Display is a perennial topic for any FMCG manufacturer. Good display can increase sales by ten to even dozens of percentage points, which is a high-probability event. Especially for FMCG food brands, snacks and beverages are impulse purchases; they need to constantly appear in front of consumers and continuously stimulate them. In the past, FMCG channels were relatively simple, and products were highly homogeneous; without the ability to develop new products, the market basically competed on price. Now, with rising consumption levels, diverse and abundant products, and an endless stream of new products, channels have become increasingly complex and fragmented. At this point, price is no longer a key competitive factor.
In contrast, apart from the product itself, the most core factor is display. Display is not just about showcasing your product; it's also about expanding your territory in limited retail points and squeezing out competitors. FMCG manufacturers use product displays to grab limited supermarket space, leaving competitors with no room. So the purpose of product display is not only to capture consumer attention but also to defeat competitors. Of course, the fundamental goal is to convert consumer attention into transaction rates. Display is important, but for frontline practitioners, simply executing display without understanding the logic and reasons behind it is clearly insufficient. Moreover, in the current environment, besides traditional retail points, various new retail channels such as local O2O home delivery and community group buying are emerging. Display is not just about offline limited shelf space; it also includes online display. Therefore, this article systematically describes how to do product display well, what principles to follow, and how to plan display according to local conditions, covering both online and offline.
-01- Online Display: Multiple Forms to Attract Consumer Attention Although we often say that online shelves are unlimited, in reality, online consumption is now mainly on mobile phones, with screens around 6 inches. Small screens mean that the number of products displayed on one screen is very limited. Additionally, online shoppers have little patience and rarely browse through all products; they may see only a few SKUs, at most a dozen or so. Because of the many choices, online shopping is more likely to cause anxiety. In contrast, offline, consumers are limited by physical space and find it hard to switch shopping scenarios quickly, so they can calmly select products within a limited physical space. Online, switching costs are almost zero, so it's not suitable to place too many SKUs. Also, online shopping doesn't allow direct product experience, so consumers won't patiently browse; they find a product, check reviews and sales, compare prices, and basically buy. This is why online sales are dominated by bestsellers and herd effects are obvious. Based on the online sales scenario, how to expand display points and attract consumer attention becomes key.
I have summarized five principles for online display:
1. Bestseller images stand out; 2. Secure banner positions; 3. Combo packages are important; 4. Price promotions are essential; 5. Having someone sell for you is wonderful.
1. Bestseller images stand out: Online display is mainly based on product images. Therefore, the image of an online bestseller must be different from other products; differentiated images attract consumer clicks and views.
2. Secure banner positions: Banner positions are equivalent to the first position at the entrance of an offline store. Although they require payment, they increase exposure and attract clicks. Of course, consider the return on investment for banner positions, similar to offline contracted customers.
3. Combo packages are important: The sales difference between having a combo and not having one can be dozens or even hundreds of times. For example, in the food delivery scenario, choosing the right product specifications to pair with food can improve cost-effectiveness, and consumers are willing to accept it. Another example: during the pandemic, O2O home delivery boomed, and product sales were mainly in the form of combo packages, where you could add family-size beverages for combined sales.
4. Price promotions are essential: For daily FMCG products, a large part of the reason consumers choose to shop online is that online prices are more affordable, and they have a price-comparison mindset. Therefore, online must have promotional activities. However, to consider the impact on offline, you can stagger promotions. The simplest way is to sell 1x6 online and 1x8 offline; for example, for liquor, sell 4-year-aged online and 8-year-aged offline. If the products look different, price comparison is impossible.
5. Having someone sell for you is wonderful: With the rise of live-streaming influencers like Li Jiaqi and Viya as mainstream, various platforms are trying live-streaming sales. It's foreseeable that live-streaming sales will become mainstream. Li Jiaqi and Viya target national consumers; for regional local markets, consider inviting local well-known hosts or KOLs for live-streaming sales.
In summary, when discussing online display, we cannot limit ourselves to position. Compared to offline physical stores with relatively static product displays, online is more flexible and offers more diverse operational forms. Therefore, combine multiple dimensions and methods, with the core purpose of increasing consumer attention and converting it into transactions.
-02- Without Display, Distribution Is Zero; Without Position, Display Is Zero Offline display is the daily focus of frontline FMCG practitioners. If products are not on the shelf, any market distribution talk is meaningless. In shelf display, position is the most important; the sales difference between a good position and an average position can be tenfold or more. Similarly, talking only about display without position is meaningless. Regarding position selection, generally choose the first position in the flow of foot traffic, such as supermarket entrances or small store entrances. But this is not absolute; it also depends on the actual store layout and product zoning. For example, some convenience stores place freezers at the back, hoping that beverage sales will draw people in and drive other product sales. In this case, the product display should be at the first position where foot traffic reaches the freezer area.
There are five principles for offline display:
1. Unified colors, one color throughout; 2. Neat and orderly, light on top, heavy on bottom; 3. Clever use of tools, unlimited creativity; 4. Attach to big names, borrow traffic; 5. Up and down, increase display points.
1. Unified colors, one color throughout: In KA stores, it's easy to notice that well-known FMCG brands display their products in a concentrated, vertical color-block manner. The main consumer group in stores is women, who often pay special attention to product colors. A large block of color can effectively stimulate their attention. It's known that consumers' visual habits are first up and down, then left and right. If products are displayed vertically and concentrated, maintaining the same color scheme, sales can increase by 16% year-on-year.
2. Neat and orderly, light on top, heavy on bottom: As the saying goes, "goods sell in piles." A large display makes consumers feel the product is popular. If it's sparse, consumers usually think it's not selling. Arrange products neatly, with logos facing out and price tags aligned. Products should stand upright rather than lie flat; the product itself is the best advertisement. Light on top, heavy on bottom, especially for large bottled beverages, to avoid accidents when consumers take products and to facilitate purchase. Generally, small-sized products are placed on the upper shelves, and large-sized ones on the lower shelves.
3. Clever use of tools, unlimited creativity: Doing ground promotions in the main aisles of KA stores with promoters will surely boost sales, but companies can't do this in every store. The simplest method is to attach neck hangers or insert wobblers; as long as there is air movement, they will swing. This is like a free promoter shouting, "Come and see, new product launch!" Cleverly use shelf talkers and lighting to decorate product shelves and attract consumer attention. Additionally, create special displays during holidays, such as tank shapes or regional image walls, which not only attract consumers and boost sales but also enhance brand awareness.
4. Attach to big names, borrow traffic: Not every product can be the No.1 in its category. In offline display, we need to leverage the power of "big names" to drive product sales. For example, Monster is positioned as an energy drink; our approach is to place it to the right of Red Bull, with the same facing count and the same price. Consumers buying energy drinks subconsciously look for Red Bull; it's their reference point. Placing next to Red Bull automatically tells consumers that Monster is also an energy drink. Why place it on the right? Because over 99% of Chinese people are right-handed and habitually take products from the shelf with their right hand. Many consumers initially go for Red Bull but end up leaving with Monster. According to research data, this mis-grab due to display order alone can increase Monster's sales by 13%. This is a classic case of attaching to a big name. Additionally, you can place your product next to the most expensive product in the same category; the price anchoring effect makes your product seem cheap. For example, if 100% juice is expensive at 10 yuan, and your 30% juice is 4 yuan, placing it next to it makes consumers feel the 4-yuan juice is cheap after seeing the 10-yuan one. You can also place it next to related internet-famous products, like a new juice next to a popular snack like fries, borrowing their traffic to drive sales.
5. Up and down, increase display points: Take large bottled beverages off the shelf and place them on the floor. This action is called "floor dragon." According to statistics, moving large-pack water from the shelf to the floor as a floor dragon can double sales. Why is this?
First, it increases display space, freeing from the shelf space limit, allowing more facings in the front row in the same area. Second, large bottles with handles placed directly on the floor are easy for consumers to grab and go, without needing to pull from the shelf. Third, the seemingly casual placement on the floor gives the impression of abundant stock and good value, and even hints at a discount or limited-time offer.
These are the key points of offline product display execution and the reasons behind them.
-03- Restaurant Display: Focus on Menus, Expand Positions Nowadays, offline restaurant outlets are gradually becoming an important sales channel for beverage companies. Companies are paying more attention to display in restaurants, such as in-store refrigerator displays or cut-case displays at the checkout counter. However, in reality, these display positions are far less effective than those in small retail stores. Careful observation shows that consumers now enter a restaurant and sit down directly to order. Some use paper menus, others scan QR codes to order. So, the menu is the most touched point before dining. For restaurant display, we need to work on the menu.
For physical menus, increase the number of beverage menu lines and expand display space. For example, many merchants list Coke/Sprite/Fanta in one line (same price): Coke/Sprite/Fanta 330ml ** yuan. At this point, you should change it to three lines: 330ml Coca-Cola ** yuan, 330ml Sprite ** yuan, 330ml Fanta ** yuan, preferably with product logos in front to increase visual stimulation. According to statistics, such an adjustment can increase sales by 20-30%. For merchants with simple paper menus, companies can propose reprinting; with bulk printing, costs can be reduced, and there's no loss to the merchant. For merchants with booklet menus, you can print a separate beverage list.
For online electronic menus, the display method is the same as online: grab the first position, increase display lines, highlight bestsellers, and create combo packages.
Regarding restaurant display, liquor and beverage companies do a lot, but here we need to remind managers of a common mistake: egoism.
You may think a display point is great, but consumers' eyes often don't even reach it. For example, hanging lanterns on the door header. We once did an experiment with VR and found that many consumers didn't notice the lanterns at all when entering the store. This is "egoism": you think hanging lanterns will attract attention, but in reality, it's useless and a waste of money.
These are the methodologies for FMCG product display. Frankly, the consumption elasticity of food and beverage categories is relatively high. Doing product display well is not only for market competition but also to continuously stimulate consumers, capture their attention, and ultimately convert it into purchasing power.
About the author: Pan Lihua, Sales Operations Manager at Swire Coca-Cola, and a student of the 0th cohort of Dedao University. With over 15 years of sales management experience at Coca-Cola, he is familiar with FMCG market layout, strategy formulation, and team management. He is skilled in market insight and team motivation.