Merchandising


shopping in one visit.


Visual cues also play an important role. Simple displays that pair a main product with the components required to use or install it reduce the mental effort involved in buying. They act as prompts rather than hard sells, supporting the customer’s decision making rather than interrupting it. Over time, this builds trust, reinforcing the idea that the wholesaler understands the realities of the job. The role of people in joined up merchandising should also not be underestimated. Counter staff and trade counter colleagues already influence purchasing decisions through advice and recommendations. Joined up layouts support those conversations, making it easier to show rather than tell.


When staff can point to a nearby display or walk a customer a short distance to illustrate a complete solution, the interaction feels practical and helpful rather than overtly sales driven. This strengthens relationships and positions the wholesaler as a partner in getting the job done.


Turning routine visits into stronger returns


From a commercial perspective, the impact of a more connected merchandising strategy can be substantial. Even modest increases in


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average basket size, repeated across a loyal and frequent customer base, deliver meaningful and sustainable growth.


Importantly, this growth does not depend on acquiring new customers, increasing marketing spend or dramatically expanding product ranges. It comes from making better use of stock that is already on the shelves.


“Branches that are easier to navigate feel calmer and more efficient, even during busy periods. Electricians can move through the space with confidence, spending less time searching and more time getting back to site.”


There are operational benefits too. Customers who leave with everything they need are less likely to return items, make urgent calls for missing components, or place last minute orders that disrupt workflows. This reduces pressure on staff and improves overall efficiency, particularly during peak trading periods.


Technology can further enhance joined up merchandising through data led insights, heat


mapping and smarter planograms, but it does not replace the fundamentals. Many of the most effective changes are relatively simple, such as repositioning fast moving consumables closer to core lines, creating dedicated bays for common project types, or rethinking end cap displays to reflect real installations rather than abstract categories. These adjustments require modest investment but can deliver immediate and measurable results.


As competition intensifies and margins remain under pressure, electrical wholesalers cannot afford to overlook the value already passing through their doors.


Online suppliers and specialist retailers may compete on price or range, but physical branches retain a powerful advantage in immediacy, expertise and completeness. Joined up merchandising strengthens that advantage by making the branch work harder for both the customer and the business.


Every visit represents an opportunity to capture the full scope of a job. By refining the one stop shop model through smarter merchandising, wholesalers can improve convenience for electricians while unlocking missed revenue. In doing so, they reaffirm a core principle of the sector, not by clinging to nostalgia, but by adapting it to the way electricians work today.


March 2026 electrical wholesaler | 25


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