Here is a surprisingly simple yet effective strategy way to increase sales in retail.

The Power of Product Placement

One of the most straightforward ways to increase sales is strategically placing your bestsellers, the items selling well in your shop. This technique is often overlooked but can significantly impact your bottom line.

In-Store Placement

Move your top-selling items to prime locations within your shop. These could be:

• Near the entrance
• At eye level on shelves
• In high-traffic areas

By making your bestsellers more visible and accessible, you're making it easier for customers to find and purchase these popular items. These can be easy to find using your POS Software, which isn't just for transactions - it's a powerful tool for understanding your business. Here's how to use it effectively:

Identifying Your Bestsellers

Many retailers think they know their top sellers, but experience often tells a different story. Here's how to scientifically identify your bestsellers

Run a Top N Stock Report: This report is in the Register Reports section of your POS software.

Set some periods:

I suggest using it to:

• • Run the report for the past two years to understand long-term trends
  • Run it for the past three months to capture recent shifts in buying patterns

What I like is running it for yesterday, as the odds are what is a good seller yesterday will be a good seller today

• So, run it for yesterday and what you have of today to capture the buying patterns now.

Analyse the Results: The report will show your stock items ordered by:

• • Quantity sold
  • Profit generated
  • Total sales

This comprehensive view lets you make informed product placement and stock management decisions.

Putting Knowledge into Action

Once you have your list of bestsellers, it's time to act:

1. Investigate Product Locations: Physically check where these items are in your store.
2. Customer Perspective Test: Ask someone unfamiliar with your shop to find specific products. It can reveal how easily (or difficult) customers can locate items.
3. Adjust and Optimise: Based on your findings, rearrange your store layout to highlight your bestsellers.

The Impact of Small Changes

It's incredible how these simple adjustments can significantly impact your sales. By making your most popular items more accessible, you're making life easier for your customers and strategically positioning yourself for increased sales.

Remember, selling more isn't about drastic overhauls. Often, these minor, data-driven tweaks make the most significant difference. By regularly analysing your POS data and optimising your store layout accordingly, you'll be well on your way to boosting your sales and growing your business.