How Your Point of Sale Software Can Increase Your Average Size of Sale

- By Jeff Haefner

It's surprising how many retailers over-look this simple method to increase sales. It goes something like this...

When your customers purchase items from you, it's important to make sure they purchase everything they need so they receive the best possible experience. This is very important for two reasons:

1) If you don't make sure they buy everything they need, you are NOT giving your customers the service that they deserve.

2) If you don't make sure they buy everything they need, you are losing sales!

Let me explain the importance of this concept by telling a story...

This might surprise you because I'm always writing about computer stuff, but I love all kinds of sports including water sports and boating. One of the activities I love is slalom skiing. I've been doing this for several years, but I recently decided to try something new -- I wanted to try wakeboarding.

So I went to a local sporting goods store specializing in water sports to buy my first wakeboard. After browsing through the store and talking with the sales people, I found an awesome wakeboard! I was proud of my purchase and very happy with the advice I received from the sporting goods retailer.

After leaving the store, I was excited to test out my new wakeboard and I couldn't wait to get on the water.

So the time finally came where I could get on the water and try it out. However, when I tried to put on my wakeboard, it was very difficult to get my feet in the bindings. In fact, I was worn out before I was even ready to start.

What I didn't realize until later was that I needed "binding slime" so my feet would easily slide into the bindings. So the next day, I went back to the store and bought some binding slime.

At this point I was still excited, but a little annoyed that I had to get in my car and drive all the way back to the store to get my slime. I wasted 45 minutes out of my day! In any case, I did go back to the store and buy the slime.

Well, a few weeks passed and one of my friends told me that I should get a different rope that doesn't stretch. Apparently the "slalom ski" ropes stretch but the "wakeboard" ropes do not. Plus they have wider handles for tricks and turns.

So of course I wanted a wakeboard rope to get the most out of my wakeboarding experience!

But this time I was tired of going back to the store, so I ordered the rope on the internet. After looking back, I really wish the retailer would have told me that I would need the slime and a rope when I first bought the wakeboard. But they never brought it up.

Just imagine if the retailer would have sold me the slime and the rope when I bought my wakeboard. Not only would I have been a happy customer because I didn't have to go back, but I also would get the "full experience" that I wanted.

Not to mention, the sporting goods retailer would have made more money on a bigger sale. But instead he lost a sale and maybe a loyal customer.

Do you see how important it is to make sure your customers get everything they need?

This concept applies to any type of business. For example:

Electronics stores can add-on surge protectors
Eye glass retailers can add-on cleaning kits
Shoes stores can add-on therapeutic insoles
And the list goes on and on

Just imagine if you were able to add more sales just 5% of the time! How much would that add to your revenue and profits?

Now this is where your POS software can help...

Most POS systems include "add-on sales" features that allow you to associate add-on products and include some special notes for the sale.

So in the wakeboard example, when the cashier sells the wakeboard, a message would appear (before they give the final price) that reminds them to sell the binding slime and the wakeboard rope.

The software could even display a special script so the cashier knows how to sell those items.

Many people overlook this concept, but your POS system can be a great tool to remind your employees to always sell add-ons.

I highly recommend using the add-on concept. It's a great way for all types of retailers to increase the average size of their sales.

If you have any questions about this concept, or if you have any suggestions, let me know.

I would love to hear from you.

To your success.

Jeff Haefner

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