Merchandising aids for proiect selling

merchandiser stands eight feet high, is five feet across the face and four feet deep. lt is made of black enamelcoated metal gridwork on steel uprights. lts goal is to comprehensively present outdoor wood to consumers in a self-service structure while improving the retailers' ability to do business as experts in this categ,ory.

The unit is consumer friendly with a writing desk surface for customers to use in working with their project plans. SIots all around this surface hold Weyerhaeuser Pocket Pal brochures. A storage area beneath holds additional brochures for easy refilling. Two big photos on the face of the merchandiser feature projects made with LifeWood, and a third panel lists product features and benefits.

The system requires little or no staff maintenance, apart from normal re-stocking procedures. It can be used as a stand-alone unit, placed back-to-back, against a wall, or as an end-cap for maximum flexibility.

A tablet with a check list of tools and extra items is available at the unit. Customers can use this to get everything required for the project during their first trip to the store.

"That checklist sets up cross merchandising opportunities for our retailers," says Cashmore. "lf they take advantage of it, the result should be improved profitability and more satisfied customers."

Wood finishes are part of a deck sale, but the proliferation of new products to stain, preserve and protect outdoor wood bewilders the customer, and may affect sales. According to Lena Williams, reporting in the New York Tirneq consumers daunted by the myriad of options in products are lapsing into apathy. Tired of all the choices they have to make, some are showing their backlash by not choosing anything. The customer may literally throw up his hands and say to himself: "l can't deal with this now. I'll come back when the project's done."

But many will never get around to buying wood finishes, and others will purchase the products later when they happen to be shopping at a competitor's store. Both result in a lost sale.

Dap Inc., a manufacturer of water repellents and wood preservatives, is a company addressing this problem. This season it is moving the Dap Deck Care Wood Protection Center into retail. The merchandiser shows consumers the specific products for all wood protection needs to make selecting the right product quick and easy.

Story at a Glance

Ways to use merchandisers to sell more products... outdoor proiect sales simplified by planning center. choice of proper finishes made less bewildering.

The two-foot or four-foot header boards clearly designate which products can be used on pressure treated wood and untreated wood. A chart listing the products displayed, including water repellents and wood preservatives, uses a simple check system to determine which work for which jobs. Consumers can find their project, follow the line and narrow their choices. The header provides a step-up quality and performance value, system sell approach to the category based on the consumer's needs.

Merchandising innovations such as these are designed to be self-performing, but can be even more successful with salesperson involvement.