Most grocery stores in America are divided into categories based around the product being sold and customer experience. Depending on your store’s specialization, you may want to elevate certain departments in your store to showcase your “niche”product. We see this in Harmon’s famous gourmet deli and cheese section or with the unique La Tortilleria at Fiesta Foods in Amarillo, Texas. Adding a FocusPoint or a specialty section in your store not only helps your store stand out against competitors but also increases customer engagement.

What sets a focus point apart from other departments in your store is the design and engagement of this section. It should pull your customers to it as soon as they walk into your store. Whether you offer fresh organic produce, or a wide selection of gourmet meats and cheeses, adding a specialty section in your store increases customer engagement and brand loyalty.

The most common specialty sections grocery stores offer:

Produce

Bakery

Meat / Deli

Floral

Dining

There are many ways you can maximize the visual appeal of this space through your signage. In his book, Store Design and Visual Merchandising, Claus Ebster details the importance of using your visual merchandising as an effective marketing tool.

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“A more sophisticated visual merchandising strategy can lead to even greater effects, achieved by directing shoppers’ attention to specific products, triggering unplanned purchases, and establishing a uniform picture of the store.”

With the help of Ebster’s book and our own expertise we have assembled four tools you can use in your visual merchandising to enhance your focus points and displays.

Less is more

On average, supermarkets carry over 47,000 products, this makes the buying process for customers more complex. If you are wanting to present products for customers to buy you should utilize space and use few alternatives in your display. We see displays with statements like “Summer Favorites or Employees Recommend” do well because it makes the choice for the customer, all they must do is put the item in their cart. 

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Go With a Theme

Going with the previous example, “Summer Favorites”, building a display around a theme with a nice beach setting or inflatable pool toys will grab the customers attention and draw them to the product. Adding a theme to your display will create an engaging and visually appealing experience for customers and attract them to your product.

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Educate Shoppers

Oneway to engage shoppers with the product is including educational resources in your signage. Some examples may be a list of what fruits and vegetables are in season or a graphic of the different trims of meat on a cow. This is a great opportunity for customers to learn more about and interact with the product.

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Elevate Your Photography

While stock photography serves a lot of uses for designers and businesses, having original photos will engage the senses of your customers as they are exposed to your products. When your photography represents your store and products it builds brand trust and customer loyalty.

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Focus Points are a crucial element for enhancing your stores customer experience. By creating visually appealing displays and areas within your store you are engaging shoppers with new sights, sensations, and merchandise. To learn more on how you can elevate your stores design and customer experience, visit our Experience service page.

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