Page 24 - Spring 2013 Hardlines Strategies

24 Spring 2013 • Hardlines Strategies
STORE OPERATIONS
You can always try to upsell to the better
product, even if the customer comes in
asking for the least expensive.
Do I have C, D and E items in
my assortment mix?
A and B items move off the shelf the
fastest, and they have the highest price
sensitivity. But it’s those more unusual
items that will give you the reputation
as the place that has everything. For
example, if you have a comprehensive
line of power tool accessories, you’re
likely to have some items that don’t
sell all of the time. However, you’ll
quickly become known as the destination
for power tool accessories because
customers know they can find what they
need at your store.
Have I reviewed my inventory
to eliminate redundant and
dead items?
The best way to tell if an item hasn’t
moved in a while is to check your POS
system. If you don’t have a regular
habit of doing this, use the time just
before you come to the Market to check
each category in the store for items
that haven’t sold in while. Check with
vendors to make sure you have the most
current models so you aren’t selling
outdated merchandise.
Am I using opportunities
for impulse buys?
Use the areas around the cash register
and service counters for impulse items.
Good examples are snack foods, batteries
and dollar items such as key chains.
Also consider seasonal items such as sun
lotions and bug spray. Look for other
areas around the store, too, where you
can encourage impulse buys through the
use of clip strips and floor displays.
Am I rotating endcaps often?
Some of the most valuable merchandising
real estate in the entire store is on an
endcap. Endcaps need to appear full, but
not crowded. Balance their use throughout
the store; use some to promote projects
and use others for your promotional items.
These are also great places to promote
new products and seasonal items. Let your
creativity reign here, too. Don’t be afraid
to try an out-of-the-box idea that will grab
customers’ attention. Most importantly,
don’t let endcaps be an afterthought;
instead, have a plan that keeps the endcaps
changing every few weeks.
Am I using a variety
of displays?
Special displays throughout the store
are strong selling tools. Make sure you’re
using a variety. Several years ago, the North
American Retail Hardware Association
conducted a study called “Merchandising
for Profit” that revealed how you could
increase sales of an item just by placing
it in a certain type of display. Temporary
dump bins, for example, garnered a sales
increase of as much as 427 percent. Power
aisle stack displays could increase sales of an
item by 98 percent. Look around the store
for opportunities for other types of displays,
including permanent dump bins, rolling
racks with signs, service counter displays,
checkout displays and stack displays.
Do I have clear signage that
makes it easy for customers
to shop?
Good signage allows customers to eas-
ily find what they need and keeps them
in the store longer, as signs can lead them
from one department to the next. But signs
aren’t just to guide shoppers through the
store. Use shelf talkers and POP displays to
convey product and how-to information.
A project list sign, for example, can sug-
gest add-on sales in another department.
In the mini-store store at the Spring Buying
Market, you’ll see examples of the signage
Blish-Mize can create for your store, which
includes customized signage so you can
incorporate your own brand message.
Is my store well lit?
Good lighting helps draw attention to
those displays you’ve worked hard to cre-
ate. You can use special, direct lighting
for displays you want to highlight. Good
lighting can even enhance the color of the
products on the shelf. Replace bulbs as
soon as they burn out and clean fixtures
whenever the bulb is changed.
Is my merchandise
staying clean?
As you research new assortments and
merchandising strategies, don’t forget one
of the most basic elements of good mer-
chandising: it has to stay clean and orga-
nized. Have an employee assigned to each
department to check daily that every shelf
and product is dusted and fronted. Remove
damaged packaging and never let empty
boxes or debris sit in the aisles. Clear signage and organized, full bins are key elements of a well-merchandised store.