I've got a sales and marketing question

[Serena]

I work at a department store, in the handbags department. For the last week I have been moving one side of the department to the other side. Yep, switching about a million purses, it's been a big mess. All the while we've had a sale and dealing with the customers, hoping they don't trip over the purses on the floor.
I finally, finally, got every purse off the floor, now I have to make sure and arrange them nicely.

Anyway, my question is, why would the store need this done? I've heard they totally change things at least once a year. I don't get it.

 

[BedKnobbery2]

My guess would be its a customer traffic issue--they are hoping by switching the area, they'll get more (or different) walk-by purchases than they did in the old area (or more/different purchase for what they put in the old area).

 

[Dan Murphy]

Different sequence in walking through the store, visual approach and eye appeal, both hopeful in attracting more examination of the product leading to more purchases, and sometimes just a manager or whoever's personal feelings.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I hate when they do that. I've heard it's to get you to look at things you pass by that you normally wouldn't look at. They're hoping you'll buy something. Doesn't work with me! It just annoys me no end and many times I've left the store because I didn't want to hunt down what I came in for.

 

[Serena]

Well, those all make lots of sense. Now would any of you volunteer to help, it's exhausting?

 

[MeanLaureen]

I know my employees hate it when I make them do it (about 4 times a year) but it really is an excellent marketing statedgy.

When you move things from one area to another, suddenly things that were there for who knows how long look "new" to your customers.

I've had product sit on shelves and not sell at all and then had my employees move it not more than 20 feet away and it started selling like hotcakes. (and what's up with that expression anyway? Are pancake sales THAT good?)

Just be glad you don't work for me - you'd be doing it a lot more and with a lot more SKUs!!

 

[Micca]

I think Disney is the king of this. You know that the stores at WDW all have about 98 per cent of the same thing. I go in ALL of the stores in my path at WDW, and somehow, something stands out to me that was probably in most of the other stores before it That's ok, I love looking at all the stuff

 

[Serena]

Originally posted by MeanLaureen
Just be glad you don't work for me - you'd be doing it a lot more and with a lot more SKUs!!

LOL, well I am glad. What I do is hard enough.
I'm just extremely grateful my co-workers have decided they like me and my manager loves me. I wish she didn't love me so much, she put me in charge of all this while she's on vacation.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

When I worked retail we did major floor moves for every season. I used to do a week of overnights with 3 other people to get the moves done. They send new floor plans that tell you what fixture goes where and what merchandise goes on that fixture/table. The bad thing was the layout would be for the new stores that had just opened up (the ones with all of the room.) Of course the one that I worked at was one of the oldest ones around. They wanted us to fit the same amount of Merch. in half the space. It was nuts!

 

[Deb in IA]

I personally DON'T appreciate it when stores move their inventory around.

I like knowing where things are when I go shopping, and I get frustrated when things aren't where they are 'supposed' to be, and I have to go and hunt them down again.

But glad to hear your handbag re-arrangment project is done, Serena!