If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer number products stacked on gondola shelves in each aisle when you enter a store, you are not alone. Consumers are faced with so many choices nowadays that it’s easy to get distracted and forget what they came into the store to buy in the first place. Most consumers come into stores with limited time, and either a paper list or mental list of what products they need to purchase. However, there are always opportunities to grab the attention of the consumer to try a new product or purchase a product they may have forgot to include on their “list”. Here are three ways to stand out from the competition:
Placement, Placement, Placement
You’ve heard of the saying location, location, location is key to a successful business, well the same is true for successfully selling a product. If consumers can’t find your product, how do you expect to sell it? If your product is the best seller in its category, then it’s typical that it will get the best “real estate” in the store. But what if your product isn’t the top seller but still has a fair share of the market? Then it’s crucial that you get the best possible placement or gondola display for your product to draw customers in to see it. Knowing what drives consumers to purchase your products is key in placing them in the right categories with the most visually attractive placements on gondola shelves. Optimizing your product placement real estate can make a difference in growing brand awareness and increasing sales.
Location Choice, Layout and Space Optimization
Leading companies will have marketing plans, brand strategies and expected outcomes of their sales figured out even before their product is placed in a store. Choosing a location, layout of the product and optimizing space to promote a product is critical in attracting the right type of customer. In choosing a store location, space availability and product placement feasibility is highly considered in successfully promoting and selling the product. Once a store location has been identified, the layout of the product takes precedence when considering presentation on gondola shelves and gondola displays. Are your products easily found by bright colored gondola displays or easily identifiable by their shelving placement within eye view? Have you used every space wisely without cluttering the space? These are important factors to consider when strategically laying out your product to get the customer’s attention and turn browsing into purchasing.
Promotional Piggybacking and Consistent In-Store Execution
An easy way to promote a product is to place the one you want to see near another product that is running a promotion. This promotional piggybacking also helps your product be seen in several locations throughout the store where promotions are being advertised on gondola displays. The in-store reps are the eyes and ears of what’s happening at each store location from promotions to commercials to sales, so equipping your on-the-ground sales team with product knowledge, marketing/brand strategies and desired sales outcomes is a must for brand success. Sales teams are also data information gatherers on performance metrics, sales volumes and stocking inventory. Their in-store execution needs to be consistent for greatest customer satisfaction.