Paying careful attention to merchandising has really paid off, (keeping the Boutique tidy and rotating the displays every day, and setting up a table in front of the Boutiques with an overflow of samples, about a 10 minute daily chore).
Today PhotoLounge processed orders for hundreds of cards, about 10 5x7 Tag Alongs, about 4 Envelope Tag Alongs, a number of easle frames, and over 20 calendars.
PhotoLounge devoted a person to Cameo Style production all day, and as we speak she is still printing.
A couple of points:
1) This is your week to recruit local customers whom the national websites cannot serve in time. Send a newsletter advertising extended deadlines in your shop, and place a big sign in your window letting customers know you can make last minute gifts. Make sure to follow through with fast turnaround.
2) From conversations with store customers I got the distinct impression that this is the year of the make-it-yourself gift. And I have seen no price resistance to the full price charged by Cameo Style. What a boon for Cameo Style retailers.
3) If professional photographers or graphic designers come into your store to process last minute orders always allow them to make a sample card for clients for free. In every instance where this has happened the client ordered over 100 cards.
4) We got many requests for a flat double sided card. This is something we'll add to the collection early in 2009 but for now PhotoLounge is cutting 5x7 cards in half and printing both sides.
5) PhotoLounge has sold several "blank" Peanut books and frames as gifts to be completed in the store by the recipient. The purchaser took with them the blank frame or Peanut book together with a gift card. A cute gift idea.
6) let customers access their online albums and get images while in your store. Several orders today came out of Picassa and other online albums.
7) Finally, don't discount, (except for multiple copies where a 10% saving is in line). And always ask "how many would you like" when writing up an order. More times than not its multiples.
Happy Selling!
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