A new research report suggests that retailers' approach to merchandising the checkout area may be wrongfully assuming "the cart is before the horse," as it were.
According to Relevation Research, the typical grocery store has designed the checkout to display products to consumers who push carts through the lane. The reality of the situation, however, is that nearly three-quarters of shoppers step in front of the cart to place items on the conveyor while pulling the cart along.
"The front of the store is a department, accounting for one percent of sales or more," said Nan Martin, Relevation co-founder, told AdAge.com. "It's designed for consumers to make impulse purchases as they push through. If you're pulling, your back is to the merchandise most of that time."
Cart pullers, according to the study, tend to be more impatient about the shopping experience compared to pushers. Caucasians are also more likely to be pullers while Hispanics are more than twice as likely to be pushers.
The survey involved observing single shoppers to avoid "the child factor." Parents shopping with children, the researchers observed, are more likely to push the cart through the checkout to reduce the chances of kids acting up.
Discussion Questions: How important is the sale of items merchandised at the checkout to the bottom line performance of supermarkets? Is it time to look at new ways to merchandise at the front end? Are there stores doing interesting things that you think are worthy of emulating?