Merchandising Strategies -
Get Insights with Depth Interviews
Merchandising strategies play an important role in retail sales.
Merchandising is the physical display of products for sale at retail.
When the salesperson is not present, merchandising reinforces selling.
Merchandising and packaging work together. Their job is to attract attention. They catch the eye, and build interest and want. They support the sale.
Merchandising is crucial in retail. In food retail, consumers make 70% of their buying decisions in grocery stores.
And point-of-purchase displays influence grocery shopping.
Grocery shoppers believe point-of-purchase display is the most influential factor when deciding to buy a product. The next factor is packaging. The third factor is labeling.
Can You See Me?
Retail merchandising influences sales. If consumers see and find your product, they may buy it.
If they cannot see or find your product, they probably will not buy it. The principle of “out of sight, out of mind” applies.
Consumers overlook about half the brands on a shelf.
There are many brands. Clutter confuses. Stooping down takes effort. For simple consumer products, you have about three to 10 seconds to catch consumer attention.
Retailers control merchandising. They control shelf space, end caps, point-of-purchase displays, case displays, and signage. Retailers often use point-of- purchase displays to introduce new products, promote seasonal events, and announce price cuts.
Qualitative Retail Marketing Research
Understand what retailers are thinking and doing about merchandising. They decide where to place your products and your competitors’ products.
Use merchandising and packaging depth interviews to understand retailers’ attitudes and behaviors about merchandising.
Interview Retailers about Merchandising
People you want interview are retail floor managers, category merchandisers, department heads, retail executives, and district or regional retail managers.
Also interview merchandising experts and distributors.
When you develop new products, new packages, or new promotions, or want to revive existing products and promotions, listen to retail personnel using depth interviews or focus groups.
Ask about merchandising,
- Trends
- Best practices
- Problems and Issues
- Recommendations
Depth interviews are effective at gaining deep and broad insight, and you can do it face-to-face, telephone, or online.
Create merchandising strategies with insights from depth interviews and retail market research.
See the article about depth interviews
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