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Patricia M. Johnson & Richard F. Outcalt
Retail Strategists and Retail Turnaround Experts
Co-Founders, The Retail Owners Institute® • Business Strata:G®
As you have recognized, our commentary is usually inspired by current events. And that means that our intentions of what we discuss can change any day.
For instance, we were expecting to talk about 3 or 4 examples of folks "seizing the moment" that we had seen earlier this week. Great reminder for retailers.
Then, just this morning, we saw an article about a nationwide Gallup study of what constitutes a "quality job - such as providing fair pay, having predictable schedules, and offering opportunities to grow and advance."
"Traditional labor statistics track how many people are employed and what they earn—but they don't capture the aspects of work that drive employee and business success."
The Gallup American Job Quality Study* surveyed more than 18,000 workers across industries, geographies, and job types.
"This study shows what truly defines a good job and why job quality, not just job quantity, is essential to a thriving workforce. Workers in quality jobs aren't just more satisfied, they're also healthier, more engaged, and more productive."
We believe that independent retailers in particular are well positioned to offer quality jobs that attract quality employees.
Which brings us back to "seize the moment." As reported by Alex Halvorsen in the Seattle Times, there is a retailer in Seattle that sells licensed sports apparel "and the not-so-occasional cheeky T-shirt, with a knack for the quick turnaround."
According to the store owner, "We watch every game and scan social media, looking for those big moments. Once something like that happens, there are probably hundreds of texts flying around to coordinate getting it out to our customers."
A recent example: "We had it designed and ready for sale in 54 minutes. The company then gets to work shipping those orders, trying its best to keep everything local."
"While we sell licensed gear, what we're most proud of are the T-shirts and sweatshirts with inside jokes and memories that core fans embrace."
That's more than "just a knack" for a quick turnaround. (The pros make it look easy, don’t they?)
They have a motivated and involved staff
Their staff has a voice in what the company sells and what customers they serve.
They take great pride in their ability to seize the moment.
And, they are keeping retailing fun! Which may be the most important quality of all. ---
*Landmark Gallup Study Shows Less Than Half of U.S. Workers Have A Quality Job. PR Newswire, October 16, 2025
📌 Members of The ROI can find out more about these concepts. See the article "How To Manage Your Most Valuable Asset" and/or the webinar "When Your Employees Want To Know "WHY?"
Maybe it's your POS provider. Or your payment processor. Or an online wholesaler. Or....
There can be lots of special offers to enable you to buy more merchandise now. And many of these come with very high costs that can pile up over time.
And beware: some allow the provider of these cash advances to repay themselves first, by taking a portion of your sales revenue before it even reaches your bank account. Yikes!
In our opinion, that is no way to deal with today’s economic uncertainties. Instead, when you need financing, conventional lenders may be the best choice.
Before you sign on to any of those tempting offers, spend some time on one of our free microsites, Banks4Retailers.com. It’s a curated selection of in-depth tools and resources from The ROI focused on financing your business.
In the Get Ready section, see resources to Learn Savvy Borrowing, Save Time, and Gain Perspective.
Then, in the "Find Lenders" section, you can see and compare an array of financing resources: Community Bank Locator; Mission-Driven Lenders; SBA Loan Programs; Government Loans, Grants. (And no, The ROI does not receive any fees or compensation for alerting you to these resources!)
Check it out today. Save yourself time and hassle. Get useful information. Discover choices.
And all for free from The ROI.
Schedule a free Zoom session with the Co-Founders.
Especially during times of major changes economically, retailers are well advised to:
focus on your customers
control the "controllables"
and above all else, keep perspective!
Ahh, yes, retailers. That third one - "keep perspective" - can seem daunting. What's the secret to achieving that?
In today's lingo, it would be "metrics". That is, measure and monitor your tactics and results.
For an insightful overview of a 4-step process that enables you to know whether your business is trending up, down, or sideways, take advantage of this week's Webinar of the Week, led by Pat Johnson and Dick Outcalt, Co-Founders of The Retail Owners Institute®.
You also can download your own master copy of The ROI's Trend Tracker form.
Sell My Store, Please! • Banks4Retailers
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Patricia M. Johnson & Richard F. Outcalt Retail Strategists and Retail Turnaround Experts Co-Founders, The Retail Owners Institute® • Business Strata:G®
"Retailers are sitting on a pile of goods. Now the question is, will the U.S. holiday shopper bite?" reported Jennifer Williams in the Wall Street Journal.
"The risk heading into the crucial holiday shopping season is that inflation-wary shoppers won't spend as much or will buy fewer items because prices are higher," she noted.
Similarly, Michael Brandt of Inovium expects "weakening growth in discretionary retail (electronics, fashion, home furnishings.) Consumers may pull back on big-ticket items, delay refresh cycles, or trade down in brands."
Of course, for many retailers, October always brings anxiety about inventory levels for the upcoming holiday season. Will we have enough? Will it be the “right” merchandise?
Much of their attention is on meeting sales goals, and often, preserving margin. (And too often, not losing sales...)
But this year, given all of the professional concerns about the economy, the #1 priority for retailers should be the level of the ending inventory on December 31. Here’s why:
The lower the ending inventory, the lower the debt and/or the higher the cash, dollar for dollar.
The November-December selling season is an excellent opportunity to clean out your inventory of slow or non-selling merchandise. Shoppers want deals; give them what they want.
A clean, low inventory at the end of the year is the best preparation there is for a strong first quarter of the new year.
Mid-October is the perfect time to start that heightened focus on your inventory.
They welcome the opportunity to assist you, or to direct you to those who can.
The Retail Owners Institute® has been empowering owners since 1999 to "Turn on their financial headlights!" Our tools and resources are trusted by thousands of independent owners to help grow financially stronger and resilient businesses.