How Can Consumers Shop Smart in 2009?

PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwire - May 7, 2009) - There's good news and bad news for retailers and shoppers, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The bad news is that retail sales are down since the same time last year by about 13 percent, but the good news is that the numbers are up since January of this year by about .2 percent. And the recent uptick, according to Steve Howard, author of "Boomer Selling" from Action Press (www.boomerselling.com), means that consumers are starting to open their wallets again.

"They're just being choosier now," he said. "When the economy was good, they would be quick to buy, and they'd ignore poor sales tactics or even whether they could afford the purchase. Today, they are trying to avoid the mistakes of the past. But they are spending, nearly a trillion dollars, in the retail marketplace. Still, in order for a consumer to be comfortable to buy during this recession, three conditions must first exist," he said. Consumers must:

--  Want what the salesman is selling;
--  The perceived value of the product must exceed its price;
--  The consumer must be able to actually afford it.
    

However, the "greedy salesman" ignores those conditions, and tries to obscure the truth, Howard said.

--  They try to "guess" how much money consumers have to spend
    
--  They ask canned questions, work from scripts, attempting the one-sales-
    pitch-fits-all approach
    
--  They offer limited choices, or packages, invariably meaning that no
    matter what the consumer does, he is likely going to wind up paying for a
    feature or an option that he may not want
    
--  They also try to sell the consumer something they just don't want, or
    couldn't afford, or both
    

"A better approach, which should be easily recognized by consumers, is that the salesman will work to create confidence on the part of the consumer. They'll work to determine the consumer's desires or needs, and then they will customize the product or service to address both what the customer wants and how much they can afford."

About Steve Howard

Steve Howard, president of the ACT Group, a training and consulting firm in Phoenix, AZ, is one of the best known thought leaders in the sales training industry. His books, articles, audio tapes, seminars and in-field consulting have solidified that reputation.

Contact Information: Contact: Rachel Friedman Rachel@newsandexperts.com