subject: Your Dollar Store Business Is Only As Good As The Items You Sell! [print this page] No matter how dynamic your displays, fantastic your advertising, or caring your customer service, you will not develop return customers to your dollar store business if you don't carry dollar store items the customers want and need, at a price they believe is a bargain.
That's why YOUR shopping habits are just as important as your customers' are. What you purchase from wholesalers to offer your shoppers makes all the difference in the success or failure of the store. While you might be dedicated to keep your prices at a dollar, if the merchandise doesn't fit the needs of the customers, it will sit on the shelves no matter how inexpensive it is. Keep track of this tip every now and then especially when you are doing your inventory.
Part of the process is to listen to what customers want, watch what sells best and keep a close inventory on items. If a customer tells you about a great item they found at another store and they frequently do that, investigate the claim and see if you can find the same item or one that's better.
Don't carry many baby items if your customer base is the Metamucil and denture cream crowd. While they may need a gift occasionally, in most cases, these items are of no use to them.
In order to offer the biggest bargains, you need to find them first. Core items such as laundry detergent, face soap, tissue and food need to be bargains. No matter what the economy, people will always require core dollar store items every week. If you can find these items at reduced prices and pass the savings onto your customers, you'll have not only the occasional shopper that stops because your display catches their eye, but also the regular that returns week after week for household items and picks up a few other bargains while they shop.
One or two wholesalers may not provide everything you require. You may need to create relationships with several. The key to stocking great items that fly off the shelves is in the development of those relationships. If you let your wholesaler know the type of customer base your store services, he can keep a watchful eye out for bargains to fill that need.
The more careful shopping you do, the more likely you are to create return customers and the larger your group of return customers, the more successful your store and better your bottom line profit will be.
