Archive for the ‘World Of Retailing’ category

Online Retail Analytics

January 2nd, 2012
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For the past years,online has become much more competitive and retailers are focused increasingly on driving profit.In this new environment, tracking the right measures of success moves from being a “nice to have” to fundamental to online success.

We need to define KPI for analytics for online Retail ,KPIs can answer questions such as:

• Revenues: Are they increasing at the rate you expect?
• Profitability: Are you making a good margin?
• Customer Growth: How many new verses existing customers?
• Product Turnover: How quickly are you moving inventory?

Critical KPIs For online retailers :

Determining the driving factors for a KPI’s performance. Some causes for online selling KPI performance might include:

• Wrong Product: Is your product not wanted? Is it presented poorly?
• Right Marketplace: Are you focusing on the wrong marketplaces? Are you paying too much in fees?
• Ineffective Promotion: Are your promotions reaching the target audiences? Are they utilized in the buying process?
• Order Execution: Do customers abandon their shopping cart in the checkout process?

Actions !!

Depending on your goals and evaluation of your KPIs, there are many possible actions you could take, such as:
• Marketplaces: Change your mix of marketplaces.
• Listings: Use different products and price mixes.
• Customer Service: Create better checkout processes and customer communication.
• Website: Coordinate your website in conjunction with other marketplaces

The delayed gratification that is a feature of all online retailers selling physical goods means that monitoring customer satisfaction becomes critical. One component of this is “delivery on promise” which systematically measures the distribution of orders that arrive before, after or as promised. It is staggering how few retailers actually track it. As retailers increasingly rely on drop-ship vendors or just-in-time suppliers, delivery on promise becomes ever more important.

Growing an online business necessitates a command of the data. And there is a lot of it. Retailers applying traditional retail metrics online will at best sub-optimise, and at worst risk being out manoeuvred by more sophisticated competitors.
Know more about online retail buying and merchandising
More Retail Viewpoints & References: Online retail,smartinsights.com, ecommera.com,

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How to increase retail sales within same footfalls

November 5th, 2011
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Sharpening selling skills and increasing service standards has never been as important as it is today, considering the current downturn and footfall being far below what it was the same time last year. The average buy per customer has also fallen.
The following is the burning question that is the key to sustainable sales and maximum results: -

How do we increase sales within the same footfall and increase the ticket size per customer?
You may not be able to guarantee an increase in footfall, but you can surely increase sales within the same footfall. The following are a few pointers in that direction: -

Sell higher-price-point products to customers

Customers are price-sensitive no doubt and to address that, we have a reasonable portfolio of products that can satisfy the needs of the customer. At the same time, we also stock aspirational products that are at higher-price-points. The trick is to create a zone for the customer whereby he feels comfortable with the presence of products at both ends of the price spectrum. Eventually, the decision on choosing should belong to the customer. A good salesman should be able to highlight all the necessary elements for sale in a manner that is pleasing, honest and convincing. Most customers will graduate to aspirational products if they believe that the decision was entirely theirs.

Focus on selling the additional product (Coordinate-sales)

The advantage of sporting a reasonable width in product line also empowers the sales man to sell co-ordinates. The challenge for the salesman is to ensure that the customer is brought up to date about the range in the store and kept fully informed on the brands. This would induce further buying.

Thus, a salesman can achieve higher sales. For example, if the footfall in a store is 300 customers a month and if the salesman can induce 25% of these customers to buy 1 more garment than what they originally planned, an extra sale of 75 pieces is then straight away registered.

Sell at least one accessory per 5 bills

There has to be a clear focus on accessories eg. caps, belts, handkerchiefs, ties, flip-flops, etc. Accessories are presently the least focused-on by many of the stores and it is curious that even customers do not give them much importance. However, if you do suggest any accessories to him, say handkerchiefs, caps, belts, undergarments etc., the customer many a time, will not resist. This is typical of a customer not ‘sweating the small stuff’ in his purchase. At the end of the day, it is a ‘win win’ situation for both sides.

Assist the customer to buy and do not follow him

In most of the stores, the salesperson enjoys following the customer, which many a customer does not like and so, this is not advisable. Moreover, there is often no actual interaction…the salesperson just stands silently behind the customer. It then looks rather like you are keeping an eye on him rather then helping him! Indian customers like to obtain guidance and they appreciate respect. If a salesman could respectfully suggest the right options to them, they will surely become regular customers. This is how a loyal customer is made!

First understand the customer’s need

How many salespeople actually comprehend the need of the customer? A smart salesperson does not have to give technical details of the fabric, but he should certainly use soft skills like understanding the reason for the purchase, speaking with the customer on current trends, suggesting season’s colors, etc. He should give advice and suggestions on what may suit the customer best although this is best done in a careful manner. A proper job done of the service to your customer is imperative.


Focus on Conversion
Your inventory must be up to date. The staff at the store should know what is on display and what is in the back-end storage area. Also, broken stocks should be kept well under control so as to minimize loss of sales. The higher the conversion the more profit and loyalty you gets.

A simple example given below is apt in this context: -.

All this within the same footfall!

In the above case sales in one store getting an average footfall of 50 on a daily basis, has been considered. The average bill value considered is Rs. 1000/- . The challenge is to increase your conversion and average bill value by just 10%. You can see the incremental sale achieved is 21% more than what is regular.
As a retail store, you may not have influence over footfall, but you can achieve an additional 21% just by team effort, great service and a sharp focus.
For any explanation contact:Alok Sharma

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Retail industries growth-Top Asian countries 2011

September 15th, 2011
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5. Malaysia: Focus on road infrastructure.
Malaysia’s economy expected to grow 6.2 percent this year, and retail industries growth that are constantly evolving over the last two years. However, the country’s economy is expected to potentially experience in the rising of property bubble and household debt levels.
Governments with the population reached 28.9 million is currently trying to develop the retail industries by building a new shopping center on the outskirts of the city through the concept of Big-Box Boulevards (BBB). In these countries, retailers also offered low rents.

With this concept, Malaysia daydream retail industry grouping into 6 of 10 retail businesses are different. For example, the retail industry in the field of apparel, automotive, home appliances, sports, and furniture that will fill a boulevard location.

4. Philippines: Regions sustain urban growth.

Philippine retail industry growth this year expected to reach U.S. $ 39 billion and to U.S. $ 42 billion in 2015. The achievement thanks to the increasing of urban population and consumption expenditure of the population.

Philippine economic growth is also expected to increase with an average growth rate (Compound Annual Growth Ratio / CAGR) 5.3 per cent in the next five years. Meanwhile, per capita income in the same period is also expected to rise 25 percent.

Nowadays, the Philippine retail industries growth is concentrated in metropolitan Manila. In urban areas, the retail industries source of income comes from middle class families and professionals.

The Philippines recorded a 40 per cent of young people who become a key future consumption expenditure.

3. Indonesia: Growth with underlying strong.

On this year, Indonesian retail industries growth is estimated to reached U.S. $ 134 billion and jumped to U.S. $ 223 billion in 2015.

Indonesia should be grateful to the very strong underlying economy form the population that reached 235.5 million. Income per capita of Indonesia’s population continues to rise with the growth of retail industries infrastructure that will support the growing retail food sales.

Other retail sectors that will grow is led by electronics computer products, and it is expected to grow 13 percent in the next five years.

2. China: A more sexy economy.

In GRDI ratings of developing countries around the world, China ranks sixth. China’s economic growth continued to show a surprise with an increase of more than 10.3 percent in 2010 and is expected to slightly slow to 9-10 percent this year.

Size of China’s retail market is currently estimated at U.S. $ 2.1 trillion, or nearly 50 percent of the U.S. retail market. The growth of retail industry itself continues to show positive direction, where there is an increase of about 15 percent between 2009 and 2010.

However, the market experienced a boom sometimes often a threat reversal. The rate of inflation is feared to threaten the increasing private consumption expenditure. In addition, interest rates continue to rise four times during 2010.

Luckily, the Chinese people’s consumption is expected to continue positive following the improving level of income and employment prospects in the future. This is reinforced by the government’s plans five years into the future that will divert dependence of raw materials to domestic consumption. Meanwhile, private consumption is expected to soar to $ 100 billion per year.

1. India: Time to get into the market.

India experienced strong economic growth which amounted to 9 percent. Economic growth per year would reach 8.7 percent by 2016.

It was supported by the level of savings and investment high population, rapid employment growth, as well as major public consumption spending as a factor that supports the retail industries growth.

Consumers in India are currently spending more money to buy non-food materials, and more to buy branded products.

Population reached 1.2 billion people, and it is expected to surpass China, it is an interesting target.

Organized retail in India is recorded at 7 percent of Indian retail market that worth U.S. $ 435 billion. Subsequently in 2020 which expected to increase to 20 percent. So far, nearly 70 percent of Indian retail market is dominated by food products.

Other sectors that are expected to develop in retail industries is home furnishings segment that will grow 20-30 percent this year.

Retail industries in India is still dominated by their large cities despite a glance at the cities with a smaller level.

Although India is considered a sexy market for the retail industries, investment regulations in these countries still restrict entry of foreign investors in this sector. Investors are only allowed to enter by cooperating with local businesses or forming joint ventures, the reason that can make highest retail industries growth

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Online Retailing Buying Merchandising Process

March 8th, 2011
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Online Retailing Understanding from Consumer Perspective Buying Merchandising Retail Process
If you own a retail store and you’re not selling online, you’re already behind in the game. But it’s not enough just to have an online store–you have to find ways to draw customers to it.
Successful brick-and-mortar retailers know that product presentation greatly affects how well a product sells, so they use merchandising techniques to maximize revenue. Many times, merchandising involves displaying groups of products rather than just individual products to create complete solutions. Retail stores implement merchandising techniques in their window and in-store displays. Catalogers apply merchandising by creating groups of products that convey a lifestyle or usage category.
Consumers are always looking for ways to make their shopping more convenient and enjoyable. Applying some traditional merchandising techniques to online shopping helps consumers become more comfortable shopping at a Web site, which increases revenue and long-term loyalty.

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Finding the Best Retail Jobs

February 13th, 2011
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The best retail job is not necessarily the one with the best pay and the best benefits. The best retail job might not even be found anywhere on the top retail Companies .Instead the best job is the one that matches the talents, skills, values, and personal goals of the individual.

Finding the best “right fit” job is about knowing yourself first, and then matching your own identity and goals with the identity and goals of an employer. In the short term it might seem more important to get a job that gives the best compensation, but in the long-term, most employees are chronically dissatisfied until they get a job that provides the best personal fulfillment.

    Whether you’re looking for part-time store jobs or a full-time retail career, it’s important to find the right fit. Just because a job is available doesn’t mean that it’s the right job for you.


Spruce Up Your Resume
Your resume speaks volumes when it comes to first impressions. Make sure that, whenever possible, you quantify your accomplishments. Saying that you “doubled the average number of units per sale” is more impressive than saying you “contributed to an increase in sales.” If you have retail experience, be specific about the types of companies for which you have worked and they type of work you have done. Simply listing your employers and job titles doesn’t communicate your full range of skills or specialties. If you have retail experience, be sure to emphasize that in your resume.

What makes you suitable for this retail job?
Focus on specific experience and training in your career history. Identify things you have done that match the job you are interviewing for. Emphasize what qualifies you for this particular job and how you can add value to the job and company.
Generally good communication skills, flexibility, a strong customer service orientation and a high energy level are key to success in a retail position. Go into more detail by expanding on these qualities.
Targeting the right job is a mix of ,Hard Work,Planning,Creativity and A little Luck.

Hand2Hand Solutions ,

Your Specialized Retail Recruitment Partner ! We provide retailers with qualified, quality retail management professionals at all levels in store and operations, retail head office positions and all retail functions.With 500 man month of retail and allied industry experience nationwide, we have built up expertise in multiple retail sectors and have particular strengths in recruiting for fashion, home & furnishings, grocery,lifestyle, luxury and designer and retail food outlets.Our recruitment consultants understands what each role demands and what each retailer is looking for. We are in constant touch with the widest network of talented people in retail and allied sectors.


This combination – depth of industry knowledge and breadth of community – is unique.
Will appreciate your feedback , if they had helped you to purse your next retail career opportunity.

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