VGM & ASSOCIATESHealthcare MSO

VGM Retail is Rewired and Here to Educate You!

Published in Retail Expertise on April 06, 2021

Rob

During the recent Focus Conference, hosted by Essentially Women, a division of VGM & Associates, Director of VGM Retail Rob Baumhover presented on product merchandising and coaching your retail staff. Speaking at conferences is only one way that VGM Retail works to educate you! Below is look at a section of Rob’s presentation.  

Prior to VGM, Rob spent more than 20 years in the big box retails stores, and one of the questions he was consistently asked was, “What products should I be carrying in my store?” 

Here are a couple of ways to find the answer to this question: 

  • Use your referral sources. Referral sources talk to your customers on a regular basis. They are the ones sending customers to you! Making them part of the equation also helps you make sure that you are carrying the correct products.  
  • Understand and find out what your customer base will want next. Have your staff ask each customer, “Did you find what you were looking for today? Was there anything you couldn’t find? Do you have any recommendations of items you’d like to see in our stores?”  
  • Have a way for customers to leave their ideas behind. Make customer experience cards available or have a digital option for customers to leave behind their ideas or experience in your store.  
  • See what your competition is up to. Don't go to your competition and pick an exact item and start stocking them. Instead, talk to them about your goals, see what they are carrying, and take note of what items seem to be flying off the shelf versus taking up aisle space. 
  • Join member groups. This is a great way to connect with your customers and your peers. Have your questions ready; What’s not moving? What are you having success with? Who are your vendor partners?  
  • Reach out to your vendor partners. Ask them what products they like best and the feedback they are getting from their customers.  
  • Attend a tradeshow at least once a year. You can browse the exhibitors and look for new products and new vendors.  
  • Read and listen. Pick up a magazine, listen to a podcast, and follow industry leaders on social media to notice the latest trends and products. This is also an effective way to find out what customers think of products and services. 

There is no shortage of ways that can help you determine which products you should be carrying in your store. Try one or two, or all of them, and see what works best for your business. You can watch Rob’s full presentation here. 

Additional educational opportunities from VGM Retail includes: 

  • Virtual Conferences 
  • VGM Retail University 
  • Exclusive content 
  • How–to-Videos 
  • Webinars 
  • Podcasts 

VGM Retail is here to help you be successful. Through educational offerings, consultations, or presentations like the one referenced above, VGM Retail is rewired, and here to educate you! 

Any questions? Please contact Rob Baumhover at rob.baumhover@vgm.com.

TAGS

  1. education
  2. retail
  3. vgm
  4. women's health

Get Connected

Stay up-to-date on the latest resources and news provided by VGM & Associates.

Sign Up for Email

From Our Experts

VGM Retail is Rewired to Help You Rewire Your Business thumbnail VGM Retail is Rewired to Help You Rewire Your Business Listen as we chat with Rob Baumhover, Director of VGM Retail, about how VGM Retail has REWIRED its services available to VGM members to help them adjust to the ever-changing landscape. Episode 38: Back to Basics, 4 Ps for HME Retail Cash Sales thumbnail Episode 38: Back to Basics, 4 Ps for HME Retail Cash Sales Wes Hopper, Field VP Strategic Sales for McKesson Medical Surgical, joins host Brian Thompson to discuss the retail cash sales opportunity in the DMEPOS marketplace. Manufacturer Survey On Tariffs thumbnail Manufacturer Survey On Tariffs The American Association for Homecare and VGM Group are seeking valuable insights from durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) manufacturers and vendor partners regarding tariffs imposed on certain countries. Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What? thumbnail Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What? This experience has increasingly become one of the most common questions we receive from our provider members as more and more payers move to narrow their provider networks. The reasons payers seek to narrow their networks are simple. Payers are highly motivated to achieve their goals while doing less work and are not required to allow providers into their networks unless there is a patient access issue. For those of you fortunate enough to be a part of a narrow network, this may not be much of Congress Returns: Medicaid Cuts Take Center Stage thumbnail Congress Returns: Medicaid Cuts Take Center Stage Congress is back in session after a two-week recess. Number one on the docket is figuring out the budget. The house is tasked with coming up with a $1.5 trillion reduction and a key committee is in the spotlight. The DMEPOS Relief Act Of 2025 – WE NEED YOUR HELP! thumbnail The DMEPOS Relief Act Of 2025 – WE NEED YOUR HELP! The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2025 (or H.R. 2005) is bipartisan legislation that was recently introduced in Congress designed to increase reimbursement for a large percentage of HME providers across the country. This bill establishes a higher reimbursement rate (known as the 75/25 blended rate) for durable medical equipment in nonrural/noncompetitive bidding areas under Medicare until Dec. 31, 2025. Champion Of Change: Lauryn Estrella Speaks On Tariffs Impacting HME Providers And Patients thumbnail Champion Of Change: Lauryn Estrella Speaks On Tariffs Impacting HME Providers And Patients Today, we shine a spotlight on Lauryn Estrella, the dedicated Executive Director of Home Medical Equipment and Services Association of New England (HOMES) and a true Champion of Change in the HME industry. Ensuring Access To Care: The Fight For Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities thumbnail Ensuring Access To Care: The Fight For Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities Americans utilizing telehealth services to access healthcare is at an all-time high. It's a convenient method without having to leave the home, giving access to healthcare professionals from anywhere. It expands a patient's choice of provider and enables the provider the ability to see more patients.

Be Part of Something Bigger

Become a Member