It may be hard to believe, but one of the best monologues about the art of selling that Paco Underhill has ever heard came from a very unexpected place: a pushcart vendor in Istanbul.
In a blog post for the Smithsonian Photograph Initiative, Paco Underhill says that one of the best monologues he has heard about the art of selling came from a pushcart vendor of vegetables in Istanbul. “For him, there was a logic and a set of visual strategies that determined what got placed next to what — the color contrast between eggplants and carrots, how the sun shone on his street corner, and the dramatic way he flipped open bags with a snap and a flourish to attract the next shopper.”
That vendor had discovered the keys to successful merchandising: careful product selection, display, lighting, marketing and performance all coming together to create the perfect buying moment.
Get more actionable advice from the world’s leading retail environment expert at The SMART Show. Paco Underhill’s must-see keynote session takes place on Saturday, April 18, at 8:30 a.m., and is sponsored by Synchrony Financial.
Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
