DRIVE IMPULSE PURCHASES THROUGH A RESET OF YOUR COUNTER

The counter is one of the most important locations in your business. It is where you have the best opportunity to drive impulse purchases.

Our advice is that you reset your counter every three months. By reset, we mean completely change.

While there is a temptation to have the traditional candy and similar newsagency lines at the counter, through should only be the case if they are delivering you th return necessary for premium space.

By not having the usual candy and newsagency lines at the counter you make a statement that your business is not the average newsagency, not the business people expect it to be. We think it is important you do this, that you use the counter to extend the reach of your statement as to the type of business you run.

Here is our advice on resetting the counter:

Look at the GP contribution of items you have had at the counter for the last three months. This is so you can know if your changes work.

1. Take everything off. That is, everything you can take off and are not required to put back.
2. Clean, clean and clean.
3. Now, from the shopper side, place items back or new items specifically with the goal of achieving impulse purchases.
   1. Choose easy to purchase items that best reflect the message you want to give about your business, what you want people to tell others you stock.
   2. Choose items that drive a better GP% per purchase.
   3. Choose items relevant to the season.
   4. Make it easy. For example, if someone is likely to choose a card and a gift, have a small gift bags ready to complete the gift.
4. Do not over clutter. At the counter especially, often less is more.
5. Step back, look at what shoppers will see. Make sure your messaging is right.
6. Track the results.

The counter used to be seen as a work place. We urge you to see it as the place from which you achieve your most valuable impulse purchases.

To really change things up, allocate a different staff member to do this each quarter. make the allocations a year out, so people are thinking about what they want to achieve. Ensure they understand the business case.