Oh those happy balloons

There are two lessons for local shops from this tale of lottery balloons.

Last week in the corner shop across the street a big poster appeared in the window announcing an £89 million mega draw in the lottery. Inside the shop, the Camelot stand was decked in blue and white balloons and looked festive and happy.

This week, with the draw up to £111 million on Friday, and the balloons had gone. Today a new poster was back up with the bigger draw announced.

"Where are the balloons," I asked. "Why did you take them down?"

The assistant told me that a courier had brought the point-of-sale pack the previous week and they had put the balloons up as requested. The pack for this week was still to arrive.

The lessons are:

1. Point-of-sale works. Last week the shop looked really happy and I was prompted to buy a lottery ticket. I did not expect to win. It was a brief fun flirtation with the opportunity of winning. The shop was a brighter and happier place to be in.
2. Sometimes retailers simply miss what their shoppers are experiencing. If it was good at £89m, how much better can it be at £111m. Don't take the balloons down. Fill the shop to the brim.

Opportunities to connect with shoppers need to be seized. If you don't do it, someone else will!

Comments

Three secrets of great merchandising

Look at the ceiling and top wall of this McDonalds restaurant. There is a picture of two good looking healthy people having fun and some bright primary colours. Ask yourself what is the purpose of this picture? In the latest issue of Retail Newsagent in a feature on merchandising, Andrew Knight of RI tells its independent readers that they need to think about using sharp pictures of non-packaged products linked to people consuming goods. Perhaps this has been taken to the next level by the fast food chain - that is selling the feeling of being happy and healthy rather than the products. A second, related tip from the same feature is made by most contributors - it is vital to keep windows clean and clear of clutter. "I believe that less is more," says Roli Ranger, a retailer from Ascot, Berkshire. He has posters for promotions in between the windows that are regularly updated and discreet signs in the windows. Third, a highly visible well-stocked promotion at the entranc

Overcoming a price disadvantage

Planning for his speech at the Independent Achievers Academy last week, Theo Paphitis asked an assistant to buy a basket of six essentials from a Tesco, a Londis (independent operator in a symbol group) and a One Stop (Tesco's CTN/convenience chain). Tesco was cheapest by a big margin. Second came Londis. The most expensive was One Stop. Mr Paphitis understands the power of the supermarkets and he says the way to counter them is to focus on how to make the experience of shopping with you more relevant to shoppers or more enjoyable for them. John Heynan, sales director of Molson Coors, told Retail Newsagent at about the same time that occasional beer buyers will pay 13 per cent more for their beer in an independent convenience store, provided the retailer targets them appropriately. Tesco has carved itself out this 13 per cent head start. Looking at pricing, if Tesco is 100, then Tesco Express is 108, One Stop is 112, a good symbol group is 115 and non-affiliated independents

A sign of retail stress perhaps

It must have been four months since this window was broken in the Tesco Express on Pentonville Road and I simply cannot believe that it has not been fixed. This is the sort of lack of focus that independent shops usually get criticised for. The only purpose in sharing this image is to encourage those independents with high standards who are finding the going tough that they can do better than this.

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