Have Frequent Flyer Miles... Will Travel

By Lynni Megginson -- Home Accents Today, 9/1/2006

Whew! That's me wiping my brow (not sweating... glistening!) after the busy summer market season. Like most retailers, I had my frequent flyer number handy to rack up the miles traveling to the markets held in the heat of summer. In fact, I can't remember any period of time in the years I have owned my store that I haven't been on the go much of the summer with at least one major buying trip and one or two filler trips squeezed in. However, this summer was a real eye opening (as well as an open-to-buy) experience.

Any retailer pretty much knows the drill: you have "your" market that you go to without fail. It's usually demographically close, and you know those hallways because you've been going there for years. You know exactly what floor you're getting off on. You know where you're going and who you're going to see. Sound familiar? We are all creatures of habit and when faced with a limited amount of time to buy, we know how to hustle. Time-challenged buyers (myself included) tend to stick with the tried and true. I've done it for years, but this year I was thrown into a totally different market experience and it has changed what I know about buying.

I have been conducting seminars on hosting retail events at the major markets for the past couple of years. For the most part, I have been speaking at markets that I am already familiar with. This summer, OneCoast (my sponsor and partner) booked me to speak in Chicago, Seattle and Denver. In a panic I consulted my palm pilot against the dates of the shows I was used to attending, and realized that even with super human powers (that I definitely do not possess) there was no way I could travel to my comfort zones and still fulfill my duties as a speaker. With visions of coming home with no merchandise for my fourth quarter dancing through my head, I jetted off to uncharted territories and came back amazed!

The first thing I realized was that I was spending virtually the same amount of money to travel to an unknown market as I would have going to my own stomping grounds. Lesson learned: The financial investment in farther markets was not what I thought it would be, and in fact was well within my budget.

The second (and most humbling) thing that I realized was when I arrived at these market places I had no idea in h-e-double hockey sticks where I was. Instead of my usual feeling of supreme confidence upon entering a market, I was a bit cowed by the enormity of buildings I had no inkling about. So instead of pushing my way into an already over-crowded elevator as I would have on my usual buying trips, I started on the ground floor and worked my way up.

For the first time, instead of practically elbowing people out of my way in the hallways to get to my next appointment I was able to explore my new surroundings and appreciate showrooms that I might never have chanced upon before. This was a wide open world. I had no sense of direction and enjoyed literally stumbling upon new products I never would have come across had I followed my previous buying strategy. Instead of seeing the same old display windows I was so used to dismissing, I actually slowed down and took a second look at the vignettes and enjoyed the sensation of discovering many new items for my shop.

What a great feeling! During my trip to Chicago alone I opened up accounts with at least a dozen new vendors that I would never in a million years have found had I not been in a new environment. Naturally I still managed to visit my tried and true vendors, but this time I enjoyed the trip along the way and came home knowing I had brought in unique new products that would more than boost my bottom line.

We all know that in many ways, buying for our stores, caring for them and making sure they are always looking fabulous and full, can sometimes be more of a chore than a pleasure. Well, as far as I'm concerned, it shouldn't be. As buyers, going to market is one of the only times the shoe is truly on the other foot: We get catered to for a change! Most of my colleagues will agree with me that going to market is like a little mini-vacation. Why not broaden your horizons and try something new?

I'm not saying you should throw caution to the wind and put all of your proverbial eggs in one new market just for the heck of it. Your favorite market will always be true to you. The hallways won't change, you'll know what floors to visit and where to find the bathrooms with no lines.

However, adding a little spice can fulfill you financially and mentally. As much as I stumbled around in Seattle, a city I had never visited before, seeing the fabled Fish Market and the Space Needle were memories I might never have had if I had been more cautious. Ditto for seeing a sunset over the Rocky Mountains for the first time ... simultaneously I stocked my store and my spirit. Would I have planned to go off of the beaten track and visited these shows outside my comfort zone? No way. Would I do it again? You bet your bottom dollar.

We as small retailers are the backbone of this great land. Being a retailer is one of the most difficult vocations I know of. We put pressures upon ourselves that are immeasurable, yet give ourselves little time away to enjoy just what it is that we are working so hard for. Buying for our stores is a way of life, and we are being extended invitations from vendors from every corner of the USA ... why not take them up on it once in a while? Any market, large or small, appreciates our business, so keep your eyes open and your options plenty.