Vitamin Retailer asked industry experts, What are some merchandising tips for retailers looking to enhance the sales of allergy relief products?
“On occasion we will display on an endcap or other specific area or monthly promotion. I feel that speaking with the customer and leading them to the specific area best fits the conversation while overlooking all products that we can discuss.”
– Dianna Singh, Integrative Health Coach and Owner, Elk Grove Vitamins
“Our biggest takeaway after decades of working in allergy relief/immune support areas, is to craft a well thought out message that education your consumers, so they can make the informed decision for their health. The adage comes to mind, ‘People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.’ Engage with your community on social media, and one on one consulting. Use signage at the shelves and strategic banners/posters in visible areas. Post videos and images on your website and social media, they always get more engagement. Be ready to ask questions, really listen to your customers, and make those tough recommendations when they need you the most. Invest in your own education and that of your staff.”
– Steve Harkins, Director of Education and Culture, North American Herb & Spice
“Our suggestion would be to promote offers, features and benefits with signage. Using pamphlets or other types of signage to highlight product features and benefits or to educate shoppers about a particular product or brand may enhance the sales of allergy relief products.”
– Vicki Mak, Technical Writer, Childlife Essentials
“Utilizing prominent end-cap displays and shelf-talkers can draw attention to allergy- and immune-specific products.”
– Jay Levy, Sales Director, Wakanuga of America
“We recommend making a sinus and respiratory endcap with a wide range of offerings including proteolytic enzymes, quercetin and vitamin D. In addition, free samples of Serretia offered to anyone with the sniffles has increased sales for our retailers.”
– Dan Curtin, Executive Vice President, Arthur Andrew Medical
“Consider merchandising 1-oz liquid travel-size immune supplements for easy-to-take, on the go impulse sales. Position near cash registers or create mini-endcap or island build-out with ‘Immune Protection’ themes. Focus is on instant, low price point but high turning sales. Perhaps even pursue allergy / immune product combination value sets. Another tip could be creating in-store signage with QR code for a shopper’s chance to win a product giveaway, with a different winner each week. Also, QR code lands on your website for email capture to build your email list for special promos, health education and loyalty program creation.”
– Andreas Koch, Marketing, Natural Path Silver Wings
“Renovation of the allergy health department makes it attractive, interactive, and informative for consumers, no matter their age. Cross merchandise ‘seasonal wellness’ products on an end cap combining dietary supplements and packaged foods for allergy health. Related products such as Vitamin C, Quercetin, Citrus Bioflavonoids, and Rutin or even combination products like Bluebonnet’s Super Quercetin & Targeted Choice Just Breathe Vegetable Capsules with signage relating to allergy health, such as the ‘seasonal wellness’ poster that provides information on the different types of pollen and grasses in your area that affect the immune response ensemble appeals to many consumers. Plus, you can incorporate signage on quercetin health benefits; this will allow sales in the whole body and the grocery (i.e., apples, broccoli, and onions, which are natural sources of quercetin). Additionally, you could provide a basket of fresh fruit and veggies, addressing the requirement that Americans get five to nine servings of fresh produce every day for healthy living.
Select wide-ranging and appropriate targeted supplements for seasonal wellness and divide the allergy health/ seasonal relief product section into subcategories. For example, formulas for:
• Headaches (i.e., Feverfew and Butterbur)
• Natural Anti-Histamines (i.e., Quercetin, Nettle Leaf)
• Anti-Inflammatory (i.e., Bromelain and Citrus Bioflavonoids)
• Healthy Gut Flora (i.e., Probiotics)
• Congestions (i.e., Neti Pots with Sea Salt Saline Solution kits)
Avoid too much product redundancy. Focus on one particular allergy health subcategory or pick three popular items across the seasonal wellness categories for an overall allergy health approach and then rotate monthly. For example, provide an endcap with NAC, Quercetin, Nettle Leaf, Neti Pots and provide literature stating the allergy wellness benefits of each and merchandise accordingly on endcaps or special “seasonal wellness stand or table.”
Plus, do not forget about your younger customers. Health food stores can provide their clientele with literature or maybe host kid-friendly educational seminars for parents and their children about seasonal wellness advocating eating a healthy lifestyle and using natural products as well as eating foods that naturally support their bodies when the seasons are changing, and the pollen and grass counts are high.”
– Trisha Sugarek MacDonald, BS, MS, Sr. Director of Research & Development/ National Educator, Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation
