Is your store ready to capitalise on the festive season?

As the festive season approaches, retailers have a golden opportunity to capitalise on changing shopping habits. One effective strategy is enhancing self-service checkout areas with impulse shelving bays, which can significantly boost impulse buying and drive sales.

The Power of Impulse Buying

Impulse buying is a major driver in retail, with UK consumers spending an astounding £21.7 billion annually on spontaneous purchases. This behavior is influenced by several factors, including promotions, discounts, and strategic product placement. In fact, promotions alone account for 50% of all unplanned purchases.

Why Self-Service Checkout Areas?

Self-service checkout areas are prime real estate for impulse buys. Shoppers often face a wait, giving them time to notice and consider additional items. By strategically placing impulse shelving bays stocked with high-margin products like health and beauty items, retailers can turn this waiting time into a sales opportunity.

Industry Insights

• Food and Drink: Food consistently leads in impulse purchases, with 55% of Brits admitting to buying food items on a whim. Drinks and takeaways are also major players, making these categories prime candidates for impulse shelving opportunities.
• Clothing and Household Items: Clothing (29%) and household goods (23%) follow closely behind as popular impulse buys. Retailers can capitalise on this by strategically placing seasonal apparel and household essentials near checkout zones to encourage last-minute purchases.
• Beauty Products: Beauty products make up 18% of impulse purchases in the UK. With the festive season driving demand for gifts, positioning beauty items in impulse bays can significantly boost sales during peak times.

The Festive Season Advantage

The festive season brings a surge in consumer spending, with shoppers more inclined to make impulse purchases while searching for gifts and seasonal treats. By incorporating strategically placed product displays, retailers can capitalise on this increased holiday spending.

Practical Implementation

At Harrison Retail, we’ve witnessed the powerful impact of well-designed impulse shelving. In a recent project for Morrisons, we redesigned the self-service checkout areas with a focus on promoting travel accessories. The outcome was a notable increase in impulse purchases, underscoring the value of strategic product placement.

Are you season ready?

By focusing on enhancing self-service checkout areas with impulse shelving bays, retailers can effectively boost impulse buying and drive sales, especially during the festive season. With the right strategy, you can turn waiting time into a profitable opportunity and make the most of seasonal shopping trends.

Connect with our expert team at sales@harrisonretail.com to elevate your seasonal displays with innovative solutions.