How To Sell to Retail Customers: Point of Sale Pricing

Right from the beginning, train your staff to be top-notch retail clerks and customer service reps. Show them how to take control of the sale at the point of purchase, and guide customers along. Be confident, give them assurance, and increase sales for your company. These techniques are designed for your staff members who are ringing up sales for customers. Help your employees, help your customers...which in turn helps you!

1. Begin with the highest prices. Assume every customer wants the best and highest-priced services. Start with the highest-priced choice. Your customers will let you know if they want something less expensive. Elaborate on the benefits of the higher-priced items. For example, “Many customers use FedEx for important mail. It’s trackable, traceable, guaranteed, and insured for $100. They have a 98% on-time rate.” Once they decide on a service, help them feel comfortable with their decision, such as “I’m sure your mail will arrive just fine.”
2. Never leave money on the counter. Customers have money and they want to spend it. Allow them to do so. If you need to, offer to assist them to make the transaction work. For example, “You can pay for the shipping now, then go home and call me with the correct address. That will save you a trip back.”
3. Focus on method of payment. Don’t dwell on the dollar amount. Give them as many payment choices as possible: credit card, check, or cash. If they pay by cash, ask if they have exact change. Such as, “If you have a nickel, you can get an even $10 back, rather than a lot of coins.”
4. Charge what you‘re worth. NEVER give away your services for free. It devalues you and your company. Think about how much your time is worth. You could be earning profits doing other tasks. So don’t be afraid to charge. Let customers know you’re charging extra.
5. Don’t feel guilty. Know that you are providing a valuable service at a fair price. NEVER justify price unless asked. Don’t give unnecessary explanations — it creates doubt. An example is, “Your total of $15.59 includes 3 boxes, 10 copies, and tax. Everything is itemized on your receipt.” Move on. Change the topic, conclude the conversation, or begin a new task.

Your customer service staff can learn new techniques and can practice phrases to help them increase sales. Explode your company’s profitability just by doing a few simple steps with customers who are already buying in your store!