The new QVM
website is up and running and already the improvement in navigating the site
has been noticed. It is worth checking your entry and here is a little tip – if
a search term doesn’t show up it means that no trader has used that term in his
stall description on the website. Make sure all the appropriate search terms
are in your own description so that customers see you when they search.
ATMs moved
from C Shed – the ATM pod (3 machines) on the corner of C Shed and the top
walkway has been moved to the top end of String Bean Alley. One trader claims that the
aisles between A Shed and F Shed in the Upper Market now have only one ATM to
service customer needs, while String Bean Alley has 4 ATMs and another 4 down
on Queen St. Traders have commented that this certainly seems a strange
distribution and a disadvantage for our traders struggling on the other side of
F Shed. Presumably there is a good reason but it has led one trader to suggest that
the panel that decides these things should include a trader who can say “Hang
on – that might have problems.”
Business in
the Upper Market has been very patchy although Thursday provided a bright spot.
Perhaps the Paul McCartney concert the night before was the reason there were
so many visitors in town.
Marianne
Mewett’s presentation on Monday has attracted interest from traders. Our Marketing
Manager will talk about how traders can get their businesses on to social media
at the Engagement Hub on Monday 11th December from 11:00am until
about 1:00pm. Helping your business to adopt new ways of communicating with
customers is a great way to improve the bottom line and Marianne will have ways
for even the most non-tech traders to participate. One trader has
applauded the scheduling of this type of meeting on a non-trading day.
Note: The link to register for this workshop is broken, so just turn up.
Note: The link to register for this workshop is broken, so just turn up.
Early
Packers – a few traders have commented that early packing is becoming a trend
for some traders. It can become incredibly frustrating for traders on quiet
days but that is not a problem we should be inflicting on those customers who
do turn up. As one trader said “Every customer has a right to the full market
offer up until official closing time.”
New Market
Book – if you get a chance check out some of the photos of traders taken over
the years by Tim Webster and now published in his book Melbourne’s Queen
Victoria Market.
Online
Business – one of our traders stayed away on Friday because he had just too
much online business to attend to. Another is struggling to keep up with wholesale
demands. It certainly pays to diversify these days.
Whisper is
that the Blue ATM container at the top of String Bean Alley has been vacated to
allow conversion to a trading space and the box hire storage on the other side
of the aisle is also being eyed-off for trading.
Have Your Say – click here.