The courteous offer of "Would you like a ... with that?" has got to be the most ingeniously simple sales gimmick known to man. How often do you get to the checkout counter with two or three items that you can easily carry without a container, only to say "yes" when asked if you'd like a bag. I, for one, am totally gullible to this kind of upsell and will almost always take the plastic. It's just that easy to get another 25 - 50 cents out of me. As for fast food, like McDonald's or KFC, a similar concept applies. "Would you like fries or a drink with that?" or "Would you like to supersize that?" are commonplace throughout food chains, although I can't say I've heard much of the latter in recent times... perhaps the film Supersize Me had something to do with that, or maybe it's just a lack of sales training. Anyway, the mere question triggers the internal consideration for something we may not have thought of but, now that its on offer, is something we're likely to accept. This could be the very small difference to a bigger bottom line, and here's why: Back to the checkout counter, and this time I definitely want to put all my goodies into something, lest I be arrested at the door for shoplifting. However, no one asks this very simple question, and out I go with my balancing act of groceries, bagless and around 25 cents richer. Sure, I could ask, but I'm not going to. Don't ask me why, I just don't. In a similar scenario, the subject of Supersize Me would only 'supersize' if and when asked. So the question is: Are the cashiers being too smart for their own good, accepting that you'll ask if you want something? Or are they just not trained properly in the power of 'persuasion' and the skill of the upsell? So perhaps something to consider when briefing your staff: It doesn't hurt to ask - a simple courteousy may often lead to better sell.

Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor retailnews@bizcommunity.com