RETAILER PROFILE
DENNIS & LINDA WILLIAMShttp://www.asiantrader.biz 13 OCTOBER 2017 ASIAN TRADER 11Follow us on: http://www.twitter.com/AsianTrader Like us on: http://www.facebook.com/AsianTraderFive Top Tips to taking on the discounters
- Brand it up!
Day Today retailer Mohammad
Jamil recently told Asian Trader
that he had made inroads
against a nearby Aldi by offering
customers familiar brands the discounter didn’t sell. Dennis and Linda agree that
brands are a weapon that independent retailers can use to fight discounters. “Our
meal deal is the best of any store available and it is all branded products,” says Linda.
“People are still very loyal to brands and we can see this with products like toilet rolls
and alcohol.” Of course, being proud Scottish retailers, the couple also have a
Scottish favourites section which Dennis says is doing very well too.
3. Bring it out!
There are some items, usually the
small and pricey ones, that retailers
like to keep a close eye on. However,
Dennis and Linda have learnt from
experience that bringing these items
out into the store can boost sales
dramatically. After biting the bullet,
the couple saw their battery sales
grow 40-50% when they were
brought out from behind the counter.
Similar results were also seen for
medicines such as paracetamol and
Lemsip. Dennis thinks retailers could
be more positive in their approach:
“Even if we did lose the odd couple,
these are high margin products so it
wouldn’t be the end of the world.
However, it depends if shoplifting is a
problem in your area. We do a lot of
work with the community which has
built up respect with our shoppers.”