Much More Than a Gift Shop: Vital Tips, Tools & Resources for Museum Retail
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Transcript of Much More Than a Gift Shop: Vital Tips, Tools & Resources for Museum Retail
Much More Than a “Gift Shop”
Vital Tips, Tools & Resources
for Museum Retail
Western Museums Association ConferencePalm Springs, CAOctober 24, 2012
Presented by:
Jim DeMersman: Executive DirectorMuseum on Main
Stuart Hata: Director of Retail OperationsFine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Carrie Santell: Assistant Store Manager USS Hornet Museum
Moderator: Miriam Works: PrincipalWorks Consulting
Legion of Honor Museum StoreFine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
AGENDA
IntroductionMuseum Store AssociationMSA Knowledge Standards
Panelists Q&AState of Museum RetailUtilizing MSA Knowledge Standards
General Q&A
"Gift Shop" vs. MUSEUM STORE
Mission-related and Interpretive
Focused merchandise of educational and high quality
Representative of the MuseumVisitor and Customer Service oriented
Profitable and Successful
USS Hornet Museum – Admissions, Store & Cash Wrap
Museum Store Association (MSA)Founded in 1955, MSA is a nonprofit, international association organized to advance the success of cultural commerce and of the professionals engaged in it. By encouraging high standards of professional competence and conduct, MSA helps retail professionals at cultural institutions better serve their organizations and the public.
Governed by a seven-member board of directors, the Association serves approximately 1,650 institutional members and nearly 725 exhibitor affiliates.
De Young Museum Store – upper levelFine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
MSA Knowledge StandardsThe MSA Knowledge Standards are eight
core knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully operate a Museum Store at the highest professional standards. - Strategic Management- Merchandise Planning- Operations- Customer Relations- Financial Management- Communications- Business Relations- Human Resources
STATE OF MUSEUM RETAIL
• What is the state of Museum retailing today? Successes? Challenges?
• Utilizing six of MSA's eight Knowledge Standards as highligted in the previous slide, our panelists will respond to questions that will provide insight, tips, and tools from experiences in different museum types and sizes.
de Young Museum Store – lower levelFine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Strategic Management
Does your store have a mission statement that is separate from your institution’s mission statement?
How was the mission statement developed?
Why is your store mission statement important to the success of your institution?
The Cult of Beauty Exhibition StoreLegion of Honor
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Merchandise PlanningWhy is it important to have a merchandise
plan that is specific to your museum?
How do you develop a merchandise plan and budget?
Why is it important to develop custom product and/or exhibit specific product?
How do you develop custom merchandise in a fiscally responsible manner?
USS Hornet Museum – Custom product
Birth of Impressionism Exhibition Storede Young Museum
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
OperationsHow do you ensure the Museum Store
operates smoothly and efficiently?
Payroll comprises the largest % of most store budgets. How do you budget for payroll and how do you control it?
How do you manage staffing schedules and responsibilities and your own time to ensure that all areas are managed efficiently and proactively?
USS Hornet MuseumAlameda, CA
Customer Relations
Do you solicit customer and internal feedback on your store merchandise and operations?
What strategies do you use to gather this feedback?
What actions do you take, driven by customer and internal feedback?
Museum on Main Museum ShopAmador-Livermore Valley Historical Society
Pleasanton, CA
Financial Management
In some museums the store budget and revenue goals are developed and handed down by administration.
Why is it important to work with your administration on setting store budget and goals?
How do you monitor your budget on a regular basis to ensure performance is measured effectively?
“Point of Purchase” PackagingFAMSF – de Young & Legion of Honor
USS Hornet Museum
Communication
How do you communicate effectively with administration and other departments to ensure store activities and goals are integrated into the overall museum activities and goals?
Museum Stores must be operated like any other retailer. What resources do you use to stay on top of “big picture” general retail trends and activities?
Conclusion & Final ThoughtsThe Museum Store:• is an educational and revenue-generating
DEPARTMENT of the Museum.• is an important PUBLIC FACE of the
Museum.• helps to DRIVE ATTENDANCE and
REVENUE for the Museum.• SUPPORTS the collections and programs of
the Museum.• GENERATES a sense of pride and
ownership among the stakeholders (trustees, donors, staff, members, volunteers) of the Museum.
Questions & Answers...
Contact information
• Jim DeMersman: [email protected]
• Stuart Hata: [email protected]
• Carrie Santell: [email protected]
• Miriam Works: [email protected]
- Museum Store Association: museumstoreassociation.org