Ami Rabheru is the founder of Retail Huddle, a retail strategy consultancy helping established, and emerging founder-led retail product businesses, with strategic guidance and actionable insights to enable them to stand out and build retail brand and product growth strategies.
She combines consultancy, mentoring and industry knowledge to navigate the evolving retail landscape by empowering businesses to think differently in an omni-channel world.
Ami shares her insights into how retailers can make the most of the upcoming Golden Quarter.
“The Golden Quarter is a time when sales soar, foot traffic spikes and competition intensifies as brands vie for customers’ attention and wallets. Yet, in this rush to go bigger, many brands make the same mistake: they overcomplicate things.Instead of focusing on what really matters, they scatter their efforts across too many products, too many promotions, and too many messages. And the result? Confusion for customers, operational inefficiencies, and, often, missed trading opportunities.
Frankly, retailers can start to look a bit desperate, and as soon as the customer sniffs that desperation, the season isn’t going to get any easier, with retailers finding themselves in a vicious circle of chasing sales rather than attracting sales.
This dilemma inspired my keynote at last week’s Top Drawer which was titled ‘Simplify to Amplify: Winning the Golden Quarter’. The message was clear—more isn’t always better. Think about a time when you walked into a store filled with lots of amazing products, a bit like an Aladin’s Cave. At first, you felt like a kid in a candy store, eager to explore and fill your basket with lots of goodies. Every creative display drew you in as you browsed, taking you deeper into the store, with all the shelves brimming with products.
After wandering through, you still hadn’t quite picked up anything yet – you seemed to like everything and couldn’t decide. Feeling slightly confused and, eventually a bit overwhelmed, you leave the shop empty-handed. It’s called ‘decision fatigue’.As a retailer, your job is to turn those browsers into buyers!
The Golden Quarter is notorious for bringing out the complexity of retail strategies and, if not done right, can easily derail a product business, leaving a retailer overstretched and over stocked.
More isn’t always better. If you’ve identified specific products that do well for you, you don’t need to flood your shelves with more options. Instead, focus on building a cohesive, well-curated range with strategies that will make that range work harder for you, elevating your brand and creating memorable experiences for your customers. This is where the mantra ‘Simplify to Amplify’ comes in. It’s about cutting through the noise—both in your own strategy and for your customers. In an overcrowded market, clarity wins.
The first step in simplifying to amplify is to clarify your brand’s identity and your target customer. Too often, retailers lose sight of their core mission in an attempt to chase every market segment. This leads to mixed messaging and a diluted brand presence.
Ask yourself, “Who am I really serving?” Hone in on your core customer segments, and make it your business to understand their needs, wants and desires. Your products, marketing, and promotions should speak directly to this audience. Don’t try to be everything to everyone.
The next step is to identify the key products, channels, and tactics driving your success—and, most importantly – what’s not working. Not every product is going to be a star performer, and not every promotion will resonate with your audience.
Look at your sales data from the previous year. My top tip is don’t ignore the current season trade to identify what you can confidently build on. What were your best sellers? What promotions drove the most traffic? How do your customers like to shop and engage with you? Keeping a focus on a few seasonal best sellers, and doubling down on what works, means that you can create clearer marketing and focused promotions and, in return, create demand, anticipation and buzz with your customers.
Armed with this information, it’s time to simplify, cutting back on anything that’s unnecessary or distracting. It’s about streamlining your product offerings, promotions, and messaging so that you can look authoritative, ooze confidence, and turn browsers into buyers. In terms of promotions, stick to one or two simple, compelling offers that provide real value.
The final step is to amplify the areas that have the greatest impact, doubling down on the elements that are driving results and building on what your customer is willing and able to buy, while crafting a clear and compelling narrative that aligns with your brand and resonates with your customers.
As the Golden Quarter approaches, focus on your best products, deliver clear messaging, and create an experience that truly resonates with your customers. In a season where everyone is fighting for attention, clarity and focus are your greatest tools. The rewards will speak for themselves.”
Ami Rabheru
Retail Huddle
Top: Retail Huddle’s Ami Rabheru was among the keynote speakers at Top Drawer.
