Time for Your "Inner Merchant" to Shine

As we have taught for years, anyone selling something to the ultimate consumer is a "retailer." 

However, only a small portion of these retailers are truly "merchants".

And now is the time the merchants can shine!

While we certainly are not economists (among other things), we are sensing that consumer confidence is generally stronger now than it has been in many Holiday seasons. 

And merchants recognize there is an opportunity to benefit greatly from a few carefully-selected additional markups this Holiday Season, and perhaps into the first quarter of 2015 as well. 

Don't by shy! If you have discovered unique merchandise and brought it in, do not undervalue your discerning choices!

• Identify that unique, non-commodity merchandise you have. (Perhaps 5%-10% of the total.)
• If you haven't already, take a markup that is bit higher on those carefully-selected items.

What's the worst that can happen? It ends up being marked down in 7 weeks?! Hmmm.

• During that time, those 5–10 days before Christmas, all true merchants will be "dumping" (that's understood, right?) merchandise they do not want come December 26. 
• So what if you still have some of this specialized merchandise at that time; you still are likely to generate some revenue from it.

But, between now and then, get that extra markup wherever you can! This is not the time to leave money on the table.

The merchants of the world assure you: this is not being greedy. It is being strategic! 

You know, like a merchant!!