PRODUCT ADJACENCIES: WHAT TO PLACE WITH WHAT FOR MAXIMUM VALUE

What you place with a stock item can be as important as where you place it in your business.

Whether you are putting out a new stock item or moving things in your shop, think carefully about product placement.

As yourself: who is the shopper, who will most likely purchase this item?

It is important you are speaking to the same shopper not only with the item you are placing but also with what you place around it.

A gift aimed at a teen girls will work better placed with other products aimed at teen girls than if it is placed with gifts targeting grandmothers.

Standing in front of any display or defined section in your shop, you need to be able to easily answer this question: who is the customer? It should be obvious.

Sometimes, it helps to take a disruptive approach to product placement. However, the best approach is to place products into segments based on the target customer and or user.

When answering the question about the shopper, think, too, about the purpose of the item.

To consider adjacencies, look at the data in your software.  Look at basket data specifically to see what really does sell with what. This can help you determine department and category locations in your business.

There are some adjacencies that feel like they could go against the advice above. But they work. For example:

1. Sticky tape with wrapping paper.
2. Wrapping paper with cards.
3. Cards with gifts.
4. Thoughtfully selected small plush items with cards that are relevant to the plush items.
5. Pens as the counter.
6. Gift bags with gifts, so people pick the while package in one purchase.
7. The gift department places next to cards, always.
8. All inspirational products together.
9. All products expressing thankfulness together.

Photo frame can be placed in any display, because you can put into a photo frame any image to make it relevant to that location. Photo frames really are an excellent and relevant addition to any display.

Talk about these things with your staff. Get them thinking like you about what is placed where. Take them under your wing on the journey to being a best practice retailer.

The more we make our newsXpress stores competitive against the best gift and toy shops the more of their business we will win and that has to be a key goal.