Lost In Space (continued)

shoelaces, shoe cleaners, water bottles and snacks are good cash wrap products.

The cash wrap at Source for Sports was populated with sports bras, which did not sell. It would force customers to try on the item, which meant exiting the line. That’s too much effort to buy.

The space has been refreshed with hockey tape, smelling salts, laces and a surprise best-seller in a “moon ball.” These items are available in bright colors, which helps draw the eye to them. This arrangement plus hydration products have proven to be a customer winner.

an entire look, making it easy for the customer to buy. Source for Sports has a footwear section displaying shoes on the wall. Sandals, flip-flops, socks, insoles and other accessories complement these.

The store is further organized by sport — running, hockey, football, soccer and baseball.

The same “side dish” pattern holds across each sport. A core item, like a baseball shoe or hockey skate, is immediately beside the appropriate accessories.

Signage and product knowledge help elevate the hockey example — this is how “dead” space becomes alive. There is information on how to sharpen the skate. Above that is information about hockey insoles and their relevant features, advantages and benefits. This way, you can’t leave the store with only skates. You’re either buying an accessory or at least discovering the relevant accessories you might need.

Cash Wraps:

The cash wrap is a lucrative space for selling accessories and essentials — if the items meet specific criteria. The best examples of cash wraps come from Sephora or TJ Maxx stores. The space has easy pick-up items and customers can make a simple “yes/no” decision.

Nothing should be here that requires a lot of effort to buy. That means no items that need a fitting room or specialized attention. In other words, no items that force the customer to leave the area.

Ideal items are add-ons to core items already in a basket or products the customer would never need, but wants. Hence the term “impulse buy.” Colorful

Dynamic Tables/End Caps:

Sales per unit area reflect footfall — the value captures new and returning customers. So, how can space planning be used to drive valuable, repeat customer visits?

Customers become bored when visiting a store frequently and not seeing new items and looks on display. Consider the appeal of the off-price retail category; the premise is the “thrill of the hunt.” New inventory arrives often, so visit again and see what you might find. This creates curiosity in the mind of the customers and encourages the repeat visit.

So, turn feature tables and end-cap space into dynamic assortment displays. They should have accessories or essentials that are easily swapped out. This way, new products, brands and items you test can live in these spaces. Having the flexibility to do this will give customers something new to look at.

As an example, when working at Sporting Life, we featured new products from our latest delivery drop. Those products were then swapped out at a high frequency. We would feature Nike first and showcase the newest fleece and performance wear. Adidas would follow and then a brand we tested would go next.

Refreshed displays have the added benefit of being immediately usable social media content. This could be a video with staff presenting the new display and a clear call to action for customers to visit.

Driving Profit Through Essentials

Driving profit performance from your store comes from selling accessories and essentials. Adding them to the assortment is not enough — the store space must be strategically used to showcase these items.

Space planning puts accessories and essentials throughout the customer journey. Driving sales of these items contributes to a key performance metric in sales per unit area. This way, your accessories will not be lost in space. n

About the authors

Raj Dhiman and Liza Amlani are founders of Retail Strategy Group, a firm working with global brands and retailers on improving profitability and increasing organizational effectiveness. Clients span performance apparel, accessories, outdoor, footwear and retail technology markets. The firm produces a monthly newsletter, The Merchant Life, for C-suite executives seeking valuable merchandising and product creation insights. Learn more at www.retailstrategygroup.com or www.themerchantlife.com