Are you making the most of your chewing gum range? Here, Better Retailing joins Wrigley’s Steve Stafford and retailer mentor Harj Dhasee as they work with two retailers to boost sales.
In 2016, Wrigley’s Merchandising with the Masters class helped two retailers boost their gum sales by over £2,552 & £4,500 per year.
This year, Wrigley’s field sales representative Steve Stafford and mentor Harj Dhasee, from Nisa Village Shop in Mickleton, visit two retailers to help them make the most of the impulsive category.
By giving them advice on their range, merchandising, and visibility, they are both set to make more sales in the category.
The Opportunity
Bottle is the fastest growing pack format in gum, sales have grown by more than 26% in the last year. More than 64% of gum values sales come from the top ten products.
Focus on:
Sudesh Patel
Londis, Coulsdon
“My gum sales are slow at the moment, and I know we could be doing better, so I’m happy to have Wrigley here to help. I would like to know how to make my range visible, so shoppers can see it more easily when they come into my store.”
Steve Stafford advises
“Sudesh already has a good range in stock. However, his fixture is below the counter, and we know that gum sales drop when they are below the counter. By creating a fixture that is directly in customers’ eye-line, we expect to increase sales with existing shoppers.”
Harj Dhasee advises
“Sudesh has a well-stocked store in a busy location that looks fresh from the outside. His gum range is good and includes all the bestselling lines. However, the unit is not as visible to shoppers as it could be, and a second siting could mean more impulse sales.”
Action Plan
- Height: Add a counter-top unit to clearly display bestselling lines at shoppers’ eye level. This could boost sales up to 20%.
- Visibility: Rearrange the fixture, separating out mints, gums, bottles and sticks so it is cleaner and clearer for customers.
- Secondary siting: Create a secondary display unit for bestsellers; 64% of sales come from the top 10 selling lines.
Focus on:
Clifford Hall & Bob Gokani
Bargain Booze, Basildon
“The main issue we have at the moment is visibility, as shoppers are often asking where they can find the gums they want. They also have to step away from the till to reach them, which I think is a barrier to sales.”
Steve Stafford advises
”Clifford’s counter space isn’t being used to its full capacity, and mints, gum and some confectionery are mixed together where they should be separate. The fixture would benefit from being tidied up and the main gum display being shifted closer to the till to improve visibility.”
Harj Dhasee advises
“Clifford’s store has a high footfall and lots of opportunity for impulse sales. The gum stand is looking a little neglected at the moment, and could use some freshening up. There is a good basic range in stock, so adding in some new lines could make a big difference.”
Action Plan
- Location: Move the main gum fixture closer to the till, and bring in a secondary site near the store’s secondary till with the top 10 SKU’s to encourage shoppers to think about gum as they enter.
- Range: Display a full range of bestselling lines on the primary gum fixture near the till, including bottles, sticks, PMPs and NPD like Hubba Bubba Cola.
- Display: Tidy up the whole range, separating mints and gums and making sure all PoS is up to date to help customers easily identify products and brands they’re looking for.
Wrigley's tips for your store
“Gum is a highly impulsive category, and research shows 90% of shoppers will buy it if they can see it. This means retailers should move their gum display higher up, so it is placed at shoppers’ eye level. This will put the category at the front of shoppers’ minds and boost impulse buys.”
Harj's tips for your store
“Keeping your gum stand looking full, clean and tidy without too much clutter on the till point is going to help drive sales. Moving my gum fixture above the counter into shoppers’ line of sight had great results for my store last year, and I’m sure it will for Sudesh and Clifford this year.”
What happens next?
Sudesh and Clifford will follow Steve’s advice for the next six weeks. We’ll track the sales data at both stores to see how the changes help their sales. Check back on 15 September to see how they get on.
Get involved: To find out how to grow your gum sales, call 0207 689 0600 – option 3 or tweet @betterretailing.
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