Keep it Simple Sells

Customers have only just walked into store and are not ready for complex messages.

To make power display work they need one story. This may be a one-product display or alternatively a one-story display.

The key is it must be a simple message for customer to understand at this location. Remember, power display must be topical. I would advise changing display based on average number of visits a customer makes to store e.g. if average consumer visits store 12 times a year, then change displays 12 times a year in power location.

Build and Spoil

If customers compliment you on your great displays, it may mean they are not working. The key is to build a display and then make it look as if it has already been shopped by taking one product away. A spoilt display gives consumers confidence to shop display, an unspoilt display may stay that way for longer than you want.

All displays must have signs. In a future article I will discuss signage in some depth, but remember a display without a sign is not a display; you have not finished job.

If You Cannot Measure it, You Cannot Manage it!

All displays should be measured for their performance. If a display is not working, it is because it is wrong product in wrong place at wrong time and only thing to do is change display. I would recommend someone be appointed to manage displays, as they are so important to success of business.

If you are not involved in power displays, now is time, before someone else grabs power position.

Power Display Tips

•Locate 4 steps into store

•Make them circular

•Make them conical

•Be topical

•Dummy up base

•Spoil display

•Change regularly

•Don’t forget sign

•Keep it simple

The pet industry is a linger longer retail sector and therefore consumer space is especially critical.

What is called “the personal bubble” or “buttbrush” by Paco Underhill, varies from country to country. Australians need largest personal space, whilst Indonesians require least personal space. The Brits require more than French and so it goes on.

In an article like this, I can only apply general rules.

As a general rule, 60% of your retail floor space should be allocated to consumers and 40% to product. As you tighten consumer space by placing more stock on floor, your result is consumers will see less stock.

I recently worked with a client where we removed 20% of stock to get consumer: product ratio correct.

When we had completed exercise, we surveyed their customers. The biggest response was a ‘congratulation’ on extending product range. It was just that customers could now see product.

It’s Not Product; It’s Category Placement

One of keys to success is called ‘bounce merchandising’. In supermarket industry they strategically place toilet paper, coffee, bread, sugar and cheese to ensure that you visit all parts of supermarket. Consumers do not realise they are doing this, but I must admit, my wife, who knows theory, finds it infuriating, but she is a minority.

The same applies to a pet store; you need to introduce bounce merchandising and you achieve this with critical placement of key categories.

Remember, for example 55% of Americans have a cat or dog and pet supply category is worth US$18 billion in that country alone. The location of cat and dog food is critical to maximising sales per square foot or metre across whole store.

Ideally, cat and dog supply categories should be separated in store. Neither category should be located in first third of store; make your customers shop shop.