In preparing the store for the holidays to increase sales confectionery is given a special place. It’s safe to say that chocolates and sets are one of the most emotionally charged products: they are closely connected with experiences and significant events in the lives of consumers, with the holiday atmosphere. Unlike single-piece confectionery - a classic product at the checkout area - and flour confectionery, selling more expensive chocolate requires sellers to be able to create a mood. In the long term, this has a positive effect on customer attitudes towards the store.
WAYS TO INCREASE SALES
confectionery products before the holidays
Pirates, warriors and businesswomen.
Objective 1. Increase sales by
expansion of the assortment and competent display
It is obvious that the number of planned visits to candy stores and purchases in confectionery departments before the holidays increases significantly. But it is worth remembering that in the pre-holiday bustle, buyers have much less time to conscious choice, therefore, the first task of the store is to force them to make a purchase here and for this, adequately present the assortment of gift sets and create comfortable conditions for their selection. Despite the constant improvement of the range of products offered by manufacturers, as well as their packaging, it would be a mistake to assume that the confectionery department will be attractive on its own, without competent display and the use of methods to increase sales. The desire of the merchant to display a large number of confectionery sets in a limited area often leads to boxes being turned upside down and packages being partially closed. The face of the product is not always visible even on chocolate bars in a confectionery display. Especially if special equipment is not used, the packaging is often covered with price tags comparable in size to the product itself. Wherein careless seller could easily slap the price tag on Alenka’s face or the nose of Kramskoy’s “Unknown”. Expensive chocolate gifts and small figurines can get completely lost in a display case without creating a “visual frame” for them. Placing cheap piece goods next to each other on the principle of “one size in one place” can have a negative impact on their sales. Then the buyer will have the same impression as in the story of the famous satirist: “And these, well, so small - but in threes!”
Task 2. Increase sales by
expanding the circle of gift buyers.
It should also be remembered that when planning gifts, the buyer does not always consider chocolate as a permanent addition. The holiday budget is often limited, and the “competitors” of chocolate sets and luxury chocolate as independent gifts are alcohol, cosmetics and perfumes, and other typical gifts.
Increasing sales through the presentation of chocolate for men.
Candy for men and boys is a promising topic, and today its potential is far from being fully realized. Initially, it appeared in the segment of chocolate bars and bars, and supermen, spiders, horror stories and skeletons were called upon to create the image of candy for real guys. Chocolate boutiques responded with chocolate for serious men: bitter and “super-bitter”, with 98 percent cocoa beans. The Aztecs believed that a product made from the fruits of the tree of the gods (according to legend, the cocoa tree was brought to earth by the deity Quetzal-Coatl) arouses masculinity. According to the testimony of the great conquistador Hernan Cortes, at the court of the Aztec emperor Montezuma, two types of liquid chocolate were consumed: sweet with cream and spicy with pepper. Cortez wrote that “one cup of this valuable drink is able to keep a person completely alert on a hike from sunrise to sunset.” The style of maritime romance can also be associated with chocolate - ships delivering cocoa beans to the royal courts of Europe were often the object of attention of pirates. This style can be used both in creating brands and in laying out a scattering of chocolate medals, like coins from a treasure chest. In the years Patriotic War large confectionery factories produced chocolate specifically for pilots, paratroopers, scouts and sailors who needed energy to survive in physical, intellectual and emotional stress. The military victory theme (for example, the Red October stamps “Guards Glory”, “Glory”, “Peter the Great”) and the theme of real men (“Bogatyrsky”, “Presidentsky”) are now present in the design of chocolate. And before the holidays, it makes sense to highlight and group such brands and pay attention to bitter varieties, so that women, having chosen sweets for children, guests and themselves, make another purchase - as a gift to a man.
Increasing sales with a chocolate presentation for office employees.
Another promising group of buyers and recipients of sweet gifts are office employees, bosses and work colleagues. IN business districts To attract attention, you can group on one shelf sets of candies with coat of arms symbols, sovereign and Moscow themes in the packaging design. Not everyone is comfortable giving a box with a bouquet of flowers or a frivolous dancer on it. Grouped by theme, the packages themselves contribute to the pre-holiday decoration of the hall. Manufacturers and traders can be successful with a theme that has not yet been worked out in chocolate execution - office gifts and jokes in the mid-price category. Perhaps in the future a chocolate laptop, briefcase or mobile phone will compete with more traditional figures.
Let's look at a few more techniques for increasing sales.
confectionery products before the holidays:
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by equalization of prices for chocolate candies by weight (more often used in the range of 10 rubles per kilogram). Most housewives like to place a vase with different types of sweets on the festive table; even low-income customers are tempted to decorate a pile of soy bars with a couple of “Golden Soufflés”. An interesting detail: candies in a candy wrapper with a “bouffant tail” are often chosen for the table, because there seem to be more of them on the table. At the same price level, the labor costs of the seller behind the counter and time for service are reduced, which is important during the pre-holiday period, when there are queues of customers in a hurry and wanting attention. The number of impulse purchases among buyers themselves is increasing - a bag of sweets is already on the scale, and they really want to add more of both! When leveling prices, you can use a well-known brand as a sales engine. It is worth noting that this technique requires preliminary research of buyers in order to choose the right varieties for the price range. For buyers various groups price barriers may be different, but the general boundaries determined by the perception of numbers are 100, 200 rubles per kilogram.
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the packaging of chocolates in self-service stores. Candies packaged in a plastic tray at a price of, for example, 38 rubles (a price comparable to the cost of a waffle cake) look attractive. Some buyers are put off by the price of 150-200 rubles per kilogram, and a lower amount makes the purchase of chocolates an impulse purchase. Another part of consumers believes that when buying packaged candies, they do not overpay for gift wrapping, extra paper and air in it (“Such a big box, but there are only ten pieces inside!”). In stores where the majority of buyers are of middle and lower-middle income, it is possible to display packaging (special bags, boxes) in a visible place so that customers can put together a gift themselves from weights and single-piece candies - to their taste and pocket.
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the presence in the department of materials for artistic gift wrapping and the provision of this service in the store.
In general, paper bows, ribbons and roses decorating counters and racks have a positive effect on candy sales, but in Russian stores such decor is used less frequently and weaker than, for example, in American confectionery stores for the middle class. Individual caramel flowers are also very rare in our country, although there are caramel baskets - for example, they are produced by Red October. A single caramel flower would make a nice gift. - INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the joint display of alcohol and confectionery sets, using decorative compositions and advertising display. A bottle of champagne next to a box of chocolates, several sets under a poster “Congratulate your loved ones!” - all this serves as a reminder, a hint to the buyer and also increases the number of impulse purchases (see Fig. 1). Non-standard solutions can be successful, for example, chocolate bottles located next to each other and real small bottles. Holiday items may already be packaged in a basket at the store, decorated with flowers, and offered as a set.
- INCREASING SALES by grouping and highlighting famous Soviet confectionery brands. Firstly, this is in accordance with the principle “the best goods - the best resources”, because behind the old brands is the reputation of large manufacturers. There is another aspect. Our research on various food products has found that among consumers over 30 years of age, the number of people experiencing nostalgia for Soviet times. At the same time, old brands are associated with the wonderful years of childhood and youth, and the same varieties are bought to create a festive mood. It is not without reason that the theme of nostalgia, the time “when everything was scarce, but everything seemed very tasty,” is now used by manufacturers. Some buyers are trying to take revenge on consumption: “Previously, they only gave in orders, but now I’m in New Year I eat caviar with spoons, and all kinds of “Bears” and “Squirrels” - kilograms!”
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by optimizing the display of gift sets of sweets. Sets on shelves can be grouped according to the principle of color combinations and contrast of packaging, the theme of packaging design, as is done, for example, in Red October branded stores. To make it easier for thrifty buyers to choose, sets can be arranged according to box size and price. It is not recommended to place packages that are similar in color next to each other, and you should always check for reflected light effects when viewed from the audience. Obviously, the number of small sets of candies in the checkout area before the holidays can be increased. The allocated display area can be limited by bright stripes of sets arranged vertically in several units on the rack (see Fig. 2).
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the use of posters with information about the composition and properties of the candies in the set. “Chocolate in a cut” is actively being introduced through advertising of “Rittersport” and POS materials of “Korkunov” and “Derzhava”. It is known that most buyers have more confidence in the packaging on which the product itself is depicted, because the seller cannot always provide reliable information. Sellers in confectionery departments say that when customers see a bottle of champagne on the packaging, they often joke: “Is it included?” No one thinks of a champagne filling, but if a bottle of cognac or liqueur is depicted, many buyers already expect that there is an alcoholic filler inside. Let us repeat once again that before the holidays the buyer is in a hurry, and he has a thousand different problems in his head. Visual information can help avoid frustration and reduce stress on salespeople.
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the use of models of gift chocolate figures. Figured chocolate in plastic packaging is difficult to display with dignity. Chocolate melts from the light, and polyethylene shines, and these glares destroy the integrity of the volume of the figure. Skillfully made dummies can stand in any place and attract attention to elite products. Painted plaster sculptures can also be used to decorate a display case. Thus, figures made from various materials, and figured chocolate in the Konfael boutique in Moscow are one of the most significant and memorable details of the interior and display cases.
Holidays and weekdays.
Shops and confectionery departments always carry an element of festivity, so their design should create an overall warm impression, evoke pleasant emotions from visitors. It is desirable to use natural materials or their skillful imitation in interior decoration and equipment. Colonial style elements may be present - various shades of mahogany, bronze or brass details, large glazed surfaces, mirrors - as, for example, in the design of the Petrossian boutique/cafe in New York. The designers of the Mozart boutique in Toronto used a palette of colors in the interior based on the range of the product itself - shades of chocolate from white to brown, on a mauve background. “Candy Cauldron” was inspired by the theme of the Disney film “Snow White” - natural materials combined with wall paintings and sculptures create an unforgettable atmosphere.
Display of sweets and chocolate bars decorative compositions(columns, spirals, screws, pyramids) on the counter still impress the buyer. Let us remember the Eiffel Tower made of chocolates described by Bulgakov in the novel “The Master and Margarita”, shamelessly destroyed by the cat Behemoth. For many other products, such techniques are no longer used or look old-fashioned. But chocolate compositions set the buyer up for holiday consumption, and this can have a positive effect on sales growth in other groups. The composition means can also be used to fill transparent containers with weighted goods (see Fig. 3). Displaying bulk sweets, marshmallows, marmalade, etc. in plastic bags instead of containers gives the impression of untidiness.
A successful combination of confectionery products with such products as tea and coffee, flour confectionery - also with milk, because when a person sees a large number of sweets, the thought of drinks arises in the subconscious (see Fig. 5). Psychologists have the opinion that only people with disabilities can eat a lot of sweets without tea or other liquid. Coffee and tea aromas have a positive effect on sales. An example is the Red October brand stores on Shabolovka and Tverskaya in Moscow. Hot chocolate is gradually becoming popular, and it has good prospects in our climate (by the way, in the classic recipe, cognac can be added to hot chocolate). To emphasize the character of this drink, its density, and significance, the choice of tableware plays an important role: cups made of thick-walled porcelain are preferred over plastic cups and light cups. Those who have visited both Sever cafes in St. Petersburg on Nevsky Prospekt could feel this difference.
If the confectionery shop is adjacent to the grocery store, it is better to “match” it with canned fruit, jams, etc. Despite the fact that diabetics are some of the most loyal customers, it is recommended to place diabetic products in less visible places so as not to confuse other customers (imagine hangover remedies in the center of the display case in the wine and vodka department!). If diabetic products are located in a general confectionery display, it is more effective to provide large information about the ingredients (xylitol, isomalt) or use special symbols that are understandable to diabetics and will always be found. Confirmation of safety is also necessary, but may be written in smaller detail.
In specialized confectionery stores and departments, it is sometimes difficult to display weighted sweets and caramels on a glass counter, as well as on shelves. Display by type and price can be used: the product is divided into groups with a certain price range per kilogram, then they look at how many types can fit in one row. Examples of displays for counters and racks are shown in Figure 6. There are times when the view of goods in the corner of the confectionery display case, located near the cashier, is limited. This needs to be checked by looking from the audience. Then placing interesting impulse and significant profitable products there is unjustified.
Confectionery trade business idea. How to open a candy store.
The sale of confectionery products is a rather unique business; on the one hand, sweets are a fairly popular product and you can make good money on this, on the other hand, they are quite short term storing the most popular products, such as cakes, pastries, can quickly bring trade into the red.
.How to open a confectionery store? How to choose the right product range? How to increase revenue in a store in simple ways? We will look at the answers to all these questions in this article.
Trading confectionery products: how to open a store.
To sell confectionery products you will need a room of at least 20 m², without overhaul, cosmetic will be quite enough, the presence of water supply and sewerage is required.
Before installing the equipment, the room must be thoroughly cleaned, washed, if necessary, and sanitized to check for cockroaches and similar insects.
A confectionery store should be equipped with shelves for individual goods - chocolates, tea, juices, boxes of sweets, cookies in boxes with a screen and for loose items - sweets, cookies. You can order the racks, or make them yourself from chipboards, which will be cut to size in a furniture workshop; you can assemble the racks yourself, it will be cheaper.
For trading perishable goods - cakes, eclairs, pastries,
You will need a refrigerated display case with shelves. For cakes, it is better to use a wide display case.
The space in the store should be used to the maximum; shelving is installed along the walls, along the perimeter of the room there is a refrigerated display case, a table with scales and display cases or tables for placing boxes with a screen.
In the summer, you can install a refrigerator with juices, water and a freezer with ice cream.
A sign should be installed on the facade of the store, and an advertising sign should be placed on the sidewalk in front of the store.
To open a candy store you will also need:
- Register an individual entrepreneur.
- Obtain a taxpayer certificate.
- Obtain permission to trade from the SES.
- Obtain permission from the fire department.
Confectionery store: how to choose the right product range for selling confectionery products.
The first thing you need to pay attention to Special attention when compiling an assortment and ordering goods, these are the timing of product sales. Cakes, pies, pastries, eclairs, and muffins have the shortest shelf life.
Depending on the filling, cakes may have a shelf life of only a few days. Despite the fact that the buyer immediately looks at the production date of the cake on the packaging, and if the date is yesterday, he immediately begins to turn his nose and say that it is no longer fresh. The buyer today has become picky, he is served a cake almost straight from the confectionery shop, and selling yesterday’s cake, even though it is fresh, is already problematic. Some sellers change the date on the packaging, but deceiving their customers is not a rewarding task.
Purchasing a large amount of perishable goods is the first mistake of a novice candy store owner. At first, it is better to refuse perishable products altogether, or order them to a minimum. Quite often in the summer, such products begin to deteriorate already during delivery to the store; in the heat, refrigeration units in cars do not always cope with the temperature regime.
It often happens that a client comes into a confectionery store, and the assortment is small, and then the questions begin - why do you have little product, there was no delivery? Buyers think that if there is not enough goods, it means that there has been no delivery for a long time, it means that everything here is not fresh, as a result, the buyer leaves with nothing.
Conclusion - the range of goods should be quite wide. Most products should have a long shelf life.
Poor selection of goods is the second mistake in selling confectionery products.
The next very important point is proper storage of the goods. For example, cakes, muffins, fresh goods, brought yesterday, but already on the second day they lose their presentation - the muffins and eclairs have become hard, the cakes have become weathered. Sell such a product, and the buyer will no longer come to your store. And the reason is improper storage of the goods, due to negligence or lack of experience, the seller did not properly pack the cakes or the same muffins in a box the evening after the store closed - as a result, the store incurs losses.
Improper storage of goods is another common mistake.
Let's look at how many ways to increase revenue in a candy store.
They opened a store, delivered goods, and customers come in, but trade doesn’t seem to be going well, they buy very little, some even leave without buying anything.
Some tips on how to increase confectionery sales:
- Several items of goods need to be put on sale with a minimum markup in the most visible place.
- Provide clients with a service such as ordering cakes.
- Install a coffee machine in the store; brewed coffee in disposable paper cups is always used good demand, and the buyer will also take a couple of cakes with his coffee.
- Promptly remove half-empty boxes of cookies from the display case; it is better to pour the leftovers into a new box and place them on the display case.
- It is better to make price tags with names larger for older people with poor eyesight.
- Bring new items regularly.
- Before the holidays, bring gift sets, for the New Year, New Year's sets, for Valentine's Day, sets with the appropriate symbols, etc.
- Children's small, inexpensive toys are also in very good demand in confectionery stores.
When is the best time to open a confectionery store?
Trade in confectionery products drops significantly in the summer, this is due to the fact that in hot weather people consume less sweets. Therefore, you should not open a store during this period; it is better to start trading in early autumn. Good revenue in confectionery stores it often happens before the holidays - New Year, Christmas, Valentine's Day, March 8, Easter.
Profitability of business selling confectionery products.
The markup on confectionery products usually ranges from 20% to 100%. The highest markup goes to cakes, about 100%, but for good trade turnover you need to establish daily small-scale wholesale deliveries, as well as delivery of cakes to order.
A small confectionery store, with the right approach to business, brings income to its owner on average about $2,000 a month.
Popular business ideas
Collection and sale of medicinal plants
Confectionery products containing a significant proportion of sugar have a pleasant taste and aroma, attractive appearance, high energy value and are easily absorbed by the human body. Confectionery products divided into the following types: fruit and berry products (marmalade, pastille products, preserves, jams, marmalade, fruit and berry jelly, candied fruits); caramel products (caramel candy, caramel with filling); chocolate And chocolate products; candies; iris; dragee; halva; flour confectionery products (cookies, crackers, biscuits, gingerbread, waffles, pastries and pies, muffins, rolls). Confectionery departments may also include in their assortment honey.
Confectionery is a group of products that takes an active part in creating the image and reputation of the store. A wide range of confectionery products not only attracts the attention of customers, but also provides a significant contribution to business performance.
Forming an assortment of confectionery products in a store is a rather difficult task. This is explained by the limited shelf life of confectionery products, and the presence of seasonal fluctuations in demand for certain types of confectionery products (for example, in the summer the demand for chocolate products decreases, gift sets for the holidays, on the contrary, increases significantly), and the need to create optimal storage conditions in trading floor, and in warehouses store.
For the storage and sale of some confectionery products (cakes, pastries), special equipment is used, which maintains the necessary temperature regime. Manufacturers/suppliers often provide proprietary equipment for displaying chocolate.
Accent lighting can be used to create an aesthetic appeal for confectionery products.
Selling confectionery products by weight is a specific feature of post-Soviet countries. In almost all countries of the world, confectionery products are supplied to stores in packaged form.
If the store area is spacious enough, then the place where confectionery products are sold can be separated into a separate department. Otherwise, equipment with confectionery products is placed closer to the entrance to the store along the perimeter of the sales area, next to the points of sale bakery products, coffee and tea. It is unacceptable to place shelves with confectionery products close to frozen products, as well as products that have a specific smell.
The basic principles for displaying confectionery products are as follows:
It should be remembered that products of the same type should be presented in blocks (3-5 packages of the same type should be placed on the shelf at the same time) - under such conditions the buyer has the opportunity to see them;
Through a varied assortment of confectionery products, their display is organized according to the following principle: chocolate, sweets, cookies, rolls, oriental sweets, etc. are placed separately. Experts recommend using vertical display;
If horizontal display is used, it is necessary to adhere to the following conditions: place the most popular and profitable products at eye level; place confectionery products from the high-price segment above eye level; large boxes of chocolates, tins of cookies, marmalade are laid out on the top shelves of retail equipment; confectionery products packaged in plastic bags, laid out on the lower shelves of the equipment;
To increase sales volumes, it is advisable to place racks with the most popular confectionery products next to goods such as tea and coffee; a rack with high-quality gift boxes of chocolates next to elite alcoholic drinks;
It is advisable to place equipment (racks) on which crackers and gingerbreads are presented in the direction of movement of customers among shelves with other confectionery products;
It is recommended to place chocolate bars and other confectionery products of impulse demand in the checkout and checkout areas; It is advisable to duplicate racks with chocolate bars in the checkout area (Fig. 46);
It is necessary to clearly predict fluctuations in demand during the holidays, which has a positive effect on the store’s image and its performance indicators;
Active use of POS materials in places of sale of confectionery products; use of dummies of chocolate figures; the use of posters with information about the composition and properties of sweets, etc.
How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks
For owners and managers of small and medium-sized businesses
Date and time: 06/09/2011 at 20:30(Moscow time)
Participation settings: Everyone is interested
Practical Internet training
How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks
· You are the owner or manager of a company selling confectionery products.
· Is your business running smoothly or are there unexpected disruptions?
· The confectionery sales market is divided geographically.
· Each has its own clients and suppliers.
· Industry development in Lately noticeably stopped.
· Your competitors have the same problems.
· You don't know how to develop your business further.
· You cannot afford serious financial investments in the development of your business.
Any company that stops at the achieved level will sooner or later reduce its turnover.
In business it is simply necessary to constantly develop and grow in order to at least maintain the achieved level.
But if YOU do not make efforts to develop your company, you will not be able to reach a new level and earn more and will begin to lose your position in business.
According to statistics, among small and medium-sized businesses selling confectionery products, only 10% of companies are constantly developing and increasing their turnover every year. And all this despite the social situation in the country, legislation and taxes.
All such companies have the same problems as you.
Then WHY are you not developing the way you would like?
The secret to developing the top 10% of the most successful companies in the industry is that they constantly invest heavily in developing their business. And this may not necessarily mean capturing new territories or opening more stores.
Every successful company ALWAYS invests in training its employees, introducing new ways of doing business, and elaborating the company’s existing operating system.
You can also go this route.
If you are ready to incur serious material costs for your development, then you can develop new territories, open new stores, give more advertising, etc.
If you are ready to invest in your company, but there are certain financial limits, and you want to use your financial resources as efficiently as possible, then You can develop with what you have now. Employee training, additional advertising, etc. are well suited for this.
If you are ready to invest your personal time and effort into the development of your company, you yourself must constantly learn. You must learn to make the most of your resources and your company's resources.
How can you do this?
Exists great amount books on business development, effective management, effective sales. You can read these books, choose the most valuable ones from them and implement everything in your company. This is the most accessible and cheapest way.
The problem is that it is very time-consuming and you don’t know how it will work for you.
Another way is training through seminars, where you receive a large amount of information useful to you in a short time.
Unfortunately, most people after the seminar begin to apply on average only 10% of the information received. The rest remains just information.
According to multiple studies, the most effective way is training in the form of practical trainings. There you receive only the most valuable information for you and immediately apply all this in your company.
As a rule, the most successful people use this method of developing themselves and their companies.
Today, in order to undergo training in such training, you do not have to go far, it is enough to have a computer with Internet access.
We invite you to go free internet training“How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks.”
The training will take place online, meaning you will communicate with the trainer in real time. You can ask him your questions and get answers immediately.
What will happen at the training “How to increase sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks”
During the training, you will learn ways to quickly increase sales of confectionery products, implement them in your business and, as a result, increase your profits. And all this will happen ONLY behind 2 weeks or even earlier.
What will we do at the training “How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks”
Let's look at the main problems that companies face when selling confectionery products.
Let's analyze your sales system.
What will YOU get after the training “How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks”
Enlarge cash flow from your clients.
Clients will come to you again and again.
Your salespeople will finally start working with your customers.
Your sales will be systematic
Training program
1. UPSELL ;
2. Magnet on top;
3. Loyal customer card;
4. Maintaining a client base;
5. Motivation of sellers (sales managers).
Internet training will be held online (that is, live). June 9, 2011 at 20-30 Moscow time.
To participate in the training, follow the registration link.
The duration of the training is from 1 hour to 2 hours.
The training will be conducted by Danila Afanaskin, business consultant, member of the association of independent business consultants "Bizkon", author of the book "10 Practical Ways to Increase Sales of Confectionery Products", presenter various business trainings and seminars for managers and owners of small and medium-sized businesses.
After completing the training “How to increase sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks,” each participant will receive a free present my book “10 Practical Ways to Increase Confectionery Sales” and an audio recording of the training.
Attention: To participate in the training you must fulfill the conditions here - http://infobusiness2.ru/node/7249
Register for the training “How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks” right now.
If you have questions or want to clarify any points, write to me at [email protected]
See you at the training.
How to increase sales in a small store? Often it is enough to rearrange the goods on the shelves. Or, scientifically speaking, engage in merchandising. A rapid survey of small grocery store owners conducted by SB showed that most of them have little idea of what merchandising is.
Question: "Do you use merchandising methods in your work?" – and completely baffled me. “What good are they?” the owners of the outlets shrugged. Let's try to answer this question.
Marketers estimate that two-thirds of shoppers come to a store without a clear idea of what exactly they want to buy. They make purchasing decisions by looking at shop windows.
Let's say a person goes for milk. Standing at the counter and seeing a large selection of sour cream, he may remember that today there are dumplings for dinner. This means you need to grab sour cream too. And then delicious pieces of cheese come into view. Why not buy it for breakfast? And nearby are the advertised glazed cheese curds that the child has been asking for for a long time. Perhaps we should take the heels.
Thus, instead of one carton of milk, the buyer will take away with him a whole bag of groceries. And the merchant, who has correctly selected the assortment and placed the goods on the counter, receives additional profit.
What is merchandising...
This is a set of measures aimed at increasing sales in the store. Many people believe that merchandising is just rules for the competent display of goods. In fact, the tasks of this science are broader. The following activities also fall within the scope of merchandising:
- selection of a product range that best meets customer needs,
- creating a unique, attractive atmosphere for visitors in the store,
- distribution of advertising and information about the goods sold there at the point of sale.
...and how much does it cost?
Many store owners believe that merchandising services are only available to very wealthy companies. This is wrong. Even a very small company with a modest income can get a little advice from a specialist who will come to your store. In Moscow, such a consultation costs $300-400. In addition to contacting a specialized marketing agency, you can also invite a “private trader”. The average salary of a metropolitan merchandiser in Moscow is $200-400 per month. He probably won’t refuse to clean up the store in his free time. For a fee comparable to his salary.
Look around you
Merchandising begins with the formation of an assortment. It is important not only how the goods will be laid out on the shelves, but also what will be sold in the store. You can build a stunning pyramid from cans of sprat. But if there are few buyers who love this fish, the efforts to create a beautiful display will be in vain. Therefore, the store owner needs to have a clear idea of who his customers are.
“Very often, entrepreneurs try to sell what they themselves consider necessary,” say spouses Ruben and Kira Kanayan, consultants at Union Standard Consulting, working in the field of interior design and merchandising in retail trade. – At the same time, it is not taken into account that many of the goods presented do not correspond to the interests of target audience and only occupy retail space. Although in their place there could be other products in demand among buyers.
To imagine a portrait of your customer, you first need to simply look around and evaluate what objects are located near the store. And draw conclusions. For example, if a school is located nearby, then it is necessary to expand the range of goods loved by children: soda, chocolate, chewing gum, baked goods. And if there is a university nearby, then it is necessary to increase the share of low-alcohol drinks on the shelves: beer and all kinds of cocktails, which students consume in large quantities.
Little one grocery store, working in a large shopping center where people come to buy shoes and clothes, it is better to focus on confectionery and alcohol. Those who choose gifts will be happy to buy these products. And many of those who go home with a new thing will not deny themselves the pleasure of celebrating their purchase with a cake or cognac. Of course, other products should be on the shelves too. But it is not practical to display several brands of milk or butter in such a place. After all, residents of nearby houses are unlikely to purposefully go to a universal shopping mall to fill the refrigerator. Most likely, they will go to a specialty food store.
One more observation. If there are many offices in your store area commercial firms, government agencies or some workshops, then the emphasis should be on fast food products: coffee and tea bags, soups, noodles and various cereals. The counters must have cold cuts of meat and fish, bread, pastries and confectionery. And, besides, such a store will probably sell well expensive alcoholic drinks and souvenirs. Visitors will buy them for colleagues in honor of birthdays and various holidays.
It is very important that the assortment is formed taking into account the income of the target consumer group. Observe who mainly visits your store - wealthy people, middle-income citizens or low-income old ladies. And take the necessary measures by increasing or reducing the share of certain products on the shelves.
Everyone knows that people who earn good money constantly lack time for housework. Therefore, they will certainly notice your store if they find a wide range of salads in it, semi-finished meat products, quality frozen foods that can be quickly prepared and served. And low-income citizens will be turned into your regular customers by cheap milk in plastic bags and inexpensive chicken legs.
How to find your face
Many traders make a serious mistake by copying the assortment of their closest competitors and presenting only famous brands goods. Coming to such a store, the buyer sees on the shelf a standard set of brands: J7 juices, Coca-Cola drinks, Domik v Village dairy products, Doctor's sausage and Gouda cheese. If a merchant adheres to such a product policy, then the only difference between him and the “shop across the street” is his prices. And if suddenly they become higher, then regular customers move to a competing outlet. Therefore, in order not to be content with the money of only random passers-by, each store must have its own assortment “face”.
– The most popular products are sold everywhere. Therefore, buyers know their average cost very well. And if you put a high price on, say, a well-known vodka, soda or juice, you will immediately acquire the image of an expensive store. Consumers will assume that all your other products are also expensive,” warns Kira Kanayan. – But if you agree on the supply of high-quality products with some small factory from the province, then buyers will have nothing to compare with and you will be able to dictate your prices. You can make good money on such products. And well-known brands, by the way, are often more profitable to sell at low prices. This will create the image of a “cheap” store, attract additional customers and make a profit on other goods.
But at the same time, you should be very careful with the prices of alcoholic beverages. If the vodka you sell turns out to be the cheapest in the area, then very soon a typical crowd will begin to gather around your store. At first, the volume of trade turnover may increase, but then it will sharply decline. There will be fewer housewives and respectable married couples among your customers who find it unpleasant to shop in the company of “drunks.”
Any a store can find its own zest by offering consumers a product that competitors do not have. A simple example. One small store located in a residential area of Moscow dedicated an entire display case to cakes.
“Such a selection of cakes - about 20 names - cannot be found in any of the nearby stores,” says manager Konstantin Filyaev. “That’s why all the locals come to us for sweets.” And at the same time they buy something else. This allows us to trade consistently at any time of the year.
In cramped and offended
Very often, merchants cannot resist the temptation to put as many products on the shelves as possible. They say that they will be able to sell something. As a result, the sales area becomes cluttered with shelving, refrigerated cabinets and chests. And in such crowded conditions it becomes very inconvenient for visitors to make purchases.
How to determine if a store has "extra" retail store equipment? To do this, it is necessary to calculate the installation area coefficient. It is defined as the ratio of the area occupied by equipment to total area trading floor.
Installation area coefficient = S installation area, m2 / S sales area, m2
The optimal value of this coefficient is 0.25-0.35. If the resulting result exceeds this norm, then there is too much equipment in the store. And it is better to remove some of it by discarding some “extra” goods.
The best places - the best products
One of the most difficult tasks of merchandising is the correct placement of product groups on the sales floor and individual products on the shelves.
Most buyers are right-handed. So they start checking the shelves on the right side and walk around the store counterclockwise. Thus, the right side of the store turns out to be a more attractive area for customers than the left. It is worth placing the most popular products in it. In a small trade pavilion with an area of 10-15 sq. m "strong" is the right side of the central shelves and display cases.
Other important questions. Which product should be given a good place? And what product can be “pushed” into the far corner?
“It all depends on the sales forecast,” says Ruben Kanayan. – For example, the Jolly Milkman brand is expected to account for about 5% of all sales in the dairy department. This means that these products need to be allocated about 5% of the total display space.
Best products- both in terms of sales volumes and in terms of their profitability - should occupy the best places. But how to determine which product is more worthy? To do this, you need to find out what share of the total trade turnover this or that product group occupies. Then add up the length of all the shelves in the store. And calculate how much space in percentage terms is allocated to a particular product. If, for example, ketchups and sauces occupy 6% of all shelves, and their share in turnover is only 2%, then it is necessary to reduce the display of this group. And place some other product in the vacated space.
However, if it turns out that a certain product brings more profit than others, you should not increase its share on shelves several times by narrowing the assortment of other brands. For example, if good profit brings expensive J7 juice, you shouldn’t occupy the entire shelf with it, completely removing the cheaper one" Orchard"After all, the store may lose customers who prefer less profitable products, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in income. In other words, if you win on one product, you can lose much more overall.
Don't place cakes next to herring!
When deciding where to place certain goods (bread, dairy products, gastronomy, etc.), you need to take into account a number of important subtleties.
- Products of the same group must be located in one place. For example, if you are trading drinking water, then the entire range should be presented in the soft drinks department. Even if there is special water for children on sale, you should not display it next to baby food. After all, most buyers will still look for various sweet fizzy drinks in the “juice and water” department.
However, if space allows, additional sales points can be created. For example, in summer several types of juices and water can be sold in all departments. The demand for drinks increases during the hot season, and this technique allows you to increase trade turnover.
- Place “like with like”—liquids next to liquids, frozen foods next to frozen ones.
- Follow the “appetizing neighborhood” rule. Imagine that a person comes to the store to buy marshmallows. He may refuse to buy if the sweets are displayed on the same shelf with smoked herring or spicy Korean carrots. For the same reason, you should not put shrimp and frozen cakes in the same refrigerator.
- Place items that are usually used together next to each other. It is appropriate to offer cookies and sweets with tea. Beer includes chips, salted nuts and dried fish. And, for example, in the meat department it is logical to present a wide range of seasonings. If a person buys meat, then perhaps he needs more pepper or bay leaf, and reminding him of this would be very appropriate.
- In small stores, it is better to group products not by brand, but by type. For example, a store has a department household chemicals. All dishwashing detergents must be placed in one row on the shelf with a corresponding sign. In another - oven cleaning products, in a third - carpet cleaning products, etc. And then it will be easy for customers to choose the right item.
- You can set aside a permanent place for goods sold at low prices. Mark these areas on the windows with signs “New” or “Product of the day (week, month)”. Try to let people know that in your store they will always see something new or buy the product they need cheaper than elsewhere.
The best shelf
The most advantageous shelves are those located at eye level. Therefore, the central part of the rack most attracts the buyer’s eye. And this is where the best-selling products or those that the merchant wants to make so should be placed.
For the same reason, products for children (lollipops, chocolate eggs with toys, etc.) should be placed at the level of the child’s face and outstretched arm.
The cheapest and most voluminous products should be placed on the lower shelves, for example, cereals packaged directly in the store. The purchase of such goods is usually planned in advance. Therefore, people who need the same cereal will find it on the bottom shelf. And on the lowest shelf, which is practically out of sight of customers, you can place inventory.
The top shelf is also not the best place. As a rule, the goods located here are clearly visible only to men and not noticed by women at all. This is due to the peculiarities of visual perception of different sexes. Men are used to looking into the distance. They are able to snatch out the necessary objects from afar with their eyes, but have difficulty noticing products and things right under their noses. Women, on the contrary, upon entering the store, are immediately glued to the shelves located at eye level and below, and rarely raise them “to heaven.” Therefore, on the top shelf you should not place goods that are included in the main assortment.
Well, if you need to increase sales, don’t popular goods? There are tricks for this too. For example, they can be placed among goods that are in steady demand. This technique is called "borrowing popularity."
And finally, one more recommendation. In small stores, as a rule, horizontal display of goods on shelves is used, when products of the same group are lined up in a row. If space allows, pallets can be used instead of racks to display goods. This is the name given to special platforms designed for storing and transporting goods. You can display beer, low-alcohol cocktails, water, and juices on them. In the minds of buyers, such a display is associated with a low price. Therefore, buyers are willing to make purchases from pallets.
Stock up and stay organized
It is very important that display cases and shelves are literally bursting with goods. The visitor should be sure that your store has everything he needs in abundance. Therefore, you cannot leave free space on the shelves, and the resulting “holes” should be immediately filled with new goods.
It also happens: there is a sample of a product on the display window, and a piece of paper with the word “no” is attached to it. This is a very serious mistake! A customer who has been tired during the work day and sees that you “don’t have” either frozen cauliflower or empanadas will inevitably experience irritation. And he will probably think: “Is there anything here that I need?”
In order not to lose face, it is necessary to draw up a delivery schedule so that there is a constant supply of the most popular goods or goods with which interruptions occur. It is definitely worth increasing the stock of those products that are actively advertised on television and in the press. Usually during advertising campaigns the demand for them is growing noticeably.
And finally, the last rule of merchandising. After the store owner has placed all the goods in their places, he must demand strict adherence to the established order from the sellers.
“Very often, sellers lay out goods so that it is convenient for them to get them,” notes Kira Kanayan. – And sometimes they move someone who is not in demand to the best place, stale goods– so that he “goes away” as soon as possible. The store owner must constantly ensure that such mistakes are not made.
How to create price tags
- The price must be clearly marked and clearly visible. After all, it is the price that most often serves as the criterion on the basis of which the buyer makes a choice.
- The price tag should not cover the packaging. This is due to the fact that many buyers remember what the product they like looks like, but do not know exactly what it is called.
- Prices for products located nearby can vary greatly. Therefore, price tags should be located so that the buyer does not confuse one product with another. Otherwise, when paying at the cash register, he will experience a lot of unpleasant emotions: from bewilderment to shame and dissatisfaction.
- Price tags must be written in legible, neat and beautiful handwriting.
- Price tags with information about similar products must have a uniform format.
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