The Basics Matter : How to Execute at Retail and Delight Your Customers - A Visit to Total Wine & More

One of the best experiences of my career was being able to work for a retailer. It was amazing to be "on the other side of the desk" and see the industry from a new perspective. But it also allowed me to gain appreciation for retailers who deliver a great shopping experience. A visit to Total Wine & More reminded me of the famous Kobe Bryant line of "Don't Get Bored with the Basics". See some photos and comments below.

Help your customers make the complex become simple. I love the basics of wine and cheese pairing, tequila, scotch, and clear spirits education.

Win the Season. Help drinkers mentally transition to the next period of the year. Create imagery from outside the store for use inside the store. I love the beach balls and sand buckets on this summer-themed beer!

"On Brand" racks and coolers. This just simply looks better. It's also positioned by the checkout to drive trial. Product from High Noon matches outside and inside the cooler. Textbook execution from GALLO

This strategy also applies to food as well! Deep River Snacks

Help your customer solve their most pressing needs. Wedding planning is stressful enough, adding value through a free consultation is always a no-regret move for a retailer!

Grow your business by supporting growing brands. No brand is hotter than Athletic Brewing Co. and this is textbook support. Key lesson "A retailer can't grow their business by supporting declining brands". These small racks are versatile and when put side by side they create a nice billboarding effect.

I could have posted about 100 more photos from my visit. These are just a few that caught my eye. It's amazing to see the innovation and accessibility that TWM provides to its customer base!