DISCUSSION
How can retailers get shoppers over low points and drive impulse sales?
Written by Guest contributor
Photo: Mars
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the monthly e-zine, CPGmatters.
Mars Chocolate has concluded from global research about shoppers' "emotional journey" to buy candy and gum that "checkout is the emotional low point of the shopping journey, no matter where or how you pay."
Retailers can help overcome this low point and capture more impulse purchases by merchandising to better satisfy the three key "need states" of shoppers:
Refresh: Shopping can be stressful and tiring, so shoppers look to refresh or recharge themselves once the job is done, the company said. Items fulfilling the "refresh" need state, Mars believes, including gum, mints, beverages and snacks, should occupy 51 percent of total space, according to its research that developed guidelines based on national averages across channels.
Reward: Shoppers often seek a treat or reward, such as chocolate and non-chocolate candy, after the "chore" of shopping is complete. Items addressing the "reward" mentality should occupy 39 percent of a retailer's total space devoted to the category, Mars has concluded.
Remind: It is helpful for shoppers to find items they forgot to add to their lists, such as batteries and lip balm, in the transaction zone, in addition to confections and other snacks. These items should occupy about 10 percent of the total space, the company said.
Mars and its Wrigley division are also collaborating with retailers in new and growing purchasing areas. Shoppers are transacting with confectionary brands and products in other parts of the store, including the pharmacy, and on their mobile phones and even with "buy online, pickup-in-store" models. They're updating their merchandising recommendations to include new variables that are "agnostic" to the location of the transactions.
"It's no secret that people don't shop like they used to, and the traditional mix of impulse items in transaction zones needs to better meet consumer needs," said Kurt Laufer, VP of U.S. sales for Wrigley.