An Alternative approach to retail

3 reasons why you need to throw out the retail rule book and write a new one (that does not mention retail).

Selling retail is a sensitive subject in some spas. The obvious question managers ask is ‘how do I sell more retail?’. The more productive option is to consider ‘how do I make retail sales a more positive experience for my team and guests?’.

The reasons to consider revising your approach are:

01: Your Retail Competitors are Goliaths.

Whether you are selling an exclusive spa brand, a boutique local offering or a high-end cosmetic, your spa will never compare with the carefully manipulated machine that is a retail focused business. The retail experience is manufactured to be front and centre in such places and succeeds in offering choice, samples, trials, sales focused customer services, commission structures and ultimately a stampede like footfall. Your Spa is designed first and foremost to be a haven of relaxation & escapism, competing with this whirlwind of fantastical retail magic is not realistic and nor it should be. You want your guests to return to you because of the excellent service, the phenomenal treatments and the unparalleled sense of tranquillity you offer. The retail space in a spa is an added guest experience and it is best served dealing with it as such. Build it into the guest journey, ensure it is well maintained and beautiful and focus on your team being as thoroughly knowledgeable about it as they are about your treatments. The retail sales in a spa can be a by-product of a great treatment experience.

02: Your Key Sales People are not Sales People

When recruiting a therapist, its key to trade test. We check the quality of their service, their ability to intuitively understand the guests needs, their knowledge of both the physical and emotional needs of the human body, their touch. We ask them to provide a comprehensive consultation process along with intelligent and relevant retail recommendations, and that is it. It is vital to a spas success that your therapists are completely committed to their discipline. A good retail sale will not counteract the effects of poor reviews and substandard guest feedback. Know your strengths, they are usually in the treatment room.

03: Logistics & Geography

The loyal day spa guests who buy their products from you monthly are few and far between. Resort Spas benchmark at a guest mix of 94% hotel guests. Vacation, business travel, weekend getaways are rarely synonymous with bulk skincare purchases. Airlines have made this near impossible as fitting your brand-new skincare regime in a small bag alongside your toothpaste, makeup and sample of the local liquor is impossible (I’ve tried).

Therefore, we ask you to consider rethinking the importance of retail in your spa goals, unless they are intrinsically related to treatment. Sell treatments, sell them well, fill all your space, your rooms, keep you therapists busy and your managers creative and guest facing. Build loyal treatment users, build a great reputation, focus on delivering the very best of spa experiences.

Essentially the key is to offer the basics well, a solid retail journey, and active merchandising protocol, a comprehensive product range, a good incentive and regular training. But the focus, the mantras, the objectives, the overriding big, magnificent goal should have greater stretch than selling product.

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