Here's an update on a story we posted some time ago. Once again, we're seeing a retail split into two canps -- price or experience.
Most people wouldn't think of buying a car without taking it for a spin. Rob Pehkonen asks them to do the same with their washing machines.
Pehkonen operates three Maytag "test-drive" stores along the Front Range, and he is opening a fourth in March. Customers can haul in their laundry to try out his Maytag washers or bring a turkey to cook in one of his Maytag ovens.
"If you're going to spend thousands of dollars on appliances, you should at least have a chance to try them out," said Pehkonen, an independent dealer who, in exchange for selling Maytag products exclusively, is allowed to use the name of the Newton, Iowa-based company.
By promoting "try before you buy," retailers like Pehkonen are making shopping interactive with hopes of creating more loyal customers and achieving higher sales.
"The experiential environment they're trying to create is the ultimate customer service," said Jon Schallert, president of the Schallert Group Inc., a Sorrento, Fla.- based retail consulting firm. "It's the ultimate hand-holding. It's a great idea because it's something the superstores can't do."
Retail sales are gradually shifting into two distinct camps, either extreme discount or extreme service, Schallert said.
"You either have to be price-oriented or high-service," he said. "If you're hanging out in the middle and doing neither, you're probably not going to make it."
Link: DenverPost.com - BUSINESS.
Link to earlier post: Try it before you buy it.
Just stumbled across this thanks to your post. Glad to see a retailer who's working on a bite-size chunk strategy for big purchases. Whether the customer ends up buying or not, chances are good the customer will talk about their experience.
Posted by: Ben McConnell | March 04, 2005 at 01:58 PM