Skincare Salutations

July is the month that merchandisers are asked to update the Skincare section. While you are at it, you may want to move it. Yikes! Yep, if you have a robust greeting card section, you will find that women purchase over 90% of the cards. Placing haircare and skincare near the cards may make a nice new and profitable home for skincare. And yes, a few years ago, I did just that, and it worked nicely.

Sunkissed Skin

One more thing about your skincare section. Many customers are looking for skincare with added UV skin protection, particularly with broad-spectrum SPF. Here is a way to help them find it. Grab your favorite yellow highlighter and highlight all the shelf tags of products containing a form of SPF. Put up one or two signs reading something like "Looking for extra skin protection? Look for the yellow tag" Cross merchandise your sunscreen in the skincare department; there are some skincare products that have AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) that may increase skin sensitivity to sunburns. Think companion sale.

Clip strips for your lips

Speaking of UV protection. Make sure to stock up on lip balm that offers both moisturizing and SPF protection! This is an excellent time to break out the "clip strips." A clip strip attached to every other endcap with a high-end lip balm makes great merchandising sense.

PS. Don't forget to use highlighter or signs for your sunglasses if they offer UV protection.

Ice Ice Baby

July is also the time to stock up on your hot and cold therapy section. Actually, it should be sections (plural). Along with your traditional pain relief category, you will need to cross merchandise the products near the brace department. At this time of the year, you need an endcap with instant cold packs, ice bags, heating pads, instant heating packs, arnica ointment, and cryotherapy for muscles in both spray and cream. Leave room for a sign at eye level promoting your CBD selection for pain and inflammation relief. For more information about understanding and promoting CBD, visit NCPA’s CBD Source. Make sure that at least two staff members are up-to-date on CBD.

99 cent problem

I had to search my deleted email and, by accident, found this. "Hey Gabe, I want to tell you about a chocolate mint patty that is selling like crazy in my store. It sells for 25 cents, and we go through a box every 2 or 3 weeks! We put it on our checkout counter, and poof, they are gone!"

Ok, let’s assume that there are 144 in a box (it is probably more like 72, though); 144 X 25¢ = $36.00. With a profit margin of 33% = $11.88 divided by best case scenario of 12 open days in a two week period is 99¢ in profit a day. Every merchandiser knows that anything that makes 99 cents a day does not belong on the counter. If you consider the worst-case scenario, $11.88 divided by 18 open days = 66¢ a day profit. The pick-up and or checkout counter is the number one spot for impulse sales. Let's shoot for $4.00 profit a day by featuring a pharmaceutical-grade multivitamin.

Sick of staring at your screen?

Hear more tips live and in-person from Gabe by registering for the NCPA Annual Convention, October 9-12th in Charlotte, N.C.