How to choose products for end-cap displays? Supermarket space is very limited and valuable. Each end-cap display occupies a relatively large area, so for the store, it is essential to generate as much profit as possible from this space. For customers, end-cap products convey strong information, so choosing the right products is crucial. Remember, do not randomly pick a few products just to create a display.

There are several types of end-cap products: First: Products where the store proactively reduces prices to differentiate from competitors, attract customers, and increase sales, thereby achieving a price advantage over surrounding competitors. Second: Products where suppliers proactively adjust prices to promote their own sales; this price reduction may be implemented simultaneously with the surrounding market. Third: Products unique to the store, such as private label brands. Fourth: Newly introduced products, specially displayed on end-caps to promote them. Fifth: Products where suppliers are willing to pay an end-cap fee to obtain the display rights for a particular end-cap. Sixth: Promotional products sold for a limited time or in limited quantities. Seventh: Products that, based on actual sales performance, the department believes can significantly increase sales if moved to an end-cap.

How to determine the height of an end-cap? Once we have determined the product variety for the end-cap, we need to decide on the height. Both too low and too high are undesirable. Proper height can enhance the store's visual rhythm. End-cap displays are the best way to highlight product appeal. If too low, customers can only see the bottle caps; if too high, customers find it inconvenient to reach. Most customers are between 1.5 and 1.7 meters tall. When a customer pushes a shopping cart and bends slightly, their eye level is generally around 1.3 to 1.5 meters. Therefore, the general principles for determining end-cap height are:

  1. The height of end-caps in main aisles must not exceed 1.3 meters to enhance store transparency.
  2. For end-caps at the end of shelves, the back can be as high as the shelf, but the front must not exceed 1.3 meters. Alternatively, use a form with shelf boards on top and a stack below.
  3. Wall stacks can use a trapezoidal display, with the back up to 2 meters high, but the front must not exceed 1.3 meters.

How to choose the base material for end-caps? The choice of base material is very important as it determines whether the display is beautiful and tidy. Each end-cap in the store is not independent; it must coordinate with the surrounding product displays, including color and shape. Generally, there are several types of base materials:

  1. Specially customized end-cap cabinets: the top is used for displaying products, and the lower cabinet is used for storing inventory. For stores with limited backroom space, this display method is better. Additionally, restocking can be done conveniently, saving labor.
  2. Using products as the base: but the variety of products used for the base should not be too many; at most one variety per face. This method can be used when supply is sufficient. Note that the base products should correspond to the products displayed on top. The advantage of using products as the base is that each face has one color, and even opening boxes to expose the products can be done, making the display highly expressive. For particularly popular products, this display can ensure sales demand. The downside is that too much stock is pressed in the display, which is not conducive to product turnover. When building the display, products inside must be registered, mainly recording the barcode, name, quantity, and time until the best-before date.
  3. Suppliers create image displays, providing a series of props needed for the display. In this case, the store's main responsibility is to check the props; they must be new display props.
  4. Paste product advertising paper or the store's own posters on the base material. Since it cannot be guaranteed that the base material matches the products on display, empty boxes or other products can be used as the base, and then advertising paper of the displayed products is pasted on the base. However, it is important to ensure the entire base is covered with paper, without exposing the base, and the paper must be pasted flat and neatly.

When using methods 2, 3, or 4 for the base, it can be applied only to the outer perimeter of the display; the inside can be filled with empty product boxes.

How to determine the shape of an end-cap? The shapes of end-caps include the following:

  1. Flat type: the products on the surface are laid flat.
  2. Trapezoid: the bottom is larger and the top is smaller.
  3. Special shapes: generally, end-caps are square, but according to product characteristics and actual needs, different shapes can be designed, such as dragon boat-shaped zongzi displays, cylindrical cola displays, or interesting staggered cosmetic displays.

Different products can use different shapes. Every employee can use their initiative to design different shapes, but the following aspects must be considered:

  1. Choose the shape based on product characteristics, so that the shape reminds people of the product. For example, a dragon boat-shaped zongzi display reminds people of the Dragon Boat Festival, and then of eating zongzi, thereby promoting sales. If Coca-Cola were made into a dragon boat shape, it would be laughable.
  2. To increase product appeal, choose the shape based on the product's form. For example, making a cylindrical Coca-Cola display aims to maximize the cylindrical shape of the product, attract attention, enhance customers' impression of the store's cola, and thus promote sales.
  3. Adding one or two special-shaped displays among a row of square displays can enhance the store's vitality, but the position must be in the center of the front of that row to coordinate with surrounding displays.
  4. All efforts are for sales; they must promote sales, and never be just for show.
  5. The shape selection should also consider costs, including labor and material costs.

How to cut boxes? When building end-caps, it is often necessary to cut boxes. The requirements for cutting boxes are as follows:

  1. Prepare a ruler and measure the position for cutting.
  2. The blade must be sharp. The cut boxes must have no burrs, and the cut edges must be flat and neat.
  3. The cutting height for each layer of the display must be uniform.
  4. The cutting lines for each column of boxes must be aligned and uniform.
  5. When cutting, do not damage the products. To avoid damaging products, you can first remove some products from the box, or adjust the blade length to an appropriate length (need to estimate in advance), making the blade slightly longer than the box thickness. Hold the knife at an angle and cut, while the hand holding the ruler must exert force.

What preparations are needed before building an end-cap?

  1. Prepare the base material, such as posters and double-sided tape.
  2. Prepare related materials, such as utility knives, rulers, double-sided tape, posters, and sealing tape.
  3. If building the display after business hours, notify the loss prevention and engineering departments in advance to arrange security and lighting.
  4. Arrange personnel. Estimate the workload and required staff in advance.
  5. Prepare the supply of products for the display.
  6. If the supplier is building the display, coordinate with the supplier in advance regarding the time for equipment to enter, the time needed, and the assistance we need to provide. Also notify relevant departments.
  7. Prepare the price POP for the display in advance, and place it properly after the display is built.
  8. The prices of the display products must be clear; in principle, the prices of the three columns on the top layer near the edge should be marked.

Things to avoid when building end-caps

  1. Wrapping the display with sealing tape, which looks very cheap.
  2. The products on top and bottom of the display do not correspond.
  3. The height of the display is too low.
  4. The sides of the display are not flat.
  5. The prices of the display products are unclear.

How to boost sales of end-cap products? End-cap products are products we recommend to customers; End-cap products are products with greater appeal to customers; End-cap products are products with higher single-item sales volume; End-caps are important display positions in the store.

Therefore, we must do well in selling end-cap products and treat end-caps as an important position. To boost sales of end-cap products, we should:

  1. Track the sales of end-cap items daily, and promptly replace items with low sales contribution.
  2. Pair end-cap products with on-site promotions or demonstrations; end-cap products require more effort from us.
  3. Create a good sales atmosphere in the end-cap area.
  4. Ensure clear price labeling.
  5. Ensure sufficient supply of end-cap products. (Longshang.com Retail Research Center)

Source: Dealer's Home

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