Think about your favorite grocery store. It’s likely clean, organized, and just feels easy to shop in. That positive experience isn't an accident—it's the result of smart design. The unsung hero behind it all is the grocery store shelving. The right fixtures do more than just hold products; they create an intuitive path for customers and are key to your store's success. At S-Cube Fixtures, we can help you use custom fixtures to achieve that perfect, aesthetically pleasing look that keeps shoppers happy and your business thriving.
First, Map Out Your Store's Layout
A grocery store can only hold so much. You’ll need to measure the width and length of your aisles and the height and depth of shelving fixtures. Knowing these measurements will help determine what custom fixtures fit your store best. Think about incorporating slat walls, pegboards, or gondola shelving.
Related Article: Here’s Why Point of Purchase Merchandising is Worth It
Follow Key Product Placement Principles
Once your store layout is set, the next step is to think strategically about what goes on the shelves. Effective product placement is much more than just filling empty space; it’s a science that guides the customer’s journey and influences their buying decisions. The right shelving and displays are your tools to present products in a way that naturally attracts shoppers and increases sales. By following a few core principles, you can transform your aisles from simple storage into powerful merchandising zones that work for you. These strategies help create a shopping experience that feels intuitive and satisfying for your customers, encouraging them to explore and purchase more.
Place Top Sellers at Eye Level
There’s a classic saying in retail: "eye level is buy level." This is the most valuable real estate in your entire store. Products placed between the shopper's shoulder and eye line are the most likely to be seen and purchased. This is where you should feature your best-selling items, high-margin products, and items you want to move quickly. Good shelving is designed to help you present these products effectively. When you design custom fixtures, you can specify shelving heights that are perfectly optimized for your target demographic, ensuring your most important products are always in the prime viewing zone. This simple adjustment can have a significant impact on your daily sales and overall profitability.
Arrange by Price, Sub-Category, and Brand
A well-organized shelf makes for a happy, efficient shopper. To create an intuitive flow, start by grouping products by their sub-category—for example, putting all the pasta sauces together. Within that sub-category, arrange the items by brand. This is a common practice that customers are used to, so it makes it easy for them to find their favorite brand or compare different options. To add another layer of organization, you can arrange the products from most to least expensive as the customer scans from left to right. This logical flow reduces frustration and helps customers make confident purchasing decisions without feeling overwhelmed by a chaotic display.
Position Private Labels Next to Name Brands
If your store has its own private label, one of the most effective ways to introduce it to customers is by placing it directly next to its well-known, name-brand competitor. This direct comparison encourages shoppers to evaluate their options. They can immediately see the price difference and assess the packaging and product information, making them more likely to give your brand a try. This strategy doesn't just help sell your private label; it gives customers a sense of empowerment by providing clear choices. It’s a subtle yet powerful merchandising technique that can increase the sales of your higher-margin store brands while still offering the national brands customers know and trust.
Use Color Blocking to Create Visual Appeal
Want to make your aisles visually pop? Try color blocking. This technique involves arranging products to create large blocks of solid color on the shelves. Imagine a vibrant, rainbow-like effect in the juice aisle or a cohesive wall of blue and white in the dairy section. This strategy does more than just look pretty; it draws the eye from down the aisle and creates a clean, organized, and high-end feel. A visually appealing display can capture a shopper's attention and make the shopping experience more enjoyable. It suggests a level of care and attention to detail that reflects positively on your entire store, making it a more inviting place to be.
Use Shelf-Talkers to Guide Customer Decisions
Think of shelf-talkers as your silent salespeople. These small signs, which clip directly onto the shelf edge, are powerful marketing tools that communicate directly with customers at the point of decision. You can use them to highlight special promotions, announce new products, or share key information like "organic," "gluten-free," or "locally sourced." They effectively draw attention to specific items and can help guide shoppers through different product groups. By providing helpful information right where it's needed, shelf-talkers can answer customer questions and build confidence, encouraging a purchase. When planning your fixture program, consider how signage will be integrated. The best custom fixture solutions incorporate features for seamless signage, ensuring a clean and professional look throughout the store.
Understanding the Economics of Shelf Space
The placement of products on your shelves isn't just about organization; it's a science backed by serious economics. The competition for prime real estate within a grocery store is fierce, and it directly impacts which products customers see and buy. Understanding the financial dynamics at play, like slotting fees, is key to maximizing your store's profitability. This knowledge helps you appreciate why the design and functionality of your shelving are so critical. A well-designed fixture plan doesn't just look good—it creates value that both retailers and brands can capitalize on, forming the foundation of a strategic and profitable store layout.
What Are Slotting Fees?
Ever wonder how a new brand of chips magically appears at eye-level right when you walk down the snack aisle? It’s often not by chance. This is where slotting fees come into play. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, "Slotting contracts are payments made by companies (manufacturers) to stores (retailers) for shelf space." Think of it as manufacturers paying rent for a specific spot in your store. This fee secures a product's place for a set period, but it also often determines the quality of that placement. Premium spots—like eye-level shelves, prominent end-cap displays, or fixtures near the checkout—cost more because they have a much higher chance of catching a shopper's eye and driving sales.
Why Slotting Fees Exist
So, why do retailers charge these fees? Because shelf space is one of the most valuable assets a store has. It’s not just a place to hold inventory; it’s a powerful form of advertising. The Department of Justice notes that "Retailer shelf space acts like an advertisement. It encourages people to buy a product who might not have otherwise." This is what’s known as "promotional shelf space." For a manufacturer, getting their product in front of thousands of daily shoppers is a huge opportunity. Retailers understand the value of this exposure and, with limited space available, they charge manufacturers to access it. This system ensures that the most in-demand and profitable products get the best visibility, contributing to a successful retail environment for everyone.
How Slotting Fees Affect Prices and Profits
Slotting fees create a unique economic dynamic within the store. For manufacturers, these fees are a significant marketing expense, which can sometimes be factored into the product's final price on the shelf. The practice is especially common for products in highly competitive categories, where brands are constantly fighting for consumer attention. As the DOJ points out, "The increase in new products in supermarkets since the early 1980s partly explains the growth of slotting." For retailers, these fees are a direct and important revenue stream. By strategically designing their store layout and investing in effective custom fixtures, retailers can maximize the value of their shelf space and, in turn, the slotting fees they can command from brands.
Streamline Stocking with Night Deliveries
Night deliveries are great for grocery stores because they create less chaos when the restocked items arrive. If the store is closed, fewer people are around so that employees can keep stock on the shelves more easily. Also, with the store being closed, it’s better to have the employees take a more focused look into what the inventory looks like so that you don’t have to do this during open hours.
Define Your Core Business Goals
Before you start arranging products, it’s important to know what you want to accomplish. Your shelving strategy shouldn't be an afterthought; it’s a powerful tool for driving your business forward. The ultimate purpose of your shelves and displays is to present products in a way that increases overall sales and store profitability. Are you aiming to highlight high-margin items, introduce a new private-label line, or simply make the shopping experience more intuitive for your customers? Defining a clear objective will guide every decision you make, from the type of fixtures you choose to where each product is placed. Having a specific goal ensures your layout is working toward a measurable outcome, turning your shelving from simple storage into a strategic asset.
Develop a Planogram for Micro Space Planning
Once you have your goals, it’s time to create a planogram. Think of a planogram as a detailed blueprint for your shelves, dictating the exact placement of every product, brand, and sub-category. This is what we call micro space planning, and it’s a data-driven approach that moves beyond guesswork. Using planogram software, you can visualize how products perform with color-coded heat maps that identify top sellers or the most profitable items. This information helps you make strategic placements, like positioning your best-selling products at eye level to capture attention. A well-executed planogram ensures your shelving is optimized for sales and creates an attractive, easy-to-shop display for customers. The right custom fixture design is essential for bringing your planogram to life effectively.
Choose the Right Types of Grocery Store Shelving
There are so many different shelving options you can choose from for your grocery store. There are wire shelves, wooden shelves, plastic shelves, and more. Consider what sort of theme your grocery store is going for and try to match that. S-Cube Fixtures can help design the perfect combination of shelving types so that you and your customers can find products quicker and easier. Different shelving can help differentiate brands, prices, and more, even if you're only selling a specific product. Most customers find themselves attracted to the things that stand out, so let that be your shelving.
Gondola Shelving: The Backbone of Your Aisles
When you picture a classic grocery store, you’re likely thinking of gondola shelving. These freestanding units are the workhorses of retail, forming the aisles that guide customers through your store. Because they are so fundamental to the shopping experience, choosing the right system is a critical decision. The height, depth, and material of your gondola shelving set the entire tone for your store’s interior. A well-planned gondola layout, which a partner can help you design and engineer, ensures a logical flow and maximizes your product capacity without feeling cramped.
Single-Sided Gondolas
Think of single-sided gondolas as the foundation of your store’s perimeter. As their name suggests, these units have shelving on one side and a flat back, making them perfect for placing against walls. According to DGS Retail, "Single-sided gondolas are shaped like an 'L' and are typically placed against a wall, making them ideal for displaying products in a linear fashion." This setup allows you to take full advantage of your vertical wall space, creating a clean, organized border for your sales floor. They are excellent for housing entire product categories, like cereals or pastas, along the outer walls of your store, creating a clear and easy-to-follow path for shoppers.
Double-Sided Gondolas
If single-sided gondolas form the perimeter, double-sided units create the main event. These are the fixtures that form the aisles in the center of your store. DGS Retail describes them as being "shaped like an upside-down 'T' and are used to create aisles in the middle of a store, allowing for product visibility from both sides." This two-sided exposure is key for maximizing the amount of product you can display in your most valuable floor space. The configuration of these units is a major part of your store's identity, and executing a large-scale rollout requires careful planning and expert project management to ensure everything goes smoothly from delivery to installation.
End Caps: Prime Real Estate for Promotions
End caps are the highly visible display spaces at the end of your gondola aisles, and they are arguably the most valuable real estate in your store. Because every shopper who walks down a main thoroughfare will pass them, they are the perfect spot for high-margin products, seasonal promotions, and new items. As DotActiv notes, "customers frequently perceive products displayed here as being on sale," making them powerful tools for driving impulse buys. Custom-designed end caps can be especially effective, using unique shapes, lighting, or signage to capture attention and move products quickly. You can see some great examples of what’s possible in our work with other retailers.
Other Essential Display Types
While gondola shelving builds the framework of your store, a variety of other display types are needed to create a truly effective and engaging shopping environment. These specialized fixtures help you highlight specific categories, create visual interest, and cater to different shopping behaviors. From quick grab-and-go sections to fresh market-style produce areas, incorporating a mix of display styles is essential for a well-rounded grocery experience. Let’s look at a few key types that can make a big difference in your store’s layout and sales.
Cut-Case Displays
For high-volume products, cut-case displays are a practical solution that can significantly reduce stocking time. These displays "feature products in their original shipping boxes, which can save labor in supermarkets," according to DotActiv. The convenience is clear: employees can simply cut open a case and place it directly on the shelf. The main challenge, however, is that they "can appear messy if not organized properly." To maintain a tidy appearance, consider using custom holders or surrounding fixtures that frame the cut cases, making them look intentional and integrated into the overall store design rather than like a temporary afterthought.
Dump Bins
Dump bins are the unsung heroes of bargain hunting and impulse shopping. These large, open containers are perfect for holding smaller, durable items that don’t need to be neatly stacked. As DotActiv explains, they are "often utilized for bargains, seasonal items, or frequently purchased products." The casual, jumbled presentation encourages shoppers to rummage through and discover a great deal, making them ideal for everything from candy and snacks to seasonal decor and clearance items. Placing them in high-traffic areas can effectively capture shopper attention and lead to those extra, unplanned items in the cart.
Market Tables
To break up the uniformity of traditional aisles and create a more organic feel, market tables are an excellent choice. According to Cayuga Displays, "Grocery market tables are designed to create a market-like feel, enhancing the shopping experience." These are often used to display fresh produce, artisanal bread, or specialty cheeses, giving these categories a premium, farm-fresh presentation. The materials used for these tables, whether rustic wood or sleek metal, can be customized to fit your store’s brand aesthetic, helping to craft a specific atmosphere that makes shopping feel less like a chore and more like an experience. This is where custom manufacturing capabilities can really shine.
Refrigerated Displays
No grocery store is complete without refrigerated displays, which are absolutely "essential for keeping food cold," as Cayuga Displays points out. These units are critical for food safety and are necessary for a huge range of products, including dairy, meat, frozen foods, and prepared grab-and-go meals. From open-air coolers that make it easy for customers to grab a drink to large, multi-door freezers, the type of unit depends on the product. While the refrigeration technology itself is specialized, the surrounding cabinetry and fixtures can be designed to create a cohesive look that integrates seamlessly with your non-refrigerated shelving for a polished, professional appearance throughout the store.
Arrange Products for Maximum Impact
Putting products on shelves takes a bit of thinking. You’ll want heavier weighed items on the bottom shelf so if they fall off, it isn’t a safety hazard and lighter items on top. You’d be surprised how often heavy products can fall off and hurt someone in a grocery store. Also, make sure your shelving can provide an organization of some sort. For instance, if you sell mostly cans, getting shelves with built-in dividers may help customers have easier access to grab.
Related Article: Unleash the Power of Custom Displays and Fixtures for Your Business
Let Customer Behavior Guide Your Layout
Feedback is everything when running any store. Take time to ask customers what they’d personally like to see within the store or what they’ve liked going to others. This way, you can decide how to lay out your own grocery store, whether shelvings, fixtures, or something else. Giving the customers what they want is another tactic for creating a welcoming atmosphere that will attract them again.
Perfecting Your Shelf Replenishment Process
Shelf replenishment is all about making sure you have the right product, in the right place, at the right time. Think of it as a continuous loop of restocking shelves based on what customers are buying to prevent those dreaded empty spots and lost sales. A seamless replenishment process is your secret weapon for keeping shoppers happy and coming back. To pull this off, you need a rock-solid system connecting your sales floor to your backroom. This involves disciplined inventory management and clear communication with your team to ensure best-sellers are always available and shelves never look bare, especially during your busiest hours.
How to Achieve Shelf Space Efficiency
Making your shelf space work smarter, not harder, is crucial for a profitable store. Shelf space efficiency isn’t just about cramming in as much product as possible; it’s about making it incredibly easy for customers to find what they need. If a shopper has to hunt for an item, you risk losing the sale. Many retailers use planogram software to get a data-driven view of product performance, which helps place high-profit items in prime locations. The right fixtures are also a game-changer. Custom-designed shelving can be tailored to specific product shapes and sizes, helping you use every square inch effectively and create a clean, organized shopping experience.
Essential Grocery Store Terminology
Getting comfortable with a few key terms will help you navigate the retail world with confidence. "Retail shelving" is the catch-all term for the display units, fixtures, and gondolas you use to showcase products. These are the workhorses of your store, from the long aisles to the promotional end caps. Another important term is "slotting fees," which are payments manufacturers make to retailers for prime shelf space. These are often formalized through slotting contracts that secure a product’s placement for a set period. Understanding these concepts is fundamental to managing your store’s layout and making strategic, profitable decisions.
Creating a More Shoppable Grocery Store
S-Cube Fixtures knows the ins and outs of custom shelving and retail fixtures. We’ve worked with multiple industries to give them the best, and grocery stores aren’t anything new. From concept to final delivery, we share insights and options that we think are best for your vision and get custom fixtures tailored to your costs and overall theme. Before setting up your grocery store shelving, let S-Cube Fixtures help you with your next custom retail fixture project!
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the first step I should take when planning my store's shelving? Before you even think about specific fixtures, start by defining your core business goals. Decide what you want your layout to achieve—is it to highlight high-margin products or make shopping more intuitive? Once you have a clear objective, measure your space and create a planogram. This detailed map will act as your blueprint, guiding where every product goes to ensure your layout is strategic from day one.
How important are custom fixtures compared to standard, off-the-shelf options? Standard fixtures get the job done, but custom fixtures are designed to solve your specific challenges and reflect your brand's unique identity. They allow you to create a specific shopping atmosphere, whether it's a rustic, market-style feel or a sleek, modern look. Custom solutions can also be engineered to fit unusual spaces or hold specific products more efficiently, helping you maximize every square inch of your sales floor.
My main goal is to increase sales. Which product placement strategy has the biggest impact? The single most effective strategy is placing your best-selling and high-margin products at eye level. This prime real estate gets the most visibility and has the highest conversion rate. Supporting strategies, like placing your private label next to a national brand or using color blocking to draw attention, work together to make this core principle even more powerful.
You mentioned slotting fees. How do they actually affect my relationship with brands and my store's bottom line? Think of your shelf space as a valuable asset that you control. Slotting fees are essentially rent that manufacturers pay for access to that asset, especially for premium spots like end caps. For you as the retailer, this creates a direct revenue stream and reinforces the value of your store's exposure. It formalizes the relationship with brands, ensuring that the products getting the best placement are also contributing directly to your profitability.
How can I make my aisles look organized and appealing without sacrificing product capacity? This is a common challenge, and the key is to find a balance between aesthetics and efficiency. Using the right fixtures is crucial; well-designed gondola shelving forms a clean foundation, while specialized displays like market tables can break up the monotony. Techniques like color blocking create a high-end, organized feel that draws the eye. You don't have to choose between a full shelf and a beautiful one—the right plan can give you both.
Key Takeaways
- Strategize Your Shelf Layout: Guide customer purchases by placing top-selling products at eye level and organizing items logically by category and brand. Use visual techniques like color blocking to make aisles more attractive and easier to shop.
- Select the Right Fixtures for the Job: Build your store's foundation with versatile gondola shelving, use high-visibility end caps for promotions, and add specialized displays like market tables to create visual interest. A thoughtful mix of fixtures is key to an effective retail environment.
- Optimize Your Space for Profitability: Treat your shelf space as a valuable asset by creating a detailed planogram based on sales data and business goals. This strategic approach ensures your layout is designed to maximize sales and revenue.