Walking the Store Like a P2PI Editor

In 2009, on my first day working for the Path to Purchase Institute (then, the In-Store Marketing Institute), I was told, “When it comes to in-store marketing, you won’t totally ‘get it’ for six months to a year.”

You see, the average person understandably looks at the store environment strictly from a shopper’s perspective. But for those of us who have transitioned into the world of commerce marketing, it’s a different story.

That heads-up was absolutely correct. It didn’t happen immediately. Fortunately, a store walk at a local Jewel-Osco with former P2PI editorial boss Bill Schober opened my eyes to what was really going on in the store, and the transformation began. 

Following that excursion and to this day, I walk the store like a P2PI editor. 

What does that mean? Well, from the moment I pull in the parking lot and walk to the entrance, I notice things — anything from the windows, the walls, the ceilings and the floors to all the fixtures, the displays, the products and the checkout area. And that’s just with my eyes. Sometimes, sounds catch my attention as well.

And for more than 16 years, I’ve been taking photographs in the stores — at first with a digital camera, now with my iPhone. I’m personally responsible for thousands of the images that are in our vault on P2PI.com, I’d guess.

On a recent store visit to, yes, Jewel-Osco in my hometown, I happened to take note of the multiple brands standing out on endcaps that incorporated coolers, as well as one that leveraged video screens. All seemed to be there for the long term.

Fannie May, Celsius, Bubbl’r and Starbucks all had prominent branding on their cooler endcap displays. Meanwhile, Mondelez International promoted its snacks with an attractive display that included three video screens, one at the top of the display and other ones on both sides. (See photos below.)