Why Your Store is Better than a Box Store #1

Have you ever walked around a big box store, trying to get your shopping done, and realized that everything looks the same, just maybe in different colors?

I hate that. I really do. i want some fun, some versatility, some options when I shop!

Often, one of the reasons big box stores are able to promote such low prices is because they order in HUGE volume, getting many, many, many of the same items from the manufacturers. They get a good price for ordering so much, and they pass it on to their mass of customers. 

BUT what about the people like me, who don't want to own what everyone else owns? Or the people who truly enjoy the experience of shopping and are bored to tears looking around  store that is set up like the picture above? Or the folks who need a little mental stimulation in order to be persuaded to buy? For example, I am much more likely to buy a shirt that I see on a display, so that I can imagine what I look like in it, as compared to a shirt that is folded pristinely in a cubby full of other pristinely folded shirts.

Where do all those people shop? In specialty shops, of course. 

These points do NOT only relate to clothing; they also apply to pool supplies.

Yes, there are a lot of pool chemicals that look the same, and there may not be a lot you can do about that. But as a specialty retailer, you have a lot of advantages in the arena of displays that your big-box competition doesn't have.

You do not have to have perfectly manicured shelving units where everything looks static, as if there is a team of Stepford Wives constantly doing touch ups. You can have shelves that look as if people are BUYING products off them! While most people don't want to own the same thing as EVERYONE else in the world, it is also rare that someone wants to own something that NO ONE else in the world has taken a chance on. So, showing that there is product movement is a good thing. 

You don't have to stick to end racks, either. You can build your own displays and put them wherever you want to - keeping safety and accessbility in mind, of course. You can change your displays when you want to. You can create something that looks interesting, rather than simply "on sale." You can stimulate your shoppers visual interest and entice them to buy at full price simply because they are enjoying shopping at your store. Happy shoppers spend more money, I think. (I know I do!)

Your specialty store is better than a big box store because you can have fun with your store. Your customers can have fun with your store. You can control every aspect of your store - and you don't have to conform to any big box store "planograms" and "visuals."

The next time you are replenishing your inventory, keep this important fact in mind. Look for products that add some life to your store, that are colorful, fun and encourage your customers to pick them up. Its not a bad idea to find products that big-box stores don't carry (like Ecosavr^TM and Heatsavr^TM, for example). 

How do you make your store stand out from the competition? I'd love to see pictures (especially if you use our liquid pool covers to help!) and share your story with the rest of the pool industry. Just click the Ecosavr^TM to the right, and send me your tales of success!