Editing Caldor (section)

==Caldor distinctives==
Caldor was successful through several business practices which were distinct in their industry.

===Innovations===
*Unlike similar retailers of the day, there were no leased departments in any of the Caldor stores, allowing managers the flexibility to rearrange a floor plan to suit the season or sales patterns.<ref name="breed1966" /> This allowed, for example, more space for outdoor goods during the summer and a larger toy department for Christmas.<ref name="cook1978"/> 
*Caldor's early and successful adoption of computerization of inventory, cost, and marketing control made it a model in the retail field.  “Buyers, every Monday morning, have on their desks reports on the merchandise that was sold in their departments as of the previous Saturday night,” reported Bennett.<ref name="caldor1980"/> Indicative of the interest created by Caldor's computer programs was a visit by a group of Australian retailers who traveled in the late 1960s to the company's headquarters to observe their computer operations, which also handled the Caldor payroll.<ref name="WS1969"/>

===Merchandise===
*Caldor continually carried quality national brands, offered at discount prices that appealed to many who would normally be shopping in higher end department stores.<ref name="cook1978"/> Walter F. Loeb, a vice president and retailing analyst at [[Morgan Stanley]] is quoted in a 1980 ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' article as saying, "The company is, in my opinion, one of the really excellent upscale discounters that has an appeal not only to the budget-minded blue-collar worker but to the middle-class white-collar shopper, too."<ref name="caldor1980">{{cite news|title=Caldor Formula Provides Rare Retailing Success|work=The New York Times|date= December 26, 1980}}</ref> 
*Caldor never stocked closeouts or irregulars. Their credo, "the best available merchandise at the lowest possible price", remained true throughout their history.<ref name="breed1966">{{cite news|title=Caldor: New Breed of Discounter? |work=CLOTHES|date= December 15, 1966}}</ref>

===Regionalism===
New stores were located within at most a day's travel from Caldor's corporate headquarters and its distribution center, allowing for closely controlled costs and minimized inventory expenses. This allowed single advertising and promotional campaigns to cover multiple stores and simplified executive supervision and transfer of employees.<ref name="breed1966" />

===Store environment===
The interior of each Caldor store was designed to look more like a department store than a discounter, and many were even designed by the same firms used by more up-scale retail environments.<ref name="cook1978"/> They featured wide aisles, bright lighting, and large, colorful display treatment,<ref name="breed1966" /> and were typically remodeled every six years.<ref name="cook1978"/>

===Training programs===
*Early on, Bennett understood the importance of knowledgeable salesclerks and their impact on purchases, customer satisfaction, and reducing the number of refunds or exchanges.  He instituted routine training sessions not only for sales staff, but for department managers, and traveling supervisors, as well.<ref name="breed1966" /> This extensive and ongoing program taught customer service practices and included merchandise shows that previewed new lines to be added to the stores.<ref name="money1978">{{cite news|title=Caldor: the 'money machine'|work= Chain Store Age|date= August 1978}}</ref> 
*Caldor also offered an Executive Development Program, with topics ranging from best management practices to retail operations and customer service.  As part of these seminars, top-level executives and buyers also served in sales positions to better understand day-to-day store operations and customer response to merchandise, presentation, and service.<ref name="WS1969">{{cite news|title=Caldor, Inc.|work= Wall Street and U.S. Business|date= March 1969}}</ref>