Jim Dion | Ted Topping
1 Definitely a Buy
I originally obtained this book from the local library and immediately realized that I wanted to own it as a reference. Very good, detailed material about running a retail business. Highly recommended.
2 Good Starting Point
Since I am just delving into the world of retail sales, this book was helpful in pointing me in the right direction. It explains the basics and helps identifies important areas of consideration that will determine if your business will be profitable. Not the be all and end all in information, but a first step in what is a very long journey.
3 Key tactical instructions and roadmap to succeed in retail
I spent a LOT of time looking for a book that would "substitute" for 20 years of retail experience. This book is like having a mentor with that 20 years experience guiding you in all the important concepts and tactical decisions, and providing templates for planning, actions, and checking results. For a "how-to" book, it just does not get any better than this!
4 Retail is Detail...
For anyone who is looking to delve into the abyss of retail planning & success, this is a proper place to start. The invaluable tips & worksheets provide a good starting point. Also, the author(s) put a great deal of emphasis on determining whether retail is right for you & the fact that you need to spend at least 1 year planning. As for me, I am happy to have read this book, and plan on keeping it as a reference guide.
MD
5 Good Business Sense
This book is full of great advice for anyone wanting to get involved with retail. The authors discuss the seven most important aspects of retail: the basics of retail, merchandising, buying, personnel, sales management, technology, and customer service. (There is a chapter dedicated to each of these topics.) Also included are step-by-step calculations to help you figure out expenses and budgets. Good advice is offered in the department of how to get the best sales out of your team by hiring, training, and treating your employees right the first time around. The tear-out worksheets located in the back of the book are a helpful bonus. If you are thinking of starting up a retail business, pick up a copy of this book first.
6 Well written! Well organized! Worth reading.
"The Start and Run a Profitable Retail Business book is a comprehensive guide and reference book for every new retailer and even ones who have been in business for some time. Complete with examples and illustrations backed by real-world experience and rigorous research, it is a powerful resource. Well written and well organized, it makes a great book for individuals, small and large businesses alike. I found it easy to understand and apply."
7 Well written! Well organized! Worth reading.
"The Start and Run a Profitable Retail Business book is a comprehensive guide and reference book for every new retailer and even ones who have been in business for some time. Complete with examples and illustrations backed by real-world experience and rigorous research, it is a powerful resource. Well written and well organized, it makes a great book for individuals, small and large businesses alike. I found it easy to understand and apply."
8 Solid and valuable for new and experienced retailers.
Start and Run a Profitable Retail Business is not a typical start-up book. It does not try to cajole or charm you into the business of retailing. The writers do not wear pink glasses or try to "sell" retailing to you. Both writers know too much about retailing today to try these tactics. The book forces the reader through even the most unappealing parts of retailing - inventory control, cash flow and so on. It suggests that the would-be retailer should understand that in order to be a professional retailer, he or she cannot be also a lawyer, store designer, advertising copy writer, retail trainer or technology specialist. "If you cannot afford to use outside professionals, you should proceed with extreme caution," the authors say. I like the book because it is realistic. It does not talk at the reader and it assumes that the reader knows a great deal about business already. As a reviewer, I am somewhat biased because I happen to know both writers well. But, I am also a writer myself and have written about retailing (in Canada) full-time for the past 10 years. And I have read an awful lot of books about retailing! This book is worth reading.
