’s customers. “No one wants to have the product that doesn’t sell, so it helps improve everyone’s selling skills,” MacKay points out.
Even MacKay has been left scratching his head more than once with certain products, like when he had to practically give away a pallet of Tide laundry detergent, a product recommended by another
Manager Adam Daugharty brought in a winner with the Stanley travel cup, but not so much with the Laser Projector Light Show.
retailer. “Tide doesn’t sell well in a lumberyard,” he says with a knowing laugh. A yardpond kit also seemed like it had all the ingredients of success, but it, too, didn’t generate any excitement from customers.
Many products succeed and some fail, but what matters in the end is new members of MacKay’s team getting realworld experience in merchandising—and real-world education in understanding their customers.
Randy Atkinson operates Atkinson’s Discount with his brother, Rick.
DIVERSIFYING SALES WITH A TWIST
Atkinson’s Discount in Pageland, S.C., has been around since 1982, run by brothers Randy and Rick Atkinson. They started off by specializing in automotive parts and mobile home parts, and later decided to add general hardware in the 1990s.
The 3,840-square-foot sales floor for hardware items is supplemented by 3,600 square feet in the back for auto and mobile home parts. Half their sales come from hardware these days, and a recent reset has given their business a boost.
Another strong niche is lawn mower repair parts. “We sell thousands of
mower blades, and we deliver anywhere in town,” Randy says. The brothers also own a number of rental properties, so they buy water heaters by the cargo container and buy as many as 100 refrigerators a year.
“Our customers know they can get a fair deal with us and get them whatever they need,” Randy says.
GIVING CUSTOMERS AN ONLINE TOUR
One of the things e-commerce supposedly cannot replicate is the in-store experience. Try telling that to Brad McDaniel and the team at McDaniel’s Do it Center in Snohomish, Wash.
The McDaniel’s team took the Google Maps experience and brought it inside, using the service to create an online instore tour of their Snohomish location.
Visitors can tour the entire store from their computer or mobile device, getting an intimate look at McDaniel’s store experience and a first-person feel for the location’s layout and departments, exploring aisle by aisle.
See the McDaniel’s Do it Center tour for yourself here.
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
11%
Increase in criminal acts in retail stores in 2018 compared to 2017, according to D&D Daily.
1.6
Number of times habitual shoplifters steal per week on average, according to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP).
27 million
Number of shoplifters in the U.S. (1 in 11 people), according to NASP. More than 10 million people have been caught shoplifting in the last five years.
73%
Percentage of adult shoplifters who didn’t plan to steal in advance, according to NASP.
3%
Percentage of shoplifters who are professionals who steal for resale or profit, accounting for 10% of total dollar losses, according to NASP.
36.5%
Percentage of shrink that is external due to shoplifting and organized retail crime, according to the National Retail Federation.