Taking Your Dollar Store out the Door
Posted in Buying Tips on June 22nd, 2010 by julianna – Be the first to comment
Warm weather is typically viewed as a business boon. Common logic assumes that that warmer the weather, the more likely it is that the average person will head outside and into shopping centers. However, those of us who have worked in retail know that this does not always hold true.
magine: It’s a Saturday, the weather is perfect and you anticipate record sales for the day. You unlock the doors of your dollar store or general merchandise business and get to work. Quickly scanning the floor, you straighten any items askew or in the wrong place. You work hurriedly, expecting the first customers of the day to come in early, maybe within the first hour of business. Once you’re done preparing for the onslaught, you take a seat at the register and wait for the sales to start rolling in. You wait, and wait, and wait … And no one comes through the door! No regulars, no new customers, not even any window-shoppers! It doesn’t pick up in the afternoon, either. You end the day with just a few sales in the register and many questions on your mind. What went wrong? Where were all the shoppers if they weren’t out shopping? What could you have done differently to increase your daily sales?
If this scenario sounds all too familiar, it may be time to
consider taking your dollar store out the door. I’m not suggesting that you walk the streets in a giant dollar suit or start selling your merchandise from a random street corner, but I am telling you that it may be time to consider a new approach to summer sales. Let’s examine the aforementioned questions raised by our hypothetical summer sales flop.
1) What went wrong? This is a tricky question, and impossible to answer with complete accuracy. However there are a few basic tenets of summer shopping that are often overlooked or misinterpreted by retailers. Many
assume that when the weather is warm people are more likely to spend the day outside, and therefore they are more likely to go shopping. This idea is only half true. Yes, when the weather heats up people are more inclined to spend the days outside. However, we must also consider the reason why they are more apt to go out. It’s because of the lovely weather, of course! And if people are venturing outside because of the weather, they are more likely not to enter your store. On summer days, many would-be shoppers prefer to remain outside, soaking up the sunshine and the pleasant ambiance of summertime.
2) Where were all the shoppers if they weren’t out shopping? Just because shoppers aren’t taking advantage of the deals offered by your
dollar store does not mean that they aren’t out there looking for the latest in general merchandise. Summer is the season of swap meets, outdoor malls and farmers markets. These open air marketplaces enjoy huge popularity during summer months because they allow shoppers to remain outside while also filling their retail needs. While no one was inside your dollar store, there may have been hundreds of potential customers just down the street at your local swap meet!
3) What could you have done differently to increase your daily sales? Get in on the farmers market craze! Go to your city council (or online) and find out if you can apply for a booth at any local open air events occurring throughout the summer. Of course, for some of you this might be impossible due to waitlists,
extensive application processes, or lack of opportunity. In that case you can still add a summer spin to your regular retail location and increase your sales by taking a few simple steps. Grab several of your most seasonally-appealing items and place them just outside your storefront, as if you are having your own “sidewalk sale.” Make some eye-catching signs, add a salesperson to monitor outdoor activity, and voila! You have your own mini outdoor market!
Kole Imports’ dump displays and summer-themed pallets are perfect for this type of merchandising. For example, DA135 (Summer Toy Starter Pallet) is filled with irresistible summer impulse buys. Items like pool toys, swimming goggles, water guns, and beach toys are the kind of low cost/high return merchandise that can add that sales boost you desire while also attracting summer shoppers who might otherwise pass you by. Don’t forget that Kole Imports’ PromoPallets ship free on orders over $1,000 and can be set up in under one minute, making it easy to set up an attractive “Summer Sale” section just outside your store!


The beauty of summer is that it brings us outside and into our communities. By adding an open-air feel to your dollar store or general merchandise business, you encourage shoppers to stop and view your merchandise. You also gain the opportunity to have direct conversations with your customers, as well as receive immediate feedback from them. And such personal interaction dramatically increases the probability that they will return to your store, even when the weather turns cold.

Bringing people together- isn’t that what summer is all about?


that’s a tricky question. Our merchandise can fluctuate day-to-day or even hour-to-hour! The first step to finding an answer is to get specific about your business. What unique services do you provide along with the goods that you sell? Even when dealing in general merchandise, we all perform at a certain level of specialization. We may even have multiple areas of specialization, depending on the customers with whom we typically deal.











and appealing to the eye. Change your store window once a week and take some time to make it unique. Don’t just stack boxes of merchandise in your storefront, arrange items so that they tell a story or evoke a mood in shoppers. You don’t want customers to see the same, tired merchandise gathering dust. You want people to feel as if they need to check in with your dollar store regularly to see what exciting changes are happening at the moment.
when the weather starts heating up, try making a special “Summer Grilling” section in your dollar store to play into customers’ natural inclinations. We have some great grill accessories at Kole Imports like BBQ Scrapers (HL041), Gingham Table Cloths (HZ084) and Plastic Cutlery (HM107). Items like these catch people’s eyes, making them desire things they didn’t even know they needed!
according to their uses. Items that work together should be placed near each other on the floor. Think of a grocery store: salad dressing is next to the lettuce, coffee is right by the creamer. Use the same principle in your dollar store. If you have tools and hardware, make sure they’re grouped together! If you carry gift bags, place them next to the gift bows!
merchandise displayed within an arm’s reach of the cash-wrap. Such items should be “add-ons” like pens or candy; things that enhance a customers’ purchase without adding too much cost to it. Kole Imports’ PDQ countertop displays are excellent examples of impulse buys. A breeze to set up, they can fit on your countertop within the sight line of customers checking out. Take the Scented Bubbles Tray (SI003): Irresistible!
“racket-free” form of advertising: Word-of-Mouth. One good customer review can do wonders for your in-store traffic. People trust their peers, and if one of them highly recommends your dollar store, it is extremely likely that others will follow their advice.
onday morning:



merchandise. Re-evaluate your current stock to see how much of it is geared toward children. Are you lacking in crafts or educational hobbies? Do you supply enough toddler apparel and school supplies? Try adding more children’s items like those pictured here. Not only can these items increase your sales, they can also revitalize the future of your business.









