Merchandising is the process of encouraging the purchase of a product. The system involves working on item presentations to potential clients. You can think of it as any activity that is involved in making a sale to a customer. Merchandising entails determining where it is best to place products to make the best use of your pharmacy’s layout. Remember that merchandising is more about non-verbal cues to promote products. The focus is creating visual cues that are appealing and engaging to your target clients. The goal is to curate a positive interaction between your customers and your products. So, what merchandising solutions can you implement to move your slow-moving and short-expiry items without giving discounts?

Product Placement: Use the power of the right turn discussed in our earlier article. Studies show that over ninety percent of customers turn to the right when they enter a store. Place items that you want liquidated on the right side of your pharmacy. Products placed at the eye level are more likely to be picked than those away from the eye level. Set products you want to liquidate at the beginning or end of the store to encourage purchases. Remember, customers make buying decisions through their eyes.

Cross Selling: Place complementary products next to each other to encourage sales. Do you have a toothpaste that is short-expiry? How about placing it near the toothbrushes you are selling at your pharmacy? Cross-selling focuses on selling additional products to existing clients. Do you have a Vitamin C supplement that is slow-moving? How about placing it next to medicines for colds and flu? A parent is looking for a product to manage the symptoms of the child’s flu. What if a slow-moving immune booster containing cod liver oil is next to it on your pharmacy shelf? How about placing the rubs to relieve cold and flu symptoms next to cough and cold syrups?

Bundling: This is about combining two or more products in a single sale unit. Consider items that are usually purchased together. Can you place them together if you account for the rules of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB)? Consider the complementary products discussed in this blog. Which ones can you sell as a combo unit? Fast-food joints have perfected the art of selling food items in combinations. Can you create combo units that include an item that is slow-moving to reduce the risk of it expiring?

Interactive Merchandising: Many pharmacies in Kenya limit how much customers can interact with products. These include items found in non-pharmacy establishments like supermarkets. How often have you bought an item because you interacted with it even though it was not your intention to buy it when you entered the supermarket? That is the power of interactive merchandising. Customers may purchase products based on their interaction with the item. Consider laying out your pharmacy to encourage interaction with over-the-counter (OTC) products. Allow customers to interact with slow-moving items. It may be the key that encourages their purchase, limiting the risk of expiries.