Start with better imagery and complete item descriptions, then go from there When it comes to online sales, think of your product pages as virtual retail sales associates: They need to be friendly and informative — and they need to ask for the sale. Here are some ideas to make sure the product pages on […]
Fill Those Online Shopping Carts to the Rim
Add-on sales make e-commerce more profitable Getting customers to click “Buy now” on your e-commerce site is great — and it’s even better if their online shopping cart is chock full of sleep products when they are ready to check out. Increasing the average order value online is much like growing the average sales ticket […]
“Can I Speak With a Manager?” How to Handle Customer Complaints
BY JULIE A. PALM On the front page of my local newspaper this morning, a columnist recounts his ongoing frustration dealing with a cable and internet provider. “I’ve been to the ninth ring of hell,” he begins. “Perhaps you know it, too. It’s known as calling ‘customer service.’ ” Crabbing about a bad experience with […]
Giving Thanks
6 ways to show your customers how much you value them Without customers, you have no business. It’s as simple as that. Given this fact, it’s nice to go beyond the “thank you” you offer as shoppers head out the store door post-purchase or click “Place Order.” There are a number of meaningful ways you […]
An Attitude of Gratitude
10 quotes to inspire a practice of thankfulness With Thanksgiving near, now is a perfect time to take stock of your life and be grateful for all that you have. Professional blessings can include everything from your business or job to your colleagues and customers. Some people have started an annual practice of publicly giving […]
Emails Elicit All the Feels
They can annoy recipients but also remain an effective marketing vehicle We know a lot of email goes unread, but a new survey shows marketing messages still can be effective. For the fourth year, Adobe surveyed 1,000 office workers about their email habits and their feelings about the communication vehicle. When it comes to marketing […]
No complaints about this customer service
BY JULIE A. PALM What a recent experience can teach retailers about keeping consumers happy “I’m happy to help. In fact, I get paid to help you! Seriously, that’s the only reason I’m here.” That’s part of an exchange I recently had with a customer service representative. It shouldn’t have struck me as unusual, but […]
Get a hobby and up your sales game
Free-time activities can help you build professional skills—and you’ll have fun doing it Many of us think we don’t have time for a hobby, not with work and commutes, kids and family responsibilities. But what if we told you that regularly making time for a little fun could improve your skills at work? An article […]
Rev Up Your Summertime Sales with a Big ol’ Party
Summertime is a great time for mattress sales. Of course, there are the long holiday weekends, but consumers also often have more time on their hands and like to get out and about in the nice weather and longer days. Here are some ideas for pulling shoppers into your store between now and the official […]
Spring cleaning
A sparkling store can help build your competitive edge—especially during the summer selling season. Here are practical tips to make your store fresh as a daisy BY JULIE A. PALM If the idea of spring cleaning your store sounds as appealing as spending a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April cleaning out your garage, remember this: […]
Sign, sign, everywhere a (store) sign
How well does your store signage attract and inform customers? Here are 10 less-is-more tips to help convey effective and useful messages BY JULIE A. PALM Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? —“Signs” by Les Emmerson, 1970 If there’s […]
How to make your sales floor ‘POP’
New technologies—and a less-is-more approach—add punch and power to point-of-purchase displays