With consumer confidence is at higher than it has been in six years, how can apparel merchandisers use that increase their retail sales? The key is to leverage the best aspects of the economy itself. This includes creating a store environment that inspires consumer confidence, emphasizing value and convenience over mere indulgence and impulse buys, catering to existing demand, giving buyers room to breathe, and share insider information.

1. Six Super Ways to Increase Retail Sales
Are your retail sales sluggish? The good news is that consumer confidence is higher than it’s
been in six years, with retail sales rising steadily over the last five months. What’s driving the
economy can help drive up your sales. Here are six great ways to pick up the pace:
For fashion sales, think wholesale fashion: The downturn made consumers more cost-
conscious. Work with the best wholesale distributors to offer wholesale apparel prices on retail
goods and your customers will thank you for it. Buying bulk wholesale fashion will also reduce
overhead. You can make up in volume sales what you trade off in price difference. If you
offer brand name wholesale clothing, publicize it.
Build consumer confidence: Much of the economy is driven by consumer’s perceptions, so
present a positive image. Ever walked into a store where the staff looked bored, stern or
resigned? Chances are you walked right out the store. Also a turn-off—a store with meager
stock and little décor (It’s not a good sign when the ambient sound is awkward silence).
Likewise, when selling cheap clothing online, limit the “Everything Must Go!!” approach. It
smacks of desperation. Instead, create an environment in which everything from merchandise to
background music to employee attitudes conveys the message, “Things are good here, come
on in.”
Focus on value: According to many retail experts, today’s more cautious buyers are putting
their money into goods that offer the most value. They also want products that make their hectic
lives easier. Frame the purchase of quality discount clothing as an investment, not an
indulgence. Play up the convenience factor to show how coordinated pieces make for an easier,
more organized approach to style. That’s good news for busy customers.
Stock up on best sellers: It sounds obvious but when something is selling, make sure you
have plenty of it to sell. If black silk wholesale dresses are selling out faster than front row
tickets to a Justin Timberlake concert, don’t settle for selling only what you have on hand. Get
more and get ready. The worst missed sale is when strong demand meets lack of supply.
Likewise, be a fashion hero and stock sizes that real women wear. Chances are you need a

2. little more plus size women’s clothing, including plus size junior clothing, and a lot less size
zero.
Welcome, don’t overwhelm: There’s a middle ground between tackling customers as they
cross the threshold and making them feel unwanted. In some European countries, customers
are politely greeted as they enter and thanked as they exit, even if they haven’t made a
purchase. Indeed, that neighborly “thank you,” can be the gesture that converts a non-buyer into
a regular buyer. In each case, the idea is to make the customer feel acknowledged, not
smothered. Once customers know that they have your attention, it’s best to let them signal when
they are ready to interact further.
Share insider Info: As social media has made clear, we all love being in the know about
fascinating information and then sharing it with our friends. So keep your customers in the loop
with news about fashion trends, helpful tips, upcoming sales, fun in-store events, and other
good stuff that will get them talking and posting. Offer incentives to customers who follow your
store on social media, and pay special attention to those customers who post positive items
about your store. Turn your customers into your biggest advertisers by sending them special
promotion codes that they can share with friends.
For more information visit us at http://www.primetimeclothing.com