Which of the following strategies is better for improving retail sales $;
A: take my best offer- 40% everything and run it the duration of my entire weekend sale
B: Take my best offer- 40% of everything and make it good only during my historical slow periods, Fridays, 8a-1p.

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Jay’s Answer: I’d pick choice "C": Do something dramatic. During the time period of your sale, your customer picks the discount by spinning a wheel, picking a piece of paper, popping a balloon, etc. The catch is that one of the random options is 100% off, the majority being 10%, and scattered other discounts. Take a picture of the 100% winner and put it in your window, ads, etc.

Long term, this isn’t a good strategy, though. You don’t want people getting trained to come in only for a discount, nor do you want to be known for low prices. You want to be known for quality, unique goods, etc. Short-term, it might be what you need to clear out older goods and generate some cash for your business.