Are you a victor or a victim?
Have you noticed that whenever something bad happens, it’s never our fault? Or when something great happens, it could only be the direct result of our own hard work, intuition and vision?
Those of us here in furnitureland often have the same quirky standards when we talk about the business. When it’s good, it’s because we either designed, bought or sold the hottest item ever to hit the market. Collectively, we become the victor.
When business is soft, like it is right now, we tell each other that’s because those fickle consumers are spending their money on other big-ticket items such as homes, cars, high-end consumer electronics and fancy designer clothes. Now, instead of being the victor, we assume the role of victim.
Give me a break!
When the National Assn. of Realtors reports that sales of existing homes dropped 8.4% in March, the biggest dip in close to 20 years, it’s hard for me to agree that we are losing to the housing market.
As for our car-selling pals, auto sales in April braked so hard that even fast-tracking Toyota suffered minor whiplash. So the automotive industry probably isn’t taking our business for a ride.
And if you’ve been reading the news, you know that other merchants, including Circuit City and Liz Claiborne, are singing their own version of the retail blues.
Having said all of that, I can — and so can you — point to retailers in each of the industries mentioned who are making their numbers and playing their game.
Why do some win while others lose?
I think it’s because winners envision themselves as victors. Those who don’t, risk seeing themselves as victims.
Either way, we all know which camp usually has the spoils.
If you are winning, drop me a note at rallegrezza@reedbusiness.com and tell me about it. I’d love to hear your story, and so would our readers.
Down with Zebra commented:
Perhaps your troubles are more due to your aggressive, abusive, antagonistic manner toward customers than to the downturn in the economy. Look at reviews of your store (or more to the point, of your unstable and scary behavior) on yelp, insiderpages, etc. One person even predicted you would drive yourself out of business within the next year because of this. Ray Allegrezza seems to know how to make it work, even in this economy. Maybe he's right--maybe there are victors and victims. You, as a victimizer of hapless people who enter your store, are going to be a victim of your own behavior.
Zebra Furniture commented:
Are you that out of touch with what's happening in the retail furniture business?This has nothing to do with victims or victors rather many of us who have been in the business for 30 years or more have never seen it this bad. Creative sales programs, promotions, drop dead prices on current styles and designs--for many of us NOTHING is bringing the customers through the door. When I talk to factories, truckers, other retailers we all have the same feelings--we're all hoping for a change. In our town of San Rafael, California, we've had four furniture stores go out of business in the last six months--I wish it was as easy as being a victim or victor. You sir have a Pollyanna view of everything. Right now for most retailers we're trying to survive.
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