Expiry Review

Selling an expired product can easily frustrate a customer. Today could be a perfect opportunity to review some of the lesser-known items that might carry an expiration or best-by date. Here's a helpful list: toothpaste, mouthwash, first aid ointments, hand sanitizer, insect repellents, pain relief creams, sunscreen, lip balm, products with essential oils, eye drops, vapor rubs, nicotine replacement products, antacids, and rubbing alcohol.

'Tis the season for sunscreen

When creating a sign for an endcap display to promote sunscreen, consider including this wellness tip: "Remember to apply sunscreen to often-overlooked spots like ears, neck, the back of your hands, and the tops of your feet!" You can brush up on other sunscreen and skin care recommendations in this month's CE article in America's Pharmacist.

Pricing promo products

Ensure accurate pricing on all displays, especially those featuring promotional or varied-size items like sunscreen. Verify individual item price stickers against display tags. To confirm system pricing and prevent point-of-sale discrepancies, scan both the promotional/bonus-sized item and a standard-sized equivalent. Clear and visible signage is also essential. This process helps maintain pricing integrity and ensures a positive customer experience."

Discontinuation done right

There are three reasons an item might be discontinued: (1) You choose to stop offering the product, (2) your supplier decides to no longer carry it, or (3) the manufacturer ceased production. If the item has reasonable sales history and it is discontinued by your supplier, it may be worth exploring other sources to keep it available for your customers. It may become a niche item for you!

Before discontinuing an item that shows few sales or frequent expiration issues, do these four things: (1) take time to review its retail pricing for competitiveness, (2) ensure it has proper shelf placement and visibility, (3) check that the area was kept clean and (4) consider whether the product experiences seasonal sales peaks.

After you have decided to discontinue items from your shelves, start by repositioning other products to create space for double-facing a private label within the appropriate subcategory. If you are hoping to sell out of the discontinued item, either cross out the shelf tag or turn it upside down.

Nina at Natural Products Expo

Nina Dadgar, NCPA's Vice President of Business Development, attended Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA last month, where over 1,000 exhibitors showcased their products and services to the natural product retailers and distributors. The highlighted items for this year were all things coconut, children's vitamins and pet products. One of the education sessions regarding consumer packaged goods (CPG), focused on Omni channel sales—using physical stores, online websites, mobile apps, social media, and email—to create a unified customer experience. Here's a blog post that better explains Omni channel marketing. Some other tidbits picked up from the Expo—it takes $133 to buy what cost $100 in 2019 and by 2030 most Gen Xers will be over 55 and 47% of millennials will accept AI-generated recommendations. How are you adapting to these trends?

Monthly Retailer Category Tips—First Aid

Shine a light on the reasons customers should be stocking up on first aid products. Read more.