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Happy Holidays and New Year from AQR!

Happy New Year 2022

A year ago, everyone was eager to put a close to 2020 and move on to 2021. As many of the business changes we made in 2020 still remain today, it’s clear that our idea of “normal” has changed. Yet, you all remained resilient!

Thank You From AQR

As we reflect on the past year, we would like to take the time to thank everyone for being with us every step of the way. You are all strong, successful business owners and we hope we can continue adding value as things seem to change by the day.

We were all eager to get back to in-person quilting events, including Quilt Market, but Covid had other plans. That being said, we’ve enjoyed hosting and learning alongside each and every one of you during our AQR Academy events, and look forward to continuing them in 2022.

What a Year It’s Been

Speaking of 2022, nobody knows what’s in store! What sort of business practices are you prioritizing (that you haven’t previously)? Your website? Social media? Are you using some of the holiday time to familiarize yourself with video? Whatever it may be, we have full confidence you’ll become an expert in no time.

Happy Holidays from AQR and we wish you all a happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous year to come.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.

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How does your business need to change?

With any life-altering time, our businesses need to change also. We now live in a world of pre-Covid and post-Covid (similar to pre- and post-war). Check out some of the ways your business should consider adjusting (if you haven’t already).

Change in Hours

Have you ever sat in the parking lot of a big box craft or fabric store and watched customers go in during hours you’re closed? If you’re like most business owners, you likely saw a business opportunity.

We get it, it’s impossible to offer as much as those large stores, considering all of their resources. But just because your store hours are convenient to you, doesn’t mean those hours are convenient for your customer base. Consider altering the time your store stays open at half hour increments, and compare your numbers to see if it was the right decision.

Change in Payments

Along with your store hours, you should offer a range of payment forms as well. Yes, you can still accept checks, but you should also upgrade to accepting Apple Pay, too.

Discounts

Whatever model you were using in 2019 really doesn’t apply anymore when it comes to offering clearances. Wholesalers have reduced their schedule to a quarterly schedule due to the product shortage they faced the majority of last year. Consider decreasing the amount of weekly and monthly sales you offer also.

Communication

Since you can’t be open 24/7, look into alternatives to help get you there. Consider adding a chat bot to your website so you can respond to questions at all hours of the day. Or even upgrade your phone service so customers can shoot the store a text with a question they might have.

Inspiration for this post came from “What’s Different?” by Tom Shay published in the June 2021 issue of American Quilt Retailer.


If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.