By Ed Avis
Buyers from costume retailers have a lot to say to their vendors. They want their orders delivered on time, they want a dedicated salesperson, and they want goods that the big box store down the street isn’t selling. These are just a few of the points made during an online panel discussion hosted by the NCA on February 8.
Here are 6 things the panelists said they want vendors to know:
1) Deliver our orders on time. Every panelist emphasized that the sooner product is delivered, the more they can sell.
“There are a lot of events that are happening in the city all the time, so people are coming in for dozens of random items at all times, so the longer I have it, the better,” said panelist Brian Clark, owner of Abracadabra in New York City.
Panelist Dian Lowe, owner of Costumes Plus in Minneapolis, agreed: “I like to get it as soon as I can. We prefer that because this time of year we're slower, we have time to organize. We can actually sell more if we get it earlier.”
2) Offer unique products. All NCA members have to compete with big box stores, online vendors and Halloween pop-ups. It’s hard to compete with them on price, so having interesting, unique products is essential.
“The uniqueness of products is key to us because that’s what actually sets us apart from Party City and the Halloween stores,” said Diana Maldonado, owner of Teatrocentro in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
3) Sales reps make a difference. The panelists made it clear that having a salesperson who is dedicated to their account makes them more likely to order from that vendor, and order larger quantities.
“There are times you have questions that you need a vendor you can relate with,” Maldonado explained. “If it’s just CSR number 27 today and the CSR number 46 tomorrow, it doesn't create a relationship with the company. When you have companies that you deal with one representative, you establish a nicer relationship and you tend to order more from that person because you talk to a human being and that person knows you and knows your needs.”
Maldonado added that having a dedicated sales rep pays off for the vendor, too: “When I have the representative coming and showing me the line, I make higher orders than when I have to work with the system by myself and with a catalog. …. And when you have a representative that you care about and you feel that that representative cares about you, you in turn market that product much more. We're humans. We tend to sell the ones we like the most.”
Clark said that a visit from a sales rep sometimes highlights products that he might have otherwise overlooked: “I think that the trendiness of certain products that might not be on our radar are brought to our attention. In turn it helps the vendor too because that increases the purchase orders. Last year I bought from a company without a rep coming in, and the year before, when the rep did come in and we sat at my desk and worked together, I purchased five times the amount that I did this past year.”
4) Tell us what’s in stock. The panelists said its very helpful when vendors can give accurate inventory information, especially in September and October.
“When we get close to Halloween, that's when I really like the B2B sites because when I need to reorder, I'm not spending a lot of time ordering product that the vendor might not have,” Lowe said.
5) Send us posters. One of the vendors attending the event asked the panel what kind of promotional materials stores like to receive. While all of it is welcome, the most valuable is posters, the panelists reported.
“Posters are what we go for because they are easy to put up and they last a long time,” Maldonado said.
6) In-store demos are worthwhile. When a vendor visits a store and demonstrates a product, it often leads to sales, the panelists said.
“Anytime there's an opportunity to create an event and a buzz at the store, we're definitely all about it for sure,” Clark said. “And it also helps educate too, so that's another point. That's helpful.”
Marion Bradley, owner of Discount Costumes in Warner Robins, Georgia, was not on the panel but she attended the event. When the topic of in-store demos arose, Bradley said demos show that a vendor respects her store: “If you are willing to offer a demo, I am willing to invest in your product.”