The HollyWood Reporter

I am speechless.

Ursula and I are starting on the books project. As there are existing stores that will be refurbish soon…we have decided to bring in the books. So, we were discussing on the department layout and the flow. As the pens family is one of the top families in the stationery category after the Paper & Files portfolio, I would like to have the pens in the positive flow. However, Ursula is of a different opinion. To her, books are a growing category, they have better margins, the stocks are under consignment basis, let’s put them in the positive flow too. But due to certain constraints, I have to choose between the books or the pens. Then Ursula says, when we walk into any MPH or Popular bookstores, the books are always in the front section, the stationeries are being display at the back – so she declare that she wins. OMG! I was just standing there – stunned with her remarks. Hello...we are in a Hyper Format, not in a Book Store Format. It's altogether a very different ball game. Noted that if customers wants a pen, they know where to look for it. But...we need to always display our core business. Look at The English, their writing instruments is always in the positive facing. Oh well...