Tough shopping season ahead? Get back to basics and focus on the customer!

Just finished reading one of many articles (http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/article/canadianpress/1327/shoppers-and-retailers-prepare-for-a-tough-holiday-shopping-season) touting the fact that this will be a tough season for retailers this Christmas. Ernst & Young says we are looking at a flat season in Canada and they are right. Flat number equates to having a terrible season in retail.  And if things are going to be flat here, I suspect the outlook is a lot darker in the U.S.

Let’s face facts. Consumer confidence is low; job losses are climbing and credit it tightening. This triple threat can really have an effect on your sales. Add to that, Walmart coming out publicly saying that this season will be challenging, and you have the makings of a very unfriendly retail environment this holiday season.

Is there anything small business can do to reverse this trend? In the article, a small merchant talks about their apprehension to lowering prices right away. Yes customers are looking for the best deal. But that doesn’t always mean price. I wonder if this merchant is really communicating their value message to their customer. In the article the retailer talks about quality and durability her lines but does the customer know that? Answering that question with only a ‘yes’ means that the customer probably doesn’t know what differentiates you from your bigger competitor.

So what’s a merchant to do? Over the next few days I will discuss strategies that small merchants can use to overcome the challenge of a slow season. I want to start off by saying that merchants should put blinders on. Focus your attention on the specific issues affecting your location. Is it customer service? Is it merchandising? What’s the pulse of the community? Worrying about Walmart is the quickest way to be unproductive. Discover what you can do locally to improve business and traffic. Focus on your customer, one customer at a time. In fact, don’t even use the word customer anymore. Call them patrons or guests. Using identifiers like that will give you more of an appreciation of who walks in through the door.

I want to conclude today’s article by saying attitude is really everything. All the strategies and solutions in the world will not help you if you cannot maintain a positive outlook on your business. Those of us who work in the retail industry know that attitude is contagious and can directly affect morale and productivity. Keep your chin up and stay tuned for strategies to help you get through Christmas in the most un-Grinch like way.