In-Store Truth #1
To Cash in on Back-to-School: Think Clean
Cash this. Back-to-school is more than just pencils and notebooks. In the marketing report “What Moms Think and Do,” EPM Communications identifies hand cleaners and paper towels as hot new items on moms' back-to-school shopping lists.
Two trends are at work here: moms' need to sanitize and protect their kids from germs and shrinking school budgets for liquid cleaners, paper towels and wet wipes.
Lesson Learned: Spark new categories of business with a compelling end-cap promotion!
For more insights on marketing to moms, visit EPM Communications and get the report “What Moms Think and Do.”
In-Store Truth #2
Kids Are “Major Influencers” of Purchase Decisions
Cash this. According to the book, “Marketing to the New Super Consumer - Moms and Kids,” thirty percent of kids are “major influencers“ of purchase decisions, including products traditionally for adults.
According to the book's author Dave Siege, today's kids are “informed and in control” and have “conditional” input as early as two years old.
True Fact: By age eight, “one of out four kids (25%) dictate the type of detergent a family uses” because “kids like or dislike the smell.”
To learn more about the “interdependence” between kids and moms, and how
kids influence purchase decisions, check out “Marketing to the New Super Consumer — Moms
and Kids.”
In-Store Truth #3
Big Families Mean Big Seasonal Sales
Cash this. Contrary to the myth of the cash-strapped parent, larger households with kids are spending more on seasonal products than ever before — more than teens, retirees and newlyweds.
Yes, it is a trend. Larger families, especially multicultural groups including Hispanics, are the most significant population impacting retailers today. This is why smart retailers follow the family to increase sales this season.
True Fact: 35% of households with children report that they spend a greater share of disposable income on seasonal products than in previous years.
For more insights, check out “Seasonal Best Practices” from the GMDC Educational Foundation.
In-Store Truth #4
Weather Heats Up Sales In-Store
Cash this. Special weather conditions like heat waves, rain or snow-and the ever-dependable change of season- bring sunny climes to retailers.
Yes, you can sell more when you feature weather-related products like: Suncare products, Fans and air conditioners, Snow shovels, Cough & cold and arthritis pain relief and Lawn and garden supplies.
This is why smart retailers and manufacturers are evolving the definition of “seasonal” to cash in on merchandising opportunities related to the weather.
True Fact: Five year annual growth rates of seasonal merchandise and HBA seasonal products are over 10% annually.
For more insights, check out “Seasonal Best Practices” from the GMDC Educational Foundation.
In-Store Truth #5
Seasonal Merchandising Lifts Flat Sales
Cash this. With seasonal product promotions, you can turn around flat or declining categories such as general merchandise and more specifically health & beauty-and realize five-year annual growth rates of 10%.
Yes, consumers are responding more strongly to seasonal merchandise than ever before. This is why smart retailers are igniting double-digit sales growth in key merchandise categories with seasonal merchandising.
True Fact: Studies conducted with over 1000 shoppers show that 31% are spending a greater percentage of disposable income on seasonal products than in previous years.
For more insights, check out “Seasonal Best Practices” from the GMDC Educational Foundation.
In-Store Truth #6
Sell Electronics First Online, Then In-store
Cash this. 75% of electronics purchases begin with online research, but the deal is closed in-store. Overwhelmingly, your customer wants online choices confirmed by a compelling in-store experience.
Yes, retailers can pursue both pathways to the hearts and wallets of electronics consumers-and send sales up.
True Fact: The same study conducted by Shopper Pulse also shows that in-store POP can “improve purchase satisfaction by nearly 300%” for electronic purchases.
To learn more about the dual knockout, visit The Integer Group.
In-Store Truth #7
Reading + Time + Space = Women Sales
Cash this. For women, there is a strong connection between feeling informed and buying. Female shoppers read everything from box backs to shelf talkers.
But reading takes time — and space. When women are jostled, they put the product back on the shelf and move on.
Yes, give her space. Create dwell zones for her to pause and read in — something as simple as a sufficiently wide aisle.
True Fact: In one study, 91% of all women drugstore shoppers read the front of a package before buying.
For more insight into women shoppers, check out Paco Underhill's “Why We Buy” at envirosell.com.
In-Store Truth #8
Signage is a Science with 2 Laws
Cash this. There are 2 laws of in-store signage: Law 1. Interrupt sightlines with signage. Always. Everywhere. Law 2. Signage copy must be short. Keep it brief. Less is more.
True Fact: Retail environments are a collection of “zones.” Calculate how much time your shopper spends in each zone, and position signage where they linger, such as the checkout line.
For more insight into the science of signs, check out Paco Underhill's “Why We Buy” at envirosell.com.
In-Store Truth #9
Onsite Visits Mean Stand-Out Signage
Cash this. When designing or evolving a retail space, do more than talk the talk. Walk the walk.
Onsite visits are the only way to create the great retail solution, be it overhead signage, a shelf talker, packaging or freestanding POP unit. Absorbing the space on a visceral level is crucial - and so is your objective look at challenges such as lighting, viewing angles, and space restrictions.
True Fact: On-site research revealed that 75% of McDonald's customers read the menu board after they order, while they wait for their food.
For more insights on designing for retail, check out Paco Underhill's “Why We Buy” at envirosell.com.
In-Store Truth #10
Aisles Walked = Products Bought
Cash this. When you entice consumers to walk the aisles, you drive that great booster of sales: the impulse buy.
Yes, aisles are hunting grounds. Alluring signs and packaging can trigger more impulse buys than price cuts. According to a study by Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, price promotion alone is a factor in only half of impulse buys.
True Fact: Every week, nearly 1/3 of shoppers buy something they didn't expect to, at a median purchase price of $30.
To see more on impulse buys, read this article from Gift Shop Magazine.
