This Goes With That

But, do we always think it through for our customers? Call it linked selling, cross merchandising or solution solving, the result is the same. Provide the complete solution for the consumer and not only do you increase the average sale per customer, but, you also increase repeat business by building trust. This is a standard retail theory, but how often do we fail to put it into practice? The key to success is to think for the customer and ensure that we display the product so that the customer quickly registers the message. I was recently in Yogyakarta, Indonesia�s second city, located in central Java. When it comes to retailing, this is not a city one expects to come to and experience new ways of progressive retailing, but ideas abound everywhere. Walking down the street I discovered Edward Forrer a shoe shop extraordinaire. This company makes shoes and handbags in Bundung, Indonesia and due to the unusual way it is presenting the product, it has now set up a chain of stores in Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. We Innovate Everyday While most retailers put up a sign over the door that says �Open�, �Entrance� or �Welcome�, this business sets the scene with �We Innovate Everyday� over the door as the customers enter. Once inside the consumer is exposed to a different way of putting the product together. Firstly, shoes are displayed in three categories, male, female and children, nothing unusual in that. But, the next stage is to display based on colour; then to sell the complete package, shoes and handbags. A simple approach, but a very effective means of link selling that combines fashion with complete solutions. The product depth is less than in many stores, but they have widened the range with matching handbags. Could this work for you? Imagine you were the Edward Farrer of your retail sector, how would you put the picture together differently? If you managed a hardware store how would you display the paint department or tool department? Would you provide paint with brushes and brush cleaners as a complete kit? Or power tools with safety gear and accessories as a set? As a garden centre owner would you display plants based on flower colour and include matching plant containers? As a butcher would you display meats based on cooking techniques and styles with accompanying sauces? The opportunities to merchandise and provide solutions are enormous. If a shoe retailer in Yogyakarta can make a difference, surely the opportunities exist in other retail sectors.