By Kelly Zygowski, category analyst, for the “Profits in the front end” blog series
How well do you know your store? Could it be too well? When you have a routine and see the same view every day, it becomes so familiar that it blends into the background, and you don’t even notice it anymore. Think about your drive to work – does it mix together with the commute every other day and become one compiled blur?
You don’t want your customers to think of your store as static and unchanging. When is the last time you entered your store through the front door, from a customer’s perspective? For an even better outlook, ask a friend to help you in order to get a look at your store through another person’s eyes. What is the first thing they notice when they enter? Is the store well stocked, clean, and organized? Are there employees visible to greet them as they walk through the door?
Have your companion walk through the store to the pharmacy counter. Is the store well-lit and easy to navigate? Watch to see if they pause on their route — does anything grab their attention along the way? Do they instinctively head to your power aisle?
Your signage should clearly guide your customers to their desired area so their shopping trip is smooth. Also use signage within departments to showcase new products, sale items, and best sellers — these are potential impulse sales.
Change out endcaps regularly, and feature popular, new, and seasonal products on them to grab your customers’ attention. My colleague, Tara, wrote a great post with guidelines and ideas for endcaps.
Once your friend gets to the pharmacy counter is there anything there to capture their attention and prompt a sale? Do you have displays or literature on or near the counter? Do you have a waiting area and is it sufficient for your typical number of patients? Be sure to offer comfortable seating and display advertisements that promote items on sale to capture additional purchases.
Another way you can capture add-on sales is making recommendations at the pharmacy checkout. When you fill prescriptions, as you review the side effects with your patients, suggest over-the-counter products to help them with potential symptoms.
All of these actions can make your store the first place your customers think of when they need to make a purchase. By simply getting a fresh perspective, you can change your own and improve your customers’ shopping experience and your sales.
