Monday, October 06, 2008

"Retailers: Turn on Your Financial Headlights!"™                                                                            ROI Site Tour

We Need Better Customers!

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See benchmarks - and five year trend charts! - for the six key ratios every retailer must monitor. See how your store compares.


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Why Join The ROI ?
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I'm Tired of the "Error" Part
I can eventually learn retail math by trial and error. But frankly, the "error" part can be very costly! ROI Membership is a great value.


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Relevant Books for Retailers
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Why We Buy: The Science Of Shopping

Why We Buy: The Science Of Shopping

List Price
$15.00

Our Price
$5.00

 

Retailing Management

Retailing Management

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Our Price
$39.23

 

The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most...

The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy

List Price
$15.00

Our Price
$6.30

 

How-To Articles for Retailers from The ROI
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What DO Customers Want?

Most specialty retailers are quick to claim that they provide outstanding customer service.  Indeed, for many shoppers, customer service is what sets apart the specialty retailer from the big-box stores or discounters.  But think for a moment about the person on the receiving end of this “good customer service”.  Yes, we mean your shopper.  What constitutes “good customer service” for her?  And would each customer have the same answer? Really? read more ...


The Members-Only Collection
From the Members-Only Collection for Retailers
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Take the Voo-Doo Out of Your Store's Advertising
 “I know half my advertising budget is wasted.  I just don’t know which half.”
 — John Wannamaker, Department Store Magnate

Retailers of every size and stripe share Wannamaker’s frustration.  Because some retailers don’t understand advertising, they try a variety of advertising approaches throughout their business lives. One is simply to refuse to play the game. Those people quickly become former retailers. read more ...

"Value" for Today's Retail Customer

We’re told that the Chinese symbol for chaos is the same as the symbol for opportunity. If so, it’s an appropriate symbol for retailing.  The more flexible you are and the more your operation delivers the "value" that today's customers seek (hint: it's not just low price anymore!), the more likely you will be counting yourself and your operation among the success stories of tomorrow. read more ...

MORE Tools & Resources in the Members-Only Collection
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Learn Basic Retail FinanceYour Bookkeeper Quit?

Now. Learn Basic Retail Finance. At your own pace. 24/7.

Profits & Debt Management - Financial Statements - P&L's - Balance Sheets - Inventory Management (@Cost or @Retail) - Turnover - Buying Plan Budgets - GMROI - Cash Flow - pro formas - Ratio Analysis -
Integrated Retail Financial Plans

Training

The ROI's Online Seminar on Retail Finance Basics is an interactive, self-paced course.  By retailers, for retailers. "All it takes is a little desire."

  • Learn how the income statement and balance sheet must work together.
  • Learn how to do inventory buying plans (Open-to-Buys) at either cost or retail.
  • Learn how to do a retail cash flow, one that reflects your buying plan.

Includes interactive content, self-quizzes, printable worksheets, extra how-to articles by retail experts, and a special case study featuring Helen and Irving Surviving of The I. M. Surviving(?!) Company.

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Help Your Retailers - Partner
Retail Business Insights
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Cash Discounts
The tenth of each month, for most retailers, is a critical "payables day". Do not miss taking cash discounts, i.e., 2/10/EOM. Consider this: when a payable due on the 10th of the month is not paid until the 30th, it loses the 2/10/EOM cash discount, and "costs" the equivalent of a 36% annual interest rate. (The 20 days taken is 1/18th of a 360 day year, times 2%, equals 36% equivalent interest.) That's why bank loans are relatively cheap.


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