Shoptalk: Are Inventory Control Systems Only for Big Businesses?

For anyone who has ever been to one of those big retailer stores that sell almost anything like K-Mart or Wal-Mart, the efficient and seemingly smooth sailing operations of these giant establishments can be attributed to one of the biggest triumphs of modern logistics - inventory control systems.  Almost every week, or in some cases, every day, retailers from the local neighborhood store, online stores with wholesale shoes for women to mega supermarkets welcome thousands of items into their stock sourced from different parts of the world. 

Yes, stores these days do not only get items from their respective countries alone, and despite this seemingly unmanageable situation where deliveries of new items are being done while customers buy items by the minute, the systems implemented by these stores to control inventory has become a central in their smooth operations.

It has become imperative for businesses these days to adapt inventory control systems not only to maintain a smooth flow of operations, but also to inform them of which items in their inventory are “moving” fast, meaning are selling, that they need to stock up on.  Knowing which products among a lot, for example, particular models among wholesale shoes, are selling and which are just occupying shelf space would give the business owner enough information to know which items he would like to get more of, which to move from the warehouse to the store, and which to store for an upcoming spike in demand. 

As of the moment, it can be argued that systems to manage or control inventory would only be a need for bigger business and just a whim for small vendors.  However, implementing a system would also be beneficial for small and medium enterprises.  By having inventory control systems, small stores can be more effective in maintaining as little stock as possible while making sure that there’s enough for the customer’s demands to be met. This is crucial especially for small shoe businesses that deal with bulk items, so that the business owner will know which among the models he or she has are selling like hotcakes and which ones are not faring so well, which can be avoided in the future. 

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Function and Fashion Combined in Leather Boots

Leather boots were thought to have been worn first by the ancient Mesopotamians 5,000 years ago. Of course, leather boots during ancient times are not the same as those being sold as wholesale shoes for women on websites. Their first incarnation was simple leather foot coverings stuffed with straw.

Later on, at around 3,000 BC it evolved to calf-high laced-up boots. Initially, leather boots were used as protection for the feet and legs from extreme weather and rough terrain. Thus, their first users were horseback riders and military personnel. At the start of the 17^th century, leather boots began to be used as everyday wear. During this time, the boots’ functionality was enhanced and many more fashionable styles were designed.

Popular Styles

At present there are an almost infinite variety of leather boots available in websites that sell wholesale shoes, or in the nearest shoe store in your area. Different brands of leather boots come in various sizes and styles. They can be ankle length, cut up to the mid-calf, knee-high, mid-thigh, and even thigh high boots. Heel size can range from flat heels to very high heels measuring five inches. Toes can either be round, square-shaped, pointed, or open.

While colors like black and brown are popular, boots can nevertheless bought in many other colors. Different styles include ankle boots, lace-up boots, motorcycle boots, riding boots, cowboy boots. They can come with accessories such as fringe, snakeskin, studs, zippers, and fur. They can be worn almost anywhere a woman wants to step foot – at home, at work, at a party, at church, at a club, any many other locations. Most leather boots offer protection against rain and snow. As a rule of thumb, the more stylish it is, the less likely it will be waterproof.

Proper Care

It is not that expensive to take care of leather boots, but you just have to be diligent with it by maintaining it regularly. Even if worn every week, leather boots can last for years if you clean them at regular intervals. Shoe care oil, a brush, and a boot dryer would be the handy things you will need to clean your pair. If course, you may need a reliable shoe repair person or cobbler in case your boots need repair.    

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Increase the Value of Your Wholesale Shoes

 The common perception with selling items in bulk like wholesale shoes for women is that you are providing customers with affordable products, but not really high in the way of value and quality. You will get a lot of comments from customers saying that shoes that are sold in bulk are cheap and therefore, can easily get damaged. You know as a businessman that this mentality is not always correct. Wholesale shoes are affordable because of the quantity you have brought them, driving their process down. But it doesn't automatically mean that they are poor in quality.

Knowing that your products have that kind of reputation, you need to known how to add value to them. That way, you can proudly offer them without being on the defensive all the time. But how is value added in products, anyway?

Here are some tricks in increasing the value of your wholesale shoes :

Brand

A brand should be created, then established, and then promoted.  Anything unknown or has no distinct identity scares consumers. It does not have to be a high-end brand. You don’t need to lie to customers. Just put a brand to your merchandise and cement its reputation by offering products that are affordable but have sterling quality.

Price

After setting an affordable introductory price, jack your price up, as higher-priced products are more often than not, associated with superior quality. This will definitely take time, so make sure that when you are in the introductory stages of your price, that the quality is really top-notch so that by the time you will increase your prices, you have your customers hook, line, and sinker.

Alliances

Endorsements and associations with established personalities gives products credibility and in turn, value. These personalities, especially if they have credibility and a reputation for the finer things in life, will jack up the profile of your product.

After-sales service

Excellent customer support is a must-have for legitimate businesses. There is nothing that says “credibility” and “legitimacy” then letting customers have ways of reaching you or improving their products. For example, is a customer has a broken hell on her shoe, how can she have it repaired? If your company assists customers like her, she and the rest of the consuming public will think your company is top-notch. 

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Don’t Delay the Success of Your Wholesale Shoes Business

Do you find yourself with a brilliant idea like a wholesale shoes business only to be stalled by none other than yourself? Do your plans always end up as nothing more than plans? Are your pipe dreams left in the pipe? Can you see any fruition of your to-do-list? There’s a huge chance you are one big procrastinator.

While it is true that being confident in doing great things at the last minute and holding off matters for later can have its advantages (are there?), the disadvantages of procrastinating always end up outweighing them. The thing is, while you are taking your sweet time delaying matters, someone may already be sneaking behind you and doing the exact thing you are planning. In the end, you end up being too late for the party!

For example, if you are thinking of getting your plans of putting your shoes business online and you keep on delaying it, there's a huge possibility that someone else somewhere in the world also has the same idea, but is not wasting any time and has his  business website up tomorrow. While you have finally mustered the motivation and urge to start your project, that other businessman has already established a market. That's a good number of customers less from you.

So, how can you avoid procrastinating and have your wholesale business plans up and running before anyone else beats you to it? 

Here are some points to consider to be successful in the Shoe Industry:

• Procrastinators tend to delay mainly because of being overwhelmed.  Work for them should be broken to smaller chunks.

If you find yourself staring at a very long to-do list and thinking, "This is too much. Let me have a vacation first," then snap out of it. Break down even your to-do list into a more manageable list. Have 3 items on each piece of paper. You'll see yourself more motivated because you are "on a roll" with finishing your much shortened lists.

• Procrastinators tend to be easily bored.  A change of environment can excite them.

Try to work somewhere you will be "pressured" to. Go to a coffee shop or a library once in a while where everybody is focused on working. You'll find yourself embarrassed as you're just doodling around, wasting time. Besides, there's always something new to look at in a different place, so that's something to make you less bored.

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