You've seen all those comments, right? All the dire news about the demise of retailing?

It was 20 years ago this week that Amazon went public. Twenty years. And now they are valued at twice the value of Walmart.

As an independent retailer, this is certainly not news to you. The domination of retail first by Walmart and then Amazon is all-too-well known.

Look, we are not fond of what Amazon has done to independent retailers. But, we were struck by a comment by Jeff Bezos in a 2013 interview with Charlie Rose which we had missed earlier.

After watching consumers being riveted on chaotic national affairs for almost a year, we now have put a label on it: “Distracted Customer Syndrome”. And it seems, sadly, to be unrelenting.

It started during the 2016 Presidential election campaign. Nothing about that was typical. It made for good television theater, and the networks certainly obliged.

And, we ascribed the sluggish retail sales in the fall to demands of this new American spectator sport. 

You’ve been seeing these reports, too? 

Word is that banks are increasingly willing to lend, especially to “small businesses.” There are several influences at play here.

One is the optimism in the business community that the Trump Administration and Republican Congress will actually reduce regulations, loosen compliance demands, and otherwise open the spigot more.

And Community Banks are optimistic for relief from some of the more onerous paperwork requirements that were written with the Big Banks in mind. 

Meanwhile, the rise of alternative lenders – the online marketplaces – brought a more streamlined way to handle the paperwork of banks. And they paved the way for using Big Data to make safe, defensible lending solutions.

The High Costs of Excess Inventory

As a retail owner, one of your primary goals is to boost profit margins—right?

You know that good inventory management is essential to producing top-notch profits. 

You also know that bad inventory management can cause big problems with profit.

However, do you know there is a cause-effect chain reaction on your profits of carrying too much inventory? 

Quick: Who are your major competitors? Amazon? Target? Wal-Mart? Other specialty store retailers in your market?

Yes, all those and more.

But, what about the "stealth competitors" affecting every retailer – whether you are selling apparel, furniture, motorcycles, books, smart phones, or whatever? Stealth competitors; they are out there.

These competitors are hiding in plain sight. And, in our view, they significantly impact – and reduce – retail sales by skimming off discretionary spending.

The typical Profit & Loss Statement is really not meant for retailers. 

It is meant for accountants and bookkeepers; those folks who are into details (to the penny!) Arghh!

But now, there is an easy way for busy retailers to turn all that line-item data into useful management information. 

You’ve heard about 3D printers, right? They are computer devices that use a blueprint (a “digital model”) of an object and produce (“print”) one or more copies of that object by painstakingly building up layer after layer of its form. 

Essentially anything that is manufactured can be replicated, one by one, with a 3-D printer!

And, be ready. It is coming to a store near you very soon. Shouldn't it be your store?

"Big Picture" Tools for Busy Retailers

Whether you’re looking for better control of expenses, profit, inventory, or cash, these are the “big picture” tools for you.

The ROI’s online "projecting calculators" 

All online.

Nothing to download or install.

Just add your own good judgment!

 

Built exclusively for retailers, and retail situations.

Dedicated to projecting, not accounting or bookkeeping.  

For looking ahead, playing "what if...?".

We are living in unsettling times of rapid change, magnified by news cycle drama. 

Maybe it’s the latest natural disasters or the uncertainty of international conflicts. Or closer to home, aging parents, unexpected expenses, or just trying to open a new bottle of aspirin, life can seem more out of control than normal.

This anxiety and frustration can be unsettling to many folks, some of whom undoubtedly are your customers.

And frankly, as the frustrations grow of having less control, some people will seek more control wherever they can.

Where would that be? That’s right. Your stores. You and your staff must be ready.