Recharging Battery Promos

Commentary From Our President

Recharging Battery Promos
Michael D. Sleeper, Chief Executive Officer, Imperial Distributors, Inc.

Most supermarkets can do more by promoting batteries at holiday time.
Even with jam-packed aisles during the holiday season, batteries present an excellent opportunity for high-profit impulse sales. Not only do batteries fit the bill for impulse, they also extend into customers’ shopping lists as a necessary purchase. Batteries are a multi-billion dollar business with two major national brands battling it out in a stream of technological product improvements.

Do most supermarkets optimize their battery business? More often than not, the simple answer appears to be an emphasis on food at the detriment of non-foods. But whatever the reason, most supermarkets can improve their battery sales. Other formats—Home Depot, Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and chain drugstores, promote and display batteries in multiple locations throughout their stores.

Why emphasize batteries? Batteries deliver high unit value, require less shelf space, have long expiration dates, sell all year round and drive excellent penny profit per piece sold.

Battery sales at Christmas time are unquestionably stronger because batteries power toys, digital cameras, ipods, spin toothbrushes, and other popular Christmas gifts. In fact, batteries can be a great stocking stuffer by themselves.

Here are 3 simple tips for supermarkets to build their battery sales for this holiday season:

1) Start with a commitment to merchandise at least two battery shippers in high traffic locations.

2) Cross-merchandise batteries with Christmas toys, digital cameras and other Christmas promotions.

3) Feature batteries in ads throughout the holiday season from Thanksgiving into the New Year.

With November’s arrival, the timing couldn’t be better for supermarkets to recharge their battery promos and increase their non-foods sales and profits.

For comments or questions, contact us by phone at 508-756-5156, or e-mail: msleeper@imperialdistributors.com