Well, we’re into August and summer’s progressing nicely here at Candles of Eden. We hope you are enjoying bright days, bountiful barbecues, beautiful beaches, and everything else that the season brings. There’s another season on the horizon as well - that’s prime candle selling season, where you can really grow your SoyLuscious® Soy Candle sales.

Come autumn you want your place of business well stocked with Candles of Eden candles, accessories, and wickless alternatives. You can begin to prepare for that time right now. When you are well prepared for the selling season you give yourself that advantage over your competition that is playing catch-up when customers are ready to buy. This month’s blog theme will address subjects that have to do with inventory management and control. When you plan your inventory requirements, and control your inventory properly, for prime selling season, you will sell more. That’s because you have the right products, such as your Candles of Eden line, at the right prices, sitting on your shelves and display units at the right time. That’s everything your customers could ask for.

Here are some of the things we’ll discuss in this month’s blog:

 

  • Forecasting inventory requirements
  • Aging your inventory – keeping track of how long each item is in your store
  • Displaying your inventory
  • Training your staff to keep an eye out for inventory requirements – make them inventory specialists as well
  • Understanding turnover
  • Understanding stock-to-sales ratios
  • Understanding Gross margin return on inventory investment
  • Understanding sales-per-square-foot and what that tells you about inventory levels
  • Proper stock rotation
  • Having a selling plan for your inventory
  • Highlighting each inventory classification in a season – give each their 15 minutes of fame so-to-speak
  • Understanding that you cannot buy merchandise requirements based on price alone

 

Each of these topics represents different aspects of the inventory management and control function. From knowing how much to order, and when to order it, to measuring inventory performance and teaching your staff inventory basics, it’s all here this month at the Candles of Eden blog. We want to give you some extra insight into your all important inventory function. After all, your inventory brings people into your store. As congenial and friendly as you and your staff are, your customers are not going to visit a retail store with empty shelves. While your personnel are your most important asset for selling your inventory, your inventory is your reason for being. You need to manage and control it so you do not lose control of your business.

We here at Candles of Eden want to get you the best soy candle inventory via our SoyLuscious® Soy Candle line that you need. We want to get them to your place of business at the right time, at the right price, and in the right quantities and assortments. We’re managing and controlling our inventory to make sure you have the products you need to manage, control, and sell your inventory. We all profit when we plan our inventory needs. It’s of prime importance when it comes to building sales in the highly competitive retail and spa environment. Check out the Candles of Eden blog regularly this month for our discussions on inventory management and control.