Bicester Village

Having worked in retail for many years I have built up a wealth of knowledge which has helped me know what works and what doesn’t in order to boost sales and create an environment customers return to again and again. My fashion background has also helped to push this knowledge further and combining the two makes the perfect combination.

From my previous experience, when you get the customer service right this is when you get the sales. Getting to know your customer is essential, asking questions about what they are looking for and trying to gage a perspective on there style means you can approach the sale with ease. You can advise them on what you think would be suitable for them. So for this to work it is essential that you have full knowledge of the stock, from the designers, to the materials to the size. This means you can advise the customer as well being efficient. Be passionate about what you are selling and back this up with knowledge. It is important that you also don’t appear to favour one brand.

You are there to sell every product in the store. So when advising doesn’t always focus on one designer take into consideration the whole store, be impartial.  Building a great customer rapour is important. If you build a relationship up with the customer it will bring them back time and time again. Letting them know current stock or future stock through the use of new letter can be a great way of keeping up that customer relationship as well is keeping up interest in your store. For a customer to be on a mailing list can make the feel special and bring there custom back time and time again. It can also be nice to get to know them by there name, it makes your service a little more personal and makes the customer want to come back. If you think you might not remember there names for future reference create a system of name and a few notes on style they like , when new stock comes in that you think could be appropriate for them you could give them a friendly call and let them know of the new stock.

It is important to know your core customer. You need to know their average spend, their hobbies and their lifestyle. Only a certain person can afford to spend money within your boutique. It’s not an exact science but it is an important guideline. It is important in the case of this store to know the core customer service of Bicester village, this will also be your core customer. It is also very important to know your competitors within Bicester village. What will you are doing different to them? This store is completely different and fresh but why? And how will you project this to the customer? Other than the beautiful stock and the fresh new designers, this could be done through visuals or through advertising or simply the high level or service offered to the customer.

To advise a customer you need to be extremely fashion aware. If a customer knows more about the latest trends than you how can you advise them?  General fashion knowledge means that you can advise to your best ability. The best way I have found to boost this knowledge is to create mood boards of weekly trends, colours and accessories that can be put up in a staff area to ensure everyone knows the trends.

Knowing your stock can be one of the most important tools in sales. As said before don’t appear to favour one brand over another. Know as much as you can about the fabrics, about the designer and about price point.

Visual merchandising is essential to create the Boutique atmosphere. Window displays are the tool that brings the customer in, changing these regularly can make the store seem fresh and appealing. Having a theme or colour pallet in the window can also reflect a designer or current trend. Props can also be essential to ensure you are getting the right image or trend across in the best way possible. It is also important to show the garment off to the best ability so making sure it fits the mannequin well is very important. This should then flow into the store to create a certain look, displays with in the store is equally as important as displays in the window. Everything has to be neat and tidy. In an easy shop able order. Also it is important for the store to be clean and fresh. The entire store should have a relaxed and welcoming feel to it. The use of music can also be a great way of creating atmosphere; although it is important that it suits the image of the boutique and the stock you are selling as well as your core customer. The staff within the store also needs to be representing the store, so wearing the stock or dressing in the weekly window display theme can help boost the sales and add to the atmosphere.

Bicester village has had designer labels within the complex for years. But this boutique is a fresh and exciting new project. It could bring a new aspect to the designer village, being the place to go where you can get that individual one off piece. It could also bring new customers to the complex, who could have possibly never considered going there before. It is important that everything in this store is right. I believe that all the aspects above and more can make this a success.

 

By Megan Cook