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Recent Columns
- A Numbers Game
by Ted Hurlbut - What small and independent retailers can learn from baseball stats.
(April 2008) - Create a Retail Experience
by Ted Hurlbut - Engaging customers can make your store more than just a place to buy things.
(February 2008) - An Unsettling Season
by Ted Hurlbut - With Big Box stores in clearance mode, smaller retailers can no longer compete for holiday shoppers on price alone.
(January 2008) - The Long Tail of Retailing
by Ted Hurlbut - Even in a niche market, a well-planned expansion of consumer choices can reveal demand that was otherwise hidden -- and drive sales.
(September 2007) - Studying Your Competitors
by Ted Hurlbut - Looking for new ideas to keep your store fresh and dynamic? Time to go shopping.
(August 2007) - The True Cost of Retail Inventory
by Ted Hurlbut - When not managed carefully, inventory costs can be the difference between being profitable or losing your shirt.
(July 2007) - Building Brand Equity
by Ted Hurlbut - Whether it's quality, selection, product knowledge, or customer service, small retailers can leverage a stronger brand identity to take on big-box competitors.
(June 2007) - Tying It All Together
by Ted Hurlbut - How do small retailers compete with big-box stores? By selling quality products with great customer service, obtaining higher initial markups, and avoiding corrosive sales down the road.
(April 2007) - Avoiding Markdowns
by Ted Hurlbut - Small retailers need to plan sales conservatively and maintain lean inventories to keep from slashing prices down the road.
(January 2007) - Greatness is a Moving Target
by Ted Hurlbut - As times change, small retailers must continually reassess what they're doing in order to thrive.
(December 2006) - Price Isn't Everything
by Ted Hurlbut - Smaller retailers should never try to compete on price alone. By focusing on customer service and quality, they can avoid the fate of big department stores that are losing the ability to offer a compelling retail experience.
(October 2006) - Great Customer Service Starts With Employee Relations
by Ted Hurlbut - Small retailers have an edge over larger competitors that treat employees like any other expense line to be reduced and controlled.
(September 2006) - Vendor Management for Small Retailers
by Ted Hurlbut - By managing your vendors, rather than the other way around, you save time and energy for other things -- like growing your business.
(August 2006) - Get a Handle on Monthly Stock Flows
by Ted Hurlbut - With an open-to-buy approach, you'll gain better insight -- and better revenues -- into how much inventory you need to acquire and sell each month.
(July 2006) - How to Do One Thing Right
by Ted Hurlbut - What do you do better than anybody else? Identify your "one thing" and everything else will fall into place.
(May 2006) - Measuring Inventory Productivity
by Ted Hurlbut - Sales, profitability and cash flow are directly linked to a small retailer's ability to manage inventory productively.
(April 2006) - Chasing The Last Sale
by Ted Hurlbut - The objective for any small retailer is to maximize profitability and cash flow. Carrying too much inventory can decimate both.
(March 2006) - The Consolidation Opportunity
by Ted Hurlbut - As Macy's and other big chains gobble up smaller department stores, the moment presents a unique opportunity for many smaller specialty retailers. Find out where the sweet spot lies.
(February 2006) - Is There A Future For Small Retailing?
by Ted Hurlbut - A few thoughts on what it will take to succeed.
(December 2005) - Gross Margin -- The Overlooked Metric
by Ted Hurlbut - Small retailers who actively manage their gross margins will quickly discover that profitability and cash flow will consistently beat their budget projections.
(September 2005) - Talking Cash Flow Blues
by Ted Hurlbut - Cash flow is the most serious issue small retailers struggle with.
(August 4, 2005) - Placing Your Bets
by Ted Hurlbut - Managing your pre-season commit percentages is one of the keys to having a profitable season.
(July 2005) - Cycle Counting
by Ted Hurlbut - Once you're in the habit of continuously cycle counting, you'll probably never have to do a full physical inventory again.
(June 2005) - Low Hanging Fruit, Sludge and Everything Else
by Ted Hurlbut - Strategies for turning your dead inventory into cash.
(May 2005) - How's Your Customer Service?
by Ted Hurlbut - The quality of your customer service is a critical point of differentiation and strategic advantage between you and your larger competitors.
(April 2005) - The Small Retailer and the Internet: A Love Story
(...of sorts)
by Ted Hurlbut - If you are a small specialty retailer and haven't thought about creating an e-commerce presence on the Internet, think again. You are most likely leaving sales on the table, and high margin sales at that.
(April 2005) - The Markdown Blues, Revisted
by Ted Hurlbut - Thoughts on what smaller retailers can learn from watching their larger competitors wrestle in the mud.
(February 2005) - The Markdown Blues
by Ted Hurlbut - The root cause of excessive markdowns can almost always be traced back to the lack of adequate pre-season planning, and in-season adjustments to those plans.
(January 2005) - End-of-Season Planning
by Ted Hurlbut - Even in the rush and crush of the season, it's essential to do the end-of-season planning necessary not just to maximize sales but also to protect margins and cash flow.
(December 2004) - Maximizing Profits During the Holiday Season
by Ted Hurlbut - The time to plan for a great finish to the season is now.
(November 2004) - The Coin of the Realm
by Ted Hurlbut - Why inventory management is of critical importance to small retailers.
(October 2004)
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