SHELF OBSESSED

As an independent pharmacist, you have to make sure you stand out from the "crowd" of retail pharmacists out there. To do that, you are going to have to set yourself apart, to go above and beyond the call of duty. You're going to need to move from focusing on just your sales volume to serving customers personally, to meeting their needs effectively even as you keep an eye on your bottom line.

Displays often play on deep seated mental structures to influence the attention of a buyer. There is an unconscious response in the mind of every customer when they reach for items on the counter, or when they are passing by a street-front display; these triggers are incorporated in the shelving and display solution that you employ for your store. These triggers initiated by your display solution are what your customers will base their decision on in buying your products. Let's take a look at some of these facts for visibility:

The independent pharmacy faces some tough competition with retail pharmacies. Even though not true, customers generally have the idea that big-box pharmacies like those located in Walmart stores, etc., or chain pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens are a cheaper and better alternative versus what they perceive to be the more expensive option of the independent pharmacy.

Whether you’re outfitting a new store or remodeling an existing space, much of your success will depend on your retail display solutions. You have a lot of merchandise that you want to display, but you want to avoid a cluttered or crowded appearance. And your customers want to be able to find the products they’re looking for quickly and easily. Rotating displays offer an easy way to display your merchandise, while still maintaining the organization and ease-of-use that your customers want.

Independent pharmacies face increasing competition from big-box retail pharmacies like those established in department stores, and from retail chain pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS. The perception among the public is that these pharmacies offer cheaper prices without suffering a loss of quality, but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. It's worth noting that independent pharmacies' prices are actually competitive with retail pharmacies', and offer a host of other benefits besides.

To bolster their ability to compete with retail pharmacy establishments, one of the major trends among independent pharmacies is that they are providing focused customer service that retail pharmacies just can't. In addition, they also provide specialized services to the customers that retail pharmacies don't. Some of these current trends in independent pharmacies include:

Retail displays come in many shapes and sizes, everything from seasonal window displays to themed exhibits. The one thing though that is of the utmost importance in any retail display is the lighting. Displaying merchandise is an art which attracts the attention of customers and what better way to attract attention than with the proper lighting. Artists use lighting to their advantage when creating masterpieces and you can do the same with your product displays! Lighting can be used in a myriad of ways and colors which may create themes that individualize the different products and departments of your retail business.

Custom display shelving is a powerful method for triggering in-store last-minute purchasing decisions. Surveys have shown that up to 75 percent of last-minute purchase decisions happen while heading to the check out line.

This process starts by delivering product retail display solutions designed specifically by listening carefully to your individual product needs—then creating the fixtures that provide maximized space that will display these products perfectly--while at the same time including specialized features for drawing customers directly to your store display.

Whether you are remodeling your existing pharmacy or planning a new facility, there are certain pharmacy design guidelines that you should follow. These guidelines encompass both security and aesthetics. A large part of your location design will focus on proper shelving. You should choose shelving that is visually appealing and provides proper protection for your inventory. Today's designs offer a wide variety of shelving systems, both on the sales floor and in the back area of your pharmacy. Shelving units are used by many businesses, from hospitals and healthcare facilities, to retail and pharmacy customers, and will help you achieve the design you are looking for.

When all is said and done, you need to sell - whether you are overhauling your design or starting off, there are a few factors that will directly affect the productivity and therefore the profitability of your establishment. One key factor is shelving and displays.

Choosing shop fittings is not just a simple matter of utility. The retail display solutions you select communicate a great deal to every potential customer who walks through the door. In short, they do more than just display your products. They create an impression.