January is supposed to be a time of new beginnings but it is often characterized by long lines and disgruntled shoppers who are trying to return those holiday gifts that weren't just quite right. Nothing heralds the end of the holiday season cheer quite like the aggravation of dealing with returns.
If you own a retail business you are faced with a large challenge. How do you make your customers happy while keeping your employees happy at the same time. Holiday returns can actually be an opportunity. In many cases the person returning the item is the one who received it, not the original purchaser. If the giftee has never been to your store this is their first impression of your shop and how you do business. Impress them now and you may gain a new customer. Unfortunately, the return season can also be an opportunity to lose existing customers and employees if the experience is too stressful on either side. Keep reading for some tips on how to capitalize on this opportunity and make the most of the new year.
- Atmosphere. Many stores leave the holiday decorations up until mid-January while others take them down right after the first of the year. Whichever route you choose, you should be sure to incorporate some winter decorations into your store decor. Creating a fun, festive atmosphere can make waiting (and working) more pleasant for everyone. Even if you live in an area that never sees snow you can still add some snowflakes and snowmen and call it Winter Fest.
- Refreshments. Having refreshments for your customers is almost always appreciated. During the winter coffee, hot tea or cocoa can be a great benefit. Shoppers will really appreciate a warm beverage when it's cold outside. Add some cookies or other snack item and suddenly their wait in line seems like a respite from schlepping off to the next store on their list.
- First Aid. We aren't talking about bandaids, we mean kleenex and hand sanitizer. This is cold and flu season and many people are either sick, or trying to avoid getting sick. Having kleenex and hand sanitizer can help both groups. It also shows your customers that you care not just about their dollars, but their health and well-being, as well.
- Positivity. Reinforce to your employees that they should be as cheerful and helpful as possible when dealing with customers this time of year. A positive interaction makes a great impression and can earn your business new customers. Even just a smile and a few kind words at the start of the transaction can make all the difference.
Returns Shouldn't Be Hard, Neither Should Inventory | Stockpile Easy Inventory Solution
We hope that the tips above help your business capitalize on the opportunities represented by returns. Another great way to make the most of this situation is by knowing your inventory. If you can quickly and easily tell customers whether or not you have the item they are looking for in the correct color or size it will reduce wait times and increase their satisfaction. Stockpile easy inventory solution can help. Stockpile makes it easy to track inventory within a single location or across multiple locations. Just a few keystrokes allows you access your records and immediately see what you have and where it's stored. Plus, Stockpile easy inventory solution is fully customizable so if there are unique item details that you'd like to include in your records you can easily do so. Stockpile was designed with your small business in mind. Try Stockpile today!
