Layaway is not Dead! Off Price retailers that don’t offer layaway plans are driving customers to their competitors.

By Les Tepper For those not familiar with how layaway works, here is a brief explanation and history lesson. Layaway is a form of retail purchasing that became popular in the early 1900s. Layaway is a way to purchase an item without paying the entire cost at once. However, rather than taking the item home [...]

Les Tepper follows his own advice – opens off price retail concept on Chicago’s South Side.

By Don Browne In Issue 12.2 of This is Off Price, our columnist Les Tepper wrote a piece called “Now is the Time to Expand: Great Opportunities During Troubled Times.”  In it he explains how the availability of both prime retail space and talented personnel can work to the advantage of the savvy merchandiser with [...]

The Box Under the Table: Tips on How to REALLY Shop the Off Price Show

Attending a trade show can be an overwhelming experience, even to a seasoned veteran buyer.

With more than 450 vendors offering Close-Out merchandise, this year’s Off Price Show can be even more overwhelming. Optimize your time and decisions by knowing that every vendor might have items that can make your buying trip a success.

Whether you are buying for one store or a chain of stores, EVERY vendor potentially has items that can translate into greater sales volume and higher margins.

NOW IS THE TIME TO EXPAND……. Great opportunities during troubling times.

Off-Price retail is bucking the current downward trend. With record unemployment and those still working worried about their jobs, more people are surviving by finding bargains in everything from food to clothing. It’s time to rethink the unwritten rules of partnerships between retailer, landlord, and vendor. Now more then ever, these relationships are important for [...]