How do you choose where to spend your dollars?
Omg! There are so many options!
No matter what you're trying to buy: shoes, electronics, furniture
or where you're trying to buy it: the mall, box store, online
the choices are endless. It can be exhausting just sifting through them all.
Who do I trust? How do I know it's the best price? Who has the best warranty?
We're shoppers also and we've asked all these questions. And then we asked them of our own business from your point of view.
So, how do you choose where to spend your dollars?
If you're a smart shopper, it's not all about the dollars, it's about the value.
So, first of all, there's the actual price.
Not the 'compare at' price, the regular price, or the MSRP ( Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price).
It's the price you will actually pay. There are myths out there that you always get better prices online or at a box store, but really, the only way to be sure you are getting the best price is to shop from a retailer that offers a 30 day lowest price guarantee.
A 30 day price guarantee gives you the security that if the retailer marks a product down, or you find the exact same product for less somewhere else within 30 days they will give you the lower price. Ahhh. That's way less stressful.
And then there's the value of the price that you pay.
Sure you can pay and walk away. Like in the grocery store. But when you're making a more substantial purchase, you want more from your money. You want an expert to help you make the right product choices, assurance of warranty and after sales service, and the possibility of professional delivery and set-up.
The extras in the shopping experience could be as simple as an offer of a water or a coffee (a good coffee!) when you come in or as involved as a personally tailored custom order or an in-home consultation.
But do they really have it in stock?
Have you ever been up and down the aisles of a huge box store and finally found the item you want only to discover it's out of stock or they have to order it in for you? Frustrating! If you're looking to custom order, not a problem, but if you need or expect something quick, big problem.
Not all retailers are transparent about whether they keep things in stock or have to order in. It's best to save yourself some time and disappointment and ask right when you walk in the store.
Savvy retailers will have a combo of:
Custom Order: Where you can touch, feel, and pet samples and order your favourite combo.
Special Order: Unique items that they don't regularly keep in stock, but can get for you within a couple of weeks.
In Stock: Items that are 'in the back' or in a warehouse close by that you purchase and take home for quick enjoyment.
Tell us what you want. What you really, really want.
As shoppers also we decided that first and foremost, we wanted the people we're giving our money to to be happy to see us, interested in what we're looking for, and genuinely want us to be excited about our purchase. We want them to want us to come back! Sing it with us: 'I want you to want me....' Ahhh. Good music helps also.
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