The Retail Doctor Blog

Retail Pricing Strategy: How to Protect Your Margin

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Most retailers don't have a pricing problem. They have a selling problem they're trying to fix with a price tag.

Retail Staff Management: How to Hire, Develop, and Keep a Team That Sells

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:59:38 GMT

Your store doesn't run on your merchandise. It runs on the people standing next to it.

What Are Store Standards in Retail?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 20:17:37 GMT

Store standards are the written rules for what a shopper sees before anyone says hello: a clean floor, a spotless bathroom, a backroom that isn't a dumping ground, a crew that looks like they take pride in the job, name tags you can read, and open parking out front. If it isn't written down and walked, it isn't a standard.

How Do You Get Multiple Stores Ready for the Holidays?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:03:07 GMT

Give every store the same behaviors, not just the same task list. Over-hire and lock the schedule early. Drill what can go wrong, and decide what each assistant manager can fix alone. Have every associate practice the same add-on question. Reset the front of every store each Monday, and count conversions store by store on your busiest Saturdays.

How Do I Hire Seasonal Employees for the Holidays at My Retail Store?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:41:19 GMT

Hire now, hire more people than you think you need, and make it easy to say yes. Put the hourly rate in the ad, let applicants apply from their phone, interview on past behavior, hand every hire a signed six-week schedule, and give one person the job of training them before Black Friday, November 27.

What's the Right Way to Greet a Customer in a Store?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:15:00 GMT

The best way to greet a customer is to look them in the eye, smile, and say "Good morning," "Good afternoon," or "Good evening." That's it. It's in all my books and it's what I teach in every training, because it works and almost nobody does it.

What Do I Say When a Customer Says "I'll Look Around"?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:25:03 GMT

When a customer says "we'll have to look around," give them back three reasons they already gave you, then stop talking. That's the whole technique, and the stopping is the part most salespeople can't do.

How Do I Sell Expensive Merchandise?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:20:03 GMT

You sell expensive merchandise by fixing what your crew believes about it, not by waiting for a markdown. Here's a question I ask in trainings: what's easier to sell, the most expensive item or the cheapest? The answer is the most expensive, because it gives you more to offer the customer.

How Do I Sell Value Over Price?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:14:04 GMT

You sell value over price by training employees to talk about what a product does over its life, not what its tag says today. When retailers tell me they need to lower their prices to build sales, I tell them no. What they need is employees who can challenge a customer's perceptions.

What Do I Say When a Customer Says "It's Too Expensive"?

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:47:14 GMT

When a customer says "it's too expensive," don't defend the price. Give them reasons the item is worth it. If you can't name three, the problem isn't the customer. It's that you haven't done the work to believe in the product yourself.