The 5 Reasons Your Retail Sales Are Down

If your retail sales are slumping, do you know why before the weekly report arrives? Real-time data tracking closes the gap between first learning of a problem and taking corrective action to fix it. Here are five reasons your retail sales may be down and how to be proactive to prevent it:

1. Your retail promotions are missing your actual promotion

Signage is missing in your store or inventory wasn’t placed in the right section. Customers simply aren’t aware of the product promotion. Action: Instruct your team to take photos of displays as soon as promotional materials are set up. When employees share these images, management can ensure that displays are optimized and vendors provided the correct materials.

2. Shelves are missing product for too long

A shortage of product is a quick way to lose sales. Make sure product is readily available for customers who are making fast purchase decisions. Action: Notify vendors of exceptions in real time. Classify exceptions by category and track them by region, team or district. Keep everyone up to date with a mobile solution that has built-in barcode and QR code readers, as well as exception analysis.

3. Your beverage machines are broken for too long

Compared to other retailers, c-stores have a competitive advantage in offering a variety of dispensed beverages. However, you must consistently deliver quality in order to make your store a beverage destination. Action: Using mobile reporting tools, managers can document broken or damaged beverage machines in real time. The reporting system’s advanced search function filters submissions and pinpoints problems, allowing executives to respond faster.

4. Your bathrooms make customers want to run out of your store

Dirty restrooms can negatively impact sales, especially in the foodservice category. Customers will also remember if your restrooms weren’t clean and might not return for this reason. Action: Create custom surveys for store cleanliness. Are bathroom floors clean and trash containers empty? Keep employees accountable by tracking tasks.

5. Your curbside appeal isn’t inviting to customers

How does your store look from the street? Has trash been picked up and have fuel dispensers been wiped down? Is the landscaping neat? At night, is your store brightly lit so that customers feel safe? Action: In addition to filling out electronic surveys, district managers can take photos and write captions from their mobile devices. This will help prepare maintenance staff before they arrive on site. Improving communication leads to more actionable plans.