Drive-by Test

Ever wonder what your store looks like to customers? Take a trip around the block! Driving to your store from different directions can reveal blind spots. Are trees hiding your signage? Is your flashy banner only visible from northbound traffic? A fresh perspective can expose hidden flaws and ensure your storefront makes a great first impression from every angle.

A good backroom is an empty backroom

Here's an oldie-but-goodie one-pager for you that shows how to turn all your hidden backroom stuff into sales (or donations). Sort through seasonal items, damaged goods, and even that pile of mystery boxes. Basically, anything that's been sitting there forever, give it a new life, either on sale floor or out the door.

Dote on your displays

Floor and counter displays are inexpensive fixtures that do really well in creating impulse sales. Whether made out of wood, acrylic, or cardboard, they still need to be treated like a valuable fixture. Make it a point to straighten and face the items in the displays. It is a myth to think that a picked-over display tricks people into believing that the product is hot and will soon disappear. Treating floor displays as you would any other fixture sounds like a good every Tuesday job.

Billboard best practices

Design your billboards like a business card for drivers. Keep it short, clear, and use large, easy-to-read fonts on dark backgrounds. Focus on the positive experience you provide, like personalized care, instead of your founding year. Also, forget the phone number. People can Google you. A well-placed board with a compelling message is more effective than a cluttered one on a busy highway. The ultimate goal is to convert viewers into customers, not just get noticed.

Merchandising in the era of Ozempic

As more and more people are using GLP-1s for their weight loss journey, more supplemental products are popping up. Sales for products such as Metamucil are through the roof, according to a panel discussion at Natural Products Expo West in early March. According to this panel, research is showing that people on GLP-1s aren't necessarily eating healthier, so they are looking to supplement with multivitamins. As people are losing weight, they have more energy and are participating in more sports, so sales of energy drinks, energy liquids, powders, etc. are going up. Another side effect of losing weight—people are more sexually active, so sales for sexual wellness products are on the rise too. What have you seen in your stores? Consider increasing your inventory or product diversity in these categories. Also, create a list of recommendations for vitamins and supplements for each new person starting on a GLP-1.

Monthly Retailer Category Tips—First Aid

Utilize various merchandising techniques to draw attention to your first aid department. Read more...