Convenience stores are a major channel for beverage sales because they generate high volume and present a unique opportunity to launch new products. Todd McFarland, category manager for beverages at Exxon Mobil Corp, Fairfax, Va., spoke to
Chicago -- Providing customers with clear, concise and compelling P-O-P materials is especially challenging in home centers, where the sheer number of products and their complexity can overwhelm even the most patient shoppers.
In-store merchandising systems are becoming more quantified and sophisticated as stores try to differentiate themselves while selling many of the same products as their competitors.
P-O-P will especially help shoppers navigate the pathways, create overhead identities and help organize products within categories, he explained. Integrated fixture designs will simplify complicated categories and organize products more clearly.
Consumers are spending more time and money in foodservice establishments than ever before, a trend that has created new opportunities to reach them with targeted P-O-P programs.
James Damian is a self-described retail history buff. As vice president of visual merchandising and store design for Best Buy Co., he now finds himself making retail history.
As retailers gain more expertise and power in directing their own P-O-P, suppliers are creating more efficient pieces. That means more customization and less control for suppliers.
Recent Congressional hearings on slotting allowances are shining a spotlight on this long-time activity. Such payments are not simply bribes for good floorspace, they do serve a legitimate purpose.
