Planogramming 101: how to set your vape store up for success
You’ve sweet-talked the locals, leafleted every single house in town and spent hours posting hilarious vaping memes on your business’s Facebook page.
Now, the big question. When you get people coming into your store, how do you get them to buy?
If you’re currently shrugging your shoulders, you should try planogramming.
What is planogramming?
Planogramming is a strategy where you optimise the placements of the products in your store in order to maximise sales.
It’s a bit like if market research and psychology had a baby, and you put it to work stacking your shelves.
All the big stores use planogramming to increase the chances of customers buying high-ticket items. The good news? You can too.
Here are some of our top tips to get you started.
#1 - 'Eye line is buy-line'
If something is in the customer’s eye-line, they’re more likely to buy it. There’s a reason brands pay big money for their products to feature on the middle of the supermarket shelves.
Play this to your advantage by putting your most expensive items in the customer’s eye line.
Interesting tip for you. Shoppers usually scan left to right when looking at shelves, so put your most premium items left of centre, and they’re more likely to be picked up.
#2 - Play 'spot the product'
When your products are in the same spot all the time, regular customers can become complacent.
By moving items around every now and again, customers will think you’ve got new product lines in, even if you’ve been selling the same stuff since Oasis split up.
#3 - Don't overstock your shelves
Ever been to an Apple store? Everything is precisely laid out, and there’s lots of empty space. This creates a sense of urgency – buy now or it’s gone for good.
Even though he always wore the same clothes, it’s no surprise that Steve Jobs was one of the world’s biggest marketing geniuses.
If your shelves are overstocked, customers might think your product lines aren’t being bought and therefore are rubbish. Give your products room to breathe, and you’ll reap the rewards.
#4 - Keep it tidy
Your customers want to enter your store knowing it’s safe, clean, and welcoming. If it resembles a teenage boy’s bedroom after a long night playing Call of Duty, they will probably go elsewhere.
Regularly monitor the store for mess and debris, and if any stock is misplaced or has fallen over, neaten it up.
Remember: ‘a tidy space is a profitable space!’
#5 - Reposition slow sellers as 'hot picks'
We’ve all got those product lines that we thought were a good idea at the time, but just won’t shift. Who could have thought a Hawaiian pizza-flavoured e-liquid just wouldn’t resonate with the punters?
If you have slow sellers, reposition them as a ‘manager’s special’ or ‘customer pick’. This can help sell units and means you reclaim your stockroom space.
