Monday, August 17, 2009

Try Out Different Items in Your Register Areas

You might be surprised by what would sell well as your customers go to pay for their purchases. Here's a reminder from Making Money Is Not Illegal, Immoral or Fattening. Hardware retailer Art Freedman says:
"The number one selling item at our cash registers is balsa wood airplanes. These days, we sell hundreds and hundreds a year. You know, they wind them all up and then they let them go, and either the rubber band breaks or the blade breaks, so they've got to buy another one. So maybe it's only two or three customers buying the hundreds a year, but, hey, it brings those guys into the store.
"And right up there in the top group is Teflon tape. If you sell threaded stuff in your stores, like hose bibs and galvanized fittings, set up a small display of Teflon tape at the register. Then train your cashiers so that every single time a customer comes up to the register with anything that is threaded, okay, not nuts and bolts, the cashier reaches down into the bowl, picks up a roll, and says to the customer, 'Do you need any Teflon tape to stop that from leaking?'
"Since we began having our cashiers do that, half the customers buying threaded items add on the Teflon tape. Now, as you're reading me telling you this, I'll bet you are saying, 'Art, everybody in the world has at least six rolls of Teflon tape in their garage already.' Okay, you are right, but I'm shooting for ten."
In your store, you don't sell hose bibs and galvanized fittings? Then what will sell well at your cash and wrap might not be Teflon tape. Try out different possibilities.
Our book readers can learn more at the section starting on page 92.

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