Every clothing store operator knows that carrying “on-trend” apparel is a must in order to attract and retain increasingly fickle customers. However, it’s just as important to stay “trendy” when it comes to conducting business—and an apparel point of sale solution can help. With this type of technology in place, apparel retailers can:
1. Ensure standard sales functionalities.
A good apparel point of sale system enables retailers to improve inventory management by generating re-orders in accordance with previous sales patterns. Re-orders can also be generated when quantities of individual SKUs have been depleted to pre-set levels. Additionally, it allows operators with multiple stores to find for customers items that may be available in one shop and out-of-stock in another. Such real-time replenishment, distribution, and stock balancing sharpens retailers’ competitive edge and gives them an advantage among ever-more-demanding customers.
An apparel point of sale system also makes it easy to track and update information about layaways, eliminating the frustration that often occurs when shoppers are given incorrect information about item(s) being held for them. Detailed sales figures can be broken down to the color and size level at each store, ensuring that retailers aren’t stuck, for instance, with 10 size 14 skirts in red and no size 14 skirts in green at one store—and no way of knowing which of their locations has the merchandise needed at another.
2. Deliver targeted campaigns through email marketing.
With an apparel point of sale system in place, operators can collect customer data such as email and physical addresses; birthday, clothing sizes worn; and favorite styles/designers, then use it to create and send out targeted offers and invitations via email. The configuration of the system should facilitate customer segmentation so that consumers receive only those offers and invitations that will be of interest to them and make sense from a business standpoint; the more targeted these initiatives are, the higher the profits they will generate. For example, with a properly segmented database, only consumers who favor a particular designer will receive an invitation to a trunk show featuring that designer’s latest apparel creations.
3. Support multiple pricing levels/bundles and up-selling capabilities.
Many apparel retailers like to use multiple pricing levels to boost sales—touting, for instance, three pieces of clothing for a single price as well as “buy one, get one half price” and “buy one, get one free” offers. Bundling clothing items and/or accessories for sale as a “package” (e.g., a top and a pair of pants or a necklace, bracelet, and pair of earrings) is another favorite strategy. Apparel point of sale technology should permit these transactions to be easily rung up and recorded in the point of sale software, and for sales to be tracked.
A properly configured apparel point of sale system also lets merchants leverage the customer data described in #2 above, as well as customers’ purchasing histories, to engage in profit-generating up-selling. For example, it will prompt an associate who is ringing up a certain brand of dress to inquire whether the customer has seen an accessory or another garment that would go well with that article of clothing or might be desirable because it is from the same manufacturer.
4. Support loyalty and gift card programs.
Loyalty and gift card programs can take apparel sales to new heights by fostering an increased level of brand engagement with customers. The best apparel point of sale systems streamline the process of activating loyalty and gift cards alike. They also have the functionality to access customers’ balances, ensuring that patrons receive credit for every eligible purchase and to simplify the shopping process. Store associates should be able to use the apparel point of sale system to access members’ loyalty accounts by entering the associated telephone number so that shoppers need not sacrifice points—and so that retailers need not sacrifice sales—if customers cannot present a loyalty card or key fob during a visit to the store.
Apparel retailing can be very lucrative if merchants know how to be trendy. Using apparel point of sale technology to stay on-trend in the business opens even more doors to profitability.
