Page 17 - TOB Magazine March/April 2013

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TOBACCO OUTLET BUSINESS
MARCH/APRIL 2013
Retail in Real-Time
Lessons and Learnings from the TPE 2013
Interactive Marketing Session
Retailers are holding their own in today’s
turbulent economy, according to results
of a real-time survey held at the Tobacco Plus
Expo 2013. While just 13 percent reported
business growth of 11 percent or more in 2012,
38 percent reported growing their businesses
last year (19 percent experienced between 1
and 5 percent growth, and an additional 19 per-
cent had growth of between 6 and 10 percent).
The survey, conducted by IPCPR vice presi-
dent and retail store veteran Craig Cass, un-
derscored the growing role e-cigarettes are
playing in the industry today. Ap-
proximately 45 percent of re-
tail participants felt that
e-cigarettes offer the
most growth poten-
tial as a category, as
compared to about 17 percent who chose pre-
mium cigars and 17 percent who picked RYO/
pipe tobacco.
Survey responses suggested that many
retailers are missing out on opportunities for
boosting profits. For example, 42 percent of
respondents reported that they don’t offer any
sales incentives to employees. “A spiff drives a
sales number immediately at our stores,” Cass
told attendees. “We make a big production out
of pulling cash out of the register and paying
people. It’s a great way to motivate people.”
Cass encouraged retailers to
be aggressive about their
incentive programs,
pointing out that
manufacturers will
often pony up all or
TPE 2013 Takes...