Spend it or save it? That’s the dilemma facing millions of Americans who have received or are expecting a federal income tax refund. And millions of those will receive the economic-stimulus rebate starting in May.

According to an AP-AOL Money & Finance poll, one in five recipients plan to spend their tax refund on everything from everyday needs to shopping sprees and vacations. Makes sense to me that they’ll probably be in a spending mood when their stimulus check arrives as well.

Is your store going to be on the receiving end? If you already lured customers in with their tax refunds, you should be well-prepared to do the same with their rebates. Study what the larger retailers are planning to do, as this Boston Globe article describes. Offer discounts on “green” merchandise or donate a portion of the purchase price to a “green” organization they select from a list you provide.

I like what Sears and Kmart are doing, and there’s no reason you can’t do it if you’re set up for gift cards: Add another 10 percent or so the card’s value, or issue a second card to the purchaser for that percentage. Why not? Everyone loves free money and it won’t cost you much to give some away with this method.

Think about what you’re doing with your refund/rebate. Figure out a creative way to get some retail mileage out of it, and then try that tactic at your store. With millions of retailers looking for ways to snare millions of consumers who aren’t planning to save their refund/rebate, you better grab them before your competition does.

It can get depressing when you read the news about store closings. A legendary 7-year-old scrapbooking store in Salt Lake City will soon be just a memory because the landlord wouldn’t accept a year-to-year lease. An eclectic furniture store in Austin is shutting down after 26 years because “There are almost as many lookers but not as many buyers.” A once-bustling urban core in Halifax looks more abandoned each day as retailers leave in droves, blaming city government for not helping them out. Blogger Cynthia C. observes “There is something creepy and terribly sad about watching a retail store in its last days of a bankruptcy sale.”

Times are tough for not just for consumers, but also for the merchants who try to stay profitable while serving them. At least that’s what the media tends to focus on: the gloom and doom of retail. A Google News search for “retail store design” turns up more negative stories than positive ones these days.

Yet I’m amazed at how much activity I encounter as I connect with new and established retailers around the country. They’re constantly on the lookout for not only the newest, freshest ideas in store design and outfitting, but also for the most effective ways to serve their customers in the Internet age. That means staying touch with your loyal clients, learning what they like and dislike about your store, and asking them to help you serve them better.

I’m encouraged when I read a positive story about a new store opening or concept. The new Adora department store in Manila, Philippines, has a fantastic concept: It only looks high-end. A spokesperson says, “The nice store is only a stage; it’s not the star. We have a mix of things that relates to the customer we cater to.” The merchandise is carefully “edited and curated” and “the floor staff is ‘well versed on all the items’ so that a single person can assist a customer around from RTW to skincare to jewelry.” And to top it off, “Business hours don’t start until 1 p.m. as the mornings are devoted to reorienting the sales team or rearranging the merchandise.”

That’s the kind of store I want to shop in. And do business with. Can your customers say the same about your store? If so, you’re bound to see a sales boom. If not, I’m afraid, the media will just have more gloom and doom to feed on.

How much are you willing to drop a price if a customer wants to haggle? Or are you willing to drop it all? Better start thinking about it, because the big-box stores are already doing it, according to a story from the New York Times News Service.

Haggling goes on in mercados, souks and marketplaces all over the world. Yet it’s a rare practice among most American retailers. Maybe now is a good time for it to become a retail trend.

I didn’t know that many Best Buy and Home Depot stores are willing to knock down prices for insistent customers, especially if they buy a value-add like a service warranty. It makes good sense for the big guys to allow haggling because they can absorb the discount. But should smaller retailers do the same?

I say go for it if it means holding on to a loyal customer or reeling in a new one. Like the article says, brief your staff on how much they’re allowed to lower prices. Don’t tell them to encourage haggling, but train them on how to handle the occasional haggler. Word will get around soon enough as one customer tells another about the great deal they got at your store, and the great service.

The Internet and eBay have empowered consumers to shop around for the best deal on many purchases. The best way to empower your business is to go with the flow. Give haggling a try, within reason. In this economy, it may be the answer to a problem you didn’t even know you had.

No matter what you sell in your store, there’s always one place you can try to sell more of it before each customer walks out: the point of purchase.

The POP has long been thought of mainly as a place for impulse buys, and it still is in places like supermarkets and convenience stores. Yet in boutiques and other types of specialty stores, it has become much more than that. Creative displays and merchandising, along with good staff training, can make your point of purchase an area that looks like anything but an impulse stop.

First off, do away with the idea that the POP needs to be an isolated part of the store. Depending on your layout, consider putting it near the middle but still within view of the front door. Then build an “island” of showcases around it, with a gate or hinged shelf providing employee access. Now your customers can circle around the island before landing at the cash wrap.

Train your staff to treat this area not just as the final stop on your customers’ visits, but as a section where they can capture significant sales. When you’re busy, have them make sure there’s at least one person ringing up sales and one more assisting customers browsing the showcases, bins and countertop displays.

“Because so many customers are accustomed to seeing the cheap stuff by the cash wrap, surprise them with a selection of medium- to high-priced goods.”

Of course, the merchandise you select for the POP is an important part of the equation. Instead of trinkets, display some of your small, high-quality items–especially on the counter. Because so many customers are accustomed to seeing the cheap stuff by the cash wrap, surprise them with a selection of medium- to high-priced goods. That can slow them down and get them to look at more of what you have in the showcases. Again, make sure you have helpful, unobtrusive staff on the other side to help them with questions.

Grabbing your customer’s attention at the last opportunity doesn’t mean you need to push clearance items and markdowns. Instead of suntan lotion key rings and mini flip-flop sandals in, say, a beachwear shop, the smart owner displays upscale sunglasses on the counter and designer T-shirts in the showcase. The sunglasses tell the customer you’re concerned about protecting their eyes from harmful rays at the beach, and the showing off the shirts in the showcase give them a higher perceived value because they’re not just hanging on some rack.

You know your merchandise best. Try to enliven the mix at the POP. Experiment until you find the optimal placement. Then try to rotate the goods every few weeks so regular customers will have something to look forward to.

In these tough economic times, you really need to maximize every square inch of your selling space – including the POP. Think you can’t afford showcases, bins or countertop displays? Think again. They’re surprisingly affordable, as a look at our online catalog will show you.

Keep it interesting and you’ll see how a great POP can make your sales figures really pop.