POS & MERCHANDISING


“WE STRIVE TO CREATE THE WOW FACTOR”


Award-winning independent garden retailer Bents takes a pro-active and unique approach to merchandising at its Warrington centre. Managing director Matthew Bent shares some of the secrets of its success.


Do you follow a merchandising strategy at Bents?


The strategy for our visual merchandising is led by a number of initiatives; one of the main ones being our annual marketing campaign. At the beginning of each year we will create on an overriding theme, which is then influenced by the seasons. For example, as we’re celebrating our 80th anniversary this year, our main theme is ‘Back to our Roots’, with seasonal messages, such as ‘experts in enjoyment since 1937’. This is reflected in both our marketing literature and our displays. We take products


from


around the centre to create a display which not only conveys the essence of the message, but also sets a scene which can be re-created at home.


What inspires displays and merchandising in store? Products – we constantly strive to find new and different products/ brands/trends by visiting trade shows, so we can create the wow factor and, where possible, we always want to support local suppliers.


Is there a typical Bents visitor? How much do shoppers need to be supported on their journey? We


have identified


shoppers, those who are seeking an experience, as well as a more local audience – and we believe that different departments and areas of the centre appeal to different groups. With regard to gardening, some customers may have more knowledge and require less information, whilst others might need bit more guidance but prefer to carry out research at home. With this in mind, we provide tips and guidance both in store and online. In store we have a dedicated information point, which is central to our plant area and we have trained horticulturalists who can provide expert advice. Plant displays and POS are often designed to help customers create a particular look, whether this in in relation to colour schemes or more specific plants for purpose, such as encouraging wildlife or creating a shady retreat.


Do you find that effective merchandising and POS can help trade customers up to premium products? Our displays


Plant displays are designed to help customers create a particular look or colour scheme


usually feature three main customer groups – aspirational


premium products and are dressed to encourage customers to choose these particular products for their own home. However, we always aim to provide a choice of good, better and best, so there are alternative options for creating the same look.


How do you encourage linked sales across the centre? Our displays play a key role in linked sales throughout the centre. For example, we might create a display that is centred around a front door, using hanging baskets and containers to create a welcoming entrance. The display will feature all the products required for our customers to recreate the theme as a whole or take individual elements such the pots, baskets, wall brackets, compost and plants. Similarly, in our outdoor living


department, we might create a scene that is centred around a piece of furniture but incorporates a barbecue, accessories such as cushions and lanterns, as well as


crockery or picnicware, which creates linked sales with our cook shop and even into the food hall Where possible, we encourage


linked sales, as it’s an essential part of providing great customer service and increasing the average basket spend. We are hoping to replicate this online with our new website coming at Christmas


How do you keep customers thinking about gardening when they are in the restaurant or café? We now have six dining destinations located throughout the centre and all have been specifically designed so our diners can look out onto inspirational plant displays. Some of our seating is actually located inside our Open Skies glass house, so diners are surrounded by our home-grown plants and inspirational garden displays.


Do you get enough support from suppliers with merchandising? We find some suppliers to be more proactive than others. These tend to have a good understanding of the Bents brand and know how their products store.


should be delivered in


It’s brand specific - some suppliers will come instore and help with merchandising and this is


particularly helpful on garden Bents likes to add its own personal touch rather than just “copy the norm” www.diyweek.net


Displays feature all products required for customers to recreate the look


products, landscape materials and planters. On lifestyle/home products, suppliers do provide planograms but we like to add our own touch rather than copy the norm.


14 APRIL 2017 DIY WEEK 17


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28