Overall, women in Australia spend a whopping $15 billion each year on grooming products, while men spend a still-impressive $7 billion.

In other words men grooming products are a third of the grooming market, hold that thought.

While walking around as a magpie at the recent Melbourne Giftware show, I started talking to a sales manager exhibiting on a stand promoting male grooming products. We began to talk about this market which he told me was booming. Being interested as I am always looking for something good for my clients, he told me he would send me some information which he did. 

Many of you will find his notes and comments interesting for your shop.

Firstly I cannot verify his figures. I tried, but I could not find information on the net, and paywalls protected some information quoted. So although I can't verify the market data he provided, it comes up well with the growth trends I'm seeing. 

Here is a summary of what I got.

Australia's men's grooming market is growing steadily. With changing attitudes, Australian men are investing more time and money into looking their best.

Key Men's Grooming Categories

There are several main categories within men's grooming products. Here is a breakdown of the major segments and their current market value:

Men's Shaving

This includes shaving creams, gels, foams, soaps, lotions, balms and aftershaves.

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 257.2 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 3.8%

Growth drivers:

• Increasing demand for premium and natural shaving products

Men's Post-Shave

This covers products used after shaving, like lotions, balms, gels, sprays and oils.

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 58 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 4.2%

Growth drivers:

• Increased awareness of post-shave product benefits
• Availability of products for different skin types

Men's Pre-Shave

Pre-shave products include oils, scrubs, washes and exfoliators used before shaving.

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 19.5 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 4.5%

Growth drivers:

• Demand for products that prepare skin for a smooth, irritation-free shave
• Reducing ingrown hairs

Men's Razors and Blades

Covers disposable razors, cartridge razors, safety razors, straight razors, electric shavers, trimmers, clippers and replacement blades.

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 179.6 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 3.6%

Growth drivers:

• Preference for high-quality, precision razors and shavers

A note here as I get older, I find that electric shavers are not giving me a good shave and I need to use a razor, as Australians are aging, this would be true of many more Australian now. 

Men's Toiletries

There are a range of products in this category for example deodorants, antiperspirants, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, styling products, oral care and more.

• The market value in 2023: $AUD 1.6 billion
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 4.1%

Growth drivers:

• Demand for natural and organic toiletries
• Increasing awareness of oral hygiene

Men's Bath and Shower

Covers body washes, soaps, scrubs, gels, foams, oils, bath salts and bath bombs.

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 238.2 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 4.3%

Growth drivers:

• Demand for premium, natural bath products
• Products to suit different skin types and moods

Premium vs Mass Products

Within categories like bath products, deodorants and hair care, there is a split between premium and mass-market products.

Premium products are higher priced due to superior quality, performance, innovation or exclusivity. Consumers pay more for a luxurious, sophisticated experience.

Mass-market products are more affordable and accessible, catering to many consumers.

Here's the market value in 2023 for premium vs mass sub-categories:

Premium products are expected to achieve higher growth rates than mass products.

Notable Categories to Watch

Here are a few men's grooming categories to keep an eye on over the next five years:

Men's Deodorants

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 333.9 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 3.9%

Men's Hair Care

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 356.7 million
• Expected CAGR from 2023-2028: 4.5%

Men's Skin Care

• Market value in 2023: $AUD 669.1 million

Conclusion

The men's grooming market is booming in Australia in segments like shaving, skincare, hair care and bath products. I highly recommend thinking about moving into this growth category. Focus on products that deliver functional benefits like anti-aging and odour protection. You could profit from the surging demand with the right product mix and targeted marketing.

90th-anniversary magazine issue

This September marks a significant milestone for one of Australia's most iconic magazines. The Australian Women's Weekly is turning 90! As trusted sellers of this historic Aussie publication for nearly a century. 

As many newsagents and magazine sellers are my clients, the sales and reception of these anniversary issues are of great interest. Celebrating this heritage and leveraging this magazine's enduring popularity is a unique opportunity. I hope this helps them fully capitalise on this milestone moment for one of Australia's most celebrated publications.

Iconic Australian women's magazine Provides a Special Opportunity.

With The Australian Women's Weekly's 90th-anniversary commemorative issues hitting stands soon, newsagents can leverage their customers' interest to glimpse into nine decades of groundbreaking Australian women's stories.

These collectible editions are a chance to:

• Highlight The Woman's Weekly's impressive reputation
• Create captivating magazine displays and promotions to attract buyer attention
• Why not leverage Maggie Tabberer's lasting star power? This legendary model-turned-TV star graces the retro-inspired September issue cover

Emphasise these issues' exclusive interviews and stories chronicling iconic Australian women throughout history.

Australian Women's Weekly special issue series

Most importantly, it highlights The Weekly's significance as a cultural touchstone which has been resonating with Aussie women since 1933 as its emphasis on thoughtful storytelling has built trust and authority for generations. Newsagents can capitalize on this by positioning the 90th-anniversary issues as a celebration of both:

• The Weekly's heritage
• Its ongoing importance as a voice for Australian women

For over 90 years, newsagencies have brought the pages of The Australian Women's Weekly to communities nationwide. This issue will be a piece of history that many customers want to get and even collect. I am sure many will come to the newsagency to get it.

A Milestone for Newsagents and Their Customers

Don't miss out on celebrating this cultural icon's significant birthday! With compelling content and commemorative appeal, The Australian Women's Weekly's 90th-anniversary issues offer newsagents an excellent opportunity to engage buyers.

World Chocolate Day is celebrated in Australia on the 7th July.  It’s a great opportunity for you to celebrate this delicious occasion in your shop to boost your sales and attract more customers. Over the years it has proven to be a successful event in the shop.

You will probably find that your chocolate supplier can help you with this. Haig Chocolates, for example, has this promotion going for its chocolates. One point is that the chocolate products for this festival are marketable after the festival.

It is not hard to get involved, Create a unique display for chocolate, it does not need to be that big only noticeable. Decorate your shop with some chocolate-themed signs. Create bundles or packages that include different types of chocolate. Maybe include as well some complementary products, such as wine, cheese or nuts.

Whatever you do on World Chocolate Day, make sure you too enjoy it with chocolate, it is always great to get into the festive spirit.

As a local store owner, you may feel that investing time into your Google search ranking is useless as it means competing with larger retailers like Coles and Amazon. There is some truth in this for some cases, but this isn't the case for primarily local businesses. This information appears when they search for your business or a related topic. Here David can meet Goliath on equal terms. It does not matter how big you are; you get the same size. 

So how can retailers use this to get more customers and grow their business in our competitive market if they are local? 

You can do this in just 20 minutes based on our experience and with zero cost.

Background

One of the significant changes since COVID is that people plan more of their shopping and try to save time more. To save time and distance, they will research on Google and, to some extent, Bing for what they want; for example,  on Google, "Where is the closest newsagency to us?" and "Is this florist open now?"

Now if Google does not know, you will not appear. There is a missed sale.

The best way to get Google to know you are to have a Google Business Profile (GBP). 

The Google Business Profile is a free tool that creates a business listing and forwards your business details to Google. It helps you get into Google Search and Maps and connect with your customers in various ways.

What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is an online page with your business information, such as your name, address, phone number, website, hours, reviews, photos, posts, and more.

It helps you show up in Google Maps searches. 

Why are these map searches vital in retail today?

Today, many people use Google Maps to find nearby businesses, get directions and check opening hours.

Here is an interesting survey 

You can expect this trend to grow.

What are the benefits of a Google Business Profile?

There are several benefits with your Google Business Profile, for example:

- You can communicate with your customers online through reviews, posts, messages, and bookings. Use this to engage with your customers, share updates and promotions, answer queries, and encourage repeat purchases. 
- It provides free advertising and traffic to your shop. You increase your chances of being found by potential customers searching for your products or services. 
- The analytics feature on Google Business Profile will let you see what people looking for your business are looking for now. 
- It helps you stand out from your competitors by showing your unique selling points. Highlight what makes your business different from others in your niche. Showcase your value proposition or brand personality.
- It does more and helps you build trust and credibility for your business through social proof and ratings, as customers can leave reviews, ratings, photos, and questions on your Google Business Profile. Which shop do you go to with no rating or five stars?

How to Create Your Google Business Profile

Creating your Google Business Profile is easy and free. Here are the steps:

1. You need a Google email account. If your business does not have one, make one.

2. Click here and sign in with your Google account. Alternatively, search your business name on Google and click "Own this business" or "Claim this business."

3. Choose a method to verify your ownership to ensure no one else modifies your profile without authorisation.

4. Please fill out your profile with details about your company, including its name, location, contact information, categories, hours, offerings, etc. Do not miss questions if possible. There is a reason for each question.

5. Put up some quality pictures. 

6. Search for your business on Google to check everything looks good. If anything needs improvement, update your profile accordingly.

Do not stop there.

Once you have your Google Business Profile working, look at Bing Places for Business. You can seed the information in  Google Business Profile for Bing with the required information.

Also, ask your customers what they use, as some people use, for example, Yelp, Tripadvisor, Glassdoor, Trustpilot, G2, etc. Generally, each business sphere has one or two review/rating sites, highly trusted and popular. 

Conclusion

By using your free Google Business Profile, retailers can increase their visibility and attract more customers. This profile lets you appear on Google, engage with your customers, and get feedback. It can help you build trust and credibility with potential customers and increase sales.

Unfortunately, if you need help creating your Google Business Profile, I think you will find Google support terrible, so call me if you are a client. 

Email marketing is a great way to reach customers and grow sales probably today the most cost-effective advertising, so please look into it if you are not using it. But this is a big *but* it also has some legal obligations you must follow. 

See this article here. These problems are *NOT* uncommon, as several of our clients and business partners have gotten into trouble with these laws. One was particularly nasty.

Summary of the issue here

Commonwealth Bank (CBA) was fined $3.55 million by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for breaking email marketing laws. 

How did CBA violate the email marketing laws here?

CBA sent 61 million marketing emails to customers that required them to log in to unsubscribe. 

CBA sent 4 million marketing emails that did not have a working unsubscribe option. 

CBA sent 5,000 marketing emails to customers who had already unsubscribed.

Then ACMA said that CBA did not fix the issues after receiving their warnings.

How to Avoid Breaking Email Marketing Laws:

To avoid breaking these email marketing laws and risking fines and reputation damage, here are some ideas that can help:

Use an Email Marketing Platform

An email marketing platform can help you to comply with email marketing laws by providing features such as consent management, sender identification and unsubscribe links. I recommend to my clients, EmailOctopus. It works well with our software and has many email newsletters and campaign features.

Respect Your Customers and Stop Sending Emails if They Have Already Unsubscribed

If someone has unsubscribed from your email list, you should stop sending them emails. This is not only the law but also the right thing to do.

Use Common Sense and Follow the Authorities' Instructions

If the authorities issue a warning. Listen to them. Do not keep doing it until you rectify the issues that they do not like.

Conclusion

Email marketing is excellent for connecting with your customers. It does grow your sales, which is why it is used so much, but it is essential to be aware of email marketing laws and follow them. 

If you are our client and need help with email marketing, contact me or Garth. We are both experienced in doing it. We are happy to talk.

We can help you create compelling and compliant email campaigns that deliver results.

The end of the financial year is coming soon, and with it comes the chance to boost your sales and clear your stock. It is the most significant marketing season in the Australian Retail calendar after Christmas. For example, EOFY sales generate about eleven times more retail sales than Mother's Day.

Think about it. Business people with good profits are now being told by their accountants to spend to reduce their taxes. Many will buy now to take advantage of the government's Instant Asset Write-off before it is reduced. Government departments with spare money in their budgets have to spend now. Finally, people are being targeted to buy by the majors. This pumps up the market to buy now.

But how do you plan to get your share of the EOFY sale for your retail business? How do you attract more customers, increase sales, and maximise profits?

Here are some tips and steps to help you prepare and execute an effective EOFY sale for your retail business in 2023.

Know your target market and their needs.

The first step in planning and running an EOFY sale for your retail business is to know your target market and their needs. According to Roy Morgan, the biggest shoppers at the EOFY sales will be in the 50–64-year-old demographic. The average buyer is expected here to buy $1,616.

You need products that such people would buy

Check your sales report from last year about this time for what did sell well last year at its EOFY, for what did sell well last year at its EOFY. This will give you an idea of what products sell then in your shop and your price points.

Now look around your shop for products suitable for these shoppers.

Here are some more good ideas that your POS System can help you for ideas. 

Go to register reports > stock titled "Old Stock on hand by Date last received."

Put a date of six months ago. This will give you a stock listing based on when you received it. Unfortunately, this stock is not doing much and costs you to hold it. Now is the perfect time to sell it.

Now you have picked your stock, look at your companion reports to display complementary products that your customers may also like if they like these products. You can also use your POS software to create bundles or packages of products that provide more value or convenience to your customers than buying them separately.

Make displays

Collect business products together in a stand under a sign EOFY sale.  

Also, make a bargain bin in a prominent place with a sign or, better, under a red flashing light. Put here the old or excess stock at a heavily discounted price. It will help you clear your inventory, attract more customers, and increase your sales with these bargain shoppers.

Put a sign that you have an EOFY Sale.

Also, put a sign in your window that you are running an EOFY sale. It is a simple but effective way to create awareness, interest, desire, and action among your customers. A sign should:

- Be visible and eye-catching
- Be clear and concise
- Be consistent and coherent
- Be relevant and timely
- Be persuasive and compelling

If you have a Facebook page and/or website, put a notice there too.

Prepare for a sales review afterwards.

Make sure that you mark on your computer in some ways the items you put for sale for the EOFY, as I will show you in a later post how to measure and track these products using key performance indicators (KPIs) in your POS Software. You have a mighty POS System; let us use it.

Conclusion

The EOFY sale is a golden opportunity for retail businesses in Australia to increase their sales and grow their business. By following these steps, you can plan and run a successful EOFY sale for your retail business in 2023 and reap the rewards of your hard work. Happy selling! 🛒

POS Solutions EOFY Sale

I will be straight to the point with our EOFY offer from POS Solutions. We have excess stock that we would much prefer to sell than count if you need some technology. Why not stock up while we are keen to move it?

Lessons for us from "Pepsi, Where Is My Jet?" Netflix Documentary. Often it's easier to learn from examples of what happens when something goes wrong. So if you have ever wondered what happens when an advertisement goes wrong, try watching this Netflix documentary "Pepsi, Where Is My Jet?" The film tells a true story of the disastrous consequences of a marketing blunder that led to a significant legal battle. It's a great example of why we must properly run our marketing campaigns.

The Story 

The documentary starts around a Pepsi ad campaign launched in 1995. The campaign allowed customers to collect points from Pepsi products and redeem them for prizes such as T-shirts, sunglasses, or CDs. The campaign featured a series of humorous commercials that showed prizes such as a leather jacket worn by Cindy Crawford, a life-sized replica of the Statue of Liberty and a military Harrier jet fighter. 

To get the jet, you needed to collect seven million points. The commercial offer of a jet was meant to be a joke. Unfortunately, Pepsi lacked a disclaimer indicating that the jet was a joke. Now there is always someone looking for a loophole.

After doing some figures, a young student saw the commercial and initially determined that with $5 million, he could win the jet worth about 30 million dollars. After discussing it with a few people, he reviewed his calculations and found that he could do it with much less. He only needed $700,000 to get the jet. He convinced an investor to help him raise the money and sent Pepsi a check for $700,000 along with 15 Pepsi points (the minimum required) and an order form for the jet.

Pepsi refused to honour his request. They argued that the commercial was not a serious offer in a dismissive letter. This was stupid and aggravated the situation. Then it escalated after Pepsi then made a low offer that was rejected. Soon, the student sued Pepsi for breach of contract, fraud, deceptive and unfair trade practices, and misleading advertising. Soon the matter went to the public, where it went viral.

I will not say more about the plot not to spoil those who want to watch. Sufficient to say the ending shocked me.

The Importance of Marketing Compliance

Someone took Pepsi at its word for what Pepsi thought was a joke. If someone can make an argument, someone may do so. So clearly, there were severe issues with Pepsi's marketing, which shows just how important it is to meet marketing compliance. You want to ensure your ads aren't making false promises or tricking people, even as here by accident. Plus, no matter who wins or loses, you do not want customers to feel deceived and let down by your actions.

My view

Watching 'Pepsi, Where's My Jet?' was fun and exciting. Both sides made mistakes during the situation. The film is worth seeing because it provides valuable insights into the issue and is entertaining. 

Introduction

Now, approximately two-thirds of our clients engage in some form of Loyalty marketing. 

Current loyalty marketing theory

I attended a webinar on current Loyalty marketing.
 
What became clear is that now due to the impact of COVID on consumer behaviour, the traditional concept of loyalty marketing has changed from an individual towards building a sense of belonging in a community to a person. Today's marketers focus on creating communities where customers feel connected and engaged. The primary method used is gamification. 

If you want a summary of what they were talking about, I recommend the free Executive Summary of For Love or Money™ 2023, the 11th edition of the research study. I think is the best study on customer loyalty and loyalty programs in Australia. 

It is available here.

Update

Based on this, we are working on an update to our Loyalty Marketing Software! So we are creating new features and enhancements designed to provide even greater value to our valued clients.

A gamification option

Based on a thousand people, check out this table.

Reward customer purchases and encourage repeat business by incorporating gamification aspects by tracking customer progress through a leaderboard.

You will also get 

Enhanced User Experience

Our updated interface is now more straightforward and intuitive than ever, making it quicker and easier for users to navigate the system.

Expanded Marketing tools

With these additional tools, you can better tailor your VIP marketing campaigns to suit your requirements.

Detailed Reporting & Analytics

Get more profound insights into your campaigns' performance so that you can adjust them accordingly.

Conclusion

These updates will enable you to build stronger connections with your customers.

Executive Summary

Loyalty Marketing has shifted from individual to community focus. 
The suggested tool used for bonding is called gamification. 
 Our loyalty marketing software is also being improved. 

Introduction 

Click and Collect was seen as an oddity years ago, but we introduced it to our market space.  Our experience has shown us that the process is relatively simple. 

The Click and Collect Pickup process is straightforward to understand. Customers order through an online store or phone and then pick it up from the shop or while in their car in front of the shop. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for Click and Collect services had been a noticeable increase. This trend increased dramatically during the pandemic and shows no signs of slowing down. According to recent research conducted by Power Retail, nearly three-quarters (72%) of Australians have used Click & Collect in 2022. It has become a permanent shift in shopping behaviour.

Today many use it, including people who sell stationery to businesses. My wife uses it for collecting her dog food. It's a big heavy bag, so she orders the dog food online. Then on the way home from work, she collects it from the shop, and they put it in her car for her.

If you do not offer this service, here are some points to consider.

Customer Benefits of Click & Collect

- Reduce delivery expenses as customers save money on delivery costs by picking up their purchases in the store.

- Customers can get their items quicker. By picking up their items in the store, customers can get them faster. Unlike online shops, they do not have to wait for their items.

- Customers have more control over when they get their things.  What is popular now is to pick up the goods after work on the way home.

Benefits for retailers of Click & Collect

- More sales give the retailer access to a new demographic, and this demographic is often a good customer.

- Click & Collect can help retailers increase customer satisfaction.

- By eliminating the home delivery cost, Click & Collect cut costs.

- Risk, with delivery, there often are disputes over whether the goods were delivered.

How to set up a Click & Collect program

- Although you do not have to have an online site, it is a good idea for you to have this.

- Your POS Software is already set up to handle this, so all you must do is implement it. This we supply free.

- You need a location where you can do the fulfilment.  You need in the shop and a spot for the car pickup. 

- Tell your customers you offer such a service.

-Train your employees: Ensure your staff receives instructions on how to do Click & Collect orders.

Conclusion

Click & Collect offers retailers and customers many benefits, including flexibility and convenience. If you haven't yet implemented this feature into your business strategy, I highly recommend seriously considering it. Its growing popularity and potential impact on sales could be valuable.

Executive summary

-Click and collect is a service that enables shoppers to buy products online and then collect them from a physical store.

-It has gained traction recently thanks to its ease and versatility.

-Shoppers save cash on delivery fees.

-Their purchases arrive faster.

-Consumers can choose exactly when they receive their packages.

-Retailers improve client satisfaction while slashing expenses.

-Retailers cut potential disagreements with clients on package arrivals.

-An e-commerce site, although not necessary, is a big plus.

-You must inform your customers you offer this service.

-You need to get organised to do such a service.

Mother’s Day is almost here. Many people are ready to shower their mums with love and affection through gifts and memorable experiences. My clients from these pictures you can see have been busy preparing.

According to a recent report from Roy Morgan Research:

> Australian are expected to spend $925 million on Mother’s Day this year – this is a massive increase compared to 2022 when we spent around $759 million.

>The average spending per gift is predicted to rise to $92 this year, up from $80 in 2022.

>Half Of Australians Plan To Buy Gifts For Their Mums

Interest In Mother’s Day is Growing Rapidly

Google Trends data shows that there has been a sharp increase in searches related to Mother’s Day in Australia over the past 30 Days.

This suggests that more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of celebrating mothers. They want to make sure they do something special for them on their special day.

Shop Owners Getting Ready For Mother’s Day

Finally, let’s look at what shop owners are doing to prepare for Mother’s Day.

Many businesses are already stocking up on popular items such as flowers, chocolates, gifts, etc. They want to ensure everyone can find something special for their mums in their shop.

Here are some more pictures of what some of our clients are offering:

Mother's Day is coming up quickly.

You need to ensure your shop has the right products to meet demand. Here is a method we have developed that works.

In 2023, 63% of Australians plan to buy their mum a gift for Mother's Day. On average, those buying gifts plan to spend about $82. That's equivalent to $1 billion nationwide.

"Mirror marketing" is a market technique that I suggest you do now to give you an instant idea of checking your inventory for Mother's Day for Mother's Day products. 

It is easy and quick to do with our POS System by following these steps it will only take a few minutes. So start now.

Go to Register Reports marked in green.

Now select in stock, "Stock Sold During Period(a) Not Sold in Period(b)"

For dates select Custom

For period (a) put on 1 May 2022 to 15 May 2022, this was last year's Mother's Day.

Now for the period (B) put on 16 May to 16 June 2022

Now you will get a report with what products are basically Mother's Day goods for you to review

1) Check do you have stock. You need them now. If not, it is essential to reorder these products ASAP if you have low inventory levels. 

2) Find items that were popular during the previous Mother's Day. These should be moved into a notable position in the shop. These products do sell in your shop.

Conclusion

Mother's Day is a major shopping event in Australia, where many plan to spend significantly. As a retailer, you must have the right items in stock to satisfy that need. You can use the "mirror marketing" strategy described in this article to determine which products are in high demand in your shop. This helps ensure you have sufficient stock and can help you maximize profits and increase sales.

We have tried this method in our clients' shops, and it works well.

The Average Basket Size (ABS) calculation is the total number of items sold divided by the total number of transactions.  Increasing the number of items per basket is one of the simplest ways to improve your shop's turnover.

The typical Basket Size for an SMB Retail Business in Australia is about 2.54 items per basket; during COVID, it increased to about 2.7. I have not seen any figures since, but I suspect it has decreased recently.

If you do not yet have a POS System, use this to measure the Average Ticket Size (ATS) calculation. This is your total turnover divided by the total number of transactions.

One effective strategy to increase this figure is cross-selling. It is simple to do in retail, place complementary items beside high-demand products. You can quickly boost your revenue and profit margin by upselling or providing helpful cross-sells. This approach works well as it does not introduce anything new in the shop and requires no extra expenses.

Here's how to put it in place:

Firstly get your top sellers. This is not going to work with slow sellers.

Go to Register Reports.

Now select "Top N Stock Sales for a Given Period."

Now put in the last three months and ask for the top twenty.

Now go to the sales register reports section here.

and select the stock companion report

Put in the last three months, start putting in your top-selling items, and ask for a complete listing. Now go through the list carefully. Take notes of those items that sell well with the top sellers. We call these companion items. Select the ones that look promising.

Now ensure they are positioned next to or within easy sight of the high-demand things. It's essential to make them visually appealing to potential customers.

You should pick up some sales as people taking these top-selling items will be attracted to these companion items.

It should take you less than 20 minutes to do it in your shop, so start now.

Everything to do with Royals in Australia catches the public eye, and this monarch's coronation is no exception. Many Australians are likely to follow the event as many are interested in everything related to the royal family. This will fuel the demand for royal memorabilia and cause a significant demand for such items.

Royal Memorabilia

Many things are likely to be in demand now; as a result. For example, commemorative coins, tea towels, plates, and keychains. Many Australians are likely to buy coronation merchandise. 

Emblem versus King Charles

People now generally favour generic royal items on these keepsakes over those highlighting King Charles III.

Make a special category for these goods

Make sure you mark your royal items with a particular category so you can track how they went in your shop.

Conclusion

Businesses can capitalise on this market and provide customers with a means of commemorating the occasion.

Executive summary

> Australians keep a close eye on the royal family, and many are very interested in King Charles III's coronation.

> This coronation will likely increase demand for many items dealing with royal memorabilia, like tea towels, keychains, commemorative coins, etc.

> Souvenirs that don't feature King Charles III are more popular with customers.

> Try marketing items that customers can keep long after the coronation

> Retail has a chance to profit from this market.

PS - Selling Regal Memorabilia

For people with royal memorabilia at home, now is an excellent opportunity to consider selling these things. Due to the increased interest in the coronation, there will be a significant market for these items on auction sites like eBay. You can get good prices now and free up space in your home if you take advantage of this demand.

Extra Note

I have watched King Charles' long wait for the role he wanted, which he finally got at 74, with empathy. Although I have always wished my best wishes to the Queen, who I liked I could sense his frustrations of having to wait so long to get the job.

The expression "a Prince Charles" portrays a person waiting so long for his inheritance.

Point-of-sale marketing

POS marketing is a successful business strategy to boost sales. It can also raise brand awareness and cultivate customer loyalty. Primarily it is done at your point of sale (checkout counter), where your customers make their final purchasing decision. It entails employing various strategies to influence those decisions.

Here is where promoting should be used to get more sales. It is also called Point-of-Sale Marketing,in-store advertising or marketing in stores. It aims to boost sales by increasing the basket size. There are a lot of different kinds of POS marketing, but the most common ones are as follows in-store marketing:

In-store advertising

Signage is a POS showcasing that utilises signs and flags to publicise items. Often this promotes new products, special deals, or seasonal sales.  This, for example, is probably the most successful sign ever.

Displays for merchandise

These are used inside the shop to feature items in an appealing and coordinated manner to draw clients. You will often see them in the corners of supermarkets.

Bundling

Item bundling often is an excellent way of getting something for dead stock.

Impulse purchases

Products close to the checkout counter may encourage customers to buy last-minute items. Generally, they should be low-priced, high-margin and highly demanded products. To find them for your shop, check your top-selling items.

Cross-selling

At the point of sale, cross-selling involves recommending complementary products to customers. This strategy boosts customer loyalty and raises the basket size. Your sales companion reports can help here.

Special discounts

Discounts, coupons, and loyalty programs are all examples of special offers that may entice customers to buy more.

Promoting special offers

Businesses can push special promotions, discounts, or bundle deals. Even better to move seasonal or current items.

Establishing a loyalty scheme

Businesses can increase customer loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Point-of-Sale Marketing Best Practices

A few best practices should be followed when implementing POS marketing. These are some:

Keeping it basic

POS marketing should be straightforward to comprehend as the customers only have a little time here. It is an instant decision, so anything complex will fail because of a lack of time. Your offer should be easy for customers to understand and take advantage of.

Testing and evaluating outcomes

Try testing a few different products to see what works. This will ensure the marketing's most significant effectiveness.

Marketing at the point of sale with technology

POS marketing can be made more effective with the help of technology. For instance, your POS Software can manage loyalty programs and gift cards.

Look for ideas

Walk through large retailers and see what they do. As you go through their shop, ask yourself, why would I put these items here if I were a retail expert?

Conclusion

Point-of-sale marketing is a potent instrument that boosts sales and customer satisfaction.

Executive Summary

> POS marketing is a strategy that influences customer purchasing decisions.
> It is used to increase sales and cultivate customer loyalty.
> Some common types of POS marketing include in-store advertising, cross-selling and upselling, and special promotions.
> Please keep it simple
> Test and measure results
> Use technology.

April is always a problem for retailers as it has a few holidays that confuse the public on whether you are open. So Australian retailers must communicate their operating hours on those days to their customers.

The first one is Good Friday, April 7th, 2023. Tell people with in-store signage now if your business is open on Good Friday. This will help ensure that they don't go elsewhere.

Easter Monday, April 10th, 2023, is another one.

Finally, there is ANZAC Day on April 25th, 2023. If you are open on that day, consider putting a picture prominently in your shop of one of your ancestors in military uniform. It will make a talking point.

Also, consider promoting some goods for these holidays; the lead-in to Easter is generally a good shopping day.

Consider how it hurts if you lose business when you are open and the customer goes elsewhere because they thought you were closed.

Every inch of your store, including the front counter, should be utilised to its full potential as a retailer. Your greeting card sales can increase by being displayed there. So increase sales by having a small stand for greeting cards at the front counter. This makes it easy for people in your shop to add cards to their purchases.

Why have a greeting card stand for the front counter?

The front counter is a region that all clients visit while buying. It is the most profitable and marketable place in the shop. Customers often wait and look around to see what else you offer. A card is a great addon to buy with many goods. By doing this, you are making it simple for your customers to buy your greeting cards.

Which Cards Should Go in this Stand?

It is only a small stand. You may have many cards in another part of the shop, but most have not selected them so you are giving them a second chance to buy a card. To do that you must ensure that the cards you offer are suitable for impulsive purchases. So it would be best if you were careful here what to offer.

Birthday cards account for approximately 60% of all card sales, so they go on the stand. They have many designs ranging from lighthearted, humorous, sentimental and sincere so you can include many types.

About 20% of all sales are of seasonal cards, for example, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Father's Day. Since these cards are only needed at certain times of the year, you must keep replacing them here at the appropriate times.

The remaining categories, such as sympathy, wedding, and thank-you cards, individually they make up less than 5% of sales each. Maybe consider including a few generic all-purpose cards, such as congratulations or thinking of you cards, that can be used for many occasions instead.

How to Install Your Stand Installing a stand for your greeting cards.

This is simple and requires little investment. You'll need a little presentation stand. Card companies can often provide this to you for free or at a nominal cost. If not, you can get one on eBay.

Using the stand.

Now you will need to arrange your cards once you have your stand. The most crucial factor is ensuring customers can see and grab them while standing at the front counter since it is an impulsive sale. Bunch cards by type and ensure that every type is clearly shown. Use signage to emphasise the types on offer. Now make sure your stand is clean and well-kept. Most of my clients sell quality items and should be treated with respect. Restock your cards frequently and cut any that aren't selling well. This will guarantee that your customers will always find your stand appealing and up-to-date.

Using Sales Reports to Improve Your Stand.

It's essential to keep track of your sales and use this data to improve your stand to determine which cards are selling well and which aren't. Use your sales reports. You only want your top-selling cards here. Using this information, you'll be better able to choose which cards to include in your stand. The report that can quickly give you your top sellers. Go to the top N stock report, which you can find in the register reports here.

We then put in a period. As a rule, I suggest running this report monthly for this, so select the last 4 weeks. Now you will have your list of cards nicely ordered by quantity, profit and sales.

Summary

> A greeting card stand at the front counter can help boost profits and impulsive purchases.

> Since birthday cards sell 60% of all cards, they should be on the stand.

Christmas and Valentine's Day cards, as well as other seasonal ones, ought to be included and changed as necessary.

> Make use of a presentation stand. Mark the cards by type so that they are simple to see.

> Remove any cards that aren't selling well

> Keep the stand clean and well-stocked.

> Adjust the stand based on the results of sales reports to determine which cards are selling well and which aren't.

Give it a go!

Gift boxes and wraps can be effective tools for growing your business. They not only sell well and have high margins, but they also offer several other benefits that can help build your shop and bring in new customers.What they do is that they make it simple for customers to buy from you. They can buy a ready-to-use, pre-curated gift box rather than figure out how to present it. Customers who are pressed for time or do not know how to package something will find this a particularly appealing option. Gift boxes have the extra advantage of fostering customer loyalty. You can promote a positive association by providing thoughtful gift boxes of high quality. 

Price points

You need first to review what price points work in your shop. Remember, here you are, looking at a better-than-average spender.

Choose Your Themes

Choosing your themes is the first step in creating a curated gift box. Birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations are among the most common. These themes have the advantage of being seasonal. If you don't sell them before Mother's Day, you'll be stuck with them unless you get a sale or a return.

Choose Your Products

Look for items that are popular and trendy and match your theme. If you had a range, that would be ideal. Do not worry if they are too cheesy, corny, trite, or overly romantic. The packaging for these boxes should be extravagant, high-quality, and reminiscent of a gift because they will be given with gifts.

You can also sell some extras, such as

> Some coloured crinkle-cut paper shreds to fill the boxes and cushioning.

> Elegant ribbons

Your computer can print labels, but it is probably better to sell stickers that people can use to label the boxes.

> Greeting Cards

If they buy a box or wrap, they need some greeting cards too.

Show your boxes

You must show your customers that you have them. Please do not place them in the back where nobody can see them. People won't buy them from you if they don't know you have them.

Monitor your sales

Like everything, you need to watch your sales to see how the products go for you in the shop. What does not work needs to go. Your computer can do this.

A summary

Gift boxes have the potential to assist in business expansion. They can draw in new clients. After all, people seek a way to make their gifts different and creative. Organized gift boxes and wraps are an extraordinary method for doing this.

Why not give your customers a selection of such items?

Understand the Customer Mindset to Make Your Products More Giftable

People buy gifts for various reasons, all year round, such as:

Celebrating special occasions: Gifts are a way to celebrate special events like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and graduations.

Expressing love and affection: People often buy gifts to express love and appreciation towards family, friends, or romantic partners.

Showing appreciation: Gifts can also be used to show gratitude towards someone for their help, support, or hard work.

Strengthening relationships: Giving gifts is a way to strengthen relationships by showing that you care and value the other person.

Cultural and social norms: In some cultures, giving gifts on certain occasions or showing respect to elders or authority figures is customary.

The point is that its all year long.

It is essential to understand that people often look for presents for others rather than themselves. This means that they may have different priorities and preferences when shopping. For example, they may be more interested in finding something unique or sentimental. This industry survey will help you select and promote your giftable products effectively.

Here are some tips for making your products more giftable:

Make sure your giftable products are displayed prominently in your store. Consider using eye-catching displays or signage to draw attention to the products. Highlight any particular features or benefits that make them great gifts.

Use attractive packaging Packaging can make a big difference in making your products more giftable. Examine items for their packaging. Make sure the packaging is high-quality and reflects the style and quality of your brand.

Personalize the experience. Personalization can add an extra touch that makes your products more memorable. Offer a bundle with a card with each sale. This can make your products more unique and increase the chances customers will return to your store for future gift-giving needs.

Offer free gift-wrapping. Gift wrapping can make your products more appealing and increase customers' likelihood of purchasing from you. Ensure the wrapping is high-quality and offers many options for different preferences.

Make a gift stand

It is essential to attract customers to maintain engaging retail displays. One method for doing this is by adding new things to the showcase stand. Customers are encouraged to return to see what's new to create a sense of novelty and excitement.

Yet, developing a practical display stand that piques customers' interest and inspires them to buy takes time.

Consider colour, lighting, positioning, and aesthetics when designing the display stand. These are flagship products. The goal is to create a pleasing display, show off the products in their best light, and make it easy for customers to browse and buy.

Experimenting with various product arrangements will help keep the display interesting and fresh. A simple rearranging of the stand to give it a new look and feel can do it.

Create a dedicated category in your Point of Sale (POS) software for this stand to track sales effectively. This allows you to collect sales information and make informed decisions as you know what is happening so you can adjust your marketing strategies as you see what is working. You can then set up custom reports and alerts within your POS software in real time, allowing you to make adjustments and take action as needed.

Having the same product in many locations might be necessary. Although it may appear counterintuitive, this has been demonstrated to boost sales as it increases the item's visibility to customers who might have yet to see it in the other sections. Sales have been shown to rise as a result.

Summary

Understanding the customer mindset.

Make your products more giftable.

Display your giftable products prominently.

Highlight any particular features or benefits that make them great gifts.

How to Increase Your Small Shop's Sales

As a retailer, you always look for new ways to stay ahead of the competition and increase your sales. The Movers and Shakers and Best Seller pages on Amazon can help achieve this goal. It can show you what is selling now based on Amazon information.

Understanding the Differences Between the Movers and Shakers and Best Seller Pages

Despite their similarities, the Movers and Shakers page and the Best Seller page are two different Amazon rankings.

The Best Seller page shows the products sold the most in the last month.

Here I can see the toys that are taking off now.

This shows you what sold the best in each category over the last month. It can help you spot medium-term market trends as you can see which products consistently perform well.

The Movers and Shakers page displays what increased over the previous 24 hours.

This page is a valuable tool for locating products whose popularity is rising. You can stay ahead of the curve and spot emerging industry trends if you pay close attention to this page. It is extremely good for the holiday season when products rapidly increase in sales.

If the same product is on both pages, this shows what is really hot now!

You can then click on the product to get information about the product. What I do suggest is that you look at the reviews too. It is an excellent way of finding out hidden bombs in the product. If the reviews are overwhelmingly negative, I would not recommend you handle it, no matter how popular it is. Once word gets around how bad it is, you will look bad if you sell it. You will also pick up information from the reviews that you can use to help advise people that come into your shop.

Use both pages to improve your inventory. It can also show you its pricing strategy. This information can help you make better decisions about your merchandise and pricing if you know these differences. I suggest regularly watching these pages as you can make better decisions about which products to sell and how much to charge for them.

Conclusion

Unless you are a large retailer, you need something like this to tell you what is selling now. A sales representative can be helpful, but they are looking at their employer's interest rather than yours.

Regularly monitoring these pages allows you to stay ahead of the competition and spot emerging industry trends.

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Email marketing 

In today's business environment, it is simple to fall prey to the talk of the many advertising platforms. Email marketing is the most effective marketing tool. The inbox provides the most personal connection you can have with your customer. Despite what you may have been told, email marketing continues to lead the way in marketing ROI. We are talking of 3600% ROI on investment.

This is why almost every organisation and, unfortunately, spammers use it. 

You will not get better advertising at this price.

Background

Years ago, MailChimp was a great option when we first looked for an email solution for our clients. It had many features that our customers need at a reasonable price. The free version was all that many of our clients needed. Many could run all their email marketing for nothing using it. Plus benefited from the many advanced features available in this plan; if more was needed, the paid plans were quite reasonable.

I confessed when I heard that a large tech company had acquired MailChimp, I was sure there would be problems. Big companies tend to pay inflated prices for these companies; unlike the founders, there tends to be little love for the product, and they need money to recuperate their costs. 

Did this make a difference here? I do not know. What I do know is the free plan over the years has dropped in offerings, and what you get for each plan is less, and the prices have gone up.

The free plan allowed a business to have 2,000 accounts, which was enough for most small to medium businesses. Now it has only 500 accounts. Even the smallest business would need about 1,500 accounts. That is about $40 a month now, with many functions missing; getting all the functions is about $525 monthly. 

Besides this, here are my added thoughts on MailChimp

> There have been security problems with MailChimp. They have been compromised several times in recent years, raising security concerns. For an SMB, this is a serious problem as our client list security is paramount.

> Over the years, it has gotten more complex, too complicated. This makes it more challenging to use.

> Over the years, I have not been happy with their customer support which is often little more than you have to work it out yourself. 

> They have a monkey as a slogan, and they use it everywhere. It was friendly and humourous years ago. After years, as the quote goes, "a good joke is like a fine champagne, but repeated too often, becomes a flat soda."

Even though some businesses would find MailChimp a good fit, and it is a sound system, we need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks. We are considering other options that might suit our client's requirements better.

So we are looking for an alternative to offer our clients.

Key features required

If you are looking, I suggest that these key features are required for an email marketing software program:

Managing email lists

The capacity to manage your email list, including the ability to import, segment, and clean it.

Creating an email campaign

A user-friendly interface for designing and creating email campaigns, with drag-and-drop editors and customisable templates.

Automation

the capacity to generate automated email sequences using triggers and subscriber behaviour.

Personalisation

The capacity to customise emails based on subscriber information like name, location, and previous purchases

Analytics

Email campaign performance in-depth analytics and reporting, including conversion, open, and click-through rates.

The A/B test

The capacity to test various email components, including subject lines and content, to improve campaign performance.

Deliverability

You need high deliverability rates and compliance with anti-spam laws to ensure your emails reach subscribers' inboxes.

Integrations

the capacity to connect to other tools for sales and marketing, like CRM systems and social media platforms.

Support

Reliable customer support, hopefully including email, phone, and chat support, to help you troubleshoot any issues you may have.

Please let me know your thoughts.