Consumers can find drug store merchandise almost anywhere these days, so unless your pharmacy is the only game in town, it’s a good idea to create an environment that sets your business apart from the competition. Like you, consumers prefer to shop in a store that’s clean, comfortable, and easy to find their wanted items. Your goal should be to provide this place. Your clientele has a need to fill their prescriptions. Why not capitalize on that need? Just putting up rows of shelves stocked with pharmacy essentials will present sales, but you may be missing out on countless more that walk out your door forever. Done right and you will attract new customers, keep them coming back, and maximize your sales. That’s where the elements of design come into play. A well-designed store will make your business more consumer-friendly and a lot more profitable.
In this four-part series, we will give you an outline of design considerations to help you determine how your store measures up.
(1) General Appearance of the Store
(2) Traffic Flow
(3) Display Fixturing & Equipment
(4) Pharmacy Lab Efficiency
(Part 3)
Display Fixturing and Equipment
Gondola Shelving: Displaying your products effectively is crucial to the overall success of your store. The most common type of freestanding display is the metal gondola, which is essentially a series of shelves affixed to the pegboard. These units are the most economical and efficient and provide a clean, uniform background that lets your products stand out. Gondolas offer great flexibility, are modular and can be reconfigured to meet most any changing needs. Shelf heights can easily be adjusted and a wide variety of inserts and binning are available for merchandising both loose and hanging items. Plus, they’re easy to clean and will last a long time. Proper sizing and fit are essential to the function and look of your store and to maximize your display space. A common mistake is to buy bulk shelving that is the wrong size depth and then displaying only one or two product facings to save inventory costs. This visually projects an unprofessional look throughout the store that unfortunately can cost you sales.
Custom made fixtures: Wood and other specialty material fixtures look great and can add a nice design element to your store, but can be relatively expensive. Some demographics require a more sophisticated look. If you’re going for a higher-end shopping environment, the additional price may well be worth it and justify higher margins. A more cost-effective option is to use them in smaller sections to highlight certain product lines and/or to utilize them in all of the end units.
Gondola End Units: Studies have shown that end displays account for up to 30% of all in-store sales. These units should be highlighted, well kept, and changed frequently. Rotate products to different areas every month. Try and coordinate the displays with your local and/or any national advertising campaigns. A little extra attention and effort to these areas can pay dividends.
Another good use for them is to clear out products that aren’t moving…
If it doesn’t sell, mark it down and get rid of it!
Point-of-purchase fixtures: A few nice POP racks are crucial for displaying selected impulse buys, but they often wind up detracting from, rather than adding to, your store appearance. The most common problem in pharmacies is overkill. Yes, sales reps send the racks to you for free, instantly providing you an easy way to display their newest products without taking up any of your shelf space, but too many POP fixtures create visual clutter. Too much clutter makes your store hard to shop. Sometimes the display is not up to par with the rest of the store.
Our advice; Use them wisely.
Going through the four parts of this outline should help you identify your store’s design strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of what you find, learn to emphasize your company’s strong points. You and your competition have access to the same merchandise, so the way you display your products and services is what can give you the edge. You’re a specialty retailer with a niche market that has great growth potential for the years ahead. Investing in the look and design of your store doesn’t cost, it pays.
Contact us today to talk about how we can improve your store and your bottom line…
Store Planning Services
855-371-1026
www.storeplanningonline.com
sales@storeplaningonline.com
The U.S., and throughout the Caribbean
We offer Pharmacy Planning Services across the U.S. and throughout the Caribbean including the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, BVI, AVI, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Aruba and Trinidad, and Tobago. If you would like a free consultation contact us now and we can help you get started.