We're halfway through 2024- if you're a brick & mortar how are your in store sales year over year?

[DinaLRosenberg]

Just took a look at our sales figures and year/year we're down about $70k to date. It seems that in-store sales (our online are combined with this as well, but we don't do a ton of biz there) are still softening.

What are your tips (besides discounts) for driving in-store traffic? Let's brainstorm together!

[Candlestore]

My in-store sales were down last year and are down even more this year.  I was talking to other businesses in my area and they are the sameway we are.  I thought maybe its just this area.  Even the front managers at walmart was telling me that Food items are selling but not much of anything else.  Plus when I look at the us and all the big stores laying off or closing its not a good sign on the economy as a whole.  I think people are buying Needs over wants right now.

[DinaLRosenberg]

Definitely not just your area as we're seeing it too.... constantly re-inventing ourselves over here. We are relying HEAVILY on TikTok shop which is really scary because it has the potential to be gone. But, more than that, it's completely finnikey and the AI they use to dole out violations is insane. My hope is if they do go away, another platform will take its place. 

We are running Christmas in July which we hope will be a bump- but that is discount based and we really try not to do that too much.

I had an idea for another TikTok shop product yesterday (everything we do on TikTok is a "surprise" based experience with lots of labor going into wrapping and making it pretty... we'll see if we can get those up this week.

We have some amazing authors coming through the shop but it isn't the in-person draw we thought it would be.

[Twpchair]

One plus I tell people that at least were still open! I just saw on the news today that Big Lots started just its FIRST state and closed 45 out of 50! The big box is going daily. If you can roll through it, they will come. I shop small and local. The only 2 times in my life I used Amazon was for ink for the printer. I'd rather give my money to our local stores.

[Sherrie]

Small jewelry and gift store, brick and mortar but does near-weekly outside shows and fairs. Last year I exceeded my yearly plan, planned big for this year and at the end of June have surpassed the plan for July. I do not have any online presence except Facebook, sell only face-to-face. After hearing all the horror stories with unscrupulous Internet buyers and fraud, I am uninterested in doing online. I am doing this mostly as a retirement business (I will be 70 this year). The outside shows are the tail that wags the dog, may close my brick and mortar if that doesn't improve.

[DinaLRosenberg]

wow that's great that the outside shows are helping your sales goals. Have you tried creating a post card with a discount code for in-store purchase to drive people the "show people" into your store?

[Sherrie]

I have handed out my business card with a sticker on the back offering a discount within a month of the show, using a code to id which show. In three years of doing that, ZERO have come back, even from shows that are within ten minutes of drive time from my shop.

[DinaLRosenberg]

UGH!! that's super annoying-  trying to move customers between sales channels is something I've been working on but it's incredibly hard.

[Twpchair]

I stopped about 2 yrs ago with business cards! Half were in the parking lot or got tossed at some point. Now when they ask I tell do you have your phone which everyone does and I tell them right there here go to Facebook and type in our name and hit like and follow 99% do immediately right with you. 

[Sherrie]

I use the business cards as little memos, sometimes writing a note on the back when I hand it over, and people do retain them, but only if they asked for them. I don't have a stack on the table and I don't shove them in everyone's hand or bag.

[JayElleBee]

I also stopped using business cards. A loooong time ago. Just like you, I have found that they did nothing to promote my brick and mortar business. Lately, when people ask me for a business card, I tell them that they are all gone, and then remind them of my business name - SloppySoap. If you can't remember that.... well, I dunno. 🙂

[Twpchair]

I'm retail furniture and this year up over last year. And that year I was up. I'm at pre-covid numbers. The biggest thing I did was re-think about what is selling and what isn't. I went on a Saturday to 8/9 stores about 1-2 hrs from us. I had decor and lamps, rugs etc but not for sale I used them for display. I added 5x the decor, lamps, rugs, candles and a paint section for something I didn't do before I started selling extremely nice used furniture and boom that was a huge hit and everything else! Barely anyone walks out empty handed. Not everyone can afford 5k for a whole living room set but they can justify 300.00-500.00 especially when 90% tell this is perfect we have small kids and until they get older this is exactly what we were looking for! I'm not sure if you can add or try a few different things to see if you can draw a new crowd. 

[geekster]

Just look over sales vs last year we are down about 50% and the previous year we noticed a drop in sales we too are hearing about all the layoffs going on and inflation issues, even the Comicons are noticing a lack of business we are now running our 2nd Christmas in July sale as well as our Free anime outdoor Movie events to get people to visit us we stop handing out business cards set up a QR code so people can use their phone.

[homeprogreen]

Consumers are definitely cutting back on extras. I would say that right now I am running about 40% down compared to last year. Discounts seem to help move slower items but what I am seeing is that people are living paycheck to paycheck up here and when payday hits they come in and purchase just what they need to last them until next paycheck. In this situation giving out a bunch of discounts only cuts into your profit margin making it harder to keep the business going and isn’t going to increase sales. 

[MudFire_Dex]

We are up 32.79% year over year. This is mostly due to class performance and spending by members on membership, clay purchases, etc. We are level for our gallery (more straight retail) but not down.

[Doran]

I am up BUT not in retail.  Facial services have tripled while retail sales are down about 78%.

I'm not sure how to get that walk-by traffic again.  I see so many tourists and people out and about but they seem to be walking and eating.  

[DinaLRosenberg]

We also are having a hard time getting people to the store. WE do a lot of special events but those seem to be pulling the same customers over and over...

[SCA_Fashion]

The interest rate cuts will help a lot but with a time lag. Next year sales should be much better