Retailing Done Right: The Art and Science of the Sales Counter

Retailing Done Right:

The Art and Science of the Sales Counter

By Desiree Grace

Reading the latest news about yet another bankrupt retail legend, I shake my head. In‑person shopping is not dead. What is dead is retail done wrong. An overemphasis on cost‑cutting instead of value‑adding led to the demise of K‑Mart, Sears, and now Saks Fifth Avenue.

I’ve been in retailers, large and small, recently that are busy.

Retail spaces also exist inside distribution businesses, often in the form of sales counters. These spaces can drive sales, influence customer engagement, and spark lucrative impulse purchases. Even in a B2B environment, the counter matters. Ignore it, or underinvest in it, and you leave money and loyalty on the table.

There are lessons to be learned from those who survive and thrive. 

Retail done right looks like this:

Staff with knowledgeable people who care

A counter should never feel like a wasteland. Greet customers when they enter and ask if they need help. If the answer is no, give them space, but stay available. Today’s “just looking” often turns into tomorrow’s purchase.

Invest in training your customer‑facing team

Your counter team must know processes, procedures, and products. Is that fuse bi‑metal or silver? Does that flexible conduit meet code? Is the cable tie UV‑resistant? Customers expect answers, quickly and confidently.

Housekeeping is not optional

As my old boss used to say, “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.” When foot traffic slows, that’s the perfect time to straighten, dust, and reset the space. An inviting counter encourages customers to linger. Shoppers who linger tend to buy.

Make your merchandise work harder

Displays matter. Show how products work together. Help customers visualize solutions, not just items. Spotlight new vendors or product lines intentionally. A well‑designed display sells even when your team is busy.

Partner with your vendors

Share POS data. Share customer feedback. Add value to the relationship. Give vendors a reason to support your distribution strategy rather than going direct.

Ask manufacturers for insight

Manufacturers know what sells in other markets. They know their A‑items, smart bundles, and effective merchandising strategies. Use that knowledge...it’s already paid for.

Use sales strategically

Don’t train customers to expect constant discounts. Use promotions selectively to build awareness, stimulate slow periods, or clear inventory decisively and permanently.

Treat your best customers better

Loyalty programs, preferred terms, early access to new products, and advance notice of price increases all reinforce loyalty. Segmentation isn’t favoritism, it’s smart business.

One final lesson: don’t blame market conditions and avoid personal responsibility. Take charge of your retail space and do retail better. Survivors don’t complain; they adapt.

 

A critical caveat

Retail spaces don’t fit every business model. You must be crystal clear about your customer base, buying behavior, and where you truly add value. A counter may or may not be the right answer.

My friend and consulting partner Frank Hurtte shared this perspective after reading this article:

I don’t believe every distributor needs a sales counter. Fluid power and industrial automation distributors, for example, are not convenience‑oriented retailers, and their facilities should reflect that reality.

In these businesses, buying decisions are deliberate and engineered. Specifications are reviewed, compatibility is evaluated, and risk is managed. These products are rarely purchased on impulse. When urgency exists, it’s usually due to failure, not opportunity.

A traditional sales counter implies spontaneity and transactional behavior that doesn’t align with how serious industrial customers actually buy. It also attracts unqualified inquiries that consume the time of a distributor’s most skilled and expensive people.

Over time, this erodes productivity and distracts from the real work: engineered solutions, proactive account development, and long‑cycle projects. A pick‑up counter reinforces the distributor’s true role: efficient fulfillment of pre‑selected items.

Expertise should be accessed intentionally through planned engagement, not casual walk‑ups. That’s why I often recommend converting sales counters into training rooms. In my mind, training is the new marketing.

The takeaway

If you are in the counter business, do it right. If it doesn’t fit your model or you’re unwilling to execute it well, don’t do it at all. There are better uses for your space, your people, and your brand.

Need help improving your counter or determining whether you even need one? River Heights Consulting helps distributors align operations with how customers actually buy. Let’s talk.

Author Bio

Desiree Grace is a consultant with River Heights Consulting, helping distributors enhance customer engagement by aligning operations, retail spaces, and sales strategies with actual buying behavior. Her work focuses on practical execution, not theory, and on helping businesses take responsibility for what they can control.

TL;DR

Retail isn’t dying, poorly executed retail is. Sales counters can drive engagement and profit when they align with customer behavior, are well-staffed, and add real value. When they don’t, they drain talent and distract from engineered selling. Know your model. Then execute intentionally, or don’t do it at all.

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