Retailers weigh in: What’s your winning ‘Edge?’

(The retail community is counting down the days until Mohawk’s Edge Summit takes place this winter. As such, we’ve tapped several retailers, large and small, to explain what they’re looking forward to most.)

Reason to attend: New products/networking

Typhannie Harker
owner, Carpeting by Mike
Somerset, Wis.

First choice, advance access: I am always interested in seeing what Mohawk’s strategy for success is for the upcoming year. Mohawk is very innovative, and I love partnering with them and being able to jump on the bandwagon. Customers love what is new, so to be able to have the newest products, displays and technology before anyone else in my territory is important. We are striving to be the influencer in our area; to do that, you have to be first, and you have to be partnered with the best. We are grateful that we are.

I am also grateful for the networking opportunities and getting to know people. It’s not always about what they can do for you, but what you can do for them, and just as important—what you can learn from them. Meeting other dealers from around the country, engaging with my sales representatives, and learning from my friends at Mohawk on the newest and innovative products and goals for the upcoming year rank very high on my list.

Not all the best practices that I’ve learned from attending Edge have come from fellow dealers. For example, a few years back, Jamie Kim of Karastan (now senior vice president of sales, fashion for Karastan and Godfrey Hirst) had an idea about adding a $35 fee to each invoice to offset various costs like freight or product increases. It took me a few months to figure out the right move for my store and how to present it. Today, we have it listed as a “misc charge” at the bottom of the invoice. Many customers do not even question the charge.  It has generated $5,000-$6,000 in additional revenue for us each year. It is very nice to have that cushion in an unstable market.

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