Believe it or not, the way you arrange your products can make a huge difference in your sales. If you’re having a hard time attracting customers, making them stay, and keeping them to come back for more, maybe your inventory management needs a review.
Here are organization tips to maximize your sales.
Tip #1: Lure People In
First impressions can make or break your sales. Ideally, you would want your shop’s entrance, spotless, warm, and inviting. You won’t get people in if the door’s cluttered with inventory, trash, and eyesores.
Tip #2: Don’t Make Shoppers Feel Stupid
When you manage to attract shoppers, the next thing to do is make them stay. That’s almost impossible to achieve if they feel confused and stupid inside the store. So, you have to guide them as they walk down the aisles and browse through the products.
Use signs and clues that will allow people to find items quickly. Quick fact: An average shopper spends 23 minutes in a supermarket. If you can cut that shopping trip to 15 minutes because of smart organization, you’re giving your customers more time to check out other items not on their lists and put more in their carts.
You see, when it comes to inventory management, customer convenience equals increased sales.
Tip #3: Avoid the Butt-Brush Effect at All Costs
How familiar is this? As you shop for groceries, you stopped in an aisle to pick up a product and read the label. A few seconds later, another shopper accidentally bumped you. You brushed it off, thinking they obviously didn’t mean it. But, it happened again with another customer.
Annoyed, you just returned the product and left the crowded aisle. This scenario is called the butt-brush effect, where shoppers get bumped once or twice and leave the product they picked up because of the lack of personal space. As you know, it’s never a pleasant experience.
So, how can you prevent this from happening your own store? Make sure you allot enough space between products, fixtures, and shelves. If you’re going for a display packed with inventory, get the stocks out of the way. Invest in forklifts to make the job easier.
Just like mobile column vehicle and car lifts that are used to move cars from one place to another and add service area space, forklifts let you move inventory around with ease.
Tip #4: Empower Your Silent Salesperson
As a retail shop owner, you probably have heard of visual merchandising. Successful stores have mastered this inventory management technique. The idea is organizing goods in a way that highlights their features and invites customers to shop more.
If done right, visual merchandising can boost sales as much as a live salesperson. To know if your display is doing its job, give your store a quick look before opening for customers. Ask yourself these questions: Do the colors coordinate? Is there a focal point?
Are we using empty spaces wisely? More importantly, would I love to shop here and come back? From this assessment, work on improving the store’s display.
Tip #5: Go Beyond Visual; Appeal to Other Senses
We may be living in a visual world now, but don’t overlook all other senses — taste, scent, and sound. For instance, the music you play at your store influences how shoppers feel. Think of how most coffee shops seem to have the same playlist.
You can also appeal to the sense of taste. If, for example, you own a supermarket, offering a free taste of your products also contributes to customer experience and make shoppers linger longer.
By now, you should have an idea of how inventory management impacts your sales. If you feel your shop needs a revamp, do so. Feel free to review the tips above to guide you and keep you on track.
