A few suggestions

Bring hutches to the front ends.

Put “Safeway style” shelving on the back ends.

Utilize Inventory system and/or Grocery invoices to determine top movement items.

Have a Customer suggestion box to collect ideas and item requests.

Save bulk sale items like flour and water for the back ends.

Keep Produce more abundant, (Deli can be used to utilize produce that has reached it's prime.)

One good way to beef up produce is to have larger amounts of longer lived items like apples and potatoes. It is also good to keep produce seasonal.

Put Hostess-type items in line, or on a side stack.

La Brea bread can be purchased frozen from Unified and baked off fresh, this gives people the chance to buy fresh baked bread and fills the store with the aroma.

A laminating machine, paper cutter, and Microsoft Word are all that are needed to create great signs, (best to decide on a font and stick with it.) Office Depot and Staples have a large selection of papers at very reasonable prices.

Create front ends with items that tie together, ie Charcoal, Lighter fluid, BBQ tools, Sauces, Marinades, Chips, Coupons for the meat dept., Fresh corn, Paper plates, napkins, etc.

Many great deals are available from small vendors, (everybody likes a deal), examples; jams purchased for $1.00, sell for $1.69, pasta purchased for 80¢, sell for $1.29 a bag. These are very good quality items.

Enthusiasm starts with the vendor, let the staff taste something and they will be the first to recommend it.

If you have a creative checker, utilize that person to be in charge of merchandising the front ends.

Some good front end items

Pasta, sauces

Cookies

Crackers

Chips (tie in with beer, soda)

Jams

Barbecue sauces, marinades

Richard Williams

2007-03-13T14:35:00

Richard Williams