The Rule of Three

Due to the popular “grab and runs” that have been happening all across the country it is crucial to limit the number of items shown to a customer at one time.  The more value is on top of the showcase at any given time, the higher your exposure to loss.  You may have in-store rules about how many items can be shown at a time.  Please make sure those rules are clear, and that what I say is tempered with your insurance requirements and store policy.

I’ve always believed that three is a magic number.  Not only is it quick and easy to count to three to ensure you know where everything is, it’s great for selling.  This is a quote from Roberta in Victoria where she put the “rule of three” to the test:

“… thank you for leaving those 3 chains on memo. As I suspected, she was expecting a selection. Had there been less than 3 choices, she would not have been satisfied. Ok, I'll admit it, I did a little experiment. I kept the 18" chain aside and initially showed her the two 20" chains. Sure enough, I got a "I only have two to choose from?". I brought out the third chain and she was happy … In the end she did choose the one I "held out"on her.”

It doesn’t always work that way, but I certainly have seen the opposite.  When showing people samples, it’s not as much risk to have 7 or 8 designs above the showcase at one time.  If it gets that way, I’ll often say, “let’s just eliminate 4 or 5 of these right now, and bring the number down to two or three.