Fall 2021Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

can more easily see and find the products they need. “We can tell a lot of items that weren’t selling well are now selling,” he says. All the changes fulfill the team’s goal of making the store more appealing and easier to shop. They’ve even added a seating area for people to spend time in the store. “We thought it would be nice to have a seating area for people to relax while their spouses are shopping,” Izquierdo says. “The seating area gives them a space to read a magazine, connect to the WiFi and chill out.” Looking to the Future As Izquierdo and Almanza celebrate the store’s first anniversary in September, they keep looking toward the future. The team is planning on opening a second store this year in the Oklahoma City area and will next set their sights on expanding outside of the state.

“Whatchamacallit is catchy and memorable,” Izquierdo says. “We have so many people in the store telling us, ‘I’m looking for a whatchamacallit to do such-and-such a job.’ So the name fits.” Along with a new name, the store has a whole new look, from a new facade and signage on the outside of the building to all new displays inside. Previously, merchandise was displayed on tables and bins and oriented from one side of the store to the other. The store’s Blish-Mize team gave them other options for merchandising the space in a way that makes more sense for shoppers. “Now all of the displays go from front to back, which increases the amount of space we have and allows us to bring in new items we’ve never had before such as ladders, wheelbarrows and other bigger items,” Almanza says. The changes have also increased sales, Izquierdo says, because people

By using Google Analytics data and asking for customer feedback, Izquierdo is discovering the next best places to expand. “We ask our customers, ‘Is this your first time here? How did you hear about us? Do you live nearby?’” Izquierdo says. “Listen to your customers, they will tell you where you have to go next, what you need to do.” The team plans to continue focusing on advertising and branding to spread the word about their store. Whatchamacallit currently advertises on TV, radio and social media and created a Spanish jingle to reach the Hispanic community, with an English version in the works. Izquierdo says they’ll continue growing with Blish-Mize and relying on that partnership to serve their customers. “We’ve grown with Blish-Mize,” Izquierdo says. “And that’s our plan for the next year—just keep growing.”