In June, Better Retailing joined Mars Wrigley Confectionery for their annual Merchandising with the Masters programme. Merchandising expert Kalpesh Patel and mentor Sudesh Patel from Londis Coulsdon, both of whom took part in the project last year, visited two retailers and gave advice on ranging, merchandising and visibility.
We check in with those retailers to see how the changes they have made have affected their sale.
Focus on
Ranil Adhikari
Londis Binfield Road, Bracknell
Ramil Says
“I was surprised that I could get fixtures to fit onto my counters without taking up more space, or making it look cluttered, but the floating fixtures are perfect. Within two weeks we had actually sold out of a couple of lines, so the new fixtures and positioning of the gum has certainly helped with sales.”
Challenges
- Height: Chewing gum in Ranil’s store was lacking visibility as it was below the counter, so he was missing out on impulse sales.
- Secondary siting: Ranil had one gum siting that was hidden by customers queuing during peak times, making it hard to see.
- Display: Ranil’s mints and gum were mixed together and his PoS was tired, meaning shoppers couldn’t find what they were looking for.
Changes to Drive Sales
- Height: Chewing gum in Ranil’s store was lacking visibility as it was below the counter, so he was missing out on impulse sales.
- Secondary siting: Ranil had one gum siting that was hidden by customers queuing during peak times, making it hard to see.
- Display: Ranil’s mints and gum were mixed together and his PoS was tired, meaning shoppers couldn’t find what they were looking for.
- Height: The main fixture was moved to above the counter so bestselling lines were at eye-level to boost impulse purchases.
- Secondary siting: Additional gum displays were placed by each till to give customers more opportunities to see and buy the range on offer.
- Display: Mints and gums were separated and PoS was updated to help shoppers easily identify the products and brands they look for.
Key lessons for your store
- Ensure your display is at shoppers’ eye level, improving visibility increases impulse sales.
- Add a secondary siting to ensure your gum can always be seen in order to generate additional sales.
- Separate mints and gum to make it easier for customers to choose what they are looking for.
Expert Advice
Kalpesh Patel
Customer Development Representative, Mars Wrigley Confectionery
“It’s fantastic to see such big sales increases for both retailers. Gum is an impulse purchase, so making sure it is visible is vital. We’ve shown here that, by putting gum at eye level and at the till point – or as close to it as possible – makes customers far more likely to see it and drives sales.”
Focus on
Jason Bushnell
Budgens Mortimer, Berkshire
Jason Says
“Since placing the chewing gum fixtures on the counters, sales have increased. Before, I had a large range of gum, including tubs, but none of it was displayed by the tills, so sales were not too good. Now that the entire range is visible and the bestselling lines are next to the till, sales are up.”
Challenges
- Range: Jason’s range was lacking some flavours and formats to meet the needs of his customers and his bottles were hard to find.
- Bestsellers: Jason’s bestsellers weren’t standing out as they were in lower positions, meaning he was missing out on potential sales.
- Presentation: The gum display was untidy and wasn’t clearly labelled, making it difficult for shoppers to find what they were looking for.
Changes to drive sales
- Range: A range of flavours and formats was added to cater to customer needs, and bottles were moved higher so they were easier to spot.
- Bestsellers: Bestselling lines were displayed in primary position on the main gum fixture to ensure they were visible and generate more sales.
- Presentation: The display was tidied up and a new PoS added to make it easier for shoppers to find the items they want.
Key Lessons for your Store
- Stock a range of flavours and formats to ensure you are catering for all shopper needs.
- Display bestselling lines in prime position on your main fixtures to ensure visibility and increase sales.
- Keep gum fixtures neatly stocked and labelled to make the products instantly visible and tempt shoppers.
Mentor advice
Sudesh Patel
Londis, Coulsdon
“I’m impressed with the results. The changes Mars Wrigley Confectionery made in both shops have helped to increase the visibility of gum and made it more enticing to. By maintaining these changes, I’m sure Ranil and Jason’s sales will continue to increase in their shops over the coming year.”
Mars Wrigley Confectionery’s Tips
- Ensure gum is visible at customers’ eye level to increase impulse purchases.
- More than 64% of gum sales come from the top 10 products, so give them pride of place.
- Keep gum displays fully stocked – shoppers are more attracted to full and tidy displays.
Read more: Acting on impulse
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