One of the easiest and most economical ways to add more merchandising space to your retail location is by adding Power Wings to your gondola shelving endcaps. Not only do these expand your merchandise area and allow you to display virtually any type of product, but they can actually increase your sales but placing complementary impulse and add-on products near higher ticket items in their primary aisle location.
This week we Ask The Team for their best ideas and recommendations for increasing store profits by installing Power Wing fixtures!
Chris Bell, Sales Representative
When I think of wire wing panels I think of free space not being used otherwise. Another name for Power Wings are “wire wing panels” and “sidekicks”. Sidekicks is especially appropriate because these fixtures typically feature complementary “buddy-like” merchandise to the end cap products next to which they are hanging.
What better way to achieve increased impulse buys than to pair-up like items such as a beer end cap with peanuts on one sidekick and beef jerky on the other sidekick? Another section might pair bottles of wine with gift bags on one side and corkscrews on the other. Power Wings are a great way to increase sales in any category. They allow you to capture additional unplanned purchases from shoppers who decided to put the add-on product in their cart simply because of its proximity to the item they actually came into your store to buy.
The next time you are challenged to increase sales, but don’t have any extra space to display additional products, try hanging a few Power Wings around your store!
Mike Welsh, Customer Sales
I once worked as the store manager for a large chain of drug stores. By company mandate, it was required that
every end cap had Power Wings filled with items that complemented the merchandise displayed on each end cap. This policy was based on market research that showed merchandise on these wings generated sales!
What works for the largest of retail chains will also work for the smallest of independent stores, but it is vital that you keep
these wings filled and merchandised just as you would the products in your basic core departments.
Most independents are not as large as your local Walgreens or CVS. Therefore these wings become even more important because of the limited space available for the typical small store or clinic pharmacy. The investment required to purchase and install Power Wings is minimal, especially when compared to the potential ROI (which can be amazing!)
Gary Kroneberger, Sales Executive
Power Wings have been around a long time! The store fixture itself is a simple concept that most retailers can’t live without. Power Wings are a great way to highlight suggested add-on sales to your existing main product categories. For instance, when you visit any toy department, you will typically find batteries on a Power Wing. Visit an auto parts store and by the antifreeze you will inevitably find carded packs of anti-freeze testers hanging on a nearby Power Wing. Walk down the greeting card aisle in any store and you’ll most often find gift cards on a Power Wing, perfect for tucking into a father’s Day card for dad. I think you get the idea!
Make sure you are taking advantage of these impulse add-on sales. Typically gross margins are far greater on these add-on sales, improving your store’s overall profit. What’s on your end cap?
Matt Ray, President
The old adage Time is Money is absolutely true, but it can also be said Space is Money when you’re a retail store owner.
Floor space is your lifeblood, it displays the great products your customers enjoy and rely upon. Power Wings added to your
end caps are a big factor.
End caps should sell as much merchandise as one side of the gondola shelving run behind it.
To achieve this goal, you need well thought out and fully utilized end caps. Power Wings help maximize your retail space and allow you to cross promote products on the end cap. For example, add charcoal grill lighters to the side of your summer time grilling display. Add bottle openers to the side of a beer or wine end cap.
According to a 2014 Gallup poll, nearly 40% of shoppers made impulse buys over the preceding four week period. Power Wings help place that merchandise in the tight fit spaces for impulse buys.
What would just a $1 increase to every transaction do for your store sales at the end of the month… the quarter… the year?
Whether you put your product on hooks, shelves, or a custom accessory for a Power Wing, Midwest Retail Services can help you get the perfect Power Wing fixtures and merchandising accessories to use your floor space more effectively and generate as many sales-per-square-foot as possible.
Call one of our helpful retail fixture professionals today toll-free at 1-800-576-7577 or send an email to info@mw-rs.com.
