End cap displays are not only an effective merchandising tool for grocery and other very large stores. Or at least they shouldn’t be. Virtually every type of retailer should be using end caps in some way for one simple reason: they can significantly boost your sales. However, the merchandise you choose to display — and how you display it — will determine just how successful your end caps will be.
These 10 tips will help you select the most end cap-worthy merchandise for your store.
- Traditionally end caps were used to feature a whole lot of one single item, but today the smarter strategy is to display groupings of related items. That might be foods that make a meal or all the items needed for a home manicure, or coffee cups and flavorings with a selection of coffees. This makes it convenient for customers to get everything they need in one place, and it also encourages impulse shopping, one of the greatest benefits of end cap displays.
- Group products by color to create an eye-catching display – bath towels and accessories in shades of blue, a table of potted flowers all in shades of pink.
- Show off your newest arrivals. There’s a caveat here, though – if you ordered several items with the intention of displaying them together (for instance, our coffee cups example above), don’t put the items out piecemeal. Wait until you have everything in hand, to capture maximum value from the add-on sales you planned for.
- Use seasonal or holiday themes. Lead into fall with a colorful show of sweaters and matching socks. Decorate with apples, pumpkins or footballs. Consider themes that focus on specific segments of your clientele.
- Display merchandise you’re featuring in print ads and/or a window display, so customers are primed to both expect and notice the end cap.
- Display end-of-summer markdowns you want to clear out, rather them relegating them to a table in the back of the store. You’ll clear them out much quicker by putting them front-and-center.
- Extend your display into the aisle with a rounded or tiered design, but don’t go so far you create a roadblock.
- Add sizzle with built-in lighting. Self-lit displays or backlit panels are hot right now and can draw even more attention to your end cap.
- End cap displays can quickly become visually stale, so change yours at least monthly.
- Use an annual planning calendar to “map out” your end cap displays so you don’t overlook important holidays or dates — and track sales of all your end caps, so you’ll know which ones to repeat next year and which ones to replace with new ideas.
End caps represent the most lucrative space in your store. In fact, a study conducted by the National Retail Hardware Association showed end caps sold 8x more product than the same display in the middle of an aisle. Don’t waste that opportunity. Choose merchandise you know will appeal to your customers and arrange it in irresistibly appealing ways with well-chosen decorations, lighting, and signage. Then watch your sales grow.
Palmer Retail Solutions strives to offer our clients the absolute best combination of innovation, quality, service, and value for our diversified custom store fixtures and merchandising displays. For more information about our designs, store fixtures, cash wraps, kiosks, or point of purchase displays, visit our website at: http://www.palmerretailsolutions.com.