It’s a given in the business world that increasing sales and reducing costs leads to greater profits. Every retail store or spa owner wants that. We want that as well for ourselves, here at Candles of Eden. If we didn’t we would have no business “being in business”. However, a commitment to increase profits must not mean a commitment to buying the lowest priced inventory around in an effort to keep costs low. A commitment to offering your customers quality products means you must not make your inventory purchases based on price alone.

With prime candle and gift selling season on the horizon, you need to ensure you are planning to have the right amount of the right products in your store for when the busy season begins. This means having top quality products such as SoyLuscious® Soy Candles and other product lines ready to go for when the higher traffic enters your establishment. While you want to get the fairest deal you can when purchasing inventory requirements, you have to look beyond price. You have to look at what I call the three “C’s” of inventory purchasing. These are Consistent Quality, Consistent Supply, and Consistent Support. Yes, price is a factor in any business decision, but it must not be the only factor.

When you choose to purchase inventory for the busy selling season just ahead you need to make sure you are purchasing quality. When cash flow and sales are weak in a period it’s tempting to want to hunker down and buy discounted merchandise in an attempt to get inventory onto your shelf at discounted retail prices. It’s because you want to spur those extra sales. Nevertheless, will that approach necessarily work for your business? If your customers are used to you offering top quality elegant products such as Candles of Eden soy candles and other product lines, it’s not usually a wise thing to offer them less than that the next time they enter your premises. You have built a clientele based on quality offerings and you need to maintain that.

We talked earlier this year about not doing anything to hurt the “persona” of your store that you worked so hard to establish. Do you really want to come across as a discounter when your reason for establishing your business was to offer the best quality at “fair prices”? As I mentioned in a previous posting if all people wanted were discount products at discount prices every store would be a five and dime. If you really look at the shops around your region, you will find that unique specialty stores that offer fine quality at fair prices are plentiful and thriving. Stick to your commitment to Consistent Quality and watch your business continue to grow on a sound structure.

As you prepare for the upcoming prime selling season, make sure you buy from businesses that can offer you Consistent Supply. A business that manufactures quality products but has trouble delivering them to you in the amounts you need and when you need them is not much good to you. We all know the feeling of arriving at a supermarket to get that hot deal of the week only to find shelves empty and the only thing offered to you is a ‘rain check” for whenever they get the product in again. You do not want a “rain check’ issued from a supplier when you need the product in your store now, or very soon. To ensure the viability of your business you need to find suppliers of quality products who can consistently supply you these products according to “your schedule”.

Finally, make sure you receive Consistent Support from your inventory suppliers. We here at Candles of Eden are committed to your success. When you succeed we succeed. That’s why we offer all our wholesale customers unrivaled selling support, resources on our website and blog to help you manage your business better, and convenient ordering and flexible payment options. On top of that we offer our Retailer Loyalty Program. Make sure your other product line suppliers offer you the same or similar support systems. If they value your business, as we do, they will be more than glad to provide you this.

Consider the three “C’s” of inventory purchasing as you prepare for the coming busy selling season. We constantly strive, here at Candles of Eden, to offer you Consistent Quality, Consistent Supply, and Consistent Support. Make sure the rest of your inventory suppliers do the same. With an army of great suppliers behind your business, you will win the battles you face in the super-competitive retail and spa world.