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Saturday, February 12, 2011

Why Do Retailers Run Out of Great Deals So Fast?

To work on Sunday at a retail store that sells technology can be the pits!  Why?  Because that is usually when the weekly advertisement hits the papers and there is not enough 'super deals' to satisfy the thrifty shopper.   I've opened a many of Sunday with only 1 or 2 and sometimes 0.  Why do good companies allow this continually to happen?

Have you ever stood in line on Black Friday only to be disappointed with the news the store has sold out!  Have you ever wondered why they don't just buy a 'train' load of the deal items and have enough for everybody that show up at midnight, stands in line until the early morning hour when the doors finally open?

Remember this is technology retail I'm referring to.  Products like laptop computers, digital cameras, TV's have little or no profit margin.  To stay in business a typical company has to 'average' about 33% gross margin.  That's the money left over between the purchase and the selling.  That figure does not include expenses like payroll, rent, utilities, and so on.  A typical high profile technology item grosses about 9%.  On Black Friday it can be below cost!

The profit lies in the add-ons that consumers may not track so closely.  So, the savvy retailer trains their crew to sell you add-ons on the items they have in stock.  On Black Friday this is done while standing in line before the store opens.  When they run out, the plan is to move you over to something they do have it stock and sock it to you with the add-ons.  

The main point here is to make you aware that if you want that super-duper deal you see in your Sunday Advertisement, get on down to that retailer first thing Sunday morning and get yours before they run out.  If it's a great deal to you then it's a great deal to others and you know what they say about the early bird!

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The definition of a chump:
a gullible person, a sucker; someone easily taken advantage of, the target of a scam.

Learn from a former salesperson and trainer how salespeople drive sales. Learn how to keep more money in your pocket where it belongs! There are two ends of every sales stick!  One end cries 'chump.'  The other end boasts 'champ.'  I know which end of the stick I want to be.  How about you?


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