Mistakes Retailers Should Avoid

Impression is one of the key components of your business’ success. Since it is important to feel and look good for your clients, it is very important for owners to take note of even the simplest detail. However, as reviews and studies have concluded, most retailers start their business without knowing the basics of the industry they are to undertake. If they have indeed done their research, they have zero experience. This leads to mistakes causing many retailers to jeopardize their own business.

Information Technology also has its own retail mistakes which are oftentimes repeated despite the spontaneous change. Mobile retailing industry, for instance, has its own share of failed fortune and disappointments. It has attracted a lot of business newbies because of the rise of mobile adaptation and the increasing growth of IT. Many people thought venturing into this kind of business impulsively is easy since there is not much to lose anyway. And more often than not, they are proven wrong.

To assist you in identifying mistakes done by your predecessors, the Peterson Group, distributor of mobile phone accessories and laptop peripherals in Taiwan has listed some of the most common of these mistakes which we have also observed from some of our retail clients and includes tips on how you can best avoid them:

1.Dysfunctional Displays

In order to impress the customers, many retailers stuff more than half of their products within a few meters from the entrance. We call this the decompression zone. Maria Hernz, author of “the Psychology of Buying” has stated that “By the time the person is starting to engage with the physical environment, some of the stuff you’ve put by the door is blown past”. After touring around the busy center of Jakarta, Indonesia, she also said, “…these store owners thought they attracting people. They are only crowding the eyes”. She then suggests displaying a few items and using lighting to do the magic of contrast.

2.Overcrowded Merchandise

We are oftentimes aghast on the number of orders we get for accessories. It is quite understandable when it is for the in-demand products but for those which are not yet introduced in the market, it would seem like our customers are preparing for a long hoard or something. Resist the urge to order bulks of products and stop yourself from displaying too much merchandise in one area.

3.Unappealing Sights

Watch out for some details which your customer might find appealing such as electric warning signs on top of some open wires or open restroom doors with the toilet seat open.

The Peterson Group Review: PepsiCo Mobile Phone and Accessories

Last November, 2015, it came as a great surprise to many when the great conglomerate, PepsiCo has launched their very own mobile phones. Unlike other non-telecommunications companies which first introduced their own brand of mobile phones, many people wonder why this carbonated Soft Drink Company decided on this move especially since there is no direct relation to two different industries.  This issue has been discussed after reviewing the emergence of Caterpillar and Marshall mobile phones. The former being known for its machines and construction equipment focused on creating sturdy tool for rugged use while mobile phones of the latter, a popular manufacturer of headphones and audio devices features the “loudest smartphone on Earth”. The PepsiP1 by comparison seems to be homogenous.

PepsiCo Mobile and Accessories are already well underway in China where its main manufacturer, Shenzhen Scooby Communications Equipment is based. In an email sent by the food and beverage company to the Peterson Group, distributor of mobile phones and accessories in Taiwan, they have no plans to start into mobile manufacturing and will be making this new venture an exclusive in China alone. The spokeswoman did not further elaborate their future plans.

Complaints poured against this plan as many people are expecting this new device to be available in developed and developing countries as well. Expectation arose when reports of the mobile phone’s high quality was released.

The Phone P1s (and P1) is powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek (MT6592) processor with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM. It comes with 16GB inbuilt storage and supports expandable storage via microSD card (up to 64GB). The phones sports 13-megapixel rear camera while there is a 5-megapixel front camera also on board. It is backed by a 3000mAh battery.

Moreover, it is 4G LTE enabled which supports Bluetooth, 3G, GPRS/EDGE, MicroUSB and GPS. The phone also features fingerprint scanner just below the primary camera. It also comes in a cheaper price compared to other brands offering the same quality.  Only $399, PepsiP1 is already gaining a lot of attention.

Despite denial of expansion to other countries, however, black markets are already offering fraud copies of this device in discreet shops in Jakarta, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand only a few months after its launch.

PepsiCo is yet to respond to expansion and fraud claims and is continuously strengthening the foundation of the business.

Gradual Fame of Mobile Accessory Wearable

Jakarta, Indonesia - Mobile accessories and devices sales have skyrocketed in the last couple of years as technology has also been advancing. The increasing demand for smartphones have also driven manufacturers of mobile gadgets to increase their stocks and double their efforts to innovate depending on the needs of the consumers. But as the technology is fast changing, so are trends and preferences. With dozens of new models and units, one item can be hot in the first couple of months and be totally forgotten on the following days. It is already a cycle in the modern world and distributors have accepted the risk and challenge to deliver the products fast and be constantly updated on the latest releases. 

One sector, the wearable, is yet to have that worry since we are still presently at the time when wearable devices are slowly being appreciated. It may not have reached its own peak of success yet but soon, its popularity is set to surpass that of monopods. In their review of the total adoption of people on wearable gadgets, the Peterson Group, distributor of mobile phone accessories and laptop peripherals in Taiwan observes that “this category will have a long and profitable tail. In fact, key products released this year have given wearables a healthy bump in terms of market expansion and popularity”, says Ian Peterson, CEO.

To the average consumer, these wearable refers to the Apple Watches. While it is true that Apple has contributed to the mainstream appreciation of the device, it is not the only brand and product to drive this category into its slow but steady success. As a matter of fact, fitness bands are skyrocketing with high average selling price opportunities. Authorities even found fraud fitness bands on black markets which are being flocked by health cautious customers.

 See, as technology advances, consumers are willing to pay for more sophisticated products. If you haven’t experienced these sales in your store there’s a reason for that too: less than 5% of fitness band purchases were made at a wireless carrier store. That means there’s a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of this growing segment.

Retail stores often disregard these products and instead focus on the sales of headsets, chargers and other most in-demand devices to avoid the risk of investing. It is, however, highly advisable to include these products in your line of products albeit limit its quantity. Furthermore, it is also important to have sufficient knowledge on the background of this particular category to sell it well.