Suppliers must work with retailers to improve the range in-store if they are to meet levels of customer satisfaction.
That’s the message from a new study from him! that shows how a quarter of all shoppers are not fully satisfied with the range of products available to them in convenience stores. Between 11% and 15% say that a better range would make them more likely to use c-stores for both topping up and evening meal solutions. Katie Littler, Insights Director at him! said: “Combine this with the fact shoppers have generally never been ‘over the moon’ with prices and promotions on offer in convenience, and surely you’ve got a call to action worth listening to.”
Littler says the the only way we are going to see a “really significant, industry wide change in how UK shoppers view the UK convenience industry” is by working together.
Convenience retailers agree that collaborating with suppliers, in the right way, get results. “Retailers have told us that when they have worked most effectively with suppliers, they see new shoppers in store and regular shoppers spending more,” said Littler.
Him! says that the two areas where retailers want advice from suppliers are on price and range. Retailers actively want sales reps to play a more engaged and advisory role, offering category advice and streamlined range recommendations. “Currently symbol retailers consider only 50% of their range to be core range,” said Littler. “Best seller lists are one of the most effective tools of collaboration that can impact what a retailer decides to range in store. After ‘price’, it is the second biggest influencer of what independent retailers purchase in depot. Many suppliers and wholesalers have best sellers lists but most are not currently getting cut through; currently, less than 20% of retailers are noticing them in depot.”
