As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, what factors should retailers consider in purchasing fixtures to maximize revenue and produce operating efficiencies as we begin to emerge from the pandemic? The pandemic caused many retailers to radically change their approach to serving customers. In one year, the percentage of sales online and for curbside delivery skyrocketed, but brick & mortar still accounts for more than 80% of sales. Over the next couple of years, those retailers that can rapidly adapt to the changing retail environment will thrive. As shoppers return to stores in greater numbers, will they wait in lines, will they navigate crowded aisles, will they spend time browsing? What if a significant percentage of shoppers don’t want to shop, but instead go directly to the products they want and then exit as quickly as possible? The answers to these questions will play out of over the next few years. To ensure adaptability, what factors should retailers consider when purchasing new or supplemental fixtures?
Above all else, retailers should consider FLEXIBILITY. For example, many retailers have lost point-of-purchase sales as they modified their checkout paths and processes. When exploring customer receptivity lining up, fixtures that provide them with the ability to experiment will prove extremely valuable. Unless they’re confident they’ll get it right the first time, retailers will need the freedom to experiment with placement, merchandising and traffic flow to find the most productive approach to serving their customers.
In selecting standard fixtures or designing customer fixtures, the retailer should ask the following questions:
- How easy is it to move the fixture from one place to another? Does it have wheels? Is it extremely heavy?
- Is the fixture easily configurable, or more specifically, can the retailer easily modify the fixture to handle different types of merchandise?
- Can the retailer deploy the fixture in multiple locations in the store, or does it serve and single purpose in a single location? Can you change its footprint?
If you’d like to discuss ways you can deploy fixtures that provide you with the flexibility necessary to experiment with various approaches to maximizing revenue and improving operational efficiencies, please call or visit us at www.midwestretailservices.com or 800-576-7577 We’d be happy to discuss the use of standard or customized fixtures to address your needs and ensure you make a wise investment
