Merchandising: The Merchandising School of O; or What I learned from observing Oprah Winfrey in action

Lesson: Are you setting trends or playing follow the leader? Are you taking risks with products, services and offers you believe in? Does it show?

5. Winfrey edits well. The product world understands her, because companies know her endorsement is golden. They inundate her with thousands of books, product ideas and vendor submissions. Each month for her magazine’s “O List,” Winfrey and her staff sort through all these submissions to narrow the list to five or six things she thinks are “just great.” Winfrey’s readers love this feature, because they know these products have been “O tested” and are crave-worthy. In addition to her “O List,” her book club has streamlined the selection process for numerous other book clubs across the nation. She is a fine editor on many levels. She understands that women are busy and appreciate a streamlined buying process, whether for fall clothes or for the next book to read.