6 Qualities of Successful Footwear Retailers

Whether your footwear products appeal to upscale ladies, children, or casual wearers, the way to be successful in retail today is to focus on three things – the product, the customer, and the bottom line. If you are missing the beat on any of these six characteristics of successful footwear retailing, you will not be as effective, competitive, or profitable as you could be.

1. Organized – Every successful retail operation is organized. From product ordering and shipment to in-store layout and design, successful retailers know to get organized and stay organized. That is also true of footwear specialists. Every aspect of your retail culture must be organized.
2. Focus on the customer – Without the customer you could not be in business. Everything you do must be to please the customer. When the customer is happy, your footwear business will be successful.
3. Committed to e-commerce – In this century, you cannot be successful in retail if you do not have an online presence. E-commerce cannot just be a buzzword or a passing phase. If you are not committed to it, you will lose market share.
4. Use multiple channels – Multichannel sales means using every available channel at your disposal to reach the customer. Today, customers shop through multiple channels, so retailers must sell and engage with customers through all the same channels.
5. Stock the right merchandise for their clientele – Merchandising begins with planning. After you plan your inventory, you’ve got to buy the right product and display it correctly if you want to move it. Understanding how customers shop is a good first step. When you stock the right merchandise for the clientele you attract, you’ll sell more product.
6. Employ people passionate about the product – Everyone in your retail organization should be passionate and knowledgeable about your product. Your sales people should know your footwear inside and out. Not only the sales people, but your entire organization should be as passionate about the products you sell as you are. That’s how successful footwear retailing is done.

There is a lot to get right in retailing. Footwear retailers who want to be competitive and profitable understand that it doesn’t happen by accident. If you have the right product, the right people, and the right tools, you’ll succeed. That’s the bottom line.