Ron Pawlowski

Retailers Are Experiencing A Massive Drop In Loyalty Programs

I've been surveying countless consumers to discover that many of them have opted out of many loyalty programs that they used to be enrolled in. Most have narrowed down their interest in these programs to one or two at the most or none at all. This is a ... Read >

Retailers Need To Take Customer Service To The Next Level

For some time now, disillusioned shoppers have been researching what they wish to buy on line to ensure they're making the right buying decisions. They examine product reviews, opinions of other customers and even technical comparisons between products. T... Read >

Retailers Are Experiencing a Shift in Customer Expectations

It's of little surprise that in these challenging times, consumers have made pricing their top priority in making their buying decisions. Many retailers have in response to this, created the perpetual discount price point. Week after week sales go on unti... Read >

Retailers Can Create Endless Aisles And Increase Sales

Integrating On-Line and In-Store Shopping Can Create Great Opportunities At this point in time, all progressive retailers should have presence in the real bricks and mortar world as well as in the virtual world. The majority of your shoppers will shop in... Read >

Retailers Looking For Potential Locations Face New Rules

Today, consumer buying behavior has changed. It's largely driven by the return of time-starved families and a more prudent approach to travel or commuting. High fuel costs have forced consumers to adopt new money saving strategies that strongly influe... Read >

The True Cost of a Customer Visit

Here is a simple exercise that you can do with your team at the next meeting you hold with the store managers. Many staff who fail to deliver optimal customer service and fail to make the sale simply shrug their shoulders and think little of it. Man... Read >

Retailers Must Practice New Rules Of Engagement

Customer Loyalty continues to become more and more elusive to retailers. Large big box retailers cultivate loyalty through meeting the needs of budget minded consumers based on price points and selection. Service has taken a back seat to price in the bi... Read >

Building Teams with Diverse Skills and Strengths

Building Teams with Diverse Skills and Strengths Here's a simple yet very powerful idea that will leverage the skills of your management team tenfold. This team building strategy works well in companies of all sizes, but is most dramatic in smaller organ... Read >

Retailers Can Help Consumers Reduce Personal Debt

Many consumer surveys indicate that consumers are obsessed with personal debt these days. Rightly so, a shaky economy and unemployment woes motivate people to cleanse themselves of debt as much as possible. I've discussed a migration to needs-based spen... Read >

Retailers Must Revisit Their Store Websites For A Facelift

The majority of smaller retailers got on the internet bandwagon some years ago because it was trendy and the right thing to do at the time. Most put together minimal websites on small budgets that basically served to inform customers where the store was, ... Read >

Retail Must Go Green With Local Suppliers In Our Environmentally Conscious Market

In earlier articles I have elaborated on the need to re-invent and tweak your brand in the new economy. Consumers with less cash at hand are more frugal and calculating with their purchases. With a more conservative outlook, families also focus on the env... Read >

Retail Employees Can Build Loyalty With Clientele Management

In our new era of retail, consumers are not only constrained by limited disposable cash, but also from an overwhelming choice in our hyper-competitive market. Customers often defer making buying decisions when they feel that they have so many things they... Read >

Retailers Must Enhance Their Value Statement In 2010

In an earlier article, I elaborated on the changing buying mentality of the consumer in these challenging times. Customers have migrated towards more of a needs-based buying mentality from a mixed wants and needs based buying pattern that we have witnes... Read >

Retailers Must Encourage Employees To Take Risks

In previous articles, I've predicted that 2010 will continue to be a challenging year for the small retailer. Those that will survive and prosper through this tough period will capitalize on all their resources at hand. Clearly, the collective minds a... Read >

Five Retail Trends Evolving In This Recession

In previous articles, I've outlined how consumer buying mentalities have changed throughout this recession. Back in 2006 I successfully predicted that during this period, consumers will be essentially driven by price as their top priority. Here are ... Read >