In preparing the store for the holidays to increase sales confectionery given a special place. It is safe to say that chocolates and sets are among the most emotionally charged products: they are closely associated with experiences and significant events in the life of consumers, with a festive atmosphere. Unlike piece confectionery - a classic checkout product - and flour confectionery, selling more expensive chocolate requires sellers to create a mood. In the long run, this has a positive effect on the attitude of customers towards the store.
WAYS TO INCREASE SALES
confectionery before the holidays
Pirates, warriors and business women.
Task 1. Increasing sales through
expanding the range and competent display
Obviously, the number of scheduled visits to confectionery shops and purchases in the confectionery departments before the holidays increases significantly. But it is worth remembering that in the pre-holiday bustle, buyers have much less time for conscious choice, therefore, the first task of the store is to make a purchase here and for this purpose 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 in itself, without competent display and application of methods to increase sales. The desire of a merchant to display a large number of confectionery sets in a limited area often leads to the fact that the boxes are turned upside down and the packages are partially closed. The face of the product is not always visible on the chocolates in the confectionery display case. Especially if special equipment is not used, the packaging is closed with price tags comparable in size to the product itself. Wherein negligent seller can easily slap a price tag on Alenka's face or the nose of "Unknown" Kramskoy. Expensive chocolate gifts and small figurines can be completely lost in the window without creating a "visual frame" for them. Their sales can be negatively affected by the placement of cheap piece goods next to them on the principle of “one size in one place”. Then the buyer will have an impression, as in the story of a famous satirist: “And these, well, they are so small - but three each!”.
Task 2. Increasing sales through
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 application. The festive budget is often limited, and alcohol, cosmetics and perfumes and other typical gifts become "competitors" of chocolate sets and elite chocolate as independent gifts.
Increasing sales with 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. It first appeared in the chocolate bar and candy bar segment, and supermen, spiders, horror stories and skeletons were called in to create the candy look 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 fruit of the tree of the gods (according to legend, the cocoa tree was brought to earth by the deity Quetzal-Coatl) excites 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. Cortes wrote that "one cup of this valuable drink is able to keep a person perfectly alert on a campaign 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 made the object of attention of pirates. This style can be used both in creating brands and 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 conditions of physical, intellectual and emotional stress. The military victorious theme (for example, the stamps of Krasny Oktyabr, Guards Glory, Glory, Peter the Great) and the theme of real men (Bogatyrsky, Presidential) are now present in the design of chocolate. And before the holidays, it makes sense to single out 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 by presenting chocolate to office workers.
Another promising group of buyers and recipients of sweet gifts are office workers, bosses and work colleagues. IN business districts to attract attention, you can group on one rack sets of candies with emblematic symbols, state and Moscow themes in the design of the packaging. After all, it is not convenient for everyone to give a box that depicts a bouquet of flowers or a frivolous dancer. Grouped by themes, the packages themselves contribute to the pre-holiday decoration of the hall. Producers and merchants can bring success to a topic that has not yet been worked out in a chocolate version - office gifts and jokes of the middle price category. Perhaps in the future a chocolate laptop, briefcase or mobile phone will compete with more traditional figures.
Let's take a look at a few more ways to increase sales.
confectionery before the holidays:
- INCREASE IN SALES contributes to the equalization of prices for weight chocolates (more often used in the range of 10 rubles per kilogram). Most housewives love to put a vase with different varieties of sweets on the festive table, even low-income customers are tempted to decorate a hill of soy bars with a couple of Golden Soufflés. An interesting detail: sweets in a candy wrapper with a “fluffy tail” are often chosen for the table, because there seem to be more of them on the table. At the same price level, the seller's labor costs at the counter and the time for service are reduced, which is important in the pre-holiday period, when there are queues of buyers in a hurry and wanting attention. The number of impulse purchases is increasing among the buyers themselves - a bag of sweets is already on the scales, and you really want to add both of them! When leveling prices, you can use a well-known brand as a sales engine. It is worth noting that this technique requires a preliminary study of buyers in order to choose the right varieties for the price range. For buyers various groups price barriers can be different, but the general limits due to the perception of numbers are 100, 200 rubles per kilogram.
- INCREASING SALES contributes to the packaging of chocolates in self-service stores. Candies packed 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 scared away by the price of 150-200 rubles per kilogram, and a smaller amount turns the purchase of chocolates into an impulse category. Another part of consumers believe that when buying packaged sweets, 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 middle and lower income, it is possible to display packaging (special bags, boxes) in a conspicuous place so that buyers can put together a gift from weight and piece sweets - to their taste and afford.
- 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 middle-class confectionery stores. Individual caramel flowers are also very rare, although there are caramel baskets - for example, they are produced by Krasny Oktyabr. A separate caramel flower would make a nice gift. - INCREASING SALES contributes to the joint display of alcohol and confectionery sets, using decorative composition, advertising display. A bottle of champagne next to a box of chocolates, several sets under the 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. Festive goods may already be packaged in the store in a flower-decorated basket and offered as a set.
- INCREASING SALES by grouping and highlighting well-known Soviet confectionery brands. Firstly, it is compliance with the principle “the best goods - the best resources”, because behind the old brands there is a reputation of large manufacturers. There is another aspect. In our research on various food products, it was found that among consumers over 30 years of age, an increase in the number of nostalgic 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. No wonder the theme of nostalgia, the time, “when everything was small, but everything seemed very tasty”, is now used by manufacturers. Some buyers seek to take revenge in consumption: “Earlier, they were given only in orders, but now I New Year I eat caviar with spoons, and all kinds of "Bears" with "Squirrels" - kilograms!
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the optimization of the display of gift sets of sweets. Sets on shelves can be grouped according to the principle of color combinations and contrast of packages, the theme of packaging design, as is done, for example, in Krasny Oktyabr's branded stores. To facilitate the choice of budget-conscious buyers, you can arrange sets by box size and price. Nearby it is not recommended to place packages that are close in color, and it is always necessary to check if there are any effects of reflected light when viewed from the hall. Obviously, the number of small sets of sweets 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 sweets in the set. Sectioned Chocolate is being actively introduced through Rittersport advertising and POS materials from Korkunov and Derzhava. It is known that most buyers have more confidence in the packaging, which depicts the product itself, because the seller can not always give reliable information. Sellers of confectionery departments say that customers, when they see a bottle of champagne on the package, quite often joke: “Does it come with it?” No one comes up with the idea of a champagne filling, but if a bottle of cognac or liquor is depicted, many buyers already expect that there is an alcoholic filler inside. We 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 will help avoid disappointment and reduce the burden on sellers.
- INCREASING SALES is facilitated by the use of dummies of gift chocolate figures. Figured chocolate in plastic packaging is difficult to adequately exhibit. The chocolate melts from the light, and the polyethylene shines, and these reflections destroy the integrity of the volume of the figure. Skillfully made dummies can stand in any place and draw attention to elite products. Painted plaster sculptures can also be used to decorate the showcase. So, figures made of various materials, and figured chocolate in the Konfael boutique in Moscow are among the most significant and memorable details of the interior and showcases.
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 at the visitors. It is desirable to use natural materials or their skillful imitation in interior decoration and equipment. There may be elements of colonial style - various shades of mahogany, bronze or brass details, large glazed surfaces, mirrors - as, for example, in the design of "Petrossian boutique / cafe" in New York. The designers of the Mozart boutique in Toronto used a palette of colors based on the range of the product itself – shades of chocolate from white to brown, against a mauve background. In "Candy Cauldron" the theme of the Disney cartoon "Snow White" was used in the design - natural materials combined with wall paintings and sculptures create an unforgettable atmosphere.
In the display of sweets and bar chocolate decorative compositions(columns, spirals, screws, pyramids) on the counter still impress the customer. Let us recall the Eiffel Tower of chocolates described by Bulgakov in the novel The Master and Margarita, shamelessly destroyed by the cat Behemoth. For many other products, such techniques no longer apply or look old-fashioned. But chocolate compositions incite the buyer to festive consumption, and this can positively influence the growth of sales in other groups. Composition tools can also be used in filling transparent containers with weight goods (see Fig. 3). Laying out weight sweets, marshmallows, marmalade, etc. in plastic bags instead of containers gives the impression of untidiness.
A successful combination of confectionery with products such 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 mind (see Fig. 5). Psychologists have an opinion that only people with disabilities can eat a lot of sweets without tea or other liquids. Aromas of coffee and tea favorably affect sales. An example is the Krasny Oktyabr branded stores on Shabolovka and Tverskaya in Moscow. Hot chocolate is gradually becoming popular, and it has good prospects in our climate (by the way, brandy can be added to hot chocolate in the classic recipe). To emphasize the character of this drink, its density, significance, the choice of glassware 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 is adjacent to groceries, it is better to “approach” it with fruit preserves, jams, etc. Despite the fact that diabetics are among the most loyal customers, diabetic products are recommended to be placed in less visible places so as not to embarrass other customers (imagine hangover cures in the center of the display in the wine and spirits department!). If diabetic products are located on a common confectionery showcase, it is more efficient to give information about ingredients in large scale (xylitol, isomalt) or use special symbols that are understandable to diabetics and will always be found. A security confirmation is also required, but can be written in smaller sizes.
In specialized confectionery shops and departments, it is sometimes difficult to lay out weight sweets and caramels on a glassed-in counter, as well as on shelves. Layout 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 layouts for counters and racks are shown in Figure 6. There are times when the view of goods in the corner of a confectionery display case located near the cashier is limited. This must be checked by looking from the hall. Then it is unreasonable to place interesting impulse and significant profitable goods there.
Trade in confectionery business idea. How to open a candy store.
The sale of confectionery is a rather peculiar business, on the one hand, sweets are a rather sought-after product and you can make good money on it, on the other hand, quite short term storage of the most popular products, such as cakes, pastries, pastries, can quickly turn trade into a minus.
.How to open a confectionery shop? How to choose the right assortment of goods? How to increase revenue in the store in simple ways? We will consider the answers to all these questions in this article.
Trade in confectionery: how to open a store.
For the sale of confectionery products, you will need a room of at least 20 m², you can overhaul, cosmetic will be quite enough, the presence of water supply and sewerage is mandatory.
Before installing the equipment, the room must be properly cleaned, washed, if necessary, sanitized for the presence of cockroaches and similar insects.
A confectionery shop should be equipped with racks for piece goods - chocolates, tea, juices, boxes of sweets, cookies in boxes with a screen and under weight - sweets, cookies. Racks can be ordered, or made independently from chipboard boards, which will be cut to size in a furniture workshop, you can assemble the racks yourself, it will come out cheaper.
For trade in perishable goods - cakes, eclairs, pastries,
you will need a refrigerated display case with shelves. For cakes, it is better to use a wide showcase.
The space in the store should be used to the maximum, along the walls, racks are installed, along the perimeter of the room there is a refrigerated display case, a table with scales and showcases or tables for placing boxes with a screen.
In summer, you can install a refrigerator with juices, water and an ice cream freezer.
A signboard should be installed on the facade of the store, and a signboard with advertising should be placed on the sidewalk in front of the store.
To open a candy store you will also need:
- Register IP.
- Obtain a taxpayer certificate.
- Get permission to trade in the SES.
- Obtain permission from the fire department.
Confectionery store: how to choose the right assortment of goods for the confectionery trade.
The first thing to look at Special attention when compiling the assortment and ordering goods, these are the terms for the sale of products. Cakes, pies, pastries, eclairs, muffins have the most minimal shelf life.
For cakes, depending on the filling, the shelf life can be only a few days. Despite the fact that the buyer immediately looks at the date of manufacture of the cake on the package, and if the date is yesterday, he immediately starts to twist his nose and say that it is no longer fresh. The buyer has now become picky, give him a cake almost straight from the confectionery, and it is already problematic to sell, though fresh, but yesterday's cake. Some sellers interrupt the date on the packaging, but it is not a rewarding business to deceive their customers.
Buying large quantities of perishable goods is the first mistake a novice candy store owner makes. At first, it is better to refuse perishable products altogether, or order them at a minimum. Quite often in the summer, such products begin to deteriorate already in the process of 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 enters a confectionery store, and the assortment is small, and then questions begin - why do you have few goods, there was no delivery? Buyers believe that if there is not enough goods, then there was no delivery for a long time, then everything is not fresh here, as a result, the buyer leaves with nothing.
Conclusion - the range of goods should be wide enough. Most of the goods must have a long shelf life.
A poor selection of goods is the second mistake in the confectionery trade.
The next very important point is the proper storage of goods. For example, cakes, muffins, fresh goods, brought yesterday, but already on the second day they lose their presentation - muffins and eclairs have become hard, cakes have weathered. Sell such a product, and the buyer will not come to your store again. And the reason is the improper storage of the goods, due to negligence, or inexperience, the seller did not properly pack the cakes or the same cupcakes in the box in the evening after the store closed - as a result, the store incurs losses.
Improper storage of goods is another common mistake.
Consider how many ways to increase revenue in a candy store.
They opened a store, brought in goods, and buyers come in, but somehow there is no trade, they buy very little, some even leave without buying anything.
A few tips on how to increase sales of confectionery:
- Several positions of the goods need to be put on sale with a minimum margin in the most visible place.
- Provide customers 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 for coffee.
- Remove half-empty boxes of cookies from the display window in a timely manner, it is better to add the leftovers to a new box and put them on the display window.
- Price tags with names are better to make larger for older people with poor eyesight.
- Bring in new items regularly.
- Before the holidays, bring in gift sets, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day sets with the appropriate symbols, etc.
- Children's small inexpensive toys are also very well in demand in pastry shops.
When is the best time to open a candy store?
Trade in confectionery 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 earnings in confectionery stores it often happens before the holidays - New Year, Christmas, Valentine's Day, March 8, Easter.
Profitability of the confectionery business.
The markup on confectionery is typically between 20% and 100%. The highest mark-up goes to cakes, about 100%, but for a good turnover, you need to arrange 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 divided into the following types: fruit and berry products (marmalade, pastilles, preserves, jams, marmalade, fruit and berry jelly, candied fruits); caramel products (candy caramel, stuffed caramel); chocolate And chocolate products; candies; iris; dragee; halva; flour confectionery (cookies, crackers, biscuits, gingerbread, waffles, pastries and cakes, muffins, rolls). Departments for the sale of confectionery products may also include in the assortment and honey.
Confectionery is a group of goods 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 the performance indicators.
Forming an assortment of confectionery products in a store is a rather difficult task. This is due to the limited shelf life of confectionery products, the presence of seasonal fluctuations in demand for certain types of confectionery products (for example, in summer the demand for chocolate products decreases, gift sets for the holidays, on the contrary, increase significantly), and the need to create optimal storage conditions in trading floor, as well as in warehouses shop.
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 chocolate display.
Accent lighting can be used to create the aesthetic appeal of confectionery.
The sale of confectionery by weight is a specificity of the post-Soviet countries. In almost all countries of the world, confectionery products come to stores in packaged form.
If the area of the store is large enough, then the place of sale of confectionery products can be allocated to a separate department. Otherwise, equipment with confectionery products is placed closer to the entrance to the store along the perimeter of the trading floor, next to the points of sale. bakery products, coffee and tea. It is unacceptable to place racks with confectionery products close to frozen products, as well as products that have a specific smell.
The basic principles for laying out confectionery products are as follows:
It should be remembered that the products of the same type must 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 diverse range of confectionery products, their layout is organized according to the following principle: chocolate, sweets, cookies, rolls, oriental sweets, etc. are placed separately. Experts recommend using a vertical layout;
If a horizontal display is used, it is necessary to adhere to the following conditions: place the most popular and profitable goods at eye level; lay out confectionery products of the high-price segment above eye level; large boxes of sweets, tin cans with cookies, marmalade are laid out on the upper shelves of commercial equipment; confectionery products packaged in plastic bags, spread on the lower shelves of the equipment;
To increase sales, it is advisable to place racks with the most popular confectionery products next to such products as tea and coffee; a rack with high-quality gift boxes of sweets next to elite alcoholic drinks;
It is advisable to place equipment (racks) on which crackers, gingerbread are presented in the direction of the movement of buyers among racks with other confectionery products;
Chocolate bars and other confectionery products of impulsive demand are recommended to be placed 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 pre-holiday days, which positively affects the image of the store and its performance indicators;
Active use of POS-materials in the places of sale of confectionery products; the use of dummies of chocolate figures; the use of posters with information about the composition and properties of sweets, and the like.
How to increase sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks
For owners and managers of small and medium-sized businesses
Date and time of the event: 06/09/2011 at 20:30(Moscow time)
Participation settings: All comers
Practical online training
How to increase sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks
· You are the owner or manager of a confectionery company.
· Your business is stable or there are unforeseen failures.
· The market for the sale of "confectionery" is divided geographically.
· Each has its own customers and suppliers.
· Industry development in Lately stopped noticeably.
· Your competitors have the same problems.
· You do not know how to develop your business further.
· You cannot afford serious material investments in the development of your business.
Any company that stops at the achieved level will sooner or later reduce its turnover.
In business, you just need to constantly develop and grow in order to at least maintain the achieved level.
But if it is YOU who does not make efforts to develop your company, you will not be able to reach a new level and earn more, and you will begin to lose ground in business.
According to statistics, among small and medium-sized companies engaged in the sale of 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 as you would like?
The secret to the development of the top 10% of companies in the industry is that they constantly invest heavily in the development of their business. And it may not necessarily be the capture of new territories or the opening of more stores.
Every successful company ALWAYS invests in the training of its employees, the introduction of new ways of doing business, the study of the existing system of the company.
You can also follow this path.
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 monetary limits, and you want to use your material resources as efficiently as possible, then You can develop on 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 in the development of your company, you yourself must constantly learn. You must learn to make the most of your and your company's resources.
How can you do it?
Exists great amount business development books good governance, effective sales. You can read these books, choose the most valuable 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 get a lot of useful information in a short time.
Unfortunately, after the seminar, most people begin to apply, on average, only 10% of the information received. The rest is just information.
According to multiple studies, the most effective way is training in the form of practical trainings. There you get 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 be trained in such a training, one does not have to go far, it is enough to have a computer with Internet access.
We invite you to go free online training"How to increase confectionery sales by 20% in just 2 weeks."
The training will take place online, that is, 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"
At the training, you will learn how to quickly increase sales of confectionery products, implement them in your business and, as a result, increase your profits. And all of this will happen behind 2 weeks or even earlier.
What will we do at the training "How to increase sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks"
Let's analyze the main problems that companies face when selling confectionery products.
Let's take a look at your sales system.
What YOU will get after the training "How to increase sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks"
Zoom in cash flow from their 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).
The online training will take place online (i.e. 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 free of charge present my book 10 Practical Ways to Increase Pastry 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 sales of confectionery products by 20% in just 2 weeks" right now.
If you have any questions or want to clarify some points, write to me at [email protected]
See you at the training.
How to increase sales in a small store? Often this is enough to rearrange the goods on the shelves. Or, scientifically speaking, do merchandising. A rapid survey of owners of small grocery stores, conducted by "SB", showed that most of them have a poor idea of what merchandising is.
Question: "Do you use merchandising methods in your work?" - and completely baffled. “And what is the use of them?”, – the owners of outlets shrugged their shoulders. Let's try to answer this question.
Marketers estimate that two-thirds of shoppers come into a store without a clear idea of what they want to buy. They make shopping decisions by looking in the windows.
Let's say a man goes for milk. Standing at the counter and seeing a large selection of sour cream, he may remember that dumplings are for dinner tonight. So, sour cream should also be taken. And then appetizing pieces of cheese come into view. Why not buy it for breakfast? And next to it are the advertised glazed curds that the child has been asking for a long time. Perhaps we should take five.
Thus, instead of one carton of milk, the buyer will take with him a whole bag of products. 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 think that merchandising is just the rules for the competent display of goods. In fact, the tasks of this science are wider. The scope of merchandising also includes the following activities:
- selection of such a range of products that best meets the needs of customers,
- creating a unique, attractive atmosphere for visitors in the store,
- distribution of advertising and information about the goods sold here 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 certainly will not refuse to clean up the store in his spare time. For a fee comparable to his salary.
Take a look around
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 an amazing pyramid of sprat cans. But if there are few lovers of this fish among the buyers, efforts to create a beautiful showcase will be in vain. Therefore, the store owner needs to clearly understand who his buyer is.
“Very often, entrepreneurs try to sell what they themselves consider necessary,” say the spouses Ruben and Kira Kanayan, consultants at Union Standard Consulting, working in the field of interior design and merchandising in retail. – At the same time, it is not taken into account that many of the presented goods do not correspond to the interests target audience and only occupy trading area. Although in their place there could be other products that are in demand among buyers.
To imagine a portrait of your buyer, you first need to simply look around and evaluate what objects are nearby 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, pastries. And if there is some 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 grocery store, working in a large shopping center where people come for shoes and clothes, it is better to focus on confectionery and alcohol. Those who choose gifts will gladly buy these goods. And many of those who go home with a new thing will not deny themselves the pleasure of celebrating the purchase with a cake or cognac. Of course, other products should also be on the shelves. But exhibiting several brands of milk or butter in such a place is not advisable. After all, residents of nearby houses are unlikely to purposefully go to the universal shopping mall to fill the refrigerator. Most likely, they will go to a specialized grocery 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. On the shelves must be meat and fish cuts, bread, pastries and confectionery. And, besides, in such a store, expensive ones will probably go well. alcoholic drinks and souvenirs. Visitors will buy their colleagues in honor of birthdays and various holidays.
It is very important that the formation of the assortment is carried out taking into account the income of the target group of consumers. Watch who mainly visits your store - wealthy people, middle-income citizens or low-income old women. And take the necessary measures by increasing or decreasing the share of certain goods on the shelves.
Everyone knows that people who make good money constantly do not have enough time for household chores. 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 merchants make a serious mistake by copying the assortment of their closest competitors and displaying only famous brands goods. Coming to such a store, the buyer sees a standard set of brands on the shelf: J7 juices, Coca-Cola drinks, Domik v derevne dairy products, Doctor's sausage and Gouda cheese. If the trader adheres to such a commodity policy, then its only difference from the “opposite store” is the prices. And if suddenly they become higher, then regular customers flow 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 promoted goods 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 the buyers will have nothing to compare with and you will be able to dictate your prices. You can earn good money on such goods. And well-known brands, by the way, are often more profitable to sell at low prices. This will create an image of a "cheap" store, attract additional customers and make a profit on other products.
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 characteristic audience will begin to gather near your store. At first, the volume of trade may grow, but then it will sharply go down. Among your customers there will be fewer housewives and respectable couples 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, has allocated a whole showcase for cakes.
- Such a selection of cakes - about 20 items - cannot be found in any of the nearby stores, - says manager Konstantin Filyaev. – Therefore, all the locals come to us for sweets. And at the same time buy something else. This allows us to trade stably at any time of the year.
In distress and resentment
Very often merchants cannot resist the temptation to put as many products on the shelves as possible. Looks like you can sell something. As a result, the trading floor is cluttered with racks, refrigerated cabinets and chests. And in such close quarters, it becomes very inconvenient for visitors to make purchases.
How to determine if there is "excess" in the store retail store equipment? To do this, it is necessary to calculate the coefficient of the installation area. It is defined as the ratio of the area occupied by the equipment to total area trading floor.
Installed area coefficient = S of the installed area, m2 / S of the trading floor, 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 part of it is better to remove, abandoning some of the "extra" goods.
The best places for the best products
One of the most difficult tasks of merchandising is the correct placement of product groups on the trading floor and individual products on the shelves.
Most buyers are right-handed. Therefore, they start their inspection of the shelves on the right side and go 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 racks and showcases.
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 Cheerful Milkman brand is expected to account for about 5% of all sales in the dairy department. This means that these products need to allocate about 5% of the total area in the shop windows.
Best Items- 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 in the total turnover is occupied by a particular commodity group. Then add up the length of all the shelves in the store. And calculate how much space in percentage terms falls on a particular product. If, for example, ketchups and sauces occupy 6% of all shelves, and their share in the turnover is only 2%, then it is necessary to reduce the display of this group. And put some other product in the vacant place.
However, if it turns out that some product brings more profit than others, you should not increase its share on the shelves several times by narrowing the range of other brands. For example, if good profit brings expensive J7 juice, you should not take up the entire shelf with it, completely removing the cheaper one " Orchard"After all, the store can lose customers who prefer less profitable products, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in income. In other words, winning on one product, you can generally lose much more.
Do not put cakes next to the herring!
When deciding where to place certain goods (bread, dairy products, deli, etc.), you need to take into account a number of important subtleties.
- Products of the same group must be in the same place. For example, if you are trading drinking water, then the entire range should be presented in the department of soft drinks. Even if there is special water for children on sale, you should not put it next to baby food. After all, most buyers will still look for different sweet pops in the "juice-water" department.
However, if the area allows, then you can create additional points of sale. For example, in summer, several types of juices and water can be sold in all departments. The demand for drinks in the hot season is growing, and this technique allows you to increase turnover.
- Place "like with like" - liquids next to liquids, frozen foods next to frozen ones.
- Follow the "appetizing neighborhood" rule. Imagine that a person came to the store for marshmallows. He may refuse to buy if sweets flaunt 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 commonly used together side by side. For tea, it is appropriate to offer cookies and sweets. For beer - 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 they need more pepper or lavrushka, and it would be very appropriate to remind him of this.
- In small stores, it is better to group goods not by brand, but by type. For example, a store has a department household chemicals. In one row on the shelf it is necessary to put all the dishwashing detergents with the corresponding sign-pointer. In the other, oven cleaners, in the third, carpet cleaners, etc. And then it will be easy for customers to choose the right thing.
- You can set aside a permanent place for goods sold at low prices. Designate these sections on the windows with signs "New" or "Product of the day (week, month)". Try to make people know that they will always see something new in your store or buy the right product for less than elsewhere.
The best shelf
The most winning shelves are those located at eye level. Therefore, the central part of the rack attracts the buyer's eye the most. And it is here that the best-selling goods or those that the merchant wants to make such should be located.
For the same reason, goods for children (lollipops, chocolate eggs with a toy, etc.) should be placed at the level of the child's face and outstretched arm.
The cheapest and most bulky products should be laid out 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 practically does not fall into the field of view of buyers, you can place the inventory.
The top shelf is also not the best place. As a rule, the goods that are located here are well seen only by men and women do not notice 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 they do not notice well the products and things under their very noses. And women, on the contrary, entering the store, immediately stick to the shelves located at eye level and below, and rarely raise them "to heaven." Therefore, on the top shelf, you should not lay out goods that are included in the main assortment.
Well, if you need to increase sales, do not hot goods? This also has its own tricks. For example, they can be placed among goods that are in steady demand. This technique is called "popularity borrowing".
And finally, one more recommendation. In small stores, as a rule, a horizontal display of goods on the shelves is used, when products of the same group are lined up in a row. If space permits, pallets can be used instead of shelving to display goods. This is the name of special platforms designed for the storage and transportation of goods. You can put beer, low-alcohol cocktails, water, juices on them. In the view of buyers, such a layout is associated with a low price. Therefore, buyers willingly make purchases from a pallet.
Stock up and keep order
It is very important that showcases and racks are literally bursting with goods. The visitor must be sure that your store has everything he needs in abundance. Therefore, it is impossible to leave free space on the shelves, and the resulting "holes" should be instantly filled with new goods.
It also happens like this: there is a sample of goods in the window, and a piece of paper with the word "no" is attached to it. This is a very serious mistake! A day-weary customer who sees that you "don't" have either frozen cauliflower or empanadas is bound to get annoyed. And for sure he will think: “Is there anything here that I need?”.
In order not to lose face, it is necessary to schedule deliveries in such a way that there is a constant supply of the most popular goods or goods with which interruptions occur. Be sure to increase the supply of those products that are actively advertised on television and in the press. Usually during advertising campaigns the demand for them is growing exponentially.
And finally, the last rule of merchandising. After the store owner has put all the goods in their places, he must demand strict adherence to the established order from the sellers.
“Very often, sellers lay out goods in such a way that it is convenient for them to get them,” Kira Kanayan notes. - And sometimes they move to the best place that is not in demand, stale goods- so that he "leaves" as soon as possible. The owner of the store must constantly ensure that such errors are not made.
How to arrange price tags
- The price must be clearly marked and clearly visible. After all, it is the price that most often serves as a criterion on the basis of which the buyer makes a choice.
- The price tag should not cover the package. This is due to the fact that many buyers remember what the product they like looks like, but at the same time do not know how exactly 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 desk, he will experience a lot of unpleasant emotions: from bewilderment to shame and discontent.
- Price tags should be written in legible, neat and beautiful handwriting.
- Price tags with information about similar products should have a single format.
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