While there are clearly two schools of thought as to whether flooring retailers should allow samples to be checked out by a potential customer, the reality is that most stores still allow their samples to leave their showrooms unattended. As a consequence, the samples in many showrooms that I observe have something less than a crisp appearance.
We all agree that a majority of our sales are generated by a limited number of popular colors and styles. These best selling samples are in demand, and as a result, often begin to look somewhat shabby. Worse yet, the best colors are too often missing from your displays. Do you have a system to regularly check for complete color offerings, replacing missing or worn items? If not, you should. Remember that it is seldom the slow selling, ugly colors that you are missing.
Another item that many stores overlook is regular maintenance of the samples when they are returned to the showroom. All too often, carpet samples are returned with ample evidence that the family pet was allowed to select which one they preferred. Then this sample is returned to the display in as-returned condition. It’s a good idea to have a small hand vacuum handy to refresh samples returned from a customer’s home.
These steps only take a few minutes to execute, but can return big dividends. After all, doesn’t your next customer deserve to see these products presented just as impressively as your first customer viewing them did? Keep your best sellers looking like your best sellers. Your wallet will thank you!
Tom Jennings
