Re-Order Now!
by Sid Raisch
You’re too busy NOT to read this, but you’re too busy to read it too. I get it.
Before you get ahead of yourself, and get into trouble – again, let’s talk about what got you in a bad place last time. Let’s talk about that right now. It was the re-order. Don’t fall for it! The crazy mad adrenalin rush of the season can cause crazy mad irrational reactions – like re-ordering something that’s soon to become an after the crazy season “Never-In” item that you can’t get rid of without the traffic to take it away.
It’s often okay to say “No!” to the re-order. If the item isn’t a “Never Out” it’s okay to run out, and let your other merchandise have a little more room to fill the space and to look like it’s worth more. It is, so treat it like it is.
What started as a best-laid-plan for having the right amount of inventory at the right time turns into a mad dash to get enough stuff to get through the season, every year. Relax. If you planned right, you’re stocked, and you have enough coming in. You may not have everything that you’re asked for, but you’ll have something to sell.
Remember, not everyone wants to buy everything they ask for. Sometimes it’s just a curiosity question. If you’re not sure about that start asking them back, “Do you want to take that home with you today?” Ask before you tell them whether you have it or not. Amazingly at least half the time they weren’t ready to buy it anyway. That’s just stuff you’d have had with no home to send it to.
When you do Re-Order - Be Careful.
It’s boom times in the nursery business again and we’re all happy about that. A client forwarded a nursery availability to me a few days ago. The form listed the quantities available of each item. Some were large numbers of 100’s units, and others were small like 2’s and 5’s of an item left. This prompted me to wonder how good those few remainders were, whether they were in the 100’s or the 2’s and 5’s. As spring goes on growers start shipping from the next crop. That means they ship the last of the prior crop then the beginning of the new crop. The last remainders of the old crap, I mean crop, may not be what you want, and the first of the new crop may not be either. Be vigilant about what’s entering your store now because those are the plants someone is going to be paying someone else to water all summer which will quickly make them the most expensive ones you buy, even with the discount.
You can’t have enough of this!
Create a daily and endless inventory of great customer experiences you can control and let go of those you cannot. You can’t always control availability and timely delivery from your suppliers. You must always control friendliness. It’s not okay to “not be nice” to a customer. It’s not okay to “not be nice” to people you work with and depend on either. Step up the nice on purpose every single day. What will you do right now to be nice to the people you depend on today?
Sid
