Breakthrough
Retailing

 

HOW A BLEEDING ORANGE CULTURE
CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

Here is the inside story of how The Home Depot grew from its first few stores in 1979 to become the largest home-improvement retailer in the world today. This book chronicles the founding, growth, stagnation, and rebirth of this great American retail success story. The first half describes how the magic of a Bleeding Orange culture made this story possible and revolutionized the way building material products are sold. The second half delves into the following ten principles of high-productivity retailing gleaned from this amazing success story.

Insights from the book

  •  Breakthrough Retailing tells the story of how The Home Depot revolutionized the way building materials would be sold in North America, dominating the market, and becoming the the largest retailer of home improvement products and services in the world.
  • Breakthrough Retailing illustrates how culture drives performance and is the secret elixir of business success. It tells how a Bleeding Orange culture created a team that was passionate about customer service and dedicated to assuring that the customers would have no reason to ever shop elsewhere for home-improvement products.
  • Breakthrough Retailing outlines ten principles that drives a high productivity retailing business.
  • Breakthrough Retailing tells the history of one successful retail company and defines the process for future retail success.  

Jim’s Ten Principles of Retailing

 

Principle 1:
Merchandising is an art embracing change.

Principle 2:
Your brand is your most valuable asset—and it resides in the mind of the customer.

Principle 3:
The right price is solely determined by customer perception.

Principle 4:
Success is measured by GMROI (gross margin return on inventory investment).

Principle 5:
Everyday Low Price demands Everyday Low Costs

Principle 6:
Advertising is an investment, not an expense.

Principle 7:
Self-service is the best service.

Principle 8:
Retailing must transition from product orientation to a service agenda.

Principle 9:
Hire the right people, train the right people, keep the right people.

Principle 10:
Culture drives performance.

RETAILING IS A RACE WITH NO FINISH LINE – BREAKTHROUGH RETAILING IS THE HANDBOOK FOR THIS RACE

More Acclaim for Breakthrough Retailing

"I am quite sure this book will become a classic of retail training. Breakthrough Retailing covers all the important subjects we have needed to face in order to set up the operation here. The logistics part, which is explained in a very clear way, is of enormous importance these days."

— Patricio Silva, President Sodimac Mexico

"From my point of view, Breakthrough Retailing is a successful compilation of essential words of wisdom of the retail trade, topped with interesting and profound stories from the extensive personal background of Jim Inglis in the home improvement industry."

— Erich Harsch – CEO Hornbach Baumarkt AG,
Germany

"I very much enjoyed reviewing Breakthrough Retailing. It provides an excellent blend of business information and practical lessons in an easy-to-read style. I look forward to using several of Jim’s illustrations in my MBA operations classes, particularly regarding his insights into inventory management and GMROI."

— Lane Cohee – Professor, Palm Beach Atlantic University,
Rinker School of Business

"I can honestly say that Breakthrough Retailing is the best book on retail management I have ever read, and I have read many."

— John Herbert – Executive Director,
Global Home Improvement Network, Bonn Germany

Retail Detail #4 of 50

Increasing GMROI is always a winning strategy, while increasing gross margin percentage can be a dangerous losing strategy.

Retail Detail #11 of 50

The art of the ambush is to do what your competitors least expect.

Retail Detail #12 of 50

Increasing sales covers a multitude of sins. 

Retail Detail #14 of 50

The day you start to believe your own glowing news reports is when innovation and progress stop. 

Retail Detail #17 of 50

If you think good employees are expensive, try bad employees. 

Retail Detail #20 of 50

It’s hard to win a war when everyone has the same weapons. Dare to be different.

Retail Detail #29 of 50

The “Godfather Rule” of merchandising: Make them an offer they can’t refuse.  

Retail Detail #35 of 50

Management gets what management inspects.

Retail Detail #44 of 50

You can’t make sales out of an empty wagon.

Contact

Jim Inglis is President of Inglis Retailing and available to address merchandising and marketing issues within the retail industry. This may include speaking engagements, merchandising workshops, or video conferencing.
You can get in touch with Jim using the form.

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