ABSTRACT
When you think about the ideal store, the first image that almost certainly comes to mind is a selling machine. But perhaps you would not have suspected that in order to achieve this objective, you should first create an imagination machine: a store that tells a meaningful story, whose main characters - brands, architecture, visual information, sales staff - follow the script and transmit values to the visitors, making them feel part of the story. A walk around Globetrotter shows that the story is actually true.

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.Photo: Joel Jones (www.flickr.com)

ABSTRACT
Chains that sell their suppliers’ brands have suffered as a result of competition with chains that sell their own brands, and this has put them in a difficult position. However, the important factor is not what brands or how many of these are sold, but whether or not the store is capable of creating its own meaning, departing from the traditional role of a “multi-brand store” to become a chain brand, a “retail brand”. 

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ABSTRACT
The debate between Ryanair and the Travel agencies is not simply a mean to achieve media coverage, but a ferocious fight to preserve the feasibility of a business model, which requires selling directly to the public.

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ABSTRACT
A product’s packaging is much more than just a wrapper. Suppliers know this and that’s why they put so much effort into its design. But other types of product “packaging” affect the sensations produced in customers, and over which the supplier has no control.
We should understand that a shelf, a section, a store or even a shopping mall are also packagings, and that they are governed or designed by Firms in Retailing (FIRs). Sales depend heavily on the coherence between these overlapping packagings. [Read more →]

ABSTRACT

The concept of buying and selling has always been associated with the idea of an exchange of a Product for Money. Nevertheless, from the client’s perspective, what he is looking for is not merely a product, but a Solution, and what is willing to given up is more than money: its Efforts.
This prompts us to reconsider the concept of buying and selling: abandon the idea of selling simple SKUs in order to sell what the product represents for the customers. An exercise of empathy and segmentation based on the expected solutions or on the burdening efforts is a great way to achieve the goal of selling more. [Read more →]

Photo: Continente ‘White products’ (1970s).

ABSTRACT
Deriving its popular name from the colour of the product packaging, the white label is quite often associated with the idea of a “cheap” product or a simple “label”. Nevertheless, far away are the first launches in Europe – in the mid 70’s – from the current path that has been undertaken by the Retailers’ brand. In fact, these brands can have as much meaning and appeal as any other; but enjoying the privilege of relying on the best multi-sensory mean for branding there is: the store. [Read more →]

Photo: Leo Reynolds (www.flickr.com)

ABSTRACT
The commonly used vocabulary (manufacturer / distributor) seems useless when trying to reflect the usual practical reality. The source of competitive potential is not based in whether a company produces or not, but rather if it has direct contact with clients, selling, speaking and listening to them, and building their brand by the most powerful way there is: the purchase experience. Thus, the terms “Supplier” and “Firm In Retailing” (FIR) are more suitable… especially when it comes to stimulate innovation. [Read more →]

ABSTRACT
Reptiles go on their own, whereas the majority of mammals do so in a herd. The public - mammals by nature - has always sought and expressed opinions about the different brands in retailing, but now it disposes of very powerful methods of interacting, something that is impacting the management of retailing. [Read more →]