Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Merchandising at Your Events: Revenue Without the Risk!


The 2015 competition season is in full swing, and if you’re like many gyms across the country you’re hosting at least one event this year. Don’t overlook the opportunity to offer gymnasts and their families the convenience and value of quality, affordable leotards and apparel, as well as bring in some additional revenue for your gym! Meets are an excellent time to have products available for guests to purchase, and during the down times they’ll appreciate having interesting and innovative items to browse through. Not to mention, smaller gift items can provide an excellent opportunity for friends and family to quickly select a gift as a way to say “great job!” to the gymnast they came to support.

The key to having a successful sale is to not only provide a wide range of attractive items for customers to choose from, but to also display them effectively. It doesn’t take a lot of time, effort or expense to showcase the items you have for sale in an attractive and easy-to-access manner. Consider some of the following “dos and don’ts” we’ve learned over the years:
  • Do use inexpensive clothing racks and hangers to make it easy for visitors to see and browse through the items you have for sale. 
  • Don’t leave sale or clearance items in a box for visitors to browse through. This requires too much effort for shoppers and it doesn’t showcase items to their full potential.
  • Do consider special pricing to encourage purchases: “Buy one item, get the second for ½ off,” or “Buy a leotard and get a free hair twist” are great ways to increase sales.
  • Don’t try and cram too much into a space that’s too small! It shouldn’t be difficult for multiple browsers to access the items at the same time. Think about creating a logical traffic flow with ample room for your customers to move and interact with the items you have for sale.
  • Do pair items together to maximize your profits. If a leotard has a matching pair of colorful shorts, or a sweatshirt has a matching pair of yoga pants, make sure to showcase both items together for your customers to see.
  • Don’t hide the prices! “How much does it cost?” is often a shopper’s first question.
  • Do let them try before they buy. Locker rooms and bathrooms can serve as fitting rooms; make sure visitors know where they are and that they’re welcome to use them to check out fit and function.
  • Don’t worry that your products won’t sell! Alpha Factor’s “Buy With Confidence” event package program takes the risk out of offering a wide array of merchandise to entice your visitors. If the products you offer don’t sell, simply return them to us at no additional cost, there’s no risk to you! It’s a great way to find out what most appeals to your customers—and to add some additional revenue to your bottom line.

As you gear up and prepare for the 2015 season, make sure to think about the kinds of merchandise you might want to offer at the events you’ll be hosting, and consider our Aerials by Alpha Factor and adidas Gymnastics lines. Both offer stylish, trendy designs, a superior quality and fit, our exclusive 4-way stretch fabrics, and are sure to be a hit at your next event! 


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