2013 was a huge year for many big box
stores when it came to downsizing or consolidating. A number of well-known
stores chose to close locations over the past year, some as a response to the
growth of online sales and others as a result of declining sales. And this trend continues with several other
stores looking to downsize their bricks and mortar footprint in the New
Year.
This downsizing trend can be a major
project, one that requires planning and organization. Both retailers and brands
located at retail need to be mindful of the impacts that a poorly executed
downsizing can have on brand recognition and customer loyalty. So how can you
maintain consistency during this process?
Whether you are a retailer or a brand,
we’ve got some downsizing best practices to adopt for success.
Retailers: When you downsize, who is going
to handle the extra work that comes with that? Your regular staff? If so, who
will handle customer service? People support can be a huge part of any
downsizing project. When you are moving to a different location, extra hands on
deck are crucial to ensure efficiency. Whether you are moving stock, setting up
shelves, or restocking, having enough people to handle the job is essential.
Just because your store is going through a transition doesn’t mean that service
should suffer – otherwise your reputation and image will suffer as well. A
company that can offer the experienced and professional people support you need
is the best way to go.
Brands: Planogram compliance is going to be
a major challenge when it comes to a retailer’s decision to downsize. When you
first set up your planogram, you likely made sure that it was done properly or
were aware of compliance issues. However, once a store moves and the
responsibility to correctly set up your planogram falls into the retailer’s
hands, it can be difficult to ensure compliance. Instead of worrying about
that, find a professional merchandising company to take care of it. This way
you can ensure the plan is followed to your exact specifications and that any
issues will be handled immediately.
If you are planning to downsize in the
coming months, or know of a scheduled downsizing that may impact the
performance of your brand, you need to be prepared. Waiting until the last
minute is a surefire way to encounter problems, and so why not get things
organized well in advance – that way you can tackle any issues as they arise
without having to worry about planning at entire move or renovation at the same
time.
Planning to downsize in the future? Let
Storesupport help you cover all the bases. Contact us today by calling 1-877-421-5081.
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