Your Wholesale Shoe Supplier: 5 Things You Need to Know

Did you think buying shoes from any wholesaler marks the end of your search for a reliable shoe supplier? Then you’re wrong.

When it comes to online businesses, it’s important to take extra caution in finding the right suppliers for your shop. The internet is a very tricky place to establish a business and if you’re too trusting, you might find yourself losing more money than you thought you would. So before you enter any agreement with a shoe supplier and buy wholesale women’s shoes, you need to know these 5 things first.

1. Company name and business address 

Before you enter a business contract with a wholesale supplier, you need to know who you’re dealing with first. Who are they? How did they begin their business? The more you know about the business you’re dealing with, the more you’ll feel safer about making your payments. Never forget to learn about your supplier. If you do, you might end up dealing with an online scammer.

2. Available feedback channels

If you really want to feel a little safer with your chosen wholesale supplier, always find time to look for any feedback about the company. Many people post reviews and feedback about online suppliers. Look in forums or make a Google search for feedback. By reading testimonials about the business you’re dealing with, you know how the company works with their clients and you have an idea of how to approach them.

3. Terms and conditions 

This is one of the biggest mistakes of starter retail sellers. They forget to read the terms and conditions of their suppliers. This is very important because there are some terms and conditions mentioned that may be essential once you've bought your items from them. Do they conduct return and exchange programs? Will they replace items that have been damaged due to shipping? These are the things you find out just by reading the terms and conditions. This set of rules will help you determine the responsibilities of your supplier. If the supplier happens to fall short with their promises, you can always make a complain using their terms and conditions.

4. Discounts or special partnerships

As a retail seller, you need to be on the lookout for good deals. Discounts and special partnerships will help you gain advantage over the possibilities for your profit. If your supplier offers special discounts, use them to get more products for a lower price. The better relationship you build with your supplier, the better for your business.

5. The products they sell 

Last, but never the least, always make the point to know about the products sold by your supplier. Are they made of quality materials? Are they from branded companies? Were they described well? If your supplier sells good products, then you've chosen a good supplier to buy from.

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How to Make Your Wholesale Shoes Business Safe

Prevention is better than cure, so goes the adage. As a wholesale shoes entrepreneur, you should know that this maxim does not only apply to one’s health. It also applies to business. Awareness and early preparation are your key defenses against business fraud. You may think that no one would want to prey on you especially if yours is just a start up shoe enterprise but think again. You are, in fact, more vulnerable because you do not have established safety and security protocols to safeguard your business.

When it comes to the safety and security of your livelihood, you can never be too prepared. So, here are some tips to help you protect your wholesale shoes business from fraud and other unscrupulous elements.

1. Get insurance for your business. 

Home-based or small-time wholesale shoes entrepreneurs may fall into the trap of thinking that their business is small enough to not need insurance. This is a security risk that you need to address. Depending on the kind of coverage that you want and the budget that you are willing to allot to it, there are different kinds of insurance policies you can get for your business. You can choose between a business owner’s policy (which has a broader coverage) or an in-home business policy (which is an “in-between” between a homeowner’s policy and a business policy). Talk to your insurance specialist about your options.

2. Back up. 

You've heard about students and writers “backing up” their important files. Here’s news for you. As an entrepreneur, you can also back up your shoe pieces online. Aside from keeping hard copies of your important business files, you can utilize free online tools such as Google Docs for your documents, Flickr for saving photos of your wholesale shoes items, and bookmarking sites such as Delicious for constantly visited webpages. Of course, it is important to save your business files in removable file saving devices such as flash drives and external hard disks. These are ideal for “grab and go” situations.

3. Listen to your gut feel. 

If you have a bad feeling about a customer or a supplier, act on it. Double check their credentials and ask around. Check the Internet for well-known scams and join online communities.

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How to Keep Your Brick and Mortar Business Afloat

The most common trend in business nowadays is to make it big online. Everyone’s goal seems to gain a huge following for their e-business sites, which means brick and mortar businesses may not get the attention they badly need. So, how do you return the fervor not to mention more customers to your physical store?

Here are some ways to be Successful in your Brick and Mortar Business:   

Fight fire with fire by getting customers online to your store.

A lot of businesses have setup online stores without seeing the need to have a physical store to sell their goods.  If you are on the other side of the fence and have a brick and mortar store and don’t have an online one, then it is time to go for it.  Going online is the trend for retail stores nowadays.  You can use social media sites like Facebook and Instagram to sell your wares.  It is simple, easy to use and best of all, can reach out to a lot of your potential customers.

Give customers more reasons to visit your store.

Marketing your products online is one way of enticing your customers to visit your store.  You can use your online accounts to market what you have on your store.  You can also post promotions on your wholesale shoes online or have additional discounts for store purchases so that people would know and have a reason to visit your store. 

Make coming to your store more convenient. 

Make sure your store’s location is somewhere where people can easily go to.  Before settling down on a location and dealing with the owner for the rent, check if the place is easily accessible by transportation.   Also, check on the surrounding areas if it is beneficial for your business.  If the place has existing foot traffic on going, then the location is good.

Provide visiting customers the total shopping experience.

A great shopping experience is something that you can offer which online stores can’t.  Work on this and make this your ace for your shoppers.  Giving your shoppers the chance to try out the pairs on your wholesale shoes, shirts and dresses is an experience that will make the shoppers go for your products.  People want to touch and feel what they are buying.  You can also offer some refreshments like drinks and cookies for your shoppers. 

Image source: Dezeen, Canada.com

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Welcome 2014 with a Bang! Tips for Small business and Startup Entrepreneurs

Another year means another set of challenges. And while most of us are busy wrapping up our year and celebrating everything we had in the past, it’s also the perfect time to think ahead and welcome a new beginning.

New trends, new economic activities, new business goals – the year ahead has a lot in store for us, but whether or not it can work to our advantage depends on how well we prepare for the best. If you are a wholesale shoes business owner or a start up shoe retailer, starting the year right can affect the direction and the success of your business in the next year. Make 2014 your best year ever by planning ahead, learning from the past, and keeping yourself updated about the industry.

Here is short of list of things you can do to keep your business running at full speed this year of the horse.

1. Have a Clean Slate

Welcome the New Year with a clear mind by getting rid of unfinished business before the year ends. Pay your employees, settle dues and bills, and clear out seasonal inventory. Make sure all your transactions are completed and time bound projects are finished before planning for the next set of activities for your business. This will help you gain more perspective and clearer view instead of carrying past problems to the next few months.

2. Get rid of clutter in your store

After the chaos and the stress of the Holiday season, allot a certain day or time when you can close down the store for a round of thorough cleaning. You can get rid of clutter, throw away discarded boxes and clear shelf away from damaged shoes or . After all the unnecessary items are taken away, you will surprised how much your shoe store has and you can have more space for new collection.

3. Update tools and equipment

Do you have tools or other items in your store that need to be replaced or repaired? Take time to update your shoe display shelves or window display to suit the season. Check the conditions of equipment being used to ensure safety and security of your store. Make sure your wholesale shoes business is ready to accommodate new customers and improve the quality of service to further your brand in the year ahead.

Look forward to a more fruitful and successful days ahead and prepare your business for the challenges of the coming year.

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3 Habits That Are Hurting Your Shoe Business

It’s always there but sometimes it’s hard to notice the small things that are negatively affecting your business. These small bad habits can hinder productivity in your business and can even turn off your potential customers. If you've noticed something off about your wholesale shoes business or retail shoe store, it’s time to reconsider your everyday habit that might affect your business.

When you’re finally able to pinpoint the cause of problem, you can easily take the necessary steps to minimize its effect in your business.

Take a look below and see if you've been doing these little things that affect the quality of your business.

1. Not Communicating With Your Staffs

No matter what kind of business you have, it’s important that you maintain an open communication line with your store staffs. This will make planning and execution of different marketing programs easier and can help avoid loss of sales for your shoe store. Good communication can also help your staffs perform better especially when you are not around to supervise them.

2. Being disorganized and untidy

Customers will come over and try different pairs of shoes before they finally make a purchase. They often won’t consider putting everything back to where they get it that your store will eventually become a mishmash of pumps, sandals and boots. Train your staffs on how to keep your store organized as much as possible and install shoe shelves that can make organizing shoe display a lot easier.

3. Overpricing

Do you sell your shoes at competitive price? Are other shoe stores in your area put it on the same price? If you've been over pricing your products just to get more sales, you will eventually lose a large number of your costumer. Make sure that all your product and services are rightly priced to fit the purchasing ability of your customers. Go for small and fast revenue than big yet slow sales.

There are other things that might be hindering the success of your shoe business. Take note of your small everyday practices that needs improvement and decide on different ways to address it.

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Work Your Way to a Successful Shoe Store this Holiday Season

Few days from now, we will experience an increase in foot traffic in shopping centers and department stores in different parts of the country. This, along with the installation of colorful decorations and playing of Christmas songs on the radio, is just another sign that Holiday season is officially here. If you’re a wholesale shoes store owner or a local shoe retailer, this season is a great opportunity to make more sales and build connections with your customers.

However, making the Holiday season fruitful for your business takes a lot of preparation and hard work. But with the right planning and execution, you will eventually realize that everything is really worth it. Have your businesses running in full gear and take advantage of this season. Here are some tips to help you work your way this holiday season.

Be Organized

I know it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the sea of people visiting your wholesale shoes store this Holiday season that is why it is even more important to have everything organized. Make sure to organize your display according to what ladies may need most and include a label and tag price clearly to make shopping easier for your customers.

Update your Marketing Tools

Are you using brochures, flyers or social media for your business? Take time to update your promotional tools to fit the mood and the season. Remember to keep your company information accurate and free of any typographical error. Holiday season is a great opportunity to promote your business so you can establish connection that can help you get through even to the off peak season.

Be aware of the trends

Fashion is always changing. What worked last year may not work for your shoe store this year. Keep yourself updated with the trends by reading blogs, looking at different fashion websites or keeping an eye on popular personalities and fashion icon. If you’re going to look online, you will see a lot of fashionable yet affordable women’s wholesale shoes that can fit your store this season.

Watch out for competitors

Know thy enemies. Take note of their holiday promos, how they reach their target market and how they price their shoes. This will give you a clear guide on what to do in your shoe store and how well you do in the competition. Although business is all about providing the best product and services, knowing who and what your competitors do can help you do better in this industry.

Whatever you plan to do this season, remember that your efforts must result to a long term success for your business. Don't forget to enjoy your holidays!

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Keeping the Thanksgiving Spirit Alive: Tips for Small Businesses

It’s the time of the year again to say our thanks and gather with friends and family to appreciate everything we have in our lives. For businesses, it’s also a great time to appreciate your loyal customers and supporters through great discounts, freebies and special promos. However, as people realize the value of shopping during the thanksgiving, it slowly becomes the center of the celebration and becomes more commercial driven just like Valentines or Holidays.

Photo Source: Flickr User ChellebelleCards

On the other hand, we cannot deny how thanksgiving season can easily help wholesale shoe businesses establish relationship with their customers in different ways. But to keep the celebration sincere and exciting, it’s important to keep your customers in mind rather than thinking of the income that you can get from this celebration. Here are some of the things that you can do to make this day special for everyone.

Create a Marketing Plan

Make your thanksgiving run smoothly by carefully laying down your plans including the details of your promos. Determine what you will do to spend this day and who will be the recipient of your programs. You must also decide on how much you’re going to spend on this day and come up with a way to maximize your money. Remember that it’s not about how grand your promo is but how you use it to establish better connections with your customers.

Photo Source: Flickr.com  Tammy Hobbs

Make it Personal

Do you own a business selling wholesale women’s shoes and accessories? You can make the experience extra special by creating a personalized thanksgiving tags, shoe boxes, or packaging for your loyal customers. Handmade tags and DIY card can be made easily by following simple step by step guides online and can be done with your staffs and crews. Write a personal note to send out to your customers rather than lifting from a quote found in the internet.

Be Unique

Every other business around you will surely have their thanksgiving promos that sometimes people will no longer notice any difference. To make your Thanksgiving Day special, you can device a unique way to celebrate it through games, video presentations or through limited time offers to create a great impression to your customers. Highlight the things you are thankful of for the past years and appreciate all those who helped you run your business from the staffs, wholesale shoes suppliers and customers.

When celebrating this special day, it’s best to keep it simple and sincere. No need to have grand promos and programs. Just sincerely thank everyone around you and enjoy this special day.

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Adding Sparkles to Your Holiday Shoes with Gold Metallic Accent

Looking for a statement piece to wear on your Holiday parties and special events? I’m sure that by this time, you’re already excited to shop for the most fashionable shoes to pair with your outfit. Here at Ceriwholesale, we strive to give you the best selection of wholesale women’s shoes that you can enjoy wearing anytime of the year.

For the holiday season, we have gathered together a wide variety of footwear that can look stunning on your feet and will add more energy to your outfit. In this article, we will feature different pairs of shoes that are made even more gorgeous by gold metallic accent. Read on and take a look at different shoes we have prepared especially for you.

Red Flat Shoes with Gold Pointed Toe

Enjoy the holiday cheer with a comfortable pair of red flat shoes. Made even more appealing with gold cap toe, you can wear it in casual parties and weekend family events.

Women Single Sole Heels

Wearing high heeled shoes with your favorite party dress is a must when attending parties and formal events. Make your outfit shine with a splash of gold on your footwear. The chic combination of gold metallic and pink in these wholesale single sole pumps will surely set your mood for a great night of partying with friends or officemates. 

Black Single Sole Pumps

Show off your feet with these black single sole pumps with gold strap. Enjoy a foot spa before your holiday big event and paint your nails with interesting designs. This will highlight the beauty of your feet and be the envy of other girls in the party.

Ballerina Flats

Another fashionable flat shoe that you can find here in Ceriwholesale is this ballerina flats in sea foam color. It creates an energetic twist to your holiday outfit and can brighten up your mood despite the chilly weather this season. Enjoy partying all night long without complaining about feet sores because this ballerina shoes promise to give you comfort and support you need for your holiday parties.

With these shoe collection, you can have as much fun as you want this holiday season.

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Time Management Tips for Shoe Store Owners

As a small business owner, how do you really manage your time? Do you find yourself stuck with a long list of things to do but find so little time to fulfill those tasks? When you’re into managing your wholesale shoes business, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with a lot of things to do, but how you manage your time and how well you deal with everyday works will mean a lot to your success and growth.

At this of the year, the holiday rush will be kicking in and you need to come up with a way to effectively budget your time. Check out this list of things to do to manage your business.

1.     Set your goals and priorities

Listing down your goals gives your business a clear direction. It makes it easier for you to set up plans based on what you want to achieve for the month or for the whole year. It’s also important to set your priorities so you will know which projects need to be done first and how much time you have to allocate for the completion of a certain task.

2.     Delegate Tasks

There are reasons why we need to hire efficient employees. We need to delegate some tasks to make sure that each will be fulfilled effectively and on time. Assign different persons in your company to work on the projects you have in mind and talk to them about your plans and expectations. Remember that you don’t have to do everything to run your business. All you need is a great leadership skill and staff members who are willing to help you.

3.     Create routines

Determine the works that needs to be done daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly and create a system that will let you cover your tasks easily. Establish a process which you can easily follow day in and day out so you won’t forget anything. Schedule your day to day activities to monthly activities and include simple routines that will help you perform your job easier.

4.     Write it down

When our mind is full of worries, we tend to be forgetful of other things and focus ourselves on the things that concern us most. Avoid being stuck by writing down your plans, meetings, appointments with your wholesale women’s shoes suppliers and other stake holders to keep your mind clutter free all day.

5.     Be organized

Having a well organized store and work station lets you think clearly and work efficiently. Keep your store organized from your displays, inventory and stocks to make sure that all tasks can be fulfilled without unnecessary interruptions.

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The Dos and Don’ts of Handling Customer Complaints in Your Shoe Store

Every once in a while, any kind of business will encounter a customer who aren’t pleased with a product or services she get. That’s completely inevitable. Like we always say when we’re faced with difficult situations, we can’t really please everybody. But in wholesale women’s shoe business, handling a complaining shopper is crucial to the image of the company and the overall shopping experience of your customers.

The way your company responds to complaints can have a great impact in your business. Train your shoe store staffs about the proper way of dealing with your costumers and make them aware of the proper procedure of handling complaints so you can properly address it before it escalates.

Here are some Dos and Don’ts of handling dissatisfied customers.

Do: Listen and Listen well

Most of the time, when people voice out their complaints, some store owners tend to be defensive about their business that they fail to sincerely listen to their customers. Sometimes, just staying calm and hearing out your customers can make a lot of difference. Understand their valid points and acknowledge that they have the right to complain if they find anything unsatisfying about the shoes she purchased. 

Don’t: Get into an Argument

Arguing will get you nowhere and may even damage your relationship with customers permanently. Most of the time, a customer will only complain because something made her rightfully upset and dealing with an upset person can be a little tricky. Always try to keep your cool and try not to get into an argument you cannot resolve.

Do: Go the extra mile to resolve complaints

Addressing complaints can go for hours and can even jeopardize your whole business transactions. However, this is not enough reason to just shove off the complainants and play deaf about their concerns. Instead, if they complain about a wrong shoe size or damaged product, make them feel better by giving the extra attention and going extra mile about their requests. This way you can make a great opportunity to build customer relationship out of her complaints.

Don’t: Think it’s no big deal

We all try to provide quality customer service, we get our supplies from a reputable wholesale shoes store and we’re pretty confident about the quality of our products. But the thing is, there are some people that will complain one way or another. And even if that complain only comes from one person, it doesn’t mean that you can’t just shrug it off and ignore it. You don’t want to have your name in review sites and see how bad you handle a customer complain all over the internet.

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Building a Good Business Relationship with Your Wholesale Shoes Supplier

Having a successful business is just a fruit of having a healthy relationship with your customers, your business partners as well as you suppliers. If you’re willing to communicate properly and engage with the people in your business, all the transactions within your company will be smooth and easy.

photo source: ellaandlouise.com

We all know how important it is to find professional and reliable wholesale shoes suppliers. But when you find supplier that is easy to work with and has the ability to deliver on time, you should know how to keep them and treat them like a rare treasure. Working hard in building a relationship with your suppliers can help you do more and succeed more in your shoe business.

Learn how to build a successful business relationship with your suppliers with these tips.

1. Keep communication lines open

1. It’s no surprise how words can make or break any kind of relationship including a business-supplier relationship. Make sure to establish a good communication between you and your sales person to minimize delays and other misunderstandings. Keep them on the loop about your key products, promos and new personnel.

2. Give reasonable lead time

2. It is always important to set realistic schedule and reasonable demands when transacting with your wholesale women’s shoes supplier. As much as possible, place your order in advance especially before the peak season. Keep them abreast with any significant changes and always try to be courteous when dealing with any supplier.

3. Pay on time

Being a good customer means paying your dues on time. This good habit can definitely build confidence between you and your suppliers. If you want to negotiate about payment terms, be honest and upfront about it. Doing this is better than playing games with your suppliers. If you know how to pay on time, your business partners will treat you with more confidence and work to give you what you need as much as possible.

Building a good business relationship with your suppliers is a good investment that can help you succeed in your business. Take time to communicate with your suppliers and address them with respect when it is due. These little efforts can come a long way in achieving your business goals.

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Prepare Your Shoe Business for the Fall Season with This To-Do List

Successful business owners are always ahead of the game. And since we’re almost over with summer, it’s time to be working on your plans and business goals this new season. If you want to continue the success you experienced in your shoe store this summer or need to devise new strategies to be on top of the competition, this is a best time to do so.

People these days are starting to look forward to the changes in the fashion scene and are excited to bring new items into their wardrobe. To keep the momentum going, make sure every aspect of your business is ready to provide your customers the best shopping experience they will ever wish for this season.

Here’s a short to do list to jump start your preparation.

1. Plan efficient and exciting marketing strategies

A good marketing campaign can open the season with a bang for your business. Inform your customers about this season’s trendy items, discount programs, or promotional events so they will have something to look forward to in the coming weeks and months. This will build up their interest and anticipation that they will be watching over the things that you will offer every day.

2. Order Fresh Stocks

Want to add special items on your shoe racks? Call your wholesale shoes supplier and get those trendy pairs. Make sure that all your orders will come on time and in their best condition. If you believe something will sell out fast, make sure you order enough inventories to meet the needs of your loyal customers.

3. Create a Fantastic Shoe Display

The way you display your shoes can affect the way your customers see your products. Choose the items that need to be highlighted and the shoes that need to be put on sale. Display it such an attractive way that it can be easily noticed by the people who will step inside your store. If you have a window display, this is also the best time to prep it up.

4. Update Your Social Media Pages and Website

This to do list doesn't end with just some off line duties. Keep your online presence felt by regularly updating your website and social media pages. You can use it in promoting your new arrivals and latest promos. Visit the website of other popular wholesale shoes store and get inspiration on how to update your online portfolio.

With proper planning you can be sure that your business will be successful no matter what the season is.

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Increase Sales by Understanding this Season's Shoe Trends

If you’re going to look at lifestyle websites or popular fashion blogs you will notice how even weeks before next season begin, ladies are now looking at what’s going to be trendy and fashionable. Going with the trends give most ladies great satisfaction and self confidence that they often depend their choices to what is considered to be popular among ladies their age.

This customer behavior can affect the way things are done when it comes to business. For shoe retailers, for example, fashion trends can affect the business from the way you purchase wholesale shoes, to product pricing, down to promotional activities and advertising strategies. Trends have direct or indirect impact on your business and the sooner you understand it, the better you can use it to your advantage.

Trend Awareness

Fashion trends changes a lot depending on the season, popular events or special holidays. Keeping yourself well informed about the changes in style, designs or materials used in women’s shoes can help you make an informed decision when it comes to the products that you are selling.

The internet, particularly the social media is a great source of information about the latest in fashion industry. Observing what most women are wearing on the streets and to the workplace can help you have a better understanding of what customers what and need.

Trends and Competition

Having the ability to spot an on going trend can give you the edge against your competitors in shoe business and can increase customer loyalty in the long run. However, you should also learn to distinguish fads vs. trends. Investing on products based on fads can be detrimental for your business and would mean you have to sell some shoes at half the price by the time they don’t seem appealing to your customers anymore.

On the other hand, there are some fashion trends that are so popular that they become a must have for almost anyone. When this happen, it becomes an essential part of people’s wardrobe causing trends to last for months or even few years. This will give you a chance to sell a particular product in a long period of time.

If you are knowledgeable about certain fashion trend people will come up to you and will consider your store as the go to place for trendiest shoes. Keep yourself updated with trends and how it will affect the lifestyle of your costumers. This way you will find a way to create more income with the latest in fashion industry.   

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End Summer Season with a Bang: Tips on Having a Successful Clearance Sale

They say time flies when you’re having fun and when it comes to shoes, I’m sure our lady customers had a great time while traveling with their colorful sandals and comfy sneakers. But now that we only have few weeks left before summer is officially over, this is the best time to stir up your shoe business and prepare for another exciting season.

Before we officially bring in boots and sweaters, why not use the remaining sun shiny days to clear your shelves off the seasonal items. Prepare your store for an end of season sale or clearance sale as a way to move summer footwear but also as a way to treat your loyal customers.

To help you run a successful clearance sale, here are some quick tips that you can use.

1. Plan ahead

Consider the items that you want to put on sale and the best way to mark down its price. Create an inventory of all your seasonal wholesale shoes and think of a way to make it more appealing to customers. Also consider the terms of your discount sale, if it is open to every one or to just some of your customers who has a loyalty card. Consider the date of your clearance sale and make sure that it falls on a weekend closest to the payday to make sure that most of your customer can enjoy the discounted shoes.

2. Promote it through ads and social media

Let your customers know in advance about your upcoming clearance sale. This will create an anticipation among your customer and will give them enough time to save up money for brand new pair of shoes, make sure that your customers are well informed about it and encourage them to help spread out the word if ever possible.

3. Bundle dead inventory with good products

One key in making your clearance sale is having a bundle deal. Pair a slow moving item with your best sellers or bundle up two products and sell it at great discount. This will not only speed up sales but will also allow your customers to buy two shoes at the price of one.

End this season with a fun and exciting clearance sale!

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Visual Merchandising: How to Make Your Shoe Display More Appealing to Customers

With the advent of supermarkets and specialty stores, visual merchandising has been one of the important factors that affect the success of a shoe business. Whether it is for trade shows or for a physical wholesale shoes store, it is important to have a well thought shoe display that can highlight the uniqueness of your products and give customers the reasons why they should go for it.

Visual merchandising is often referred to as the art of trend and lifestyle presentation. It’s a marketing technique that uses strong visual messages to stimulate the customer’s perception and emotional response. A visually appealing display can positively affect customer’s purchase behavior leading to increase in sales and stronger brand image.

Consider the following visual merchandising guidelines for displaying your shoe in the most fashionable way.

Target a Specific Niche

Having a clear vision on who is your target niche will give you an idea on how you can display your wholesale shoes. If you are selling dressy shoes and your target market is middle aged women, you must keep your display neat, elegant and classy. But if you are after teens and young professionals, keeping your store fresh looking, trendy and fashionable is the way to be easily noticed by your target market.

Group Items Strategically

Sort items by brand, style and function in a more organized way. This way, customers can comfortably navigate around your store making it easier to pick and decide what shoes to buy.

Choose Attractive Store Fixtures

Don’t just go for a typical shoe shelf if you want to communicate with your customers better. Think of a store fixtures that can complement the style and designs of your shoes. Use these to create a mood that can help buyers enjoy their time inside your store. Remember to space out fixtures as to avoid getting store too crowded.

Keep price tags and labels accurate

You can also use labels to help customers distinguish shoe based on their size, colors and materials. Make sure that these labels are accurate as well the prizes of each shoe that are on display.

Ready to give your store a makeover? Use this advice to give your store a new look.

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Challenge Accepted: Finding the Right Shoe for Your Customers

Women tend to buy shoes more than what they need, switch style based on the season and change preference as they age. These things make shoe buying experience exciting and daunting for some ladies. And when they need a new pair of shoes, they most likely need your help in finding the perfect fit.

As soon as a customer walks inside your store, you must put it as goal to find a shoe that will meet her needs and expectation. It is a challenge that should be met with enthusiasm and open minded. Start with making your store more shopping friendly by having easy to reach shoe shelves, chairs, sizing charts and mirrors. This way the customers will not be intimidated to step inside and give your shoes a try.

Start with a Clear Target Market

Aiming to find the perfect shoe for your customers means that you know and understand clearly who is your target market so you’ll able to present your shoes specifically for them. If you’re selling dress shoes or evening shoes, make sure that your store display is more classy and elegant. Or if you’re selling everyday wholesale casual shoes, make sure the lighting are brighter and the mood more relaxed. This will help you showcase your products to the right target market instead of having people look for everything in your store and ending up finding nothing.

Keep it Trendy

The next thing that you must consider in able to give your customer the best when it comes to their footwear is having the right products to sell in your store. It is important to keep your product inventory updated with the trends and equipped with the classics. If you have wide variety of wholesale women's shoes, it means you have greater chances of being able to provide for your customers.

Train Your Staff to Win

Being successful in anything requires training. And if you have a group of sales person running around your shoe store, it is important to make sure that they undergo extensive customer service program. This should give them a guideline on how to deal with customers even with the difficult ones. Knowledge is power so make sure that they clearly understand what they are selling including the terms, the basic shoe buying tips and feet measuring techniques.

Have Variety of Products

Having different sizes of the same style is a must for shoe stores but having some pairs that slightly differs from one another in style or materials also are a great thing. So the next time someone comes up to you and says she wants this pair of shoes but she can’t find the pair that fits her, you can instantly come up to her and suggest an alternative. If you can suggest different shoes for her, chances are she will buy more than one pair of shoes and that is a plus for your sales for that day.

With these techniques and the right training, you will soon be able to learn how to look for the right pair of shoes for your customers easily. In just a short while you’ll see improvement in your business and women will leave your store, walking happily with their new shoes.

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Why Helping Your Customers Find their Perfectly Fitted Shoes Matters

Let’s admit it. It’s never easy to find a pair of shoes that is perfectly fitted on our feet. In a shoe store, we often find women trying out different pairs of shoes looking for something that will fit their size, budget, lifestyle and preference. Often with a real intention of buying, they will ask for different styles, colors and sizes and look all over your store just to find “the one”. However, after all the fitting, they will somehow leave your store disheartened and empty handed.

This is where your ability as a shoe retailer comes in. You must realize that your success in this business comes in helping your customers find their best pair of shoes. While it is almost impossible to convince everyone who comes inside your shoe store to make a purchase, encouraging them and helping them find the right pair can absolutely help you create a name in this industry. But how important really is it to help your customers find the perfect fit?

Customer Service

Most of the times, ladies are willing to spend cash to their shoes and except for some budget conscious women, they are usually willing to pay for the shopping experience that they can get from a shoe store. So if you can offer the best customer service, chances are, women will prefer you over your competitors that sell cheaper shoes. Attend to their needs, answer their queries, deliver their items quickly and they will surely remember your little ways of serving them.

  

Brand Loyalty

Women will always look for style and comfort when it comes to their shoes. And if you’re able to help them find exactly just that, they will surely come back for more. As women realize the quality of your products and services, brand loyalty will be easily established. The best thing about is that, they can even recommend your store to their friends or family. Sooner or later, you will start to get to know your customers as they become your loyal. By this time, you'll be more able to help them in keeping their shoe collection fresh and updated.

More than the Purchase

As a shoe retailer, you must also remember that the products you sell will be a part of your customers’ daily activities. They will walk in their sneakers, dress with their evening pumps or go to work in their wedges. Making your staff understand this will make them help your customers not just for the sake of higher sales but out of genuine concern. Once your customer feels that you know how to value your patrons, they will definitely come back the next time they need to shop for shoes.

So the next time someone walks in your store, try your best to find the pair that will actually be useful for your customers. Soon, all the efforts will pay off an you will see the result of unparalleled shopping experience.

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Store Signage: Talk to Your Customers the Right Way

When it comes to shoe store signage, there is handful of ways to get your messages to customers creatively. However, more often than not, businessmen use unclear and vague ways to send out the things that they want to say. As a result, customers become confused and inhibited in trying out certain products just because of poorly written store signage.

image from doyourpart.com

When done correctly, you can maximize your efforts in creating effective store signage and experience increased sales in just a short period of time. But how do you really know if you’re signage is effective and catchy?

Short and to the point

There are messages that use 20 words but can be improved and summarize just by using 10 or so words. Avoid using flowery and unfamiliar words in describing new shoe products. Keep it short and straight to the point. This way you can get your message across before your customers turn to something else. Especially when the competition is tight and you are surrounded by other wholesale shoestores, short and catchy messages can give you a considerable edge against your competitors.

image from victoriaadvocate.com

Use easy to read fonts

Since your goal is to have your store signs readable in the shortest possible time, simple bold fonts can greatly help in creating your messages. Make sure that the colors as well as the materials used in creating your store signs all contribute in creating a catchy message.

Keep it Personal

Using “you” or “your” helps in making messages more personal and communicative. Talk to them like an old friend or someone who understand their needs when it comes to fashionable footwear. Promote new shoes through messages that will make them imagine how it is to wear your brands. This way they will feel more connected to your store and your products.

Have fun

Fashion is made for women who love to enjoy great things as well as trendy yet affordable wholesale women’s shoes. Create messages that can reflect your customer’s lifestyle and fashion sense. Make jokes or witty lines part of your signage and create lasting impression.

Test your signs

After putting up a new store sign or posters, it is important to check if you can get your desired effect. Walk in front of your store or try reading it from longer distance to see if it is still readable. Ask your friends or staffs for their opinion and make the necessary adjustment when needed.

Lastly, the key to effective store signs is by being imaginative and creative. Remember also that your signage main goal is to get people into buying your products so it must tell them why they need to make a purchase. Play around and keep your store signs fresh. Sooner or later, you’ll know what works for your target market as you understand them better along the way. 

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Shoe Business 2013: Keeping up with the trend

Most part of the country is beginning to warm up for spring. Because of this, shoe lovers all over are most likely to be in search for the perfect shoes that go well with the season. If you’re a shoe retailer or store owner, now is the perfect time to make sure that all your stocks are updated and follows the latest trends.

Keeping up with the trends makes your store a go to place for ladies who love changing their shoes depending on what’s in and what’s hot. Although trends come and go in fashion world, it can still greatly benefit your business if you know how to feature the latest shoe trends in your store.

How to be updated with the trends

The time it takes for a trend to go from runways to the streets has dramatically decreased because of the presence of social media and photo sharing platforms such as Lookbook and Pinterest. If you want to be updated with what shoes women are wearing this season, you can easily do so with just a simple click on your computer. Read blogs, online fashion magazines or look at what celebrities are wearing because sooner or later, your costumers will start looking for the same fashion items.

Emphasize your latest collection

If you decided to include the latest women’s shoe collection on your display, don’t forget to do simple things that will get your stocks noticed easily. Put a signage next to the shoe shelf announcing your latest collection and ask you staffs to suggest it to the incoming buyers.

Also make sure that you only purchase the kind of shoes that most likely to fit the lifestyle of your customers and the culture of your location. Research how each trend is best worn and how to style a particular shoe, so you can give a sound suggestion if ever your customers ask for help. Look for shoes that you personally believe will look good on them to make sure that each pair will be sold easily.

Discount Promo

Since a trendy item can sell like hot potato, you can also take this opportunity to sell more pairs by doing discount promos like buy 1 get the second pair at half the price or other promos with similar mechanics. This will encourage budget conscious ladies to shop for shoes without having to break the bank. This is also a good opportunity to sell the slow selling items in your inventory.

Keeping up with the trends can be tricky sometimes, but if you know how to use the trends in your advantage, you can definitely use it to further improve your sales and brand image.


How about you? How do you keep your shoe store up to date? Do you follow the trends or sticks with the classics? Let us know your thoughts. 

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3 Ways to Make Your Shoe Store Spring Ready

After months of wearing snow boots, thick fur coats and sweaters, we are now ready to enjoy some warmth brought to us by spring season. The best thing about it is that, shoe shoppers all over town can have all the time they need to enjoy their spring shoes or better yet, buy new pairs or booties or pumps!

If you are a shoe store owner or a retailer, today is the right time to buy new stocks and prepare for that big spring sale. But first of all, let us give your store some makeover to make sure that your store is totally ready for spring. Here are 5 simple ways to give your business some spring vibe.

Buy New Stocks

Contact your supplier for new batch of fashionable wholesale shoes and line up your store with floral shoes, chunky heels and transparent footwear. Shoes in emerald green are also hot this season so make sure to include that on your shoe shelf.

Colorful shoes in neon green, zesty lemon or poppy red can be a great addition to your shoe stocks. Sexy footwear with metallic accent can also capture ladies’ attention.

If you think tall boots are out, cute booties can still be a great pair for your spring dress and skinny jeans.

Show them how to wear it

Putting posters of cool spring outfit can give your customers some idea on how to fashionably wear your items. Show them how to have fun in spring outfit and catch the attention of the trendiest ladies in your area.

Another way is to post posters of celebrities wearing the trend in different events such as concerts, festivals, premiere nights and even awards night. Also show your customers how models grace the runway in colorful fun filled outfit to make them more confident in wearing fashion shoes.

If you have social media networks, you can also post photos of different people wearing your products and ask them to comment about their overall shopping experience.

Give your store a makeover!

You don’t need to have major construction to give your store some good vibes this spring. All you need to do is to move your display racks, change store signage and put new stocks.

If you want to go an extra mile, you can repaint your walls or put on some wall papers to set a brighter mood inside your store. You can also consider adding small items like mirrors with floral frames, fitting room curtains in cool exotic prints and hanging cabinets in lighter shades. Whatever you do, just make sure than your interior design complements your inventory so that everything in your store is all about giving your customers a whole new shopping experience.

Do you think your store is ready for spring? Share us your thoughts and tell us the things you do in your store for spring.

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