Have you ever just asked one of your established frame reps to send you his/her best sellers (sight unseen) ? How has that worked out? Did they sell through?
Have you ever just asked one of your established frame reps to send you his/her best sellers (sight unseen) ? How has that worked out? Did they sell through?
When I managed a large practice, I alloted a shelf allowance for each brand (say 35). When reordering, I picked half the new frames and let the rep pick the other half. That way my boards didn't start looking all alike (which I have seen many times). It worked wonders to keep the boards more vibrant and diverse.
It has never worked out for me.
As an optician, I only allowed 1 rep to do this for me because that rep really took the time to build that relationship with me and understand my demographic. As a rep, I am asked this all the time and when I see the account, I swap out the ones that didn't move and make a note of the styles that sell for next time. But it can be hit or miss - just like anything else. I generally ask for some basic guidelines like age, gender, size, color and price.
I have had CEC instructors who supposedly were hot shot rep salesmen in previous lives, tell me that they would unload the turkey's they were overstocked on and couldn't unload when they got a free hand.
Appearenly the "cash cows" were sent to preferred accounts and they had dig for them.
Chip
Yes on a couple lines and it went fine. But I specified "30 year old women, more browns than blacks, red is good," things like that.
Chip, sorry to hear this was your experience. I have no way of controlling inventory like that on the rep level - and I cannot say there isn't a software program that allows priority stock pics for "special accounts" when frames come off back order. But I do try to stick to ordering what's in stock and honestly, if I send out turkeys I eventually take back turkeys. Call me lazy but that's too much work for me ;)
I only have like 2 or 3 reps that I trust with something like that. Only because they come in and report on exctally what works in my area and in my office rather then what are "Best Sellers" on the National list.
Some will work out great, others are kind of a flop and go back.
I wouldn't fully trust every rep for every line. At least ask them what are the best sellers and look at them online (if you're doing this over the phone) and make sure it looks like it will fill your demand.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
~ Mark Twain ~
We have a line that is not moving well. The last three rep visits we did the choosing and the results were not that good. Returned quite a few this time also ..explained to rep that maybe it was our taste that was the problem . Giving the line the benefit of the doubt, I asked the rep to send us her best sellers with the understanding that if they did not sell we would drop the line. I know that sometimes I can get stuck in a frame styling rut and everything starts looking the same (just with a different name on the side). I hope this works (never done it before).
I have reps that I have been dealing with for several years now. If I am too busy, they usually pick really well for me because they know me well enough. It can definately work.
It hasn't worked well with new reps for me.
Axeyouself: Would you trust an on-line solicitation for anything? Would you trust a telephone solicitation? Would you trust a used car salesman? A new car salesman? Sales people are there to sell and make thier products sound as good as possible. This is thier sole purpose for seeing you. It's thier job to be nice and gain your confidence.
It isn't yours to gain thier confidence.
Chip
Frame reps work on commission, also pay the expenses themselves. They might have a draw against their commission. Any returns and take backs will result as a deduction from their commission. So of course a rep likes the well buying customers that return very few or no frames, and so does the their companiesthey work for.
In the old days it used to be an average of 7% of returns after a set of months.........these days it is 50-70%. This hits the pockets of a rep very hard.
Lab reps are mostly on a salary and expense account system.
Best sellers are best sellers- it has worked for me for over 50 years!
"Always laugh when you can. It is a cheap medicine"
Lord Byron
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