We are not timid when it comes to promoting seasons nor are we late to the party. It is hard to enter our Forest Hill store and not pass Easter cards, plush and Darrell Lea products. The display in the photo (click on the image for a larger version) is the latest created by our team and the second time the range has been moved since being put up two weeks ago. Sales are excellent, up on last year.
Customer behaviour I saw yesterday vindicates putting all Easter items together – several times I saw people purchase a plush or gift item, an egg or two and a card. Too often in newsagencies I see cards on their traditional place and a seasonal promotion, like for Easter, in another place and with other products in between. No matter how much of a merchandising challenge, all product categories for a season work better when placed adjacent to each other with room for people to move around and easily pick up any product.
Historically, product layout in newsagencies has been dictated by suppliers, it still in in some areas. Now, more than ever, we need to lead on this front in pursuit of what is right for our businesses as opposed to what may be right for one supplier or department.
If you are a newsagent and you have Easter products in several places, I’d suggest you place it all together in one area with a unifying, bold, theme.