It’s hard to believe school will begin in only a few weeks. Taking advantage of the back-to-school shopping season helps your store achieve higher sales and increased traffic. 

The consumer electronics industry is expected to enjoy a significant boost as parents prepare their children for the demands of primary, secondary, and higher education. Helping to provide increased sales for many stores are the 16 states that now offer back-to-school “sales tax holidays” on specific items, most of which include PC devices, computer-related accessories, computer hardware and software, etc.

Posted: 8/1/17

The Edge Crew of the Intel® Retail Edge Program recently returned from a road tour promoting the Score with Intel® Core competition. Crew members met with retail sales associates and managers to discuss this year’s competition that’s currently underway. 

Crew members visit with hundreds of associates and managers during the year to talk about the benefits of participating in the Intel® Retail Edge Program as well as spread the word on the various competitions and promotions held throughout the year.

Posted: 7/22/17

Many sales associates who participate in the Intel® Retail Edge Program take advantage of the mobile app that allows them to learn and earn at anytime from anywhere. Available for iPhone* and Android* users, 71 percent of participants active in the Program find the app useful¹.

Our retail partners have indicated they would like an app unique to managers that allows them to access information on their stores and employees who participate in the Program. Good news! There’s an app for that and it will be available soon!

Posted: 7/14/17

Sales associates occupy the frontline of any brand strategy. They are direct influencers of customers ready to purchase products. Well-trained, knowledgeable, and friendly sales staff increase sales while steering customers away from competitors.

Your product partners must ensure their training programs for your staff are the best they can be and that they continually evolve to keep pace with today’s market and consumers. Effective product and sales training programs use a variety of elements to create a successful learning environment for participants. 

Posted: 7/5/17

One of the best ways to empower your sales associates is to give them access to information and tools that educate them about the products you are asking them to sell and how to best present them to customers.  

The benefits of associate product knowledge impacts most every facet of the retail business from store revenue to customer loyalty. Here are three areas that are highly impacted by the product knowledge level of retail sales associates.

Posted: 6/21/17

Staying current with the latest advances in technology helps retailers stay relevant and financially viable. This is especially critical for companies that specialize in consumer electronics and technology.

By incorporating the latest and greatest tech into your marketing strategies, you can enjoy greater local saturation and increased loyalty among your regular customers. 

Posted: 6/8/17

The best tool sales reps can have in their toolkit is knowledge. Knowledge is the key to unlocking new demographics, understanding consumer motivations, and providing excellent customer care in the retail environment. 

Understanding the various types of knowledge needed by your sales associates and how to deliver that information to them quickly and effectively has a major impact on your overall sales and success. 

Posted: 5/26/17

Are the attributes of your training programs couched in words and phrases such as “effective,” “efficient,” “thorough,” “aligned with the organization's mission,” and “delivered on budget”?

Does that sound dry and uninspiring to you? Just imagine how it sounds to your employees. In some cases, it might conjure up visions of tedious hours of monotone lectures accompanied by endless bulleted slides in 14-point type. Back seats in the training room are generally highly prized during these types of presentations.

Posted: 5/17/17

Managers in the PC sector of the retail industry have tough jobs. Long hours and even longer lists of responsibilities prove taxing for even the best. A search in the LinkedIn* jobs section for PC retail general and district manager openings revealed responsibilities ranging from achieving sales goals to actively participating in the community.

What’s really interesting is the recurrence of certain action verbs listed in the job responsibilities. These verbs are consistently used across different levels of management from three major retailers...

Posted: 5/5/17

Your category merchandising strategy may include several components such as product placement, advertising tactics, customer incentives, plus customer and sales associate education.

Depending on your specific goals—growing foot traffic, increasing sales, category growth, or beating the competition— you must prioritize which components to emphasize. Ensure that the products within your target belong there or if products could be pulled in from another category.

Posted: 5/2/17