In the spirit of sales

Better Retailing rejoins two retailers to see the results of Diageo’s changes to their spirits fixtures. Have sales increased over the trial period?

In April, Better Retailing and Diageo experts Ben Jackman and Benjamin Inwood visited two London retailers as part of the My Store Matters programme, to help them identify opportunities in the category and improve their spirits sales. They gave advice on range, merchandising and display, and made changes to the retailer’s offerings. Now the trial period has ended, have our retailers seen their spirits sales rise?

The Experts

Ben Jackman 

Business Development Executive, Diageo

Benjamin Inwood

Head of Field Sales, Diageo

Focus on

Manmohan Ghatora,

Barnett’s Deli, Stanmore

Challenges

• Display: Manmohan’s spirits lines weren’t arranged by type, so it wasn’t obvious to shoppers which lines he carried.
• Grab attention: Premium brands are important to sales, but top-selling lines weren’t standing out in Manmohan’s fixture.
• Plan ahead: Some of the bestsellers were missing from Manmohan’s display after a busy period, meaning he could miss out on sales.

Changes to Drive Sales:

• Display: Manmohan’s fixture was remerchandised to place products like rums and whiskeys together vertically, making it easier to shop.
• Grab attention: Premium spirits brands were packaged in eye-catching gift boxes to draw shoppers’ attention.
• Plan ahead: A bigger range of bestsellers was kept in Manmohan’s stockroom in preparation for peak periods, meaning he’s never at risk of losing out.

Manmohan says:

I have noticed real improvements in my spirit sales since Diageo helped make changes for us. For example, 35cl Captain Morgan has sold about three times as much during the trial period, and I’ve sold new lines that we’ve introduced during the visits. Importantly, the display also looks really good and is easy for shoppers to understand, so we’ll definitely be keeping Diageo’s changes in place.

Key lessons for your store

• Make sure spirits of the same type are merchandised together to keep your display clear.
• Draw attention to premium lines with PoS and attractive gift boxes.
• Stock up to make sure you’re never leaving gaps in your fixture.

Focus on

Kamlesh Patel

Londis Manor Park, London

Challenges

• Visibility: Kamlesh’s display didn’t highlight his expansive range and competitive pricing
• Premium brands: Some bestsellers weren’t as visible in the fixture as possible, meaning a potential loss of higher-value sales
• Trends: Up-and-coming spirits, such as gin, were displayed further from Kamlesh’s till out of customers eyeline

Changes to drive sales:

• Visibility: Clear on-shelf labeling, PoS and shelf strips were introduced to highlight Kamlesh’s range
• Premium brands: Premium brands, like Ciroc, were placed higher up and centrally within the fixture to draw shoppers’ attention
• Trends: On-trend gin, such as Gordon’s Pink, was repositioned closer to the till in customer’s eyeline to help Kalmesh cash in on sales.

Kamlesh says:

We have seen real improvement in the spirits category during the trial. The reason it’s working is because our customers have noticed the change and really appreciate seeing something different –it makes them more likely to buy. I learned a lot from Ben and the changes he made, sales have been steady since Diageo’s visit. I think all retailers should take part in similar projects, whether they have a large or small store – it can only benefit them.

Key lessons for your store

• Highlight your spirits range and great prices with PoS and clear labelling
• Encourage trading up to premium lines by positioning them centrally
• Bring trending lines closer to your pay point to boost last-minute buys.

Read more: Raising your spirits: Increase your alcohol sales