Category: Shopping

Target Market and Location

I cannot stress enough the importance of identifying your target market. Concerning a beauty supply shop, your target market may include industry professionals such as cosmetologists, nail techs, estheticians, salon owners, and even beauty school students or a shop might target the consumer directly, or perhaps a shop caters to both industry professionals and consumers.

Concerning location, check out the businesses around the store. Check to see how many salons or beauty schools are nearby and also what other shopping destinations like grocery stores and shopping malls exist near the store. The more conveniently located the greater opportunity of building a loyal customer base. A hair stylist may stop on his or her lunch break to pick up some needed products or someone doing their grocery shopping may stop to pick up a shampoo their grocer may not carry.

Inventory

Inventory is a beauty supply shop’s … Read the rest

If you haven’t tried yet purchasing your kids’ items on the Internet, here are some suggestions to help you maximize the benefits of resorting to this shopping option.

It’s true that one of the great advantages of buying on the Web is that you can shop anytime you want. You don’t have to rush so you can make it after office hours or to squeeze shopping time into your lunch hour. However, you need to check the sites from where you wish to buy your kids’ clothes regarding the timing of promotions, sale events, and special offers. Sometimes, there are clothing manufacturers that give great values for a very limited period. Make sure you check things like this and get big discounts. This is very important when buying kids’ clothes, especially because kids outgrow their dresses, pants, and even shoes very quickly. Of course, you’d want to get quality clothing … Read the rest

1. In most towns and cities there will be seasonal retail shopping patterns that are impacted by tourism, climate, local celebrations, and community demographics. If you undertake the customer survey at the wrong time and within the timing of these local issues, the results that you achieve from the survey are likely to be biased and corrupted. The best time to undertake a survey of retail customers and shopping center performance is during an ordinary business cycle. Choose your timing carefully. Any peaks in seasonal sales can then be regarded as a bonus to ordinary levels of customer interest and purchasing patterns.
2. It is best practice with any retail shopper surveys to use a professional marketing firm that is experienced with retail properties of the type and location similar to yours. They can bring valuable experience to the retail survey process and improve the results that you achieve.
3. What stores are

• Compare prices within one click of a button – Popular shopping comparison sites make it so simple to compare different online retailers and their prices for an exact model of sunglasses, with the latest in digital photography making it all the easier to view them online.

• Save Time – Fitting in a quick shop while at your computer is easy. No driving to busy malls or traffic jams to deal with. Money back guarantees are commonplace with online retailers so it’s easy to send them back if you change your mind.

• Online Reviews – Social media and mobile phones have changed the landscape of the internet. Most online business have their own business social media pages where their customers are writing real time reviews. Read these to ensure you’re getting a reputable business and product.

• No Pressure Sales – Many of us stop at a store in the mall to

Clothes shopping tip one: Go clothes shopping toward the end of the season. I would buy my spring and summer attire, in July or August rather than in March, when the prices are highest. You are going to get most of the wear out of these new clothes the following season, it is OK when you look at the payoff.

Many of us are programmed to walk in to a store, look at a nice pair of pants on the rack priced at $80, and say, “That is the price I have to pay for those pants.” When the truth is, clothing stores are desperate, they have to move all that merchandise, and they will give you discounts, if you know how to take advantage of clothing store policies.

Clothes shopping tip two: Take a full price outfit to the checkout counter and ask if they can hold it for … Read the rest

It is wise to know your budget and have an idea how much things cost before you begin comparing prices. In the past, comparison shopping was accomplished one way only: spend several afternoons and lots of gas visiting stores around town, talking with different salesmen and getting conflicting information from each one. Now, with the internet, comparison shopping has never been easier. It is a wise idea to find popular, reliable brands that others have had good experiences with. The best sale prices may belong to lower quality products, and that is something you want to educate yourself about. Fortunately, online ratings and reviews make finding good quality products much easier than traipsing around town.

Another reason for you to go comparison shopping is to educate yourself about the differences in specifications. Jargon exists for many products, especially technological ones, and it is important you understand the distinctions between terms. … Read the rest

One hot product today is the reusable shopping bag. Currently the most popular accessory sold in the US, these bags are just gaining regular use in the US, with the west coast and northeast leading the way. While most shoppers use the bags to help save 1000 plastic bags from the landfill each year, many have switched due to municipal bans or taxes on plastic bags. As more and more towns and cities try to solve the plastic bag dilemma, reusable shopping and grocery bags sales will continue to grow.   This growth in reusable bags makes selling these bags an ideal fundraiser.

Not only is the group making money to fund projects, but they are helping the environment at the same time.   Currently, less than 2% of plastic bags are being recycled, so almost 100 billion plastic bags make there way to our landfills or pollute our environment.  When littered, … Read the rest

• Step 1: Search for second hand stores, thrift stores, resale shops, garage sales, flea markets and estate sales. These are some of the best places to find great bargains. You can search in your local newspaper, in online classifieds for your area, your online search engine, your local Yellow pages and by asking for referrals from your network of friends and family.
• Step 2: Plan your day of shopping. Make a map and a schedule to maximize your time. Be sure to include the store’s phone numbers in case you get lost.
• Step 3: Make sure that you have room in your car for any purchases that you make. Nothing is worse than finding things that you want to purchase and not having the room in your car.
• Step 4: When you are at each location, search immediately for the sale items. They are typically at the back of a

Thrifting has always been a shopping favorite for those who shun mainstream consumerism, but recently this has taken a turn. With such an upscale donor base, NYC thrift shops have become coveted for their designer options year-round. The cast-offs of the rich and famous land in popular shops like Housing Works (which has 11 locations around the city), and beloved Brooklyn staple Beacon’s Closet. Each area offers a varied supply of designer and well-kept clothing, at basement prices (six dollar skirts and ten dollar dresses abound). Especially if you can catch one of these venues while they are hosting sales, the savings are immense in comparison to NYC prices.

Most notably, a few times a year Housing Works has warehouse sales where $20 will get you an empty bag, and whatever you can fit into it, you get to take. With endless opportunities (new donations appear daily), and unimaginable savings, … Read the rest

I just made my weekly pilgrimage to the local Publix, the dominant grocery chain in my neck of the woods (which happens to be Florida) to be greeted by – at long last – reusable fabric grocery bags for sale at a mere 99 cents each. I selected four bags and put them in my empty cart. They were not only incredibly roomy, but well constructed and even fairly attractive. It was such a small act, but it felt like deliverance.

You see, my husband’s been complaining about plastic grocery bags for years now. He’s become more vocal about it since the EU and later San Francisco banned them last year. He works for a French company and travels to Europe several times a year. After every trip to the home office I have to hear about our wasteful American ways, and the inevitable commentary on all those plastic grocery … Read the rest