| Victory Drug in Los Angeles is one of the many pharmacies that offer scooters. But unlike many of its counterparts who put a couple of scooters on the floor and forget them until it is time to ring up a sale, Victory Drug offers a full selection of DME products, including several scooter lines, and backs it up with knowledgeable service. Owner Morgan Jones bought Victory Drug with his brother Leslie in 1980. Located on a busy thoroughfare, with good visibility but serious space limitations, the store became congested as the business grew in the mid ’80s. “We realized we had to do something to make people seek us out rather than come in for convenience,” Jones recalls. “We put all glass in front of the store. We started to display HME items in the window—wheelchairs, shower stools. Pharmacies were not really selling a lot of HME items and word got around to the doctors and hospitals that if you needed an unusual item, you could send the customer to us.” In the early 1990s, Victory Drug added scooters. “It took a little while, but we started to sell more and display more,” Jones says. “We actually got rid of things that we weren’t making money on (lotions, dental care, greeting cards), but were taking up floor space.” At that point, Victory committed to the scooter business and separated itself from the pharmacies with a couple of sample vehicles in the corner. The commitment has paid off. “People want to feel like you are in the business,” Jones says. “We make a good presentation. We have all different types of equipment—walkers, lift chairs, scooters. A lot of people are buying one for their parents. They do not want to spend a weekend figuring out where to get it or what they want. They want to see a selection and they want you to get it delivered that day.” Victory has someone who can deliver the scooters, set them up, explain them to customers, and fix them, if needed. “Scooters sound like they are easy, but when someone has a problem you have to be able to take care of it,” Jones says. “People get dependent on them. You cannot just sell them and be done. If I just put them out on the floor and did not have anyone to work [the scooter sales] for me, it would never work.” Victory also gets help from its scooter reps who appreciate the business and have a vested interest in its growth. “Once you get to the point where the manufacturer realizes that you can sell their product, they are willing to help you with training and service.” Aaron R. Smith is a contributing writer for Dealer/Provider. |
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