Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM SEPTEMBER 2015 50 W hen I was growing up I often heard the saying, "If you don't like the weather in New England, wait a minute." As I traveled throughout the years, I came to realize that this saying, with mild variation, exists throughout North America. Every city and town, especially those along the coast, not only expected change, they anticipated it and prepared for it. The lesson learned was that the bad weather was never going to last forever and, perhaps more importantly, the sun was not always going to be shining. For independent retailers the same could be said. Wherever you go in the land, optimism is tempered with pragmatic vision and pessimism is seasoned with hints of hope and enthusiasm. This understanding is something that has developed over the years and gives our dealers a unique perspective on the industry and day-to-day operations. The state of our business is turning the corner of optimism. Although January (-3.8%) was soft, the momentum for the remainder of Q1 and Q2 ( + 5.5%) has generated strong sales, that not only give us positive year to date results ( + 3.1% through May), but, key indicators would suggest, that this can be a consistent growth pattern. It is in these opportunistic times, that independent retailers need to capitalize–take our unfair share! Sure we have day-to-day challenges. Margins aren't high enough. We can't get proper inventory. Wholesale offers are not long enough, while promo periods are too long. We want mail-in rebates; larger wholesale acquisition discounts, trailing credit on the models we sell and a balanced playing field against the big box stores. Of course we are asking for a lot, but we deserve it. We sell a better mix and give consumers the best in-store experience with the best follow-up. In fact, this is supported in a recent Consumer Reports article, in which 21,000 readers rated Independent retailers best in class for in-store experience and service. Like everything we have earned in our lives, these requests are not going to just be given to us. We need to prove our continued importance and stake claim to the opportunity that exists. We need to fight for every sale and use the occasion to maximize the profit potential for each and every customer. Manufacturers are just as hungry as we are for profitable up-sell on products. We have the tools, we have the training and we have the desire to succeed. Now all we need is a pathway. By now most of you have heard of our "Prepare for Share" initiative. It is a never-ending campaign to take advantage of market opportunities when they become available. What we launched at our last show focused on the "opportunity" that existed in each market. This is the impetus to focus on the key initiatives that can deliver more share for your market. The three pillars of this process include AWARENESS, EXECUTION and EXPERIENCE. If, as organizations, we can focus on these three areas, we cannot only maintain in a volatile market, we can grow with a vengeance. The tools we have put in place to drive this initiative now involve MORE Data, MORE Analytics, MORE Vendor Specials, MORE Services and More Merchandising all designed to capture this share. The more foot traffic your awareness provides and the tighter reigns you have on execution helps deliver a superior experience for consumers. This experience will provide these customers to you for a lifetime. Our vision is 20/20, but sometimes gets blurred by the fog of day-to-day operations. Focus on the opportunity and challenge your organization to utilize the tools we provide to drive your business to the next level. Step back and focus on the important instruments that drive your business. Patrick Maloney Appliance Trends CYCLES OF OPPORTUNITY: ARE YOU GETTING YOUR SHARE? RO Patrick Maloney Senior VP Appliances Nationwide Marketing Group

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