CINDY’S NEWSLETTER for Gift Shop Managers

Cindy’s Newsletter for Gift Shop Managers delivers practical, ready-to-implement content to gift shop managers, retailers, and volunteers across the country. We help our readership of over 3,000 retailers optimize shop operations, grow revenue, and connect with one another. The newsletter is published monthly and free since 2001.

Have you paid your dues this quarter?

The value and richness of this newsletter comes from your participation. Do your part by submitting two comments per quarter, at minimum. Reply to reader’s questions listed throughout the newsletter (in green) or simply share what is working or isn’t working in your shop, a great selling product, a helpful website or resource, an operating question, your biggest challenge right now, a terrific vendor you’ve come across recently, tips on managing volunteers, or tips on managing yourself!

LEAVE A COMMENT! Click the green comment tags throughout the newsletter, enter it in the comment section, or send to cindy@cindyjonesassociates.com.

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FEBRUARY 15, 2022

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Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH

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Solutions to common cash wrap/checkout counter problems

by Cindy Jones, Editor

Cash wraps, also known as a checkout counter, should be thoughtful, well-designed points-of-sale and the cornerstone in your shop. It is where you create impulse buys and solidify the customer experience, not where the sales staff hide. The cash counter isn’t a hang out.

Most shops have contactless payment and distance shopping so the function of a cash wrap varies. However, it must have three considerations: security, function and design.

The register itself needs to be in full view with easy access as customers enter your shop. There must be adequate room for product, bags, elbows, etc. ADA guidelines call for it to extend 9 feet from a wall. Also, it should be more than 36 inches from the floor and 36 inches long. Consider the ease of handing items back and forth, card readers, payment methods and more.

Consistency + Maintenance

With a multitude of team members working different shifts, you’ve got a problem with people all organizing and putting things away differently. Establish a routine checklist for opening and closing. The routine ensures that everything including your cash counter is being checked and replenished multiple times a day.

Use a whiteboard or dry-erase clipboards for daily goal setting, team “check-ins”, and messages. Using permanent marker, write up your daily checklists, open and closing routine, sales outline – the things that never change. Then, using dry-erase marker, staff fill in the whiteboard with the necessary information for each day.

Once your cash counter is set photograph it, make a map of the counter and place that standardized tool in your SOP binder for easy reference and training.

Space + Clutter

Everyone has space issues when it comes to the cash counter, and prioritizing what should take up prime real estate and what should not. A cluttered counter gives a bad impression to the customer and can slow down transactions. Have a standard routine for cleaning or clearing counter space at the end of every shift or transaction. Give everything a designated home with a label where it’s easy to locate, grab, go, finish, return and get back to the customer. It will be easier to notice when supplies are running low too.

Take advantage of any space on the back wall (behind the register). Installing a second counter, shelves or a narrow table can provide so much extra storage.

Use vertical storage. Hang supplies vertically helps eliminate clutter. Each item has a home versus left piled on top of each other. Pegboard storage systems easily install under your cash counter or inside a back counter cabinet.

Post a “Five Spare Minutes” checklist whenever staff find they have five minutes of down time.

Inefficiency

Walking away to go get more bags, boxes, or receipt tape while your customer waits will negatively impact their experience. Less time-in-store is one of the top consumer demands today. Everything you need to complete a transaction – and the backup supply – should be within an arm’s reach.

Use horizontal dowels for gift wrap and hanger storage under or alongside the cash counter. It frees space and prevents trips to the supply room.

Some helpful resources

6 Retail Cash Wrap Tips to Help You Increase Sales at the Checkout Counter

Set Up Your Cash Wrap to Drive Sales in 4 Steps

How to Use Your Checkout Counter to Make More Sales

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UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

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How to deliver negative feedback well: 4 things that good managers do

by Claire Lew / Oct 15 2018

The most common question I get asked by a manager who doesn’t want to become a bad boss is: “How do I give negative feedback to a coworker?”

Giving honest feedback is the most deceptively difficult thing for a manager to do. A survey of nearly 8,000 people, in fact, found that 21% of managers avoid giving negative feedback entirely. In our heads, it seems straightforward enough. We know it’s the right thing to do. We know it’s important. We should just get on with it. But it’s never that simple. We don’t want to demotivate an employee with our feedback. We don’t want an employee to think we’re out to get them. We don’t want our feedback to backfire.

All is not lost. It’s possible to give honest feedback and not feel stressed — and not have it blow up in our face. Here are the four things that good managers do when delivering negative feedback:

Come from a place of care. You’re giving feedback because you care. You deeply care about this person’s personal and career growth. You deeply care about the project’s success. You want both the person and the company to thrive. Communicate these things. Ask yourself: “What can I say to let this person know that this feedback is coming from a place of care and helpfulness? How do I let this person know I have good intentions, and that I’m not trying to spite them or be rude?” As you deliver the piece of critical feedback, make this clear.

For example, you could say something like: “I’m saying this because I believe in you and I want you to succeed…” or “This is important to me because I care about the company’s direction as a whole…” or “This matters to me because I only want to ensure that we perform well as a team…”

Come from a place of observation. We’re often worried that the person is going to take any negative feedback personally. This is a big reason why we avoid giving feedback or sugarcoat our feedback. It’s to say, “Hey look, I don’t think you’re a bad person…” or “I don’t want you to be mad at me…” Instead, look to communicate your feedback more objectively. Come from a place of observation. Focus on the actions and the situation of what happened — what you observed — and not the personal attributes or characteristics of the person.

For example, if you think a coworker wrote a sloppy email to the client, instead of saying: “I think you’re careless and sloppy”… you could say, “I noticed that in the email you wrote, there were a few careless mistakes that seemed sloppy.” See the difference? The former makes it about the person, while the latter makes it about your observations on what has happened.

Come from a place of fallibility. Your feedback is not infallible. Don’t forget that your feedback is only an interpretation of what you observed, and your own perspective of how things can improve going forward. Your perspective is not a universal truth. You could be wrong. Be willing to admit that your feedback, while it’s something you strongly believe in, is colored by your own personal lens. Ask yourself: “How can I remind this person that this feedback is only my opinion? That this isn’t the word of God, that mistakes happen, that there may be information I’m missing?”

A few examples of how you can do this is to say directly: “I might be off…” or to ask, “Is there any information that you think I might be missing?”

Come from a place of curiosity. When you give feedback, it should feel like a conversation. No one likes being talked at. Your time to give feedback also is a time to listen to what the other person thinks, as well. Be curious. Consider: “How does this person feel about my feedback? Was there anything I might have misinterpreted or overlooked? Is there anything that I can be doing better to help support the other person?” During a one-on-one meeting, you want to invite the person to give their side of their story.

To do this, simply ask after sharing your feedback: “What do you think?” When you’re curious, you’re signaling that you value hearing their perspective on what happened. You’re not mad, upset, or resentful. You see the moment of giving feedback as an opportunity to learn and get better as a leader, yourself.

Sure, all the tactics I’m describing are a little more nuanced than other ways you might be familiar with to give feedback — especially the catchy “Shit Sandwich” moniker, in particular. And yes, they require a bit more intention and thought prior to do well. But when you come from a place of care, observation, fallibility, and curiosity — it makes for a much more honest and productive conversation. You’re going to get a better result. The person on the other side is going to feel like you’re really trying to help them. And that’s the whole point of giving feedback, after all.

Source: Know Your Team

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100 Retail Blogs

Here’s a source for retail blogs from thousands of blogs on the web ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness:

blog.feedspot.com/retail_blogs/

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Q. What are some fresh new jewelry lines for 2022?

We are looking to freshen up our jewelry. We currently use Periwinkle but looking for something new along the same price point. Any suggestions? – Tracy Torres, St. Augustine. 1/20/22

Main Street Earrings are a big hit for us. Great quality, great price. We sell them for $8.99! – Lanie Ray, Fairfield Medical Center, Lancaster, OH. 2/28/22

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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RESPONSES: What snack vendor do you use?

Can you recommend a wholesale distributor for snacks (popcorn, chips, pretzels, etc.)? Thank you! – Sarah Folio, Garrett Regional Medical Center, Oakland, MD. 55 beds. 12/5/21

I use HT Hackney and Sam’s Club, I have to go and pick up from both. Chips, I use Route 11 Chips, 540-477-9664 in Mt Jackson, VA. Popcorn, I use Jody’s Popcorn 757-422-8646 in Norfolk, VA. Pretzels, Famous Amos cookies, Gordetto’s and Chex Mix have come up hard to find in my area. I have a Sam’s Plus card and some of the items I have to order online. – Greg Holtgrewe. 1/19/22

Wicked Minis crackers are a popular snack and they come in several flavors. Our top seller is the Dill flavor. – Betty Beck. 1/17/22

We have a local supplier – ACC Wholesaler plus we also use Kelli’s Gifts, Tropical Foods (Bulk), Sam’s Club and Costco – Traci Gerdes. 1/16/22

We use several as it is difficult to only have one vendor. Kelli’s Gift Shop Suppliers – Texas, Sam’s Club – local, and Truly Good Foods (Tropical Foods) online. – Marla Baker, Atrium Health Floyd, Rome, GA. 304 beds. 1/16/22

We use our Nutrition Services food vendors, which have had good prices. Is that an option for you? – Justin Alcanter, Salem Health, Salem, OR. 484 beds. 12/6/21

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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Shrinkage | PART 2. Preventing inventory shortages

by Cindy Jones, Editor

This month we revisit the topic of inventory shrinkage or shortages. With so many opportunities for shrinkage, not just customer theft or transaction errors, it’s important to realize how many there. Each and every one, when added up, can significantly – even drastically – cut into your net profit. Last month, in Part 1. Preventing inventory shortages, we provided a list of useful shoplifting deterrents and how to spot a potential theft when customer’s exhibit shoplifting behavior.

In the second part of this series, we’ll dive into employee theft – which accounts for roughly equivalent shrinkage as shoplifting – and how to reduce shipping errors, and a few shop security tips.

Employee dishonesty, whether volunteer or paid, usually occurs when there are few, if any, internal controls. It is important to maintain cash handling controls and procedures. Clearly written job descriptions that state policies and procedures are crucial.

Inventory shrinkagE
Shoplifting
Price tag switching
Employee theft
Shipping errors
Weak shop security
Incorrect price tags
Breakage
Sloppy record keeping
Incomplete POS transactions
Orders/shipment shortages

Reduce employee theft

• Spot-check your inventory/drawer. During unannounced visits, inform staff: “I’m just double-checking inventory numbers and doing a register check.” Pick a few products and check physical inventory against inventory sheets/POS inventory figures. If possible, run a cash drawer reconciliation. Couple it with: “I’ll be back again soon to run through this again.” This lets employees know management is keeping its eye on the ball.
• Use an inventory-tracking system. Use a POS system that tracks inventory automatically or, at a minimum, use paper-based inventory-tracking sheets to send a signal to employees that inventory is indeed being monitored.
• Check the z-tape numbers. If yesterday’s z-tape was number 24 and today’s is 27, what happened to 25 and 26?
• Encourage anonymous tips. Publish a email or number employees can call to leave an anonymous message if they suspect a co-worker of stealing product or cash. If employees are aware their co-workers are watching and could report them, they will be less inclined to get sticky fingers.
• Check cash-to-credit purchase ratios. If the typical purchase ratio is 30% cash to 70% credit, and then suddenly the ratio is 10 to 90, it’s time to ask a few questions.
• Watch the “no-sales.” Many shop managers know that the leading indicator of theft is a single piece of data on your x-tape: the “no sale” number. If a typical day’s no-sale tally is four, but every time a particular employee works the tally is 10, there may be a problem.

Of course, there’s no way to completely protect yourself against shoplifting and employee theft, but if you make customers and employees aware that you’re keeping a close eye on your business, experts say that’s the first and most-critical step in shrinking your shrinkage.

Reduce shipping errors

• Establish procedures for checking-in merchandise
• Use purchase orders for all inventory purchases.
• Buyer should check-in all goods received. Then match goods received with the purchase order and packing slip.
• The implementation of a perpetual inventory system (POS) helps greatly in determining the areas/categories where shortages are occurring. A perpetual inventory system assists management with the purchasing function and would provide beneficial information as to items being sold.
• When an invoice arrives, it should be matched with the purchase order and packing slip. Manager or shop chairman should approve invoices for payment.

Shop security

Keys to the gift shops should not be given to anyone except the administrator, the Manager/Chair and the Director of Security. The Director of Security should be requested to monitor the shop key carefully (even to his own staff) and release it only on a sign-out basis. No one should be allowed to enter the shop after hours unless accompanied by the supervisor or manager. Weekend staff should sign out the shop key from the hospital security office. Most gift shops now have digital keypad locks. Housekeeping (vacuuming and general cleaning) can only be done while gift shop personnel are present. 

PREVIOUS ARTICLE

Shrinkage | PART 1: Preventing inventory shortages

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CHRISTMAS MERCH VENDOR

Q. Have you been able to source Christmas merchandise? Anyone know of a vendor for “out of the box” Christmas merchandise?

My buyer just returned from the AmericasMart in Atlanta and was surprised by how limited the Christmas merchandise was, particularly ornaments. I understand that ongoing supply chain issues will be felt for a while, in addition to 25-50% increase in wholesale prices across the board. So, that said, does anyone have suggestions for “out of the box” sourcing for Christmas merchandise? Perhaps a vendor that doesn’t go to the buyers’ markets? – Jill A Dugaw (She/Her), Spartanburg Regional, Spartanburg, OH. 1/19/22

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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BOOK DISTRIBUTOR

Q. Can anyone recommend a book distributor that sells current best sellers? We have suppliers for other types of books like Harvest House and Harper Collins, but not for popular fiction. – Sabra Shields, Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls, SD. 450 beds. 12/8/21

We have a Choice Books rack that has mostly inspirational and religious titles that they update on a regular basis and sell very well for us 1-877-598-7759. I also get some books from our local Sam’s Club; children’s, adult and puzzle. – Greg Holtgrewe. 1/19/22

I used to buy my paperbacks from Costco. – Margaret Legut. 1/17/22

Choicebooks – Marla Baker, Atrium Health Floyd, Rome, GA. 304 beds

We order from Ingram on their Ipage website and directly from publishers when able. – Karla Glanzman, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA. 360 beds.

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡