|
 Print Friendly
 Email to Friend
|
|
How To Compete Against Big-Box Retailers
|
|
Article 1: Use Upselling And Cross-Selling To Beat The Warehouse Chains
Ever watch a typical transaction at a big-box store? The customer arrives at the store, wanders around seemingly forever in vast aisles unpopulated by employees, finally finds an item and carries it to the checkout. End of story.
Your own store can compete effectively against the warehouse operator by doing more. Specifically, train your employees in the two techniques of upselling and cross-selling.
Upselling is the process of selling an item which is higher priced than the one the customer has in mind, but which better meets customer needs.
Here’s an example. Bob is about to purchase a shirt manufactured from synthetic materials. Your salesperson upsells Bob by asking this question: “Have you considered this cotton blend which will keep you much cooler in summer?” Bob agrees to buy the higher priced item because it better meets his needs.
Cross-selling is the practice of suggesting items related to the one the customer has decided to buy. Because the related items are not in the same category of merchandise, the transaction “crosses over” into another department.
Let’s return to Bob and his cotton shirt. Now the salesperson cross-sells with this question: “Have you seen this new line of cufflinks? Here’s a pair in particular, which I think looks great with your new shirt.” Bob adds the cuff links to his purchase, grateful that the salesperson has shared this knowledge.
Retail experts applaud these techniques as critical tools for independent retailers looking to thrive in markets dominated by big-box competitors.
“Train your employees on how to move your customers up to the next level of quality,” advises Dr. Jon M. Hawes, director of the University of Akron’s Fisher Institute for Professional Selling. “Your staff needs not only to be knowledgeable and friendly, but also to approach customers and sell them more and better merchandise.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
