Merchandising with the masters

The mints and gum category is a vital one for independent retailers of all sizes. Gum is a highly impulsive purchase, more so than any other product on the shop floor. Location is key when it comes to driving those impulse purchases and having a well-merchandised gum fixture at the till point could grow sales by at least 30%. As a sponsor of the Merchandising category for the Independent Achievers Academy, Wrigley wants to share its knowledge and give advice on good practice to help retailers improve their sales, and their stores.

Working with retailers in three rural stores, Wrigley is teaming up with Retail Express to help each retailer improve their merchandising by looking specifically at the mints and gum category. As well as growing sales, the project aims to improve each store’s merchandising score from last year’s Independent Achievers Academy. Meet the retailers…

Paul & Gail Mather, Sherston Viallage Stores, Sherston, Wiltshire

“Our mints and gum fixture is one area we really need help with, as we aren’t convinced that we have positioned it in the right location. We’d like help to improve our sales in this area, so are looking to Wrigley to give us advice on new products and how to merchandise the fixture. We are determined to increase our IAA scores from last year, so having this focus on merchandising from the experts in that category should give us a real boost.”

Paul Hammond from Prestbury Village Stores, Prestbury, Gloucestershire

“We originally put gum with confec-tionery because space is at a premium here, but I’d like help to improve our sales and work out where the best position is for our fixture. I think the range we have works fine but we would benefit from more information about what new products to stock and what other things we can do to be better at merchandising.  Taking advice from the experts in this area should help to boost our IAA score as well as our sales.”

Ian Handley from Handley’s Newsagent, Harston, Cheshire

“Mints and gum is an important category and our sales are strong of the core gum products. I jumped at the chance of Wrigley coming to see me because it’s a small space and at the moment we have a split display so there is duplication between the two stands. It’s not ideal so I’d like to look at how to make that more effective. I’m open to new ideas, although I am sceptical about having the gum stand any higher because it’s important to be able to see the cash register.”

What happens next?

A national sales trainer from Wrigley will visit each store in turn to discuss the mints and gums category with each retailer, giving advice and bespoke solutions to match each store’s requirements. After six weeks, Wrigley and Retail Express will re-visit each store to find out whether the changes have helped the retailers to grow sales.

Look out in forthcoming issues of Retail Newsagent, Retail Express and here on Better Retailing to find out what happened