Commentary From Our President
Holiday Merchandising
Michael D. Sleeper, Chief Executive Officer, Imperial Distributors, Inc.
Thank goodness, there’s finally some sunshine peeking through these tough economic times.
Despite the unsettling statistics on joblessness and the unusually cold and wet summer, the good news is that the holiday season is different. It’s not dependent on weather. During the festive holiday season, shoppers are joyful, generous and are ready to buy.
A national survey of 1,000 households by Information Resources Inc. (IRI), indicates that this year’s holiday shopping will improve. Simply put, consumers are more optimistic. Some specific finds from the survey:
- Matching quality to name brands (60%) remains a leading reason for switching to private label.
- Ninety-two percent of consumers will be doing their holiday food shopping at grocery stores, based on sales and discounts, product selection and variety of items in stock.
- More than 90% of shoppers are making gift-giving a priority, up nearly three percentage points from last year.
- More than 98% of shoppers will make spending time with family a priority at the holiday season, and 93% of consumers’ holiday plans include getting together with family and friends over the dinner table and at parties.
So, things are looking up for supermarkets for this coming season. But what about non-foods? The answer is simply that the success of supermarket non-foods during the holidays will depend on what retailers decide to do.
Opportunities include:
STOCKING STUFFERS: Most items in HBC and GM are suitable for promotion. In GM, pet supplies, magazines/books, soft goods, stationery and housewares are all proven winners. For HBC, hair care, skin care items (including men’s shaving and toiletries) are perfect for gift-giving. Even toothpaste or toothbrushes can be good stocking stuffers.
DRESS UP THE HBC ENDCAPS: With the Christmas spirit, spreading holly decor, tinsels and garlands, and holiday-themed signs, on HBC and GM endcaps will stimulate impulse purchases and draw more shoppers into the department.
NON-FOOD CHRISTMAS NEEDS—Greeting cards, gift-wrapping, scotch tape, mailers, serving trays and platters, are just a few of the supermarket offerings that consumers will need for the holidays. Stationery items like wrapping paper, boxes, tapes, gift cards and bags, deserve special visibility on endcaps, shelf extenders and clipstrips. Of course, holiday meals call for cooking and baking items with additional shelf space and floorstands.
BUT THE KEY, as always, is merchandising and promotion. Beyond good selection, competitive pricing and strong feature items, placement of special displays, signing and special effects can make a big difference in optimizing non-food sales during the holiday season.
So as the big season approaches, get into the Holiday Spirit early this year with non-foods. It’s a huge opportunity that can overtake some tough economic times.
For comments or questions, contact us by phone at 508-756-5156, or e-mail: msleeper@imperialdistributors.com