“The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.” – Seneca

Friday: Big Money Small Change

Alright, I’m going to take some heat for today’s inspiration… but before you get all ghoulish on me… when I searched for today’s quote, I overlooked many that were  waaaay more macabre!

But what a quote to describe a date with my husband!   Hahahaha he’ll get a kick out of that.  He’s always like, “why don’t you mention me in your blog” well, there you go honey…

We visited the Mall of America.  We live about 20 minutes away and the last time I was there was at least 3 years ago.  What the heck… people spend thousands of dollars to fly into town and I can’t even get in my car for a day visit.

In the MOA’s defense, it’s pretty cool.  You should visit.  It’s clean, safe, and full of activity.  It’s easy to access, easy to maneuver, and well… enjoyable.

However, at the expense of my husband’s psyche that hates the “after the nuclear holocaust empty street feeling”, I made him go into Sears.  Is today’s inspiration starting to make more sense?

Sears is an anchor at the mall… but honestly, put a fork in it and call it done.  As he said, “it doesn’t know it’s dead.”  Now, we have an interesting history.  We’re kind of the “angles of death” duo.  It started with a visit to a Pizza Hut and a short time later (like the next day) it closed.  We did it again with another pizza restaurant… oh, there was the hill top restaurant… but our jewel is Lehman Brothers.

Yes.

We are responsible for the 2008 economic collapse.  We’re sorry.  But we got on the plane from Minnesota and all was good… the economy was fine.  We landed in New York, checked into the Sheraton across the street from Lehman Brothers, annnd the rest is history.

So I said, looking into Sears, we’ve got to do it.  Let’s go.

We walked down the hallway, it was eerie.  Nobody was around. Here’s something creepy… we swear the tile floor outside the entrance is the original from the 1991 opening.  We made one lap in the store to see the stained carpeting and bare shelves.  there was a 90% off jewelry sign.

Woah, who’s that… we passed another couple!  Although we’re pretty sure they had been walking the aisles for years, trapped and trying to escape this retail empire.  Strangely this visit to Sears felt like my very last visit to Montegomery Wards.  Sad.

I’m not saying Sears is dead, but it sure ain’t breathing with any regularity.

But as we look forward to celebrating it’s eternal birthday – I will say this.  When you walk in and find plaid scarves in a wad at the bottom of a bin… maybe our effort in display is suffering.

You see…

Two stores later we visited the Burberry boutique.  They also sell scarves.  In fact they display two, just two, neatly folded, behind a glass case, in a well lit velvet heaven.

I’m just making an observation… both Sears and Burberry had similar looking plaid print scarves… yet one store is dying and can’t sell a scarf for 40% off it’s $15 price… and the other store locks it’s version up.  I didn’t ask how much, but I’m guessing somewhere between the $1,850 purse and the $450 men’s pajama bottoms.

So what’s the difference in the two scarves?

Even if you’re putting something on clearance… you need to display it like you give a poo!

Learn a lesson from America’s foremost retail authority.  And the lesson is hidden in “what they no longer do category”…  simply clean your store! Add a little lighting, soft music, and hang up your clearance scarves!

Respect your customers.  Give them a dignified shopping experience, always.

When looking for a “Big Money Small Change” tip… just dust and fold your merchandise.  It’s CHEAP!    Go… do it now!

Sears has been good to marketers and students of retail, but like our dear sweet old relatives that go a little crazy at the end, let’s hold tight to the good memories of what they’ve taught us about being a selling empire.

BTW:  Our work here is done.   Wahahahahaha

#doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my episode on “Try This”!
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Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This!
Sunday – Week in Review