Fridges in checkout areas at grocery stores are prime real estate for driving impulse purchases. A leading beverage company invested heavily in these placements, expecting them to be a major sales driver. Yet, despite securing these key locations, their sales were underwhelming. To uncover and address the problem, the company turned to Wiser’s Retail Intelligence for store-level insights.
The Challenge: Poor Visibility, Inconsistent Execution & Competitive Advantage
The beverage brand faced several critical challenges that hindered their sales performance. Despite strong distribution, sales fell short due to a lack of visibility into what was happening at the store level. Without accurate store-level data, the team couldn’t identify underperforming locations or address the root causes of poor execution. This blind spot made it difficult to take corrective action and optimize performance.
Another challenge was inconsistent execution across fridges at the checkout areas. In some stores, the brand’s products were overstocked in a single fridge, while in others, fridges were left empty. This inconsistency reduced shopper exposure in high-traffic, impulse-buy zones, limiting the opportunity for spontaneous purchases and weakening the brand’s impulse-buy strategy.
Additionally, poor product placement across multiple touchpoints gave competitors an advantage. When the brand’s products were not visible or well-stocked, shoppers were more likely to notice and choose competitor products. These execution errors ultimately led to missed sales opportunities and reduced profitability, undermining the brand’s efforts to capture impulse purchases at checkout.
The Wiser Solution
To address these challenges, the company implemented Wiser’s Retail Intelligence to gain actionable, real-time insights into checkout fridge execution. Wiser’s solution provided:
- Real-Time Data and Photos: Insights revealed that 80% of stores were non-compliant with execution plans, allowing the team to pinpoint where problems occurred.
- Actionable Insights: The data identified specific stores needing corrective action. The team ensured products were placed consistently in high-visibility locations, reducing competitor wins in key impulse-buy spots.
- Strategic Field Visits: Armed with accurate data, the team optimized their field visits, prioritizing stores with the greatest need for intervention and improvement.
Results: Corrective Action and Significant Sales Growth
Addressing execution gaps with store-level insights, allowed the brand to improve execution, increase product visibility and drive more impulse purchases, leading to a significant uplift in sales. Corrective actions ensured consistent product placement across stores, enhancing overall compliance and reducing inconsistencies. This strategic approach also minimized competitor advantages by maximizing the brand’s presence at critical touchpoints, helping them capture more sales opportunities and strengthen their competitive edge.
Conclusion: Sustained Success Through Smart Execution
With Wiser’s real-time insights, the beverage company turned non-compliance into sales growth. Moving forward, they are well-equipped to maintain high levels of execution and optimize checkout fridge placement. By staying vigilant and responsive, they can continue to dominate impulse-buy zones and outperform competitors.
