Darren Bastin, Sales Director Ireland & Northern Ireland at RetailSystem, talks about how time can be crucial to winning or losing a customer.

You Can Make More Money – But You’ll Never Make More Time

We keep hearing about the “cost-of-living crisis.” And for some, that’s absolutely real. But for most people? I’m not convinced it’s the full picture.

I travel regularly across Ireland and the UK, meeting and onboarding new retailers. And I’ve lost count of how often I’ve had to push through a packed airport. Just last month at Stansted, on a random weekday, there were over 240 flights leaving for destinations all over the Med and beyond. Thousands of people, off on holidays they apparently “can’t afford”.

So, what’s really going on?

The truth is, when people want something badly enough, they’ll find the money. That’s just how it is. Overtime, side hustles, extra shifts, multiple jobs, they’ll do what it takes.

Furniture and beds are no different. If it matters to someone – if it’ll make a difference to their home, their comfort, or how they live, they’ll spend. They might say things are tight, but when it counts, the money is there.

But you know what isn’t?

Time.

There are only 24 hours in a day. You can’t borrow more, you can’t earn more, you can’t work weekends to save it up. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

That’s why your customers don’t want to waste their precious time sitting at home, waiting for a delivery that “might arrive between 9am and 6pm”. That’s why they get frustrated when they can’t plan their day, go to work, or nip out for school pick-up – because your delivery schedule is vague or your team doesn’t communicate.

This is where retailers can win or lose customers.

Because if you value someone’s time, they notice. If you give them a clear delivery window—morning or afternoon, even better, a two-hour slot they’ll appreciate it. And they’ll remember it.

You might need to change how you plan your routes. You might need to use better tools. But if you do, you’re not just improving logistics. You’re building trust. You’re showing respect.

Retail is competitive. Margins are tighter than ever. But if you can be the one store that values people’s time, you’ll stand out.

Because here’s the truth:

Your customers can always make more money.

They will never make more time.

And if you’re wondering how to offer delivery windows without the chaos, RetailSystem can help. Its built-in delivery scheduler lets you plan by postcode; coordinate runs efficiently and gives your customers the clarity they deserve. Until next time.

www.linkedin.com/in/darren-bastin-429a0a2b7/ / darren@retailsystem.com