What a quick way to kill your business..

[Oldgamer]

I heard this on the radio this morning, and went to look it up online. Apparently this isn't the only store that is doing this now. Thank goodness its only up north and not down in the south. But this is a sure fire way to kill your business, if thats your goal.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/busines...rges-5-to-browse/story-fndgp8b1-1226607041430

Store charging a fee to "browse" their merchandise, says its in response to people coming in and looking at their wares, then going online and buying them for a lower price..

lmao, maybe they should lower their price then to remain competitive. They should fire their marketing rep if they have one.

 

[Greenman]

You're going to see more of that going on in the future. Some of my clients go to upper end plumbing and electrical shops, spend several hours with the sales person developing a list of what they want and what will work, then going home and buy it online.
Many of those places won't help you anymore without a nonrefundable deposit. They're tired of being an unpaid resource for shoppers, and I don't blame them at all.

 

[waggy]

You're going to see more of that going on in the future. Some of my clients go to upper end plumbing and electrical shops, spend several hours with the sales person developing a list of what they want and what will work, then going home and buy it online.
Many of those places won't help you anymore without a nonrefundable deposit. They're tired of being an unpaid resource for shoppers, and I don't blame them at all.

err that's not the same. in your example you are getting a service from someone. the time and knowledge of what you need and supplying a list. i have no issue with the company saying hey you need a small payment for this.


the OP's article is that to get IN TEH DOOR you need to pay $5. that's just to get in and LOOK. not get expertise advice, not to talk. this is just to get in and look.

fuck that. i would leave.

 

[dabuddha]

meh, the local junk yard does it. They charge $1 just to come in and then you have to go out into the lot with your tools to remove whatever parts you need from the thousands of junked cars. Then you pay for the parts on your way out.

 

[Matt1970]

Did you ever pay to go to an auto show or boat show? Same thing.

 

[Oldgamer]

I just finished having a conversation with a lady who markets for several large companies about this. She said this is a sure fire way for a company to kill their business. Its about marketing, and this is not the way to do. I too would just leave there is no way I am paying just to walk into a store to look at someones merchandise.

 

[nehalem256]

lmao, maybe they should lower their price then to remain competitive.

But how will they pay their workers a living wage then? :whiste:

 

[Oldgamer]

Did you ever pay to go to an auto show or boat show? Same thing.

A boat show or car show is a bit different, as they have entertainment there.. and people come not just to see the cars but for the entertainment. Now if this lady in that article wants to provide entertainment and charge a small fee to come into the store for that, I wouldn't have as much of a problem with that.

 

[Greenman]

err that's not the same. in your example you are getting a service from someone. the time and knowledge of what you need and supplying a list. i have no issue with the company saying hey you need a small payment for this.


the OP's article is that to get IN TEH DOOR you need to pay $5. that's just to get in and LOOK. not get expertise advice, not to talk. this is just to get in and look.

fuck that. i would leave.

It's exactly the same. The building isn't free, the people that stock the shelves have to get paid, the electric bill has to get paid. When too many people come in just to look and not buy, that changes your business model. Charging admission is simply reacting to the new method of doing things. Why should we expect someone to run a free display center?

Edit:
This goes beyond stores. In my business, most of my work is done on a bid. I have to go to the site and evaluate the project, do a material and labor take off, then write up my specs and proposal. This often takes three days or more, yet the service is expected to be free. I now see people getting half a dozen bids on a project, and it's an enormous waste of everyone's time. My rule of thumb is that if someone is getting more than three bids, I don't want to do business with them because they place no value on my time.

 

[Dari]

err that's not the same. in your example you are getting a service from someone. the time and knowledge of what you need and supplying a list. i have no issue with the company saying hey you need a small payment for this.


the OP's article is that to get IN TEH DOOR you need to pay $5. that's just to get in and LOOK. not get expertise advice, not to talk. this is just to get in and look.

fuck that. i would leave.

What makes you think it's not the same thing? The rent for the space isn't free. Neither are the workers' wage there. Neither is electricity and maintenance and stock. Also, these "customers" come in and ask questions and then leave...

EDIT: Greenman beat me to it.

 

[GoPackGo]

I heard this on the radio this morning, and went to look it up online. Apparently this isn't the only store that is doing this now. Thank goodness its only up north and not down in the south. But this is a sure fire way to kill your business, if thats your goal.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/busines...rges-5-to-browse/story-fndgp8b1-1226607041430

Store charging a fee to "browse" their merchandise, says its in response to people coming in and looking at their wares, then going online and buying them for a lower price..

lmao, maybe they should lower their price then to remain competitive. They should fire their marketing rep if they have one.

Did you read the article? They come in and take her time for advice then leave and shop elsewhere. She even stated her prices are competitive.

 

[Stone Rain]

I have a confession to make. I do this; a lot, especially with gadgets and whatnot.
However, I still think that a store charging to look is beyond asinine.

 

[Oldgamer]

Did you read the article? They come in and take her time for advice then leave and shop elsewhere. She even stated her prices are competitive.

Yes I did read the article. And as I said I am sitting right here at my desk talking to a pro marketing lady.. who is laughing at what this woman is doing.

This is the worst way to market your merchandise, and if she is finding that people are doing that, then she needs to sit down and find a better way to market her merchandise and re-evaluate why people are preferring to buy goods somewhere else.

If her prices were that competitive then people wouldn't be going elsewhere after viewing her merchandise. In these economic times with money being tight, this is a sure fire way for her to lose business.

It really does come down to marketing a product or service.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

I can see setting an expectation that advice is not free. Charging to set foot in the door, well, no thank you.

 

[Oldgamer]

I can see setting an expectation that advice is not free. Charging to set foot in the door, well, no thank you.

Exactly, and you can market your store advice with a nominal fee. But a fee to walk in the door and look at the merchandise will cause you to lose many many customers.. and that is a way to ruin your business.

People have been price shopping for years. The stores that are successful have the lowest prices, and the better merchandise or a very good marketing model.

 

[waggy]

I can see setting an expectation that advice is not free. Charging to set foot in the door, well, no thank you.

agreed.

If i go into a plumbing store and they give me advice, tell me the stuff i need to buy, the equipment etc etc. i understand it.

to walk in? lol no.

 

[boomerang]

But how will they pay their workers a living wage then? :whiste:

Did he answer yet? Maybe I missed it...

 

[monovillage]

Since when has a progressive ever cared about killing businesses?

Maybe we should raise taxes on internet business to fix it?
Then we can tax the business for health care.
Then we can tax the business with an energy tax.
Does the business have handicapped access? Tax it.
What was the question again? It doesn't really matter because the Democrat answer is to tax it.

 

[Tom]

Yes I did read the article. And as I said I am sitting right here at my desk talking to a pro marketing lady.. who is laughing at what this woman is doing.

This is the worst way to market your merchandise, and if she is finding that people are doing that, then she needs to sit down and find a better way to market her merchandise and re-evaluate why people are preferring to buy goods somewhere else.

If her prices were that competitive then people wouldn't be going elsewhere after viewing her merchandise. In these economic times with money being tight, this is a sure fire way for her to lose business.

It really does come down to marketing a product or service.

Why do you think you talking to an unidentified lady has some meaning to the rest of us ?

Just curious why you keep mentioning it like we should all bow down becasue some completely random person, to us, thinks something ?

 

[TechBoyJK]

BestBuy recently said they were changing their tactic because they realized many of their shoppers were just there to look at stuff, then would go to other vendors and buy it cheaper.

Because of this, they are now pricematching Amazon, Tiger, etc... Basically all the popular places that usually ALWAYS beat them on price.

Honestly, now I'm more apt to go into a best buy and buy something if I know I can get them to match Newegg or Tiger.

 

[werepossum]

You're going to see more of that going on in the future. Some of my clients go to upper end plumbing and electrical shops, spend several hours with the sales person developing a list of what they want and what will work, then going home and buy it online.
Many of those places won't help you anymore without a nonrefundable deposit. They're tired of being an unpaid resource for shoppers, and I don't blame them at all.

That is a dick move, to be sure. Using the resources that make a business more expensive and then buying from a business that is cheaper because it does not provide those resources is simply dishonest.

I just finished having a conversation with a lady who markets for several large companies about this. She said this is a sure fire way for a company to kill their business. Its about marketing, and this is not the way to do. I too would just leave there is no way I am paying just to walk into a store to look at someones merchandise.

I certainly would not patronize any business that charges me to browse, but then I don't do the reverse either. If I have to go to Best Buy to see something to know whether I want it, then I'll buy it from Best Buy. If I'm buying online, I'll use online resources to make my decision.

 

[Doppel]

Agree with OP. it is suicide.

 

[Matt1970]

A boat show or car show is a bit different, as they have entertainment there.. and people come not just to see the cars but for the entertainment. Now if this lady in that article wants to provide entertainment and charge a small fee to come into the store for that, I wouldn't have as much of a problem with that.

Not the ones around here. We are paying for advertisement, much like my cable channels that have paid programming from 11pm till 8am.

 

[lotus503]

Did he answer yet? Maybe I missed it...

I'll answer,

By having a business model and practices that are condusive to growth vs. contraction.

Its not whether or not what the business is doing is justified, its whether or not its conducive to growth, and I assure you its not.

In markets where service is a distinguishing factor, charging for what your competition does not charge for is going to lead to a loss of business.

How are you going to pay the workers when your bankrupt? Its bad enough brick and mortar are already in rough shape and can hardly compete on price, lets introduce policies that are counter to service, which by all accounts is the only competitive distinction from online business.

 

[Oldgamer]

Since when has a progressive ever cared about killing businesses?

Maybe we should raise taxes on internet business to fix it?
Then we can tax the business for health care.
Then we can tax the business with an energy tax.
Does the business have handicapped access? Tax it.
What was the question again? It doesn't really matter because the Democrat answer is to tax it.

Why does every thread have to be in terms of politics? This is about a business who is doing something that could affect their business in not such a good way, and how most customers might balk at what this lady is doing.

Why do you think you talking to an unidentified lady has some meaning to the rest of us ?

Just curious why you keep mentioning it like we should all bow down becasue some completely random person, to us, thinks something ?

Your right, you don't know who this person is, and I only bring it up because this person is in the business of consulting and working with other big companies with their marketing. Thus, I brought it up because I felt she would know best on effective marketing practices. I could care less if you care who it is I am speaking to... if you don't then why bother asking? I am sure you can make up your own mind without me saying who I am talking to about this. I mean can you get any more confrontational about my talking about who I am talking to? lmao