This kind of educational wealth is, of course, wonderful — but it can be tricky to know what to pick out of the pile first. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of 6 retail-centric books you need to add to your list.
Check them out below, along with quick blurbs from the authors on what they want readers to learn.
Be Like Amazon: Even a Lemonade Stand Can Do It by Bryan Eisenberg and Jeffrey Eisenberg with Roy H. Williams
What Bryan wants readers to learn: “I want retailers to have hope that by stealing a page from the Amazon playbook that they can build a strong brand, develop loyal customers and experience incredible growth.
The unifying principles of the four pillars of Amazon success can help any business from someone who hauls junk to jewelers develop an operational model for success.”
The Pop Up Paradigm: How Brands Build Human Connections in a Digital Age by Melissa Gonzalez
What Melissa wants readers to learn: “I hope my readers will see that retail isn’t dead. People will always be consumers, but how brands and retailers engage with customers has and is evolving.
Pop-up stores provide an opportunity not only to have a pointed focus on a key message and curated offering but also to learn more about what your customers think and what they’re saying and sharing. Every touchpoint in a brick and mortar environment is an opportunity to learn and an important piece of a customer’s overall journey.”
Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business by Nicole Leinbach Reyhle
What Nicole wants readers to learn: “After reading Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Business, I want retailers to feel prepared and excited to move forward in helping their stores thrive.
This book was created to help merchants become more informed about the business of retail, but more so it was written to help retailers feel confident with the tools and resources they need to produce actionable results for their stores. Each chapter concludes with specific action steps that help retailers take these strides and offers merchants realistic insights specific to independent retailers — something many retail books don’t narrow in on.”
Retail Survival of the Fittest: 7 Ways to Future-Proof Your Retail Store by Francesca Nicasio
What Francesca wants readers to learn: “Think of Retail Survival of the Fittest as a guide that’ll help you understand how to thrive in the new age of retail. It will teach you how to adapt to the contemporary retail playing field by shedding light on tools and strategies you can use to keep up with customers, increase profits, and be a better retailer overall.
It’ll also introduce you to other retailers and give you a peek into what they’re doing to succeed in this modern landscape. And by the time you get to the end, my hope is that you’ll have a better idea of how you can take your store to the next level.”
The Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business by Bob Phibbs
What Bob wants readers to learn: “Retail is tough right now, and though I wrote the book a few years ago, it’s still timely. Why? Because retail has always been about people — the ones who serve the customer, as well as the customer himself. My book provides very practical things to do to improve your retail business.
Most retailers are used to making decisions on emotion, but this book helps you to be more realistic. It was written to encourage retailers of any size to try new things and to give you hope and strategies for how to not only attract more customers but to sell your merchandise for full price.”
Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer by Jim Roddy
What Jim wants readers to learn: “My book implores hiring managers to care about character instead of solely focusing on the candidate’s experience. I’m not just talking about honesty — that’s a given. Especially for customer-facing positions in retail, you need to hold out for employees who are enthusiastic, respectful, kind, and hard-working.
I know being more selective on who you hire will test the manager’s patience (another key character trait!) during a short-term staff shortage, but the organizations who hold out for high-character candidates are much better off in the long run.”