ASD Value and Variety Merchandise Report

Back to School (From page 141) school business at The Variety Store of Frog Pond usually intensifies in the weeks leading up to school start dates, these days Willis is seeing shoppers snap up school supplies anytime they can get their hands on them in his 15,000-square-foot store. “Prior to this year, it wasn’t an issue. But we never know when the deals are going to come in and the shoppers are realizing it too.” It’s a case of getting when the getting is good.

The Variety Store of Frog Pond endeavors to stock backpacks, pens, paper, notebooks, composition books and related school supplies. These would all seem to be safe bets but an element of unpredictability is inherent in his business. “I run around and buy what I think will sell and then it sits on the shelf and grows legs. And there are some things we sell that go so fast I think oh, why didn’t I buy more of that?” Willis said. Hit or miss, this North Carolina store relies on Facebook to alert shoppers to new and seasonal merchandise as it arrives. Sometimes the posts do mention pricing. “But to make our own,” said Clay. It’s not uncommon for astute shoppers to find discounts of anywhere from 25 to 35 percent off select merchandise. Essential school items are visible on end caps and at the check-out counters so there’s little chance anyone will forget to buy what the students in their households need. If shoppers happen to miss the back-to-school flyer, they can learn what’s happening via Facebook or Instagram. “We try to meet everyone’s needs school and otherwise. We have everything here from dollar merchandise all the way up to higher end items like home décor,” he concluded.

School supplies can be found any time of the year at Discount Overstocks in Rapid City, S.D., but this independent store also does a big push before the new academic year begins. In addition to seeing plenty of students and/or their parents come through to snap up education essentials, the 15,000-square-foot retail space also gets a good share of teacher traffic. “Lots of teachers come in here and also buy because we feature our stuff at almost 50 percent off retail. We’re usually whatever we bring in here, we always sell at rock bottom prices so customers are always going to get a great deal.”

Having an idea of what kind of school supplies will be demand helps Glecoff’s Family Store in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada, with their ordering process. “Most schools around here put out a list prior to the school year for the kids so they or their parents know what to get. That makes it easy for us,” said Clay Glecoff who owns the business with his wife Amy. Most of the key items – pencils, pens, erasers, notebooks, all the basics – are on hand year-round in their 8,000-square-foot well-equipped variety store anyway. They just bump the volume up come back-to-school time. Orders are in place well before the products come in around midJuly.

An eight-page flyer inserted in the local paper typically advertises Glecoff’s Family Store back-to-school specials in early August. “However, the supplier we have this year isn’t going to do the flyer so we’re going

50 percent off what they might find at Walmart,” said Store Manager Deb Anderson . Top-selling items include notebooks, looseleaf paper, binders, and trapper keepers. The latter resemble a notebook but feature a zipper. Trapper keepers remain popular because they’re capable of containing a whole host of school-related items.

Discount Overstock relies on Facebook to promote merchandise. When it comes to back-to-school items, Anderson said she may have as many as eight to nine pallets held in reserve for the peak shopping period. Back-to-school shopping season typically begins in July and once social media gets the word out, eager customers stream in to snap up deals. “Ultimately we end up with four to five counters full of back-to-school merchandise – up from our usual two counters of stationery supplies - and it’s gone in no time.” Placed prominently near the front of the store, back-toschool merchandise is always a hit! ❖