Operations

Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. Hardware Retailing staffers Kate Klein, Melanie Moul and Todd Taber contributed to this article. Winning Customers in a Price-Conscious Culture Many independent retail businesses have an image problem. Consumers often …

Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. Don’t miss out on the many ways you can access industry-specific articles and additional resources that can help you manage your operation. Check out your options below to make sure …

Todd Kirschner is proud of how Trio Hardware has bought into the community near Plainview, New York. The store has built a strong following in the community through its support of local organizations. That following made an appearance when dozens …

Increasing productivity and reducing employee turnover are two struggles independent business owners often face. One of the most practical ways to address these issues is to take a look at your management team. Do your team leaders have the interpersonal …

Mills County General Store and Ace Hardware is a mainstay in Goldthwaite, Texas, a town of about 1,800 people in the center of the state. Austin is the closest big city, just more than 100 miles south. Because it’s remote, …

In the weeks leading up to Memorial Day, Mark Shook got his customers thinking about how they could give back to veterans. Shook, manager at Waters True Value in Emporia, Kansas, joined forces with two other businesses in town to …

Managing returns and developing a return policy that protects your business and keeps customers coming back for future purchases can vary depending on the needs of your business and your customers. Hardware Retailing explored that concept and presented one retailer’s …

Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. Earlier this year, outdoor apparel retailer L.L. Bean converted its no-questions-asked lifetime return policy to a one-year policy, receipt required. In a letter dated Feb. 9 on the company’s Facebook …