Making Retail Work in Airports.

Specialty retail in airport poses a challenge. As airport change and cater to the experience of travelers, how can you make specialty retail work ? Well, the first thing you must understand is that no traveler comes to shop in airports. Therefore, your strategy is how can you get a customer interested enough to stop, be engaged, and buy in a non- shopping environment. The consumer comes to fly. While there is strength in food & Beverage and souvenirs, how can a concessionaire make good money with local specialty, or national retail brands?

There are a few variables that an operator can address to help. First, product selection. Carry products that address what you know works in airports. These include gifts, food or snacks, electronics, or others needed items during travel. Next, placement of products. Know which direction gets the most traffic, what they see first in your store, and the customer demographic that passes your location the most. These will help you know what to focus on, the best location of products, and who to best sell to. Lastly, people interaction. This is crucial if you have just apparel or national brands. Having people that knows a basic selling skill technique, and understand how to connect that technique to travelers, not shoppers, can make a real difference. Of course, each of these have many variables that need to be executed, but it is the foundation that will help drive sales in the airport retail world.

John Sanford

Executive Chief Consultant