Passive, self-serve clearance racks, shelves or bins allow customers to browse through items on their own. This is a nice way to cater to budget-minded shoppers, as it gives them a sense of privacy. As with everything retail, making customers comfortable is a major step toward inspiring them to return.
Sometimes you hold a sale to bring in more customers. Often, though, you put merchandise on sale because you want to get rid of it. So give it a boost out the door by verbally calling attention to markdowns. Point them out to customers. Suggest other full-priced items that would go well with the sale item. Better yet, suggest alternative full-priced products that offer better features or selection.
Turning discounts into events can make a huge difference in the amount of traffic you attract. The event could be:
Other than storewide sales events that have a defined timeframe, limiting discounts will spur customers to take action. You can limit quantity – gift with purchase available only to the first 25 customers. Or limit the time – today only, ends Saturday, etc.
Offer surprise specials now and then to add excitement during peak shopping hours.
Position smaller, inexpensive clearance items as impulse buys, strategically displayed alongside related full-price items or at your checkout counter. Or use them as giveaways if shoppers spend a certain amount. Add a sign that says “almost gone till next year” or “buy 2, get 1 free.”
Whether it’s the items in your ongoing clearance section or a storewide event, sale-priced merchandise must be promoted. Bold signage is a must. Red is a commonly-used can’t miss color, in part because it implies, “Stop! You must pay attention to this!”
But first, you have to get shoppers into the store. Pull out all the stops, focusing on what’s in it for them (savings!). Alert them in advance, then remind them:
Maximize marketing success by including a coupon redeemable during the sale (only for full-priced merchandise, of course). Then get ready to enjoy the profits from your efforts to cater to sale-centric shoppers.
The mission statement of Palmer Retail Solutions is quite simple: to offer our clients the absolute best combination of innovation, quality, service and value for our diversified custom store fixtures and merchandising displays. Palmer has been designing and producing retail fixtures, cash wraps, kiosks and point of purchase displays for leading specialty and big box retailers and brand merchandisers since 1990.
Palmer operates three facilities in metro Detroit that total almost 700,000 sq. ft. In order to deliver world-class products, Palmer continuously invests in the latest CNC millwork equipment, engineering software, finishing technologies and assembly automation.
Be it a comprehensive fixture program that has been designed and developed by Palmer or an existing design that requires value engineering and a bid, Palmer offers the industry’s best domestic sourcing solution. We look forward to the opportunity to consult and bid on your next project. Please browse our product portfolio to see examples of the many products and categories we manufacture.