Silver Lining In The Gloom.

It’s been often said that what goes around comes around, and talk of an economic slowdown or ‘credit crunch’ is a current feature in today’s retail sector, however it is a trend that has happened before, and experts assure us it will work its way through.

For the retailer, what can be done to tackle this unwelcome trend? Waiting around for the slowdown to pass could prove disastrous.  Positive, even combative, steps should be taken to ‘take the fight to the enemy’ so to speak.

It pays to be positive - in store, retailers can add more to their pitch at point of sale, and not less. Getting into a ‘price war’ isn’t a long-term strategy because if you put your prices down, it’ll be harder to put them back up again when times are better.

There are opportunities that can be maximised with retailer’s customers that shouldn’t be overlooked. Is the most being made to up-sell, cross-sell, or add-on to every sale transaction? Knowing your inventory is key to making the most of these situations. Is it time to consider an effective EPoS and stock control solution?

The small to medium size retailer is ideally placed to offer a level of personal service that national chains are not geared up for. This can be done in a number of different ways.  By analysing sales trends, for example, noting when customers have purchased one thing, they might have also purchased another which compliments it. This information can then be used with future customers, recommending an add-on to their purchase. Eskimo EPoS allows for such prompts to be brought to screen when certain products are scanned.

Managing customer accounts effectively, taking an interest in what your customers are buying, and offering discounts for loyalty, will undoubtedly enhance your reputation with your customers. In turn, customers will pay for a perceived value in service, thereby protecting your margins. Eskimo EPoS has a simple, but effective, customer accounts section which will help retailers in this regard.

With the pace of life increasing, more people are choosing to shop online, and once again here is where the small to medium size retailer can benefit. An online presence puts the retailer on the same ‘playing field’ as other ecommerce stores. Eskimo stock control will allow the retailer to control product levels effectively, and show the customer what is available and in stock- a key buying factor when shopping online.

Nebula Systems have a wealth of retail experience built up over 10 years. Eskimo EPoS and stock control is retail-specific so you can be assured that nothing has been compromised in its development, indeed, the developers have each had retail experience themselves.

If you, as a retailer, would like to find how retail-friendly the Eskimo program is please feel free to contact us on 01202 477111 or by email: enquiries@nebulasystems.net.