by Colleen Volheim for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series
Knowing how your customers shop your store is important to maximizing your sales in the front-end. Be aware of who is coming in and where they are going in your store. If you have more than one entrance, pay attention to the path shoppers take when using one versus the other.
Once you’ve observed your customers for a week or two, think about how you are directing customers through your store based on how you’ve laid the aisles out. Is there a clear pathway from the entrance to the pharmacy counter with no obstructions to getting there? Or is the store designed so customers have to walk where you want them to go before they get to the pharmacy counter?
If you give your shoppers an unobstructed corridor to the pharmacy counter, a regular shopper has little need to vary their path and look around. Create different travel paths that causes them to go down aisles that have eye-catching shelf signs or interject displays along the way, they’re more likely to pick up some extra items in addition to their prescription.
Thoughtful store layout will help you improve sales. When you create a route through your store that brings customers through front-end aisles to get to the pharmacy counter, you will reap the benefits.
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Colleen leads the Category Research & Analysis department in gathering category information, reviewing new items and analyzing data to develop the industry’s best planograms to maximize category results. Colleen actively supports the Account Development team by working directly with clients to understand needs, define solutions, and deliver results.Â