It’s less than one week until Valentine’s Day. Are you ready with small items pre-wrapped at your register? Are you tapping the audience that may be inspired to purchase a cute —or tasty— gift for co-workers, grandkids, friends or themselves?
It is in most consumers’ nature to shop impulsively. That’s why products placed in your register area are so important. These “add-ons” can increase your average sale incrementally.
Generally under $20, “impulse buys” occur when a customer purchases an item that they had not planned on buying. Here are a few tips for displaying and selling such items.
Near the register is the best place to encourage impulse shopping because customers are in purchasing mode when they are there.
Pre-wrapped gifts like candles, journals, candy, lip gloss or jewelry are ideal for both impulse buys and last-minute purchases. Display one unwrapped and arrange the packages into an eye-catching countertop display near your register.
There’s a fine line between an effective impulse area and a cluttered mess. Find that balance and don’t make your products compete for attention.
What makes a good impulse product? Consider these six traits:
The most important trait is that the product attracts a customer’s attention. If the customer is curious enough to pick it up, it’s as good as sold! Think about texture, color and purpose when choosing what items to feature in your impulse area.
Adequate stock is important, especially since impulse items are frequently small and you need to display them in a group. Hint: For items that come in a point-of-purchase display, remove several so that the customer can see that someone has already purchased the items. Keep your stock in mind before deciding to pre-wrap gifts, too. It’s not worth the effort if you only have 3 or 4 to sell.