Top Tips for Merchandising Confectionery

Why does merchandising matter?

Great sweets will always be great sweets. But simply selling them all together doesn’t make them a great range. Merchandising – the presentation and organisation of stock – defines how your customers see and experience your offering.

Whether you’re a long-established business or are reasonably new to the industry, merchandising plays a key role in how effectively your range communicates with your customers. Here are six straightforward tips to help you get the most out of your offering.

Use Colours & Themes to Stand Out

A great range will always catch the eye of sweet-toothed shoppers, but applying thought and effort to the way you merchandise it will only make it stand out. Think of many popular confections – whether they’re pastel-hued mallows, vibrant pick n mix, or chocolate in bright wrappers – all of them are vibrant.

Many seasonal pushes have colours associated with them – red and green at Christmas, orange and purple at Halloween, red and pink for Valentine’s Day and soft pastels for Easter. Even if you don’t massively change the types of products in your range for these occasions, tweaking the colours on show will draw attention to promotions and seasonal ranges.

Aside from seasonal efforts, colours can still be a powerful factor in your range. You can easily differentiate a selection of bagged sweets from chocolate bars and pick n mix, not only drawing attention but also splitting it up in the eyes of shoppers. A point that leads neatly onto our next tip…

Organisation is Key

One of the most important aspects of merchandising your stock is the organisation. That may seem basic, but any range will be less effective if shoppers can’t browse and easily find their favourites. Clear labelling and signage of your stock will guide customers and help provide a seamless experience, whilst grouping similar products will ensure that your range is quickly navigable.

Without organisation, a range can feel overcrowded and won’t be effective. A structured approach to your range not only aids shoppers looking for their favourites, but encourages browsing, too.

Keep Displays Focused & Fresh

Utilising levels and the structure of your displays can help to create focal points in-store and, therefore, catch shoppers’ eyes. Adding layers to your displays gives them a new dimension that creates intrigue – plus it can be really effective to showcase best-sellers at eye-level. This catches attention and, in turn, draws focus to the rest of the range, too.

Concerning the lines in your range, freshening it up can help to retain customer engagement and ensure that there are reasons for them to check out your shelves. You don’t have to swap out everything in your range – simple touches like rotating strong sellers and pointing out new additions make sure your range feels up to date and exciting.

Maximise Seasons & Promotions

Occasions and pricing are two key factors in confectionery shoppers’ decision-making process. This is especially true when it comes to impulse purchases! A seasonal display that really communicates the excitement of the moment, whether it's Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or even local events, can be the difference between a sale and no sale. This goes for any other big promotion that you run, too. By tapping into what’s happening in shoppers’ lives, whether this is on the nose or indirectly in the form of inspiration, you are making the decision more emotive.

Clear, persuasive labelling and signage can help catch the eye and make it easier to communicate your value proposition and create upselling opportunities. Label lines with titles such as ‘Bestseller’ and ‘Great for Gifts’, and clearly highlight deals and price incentives like ‘2 for £X’ or ‘Buy One Get One Free’ and so on. These, along with clear occasional signage, help highlight the appeal of your stock to shoppers, encouraging both impulse sales and bigger baskets.

Give a Taste – Literally

Everyone loves a deal, and a freebie can’t be beaten. For sweet-toothed shoppers, there’s no better way to engage them than with a little taster. Even a small sample can turn browsers into buyers, particularly if you are showcasing a new arrival or something unique. Whether you offer mini cups of new pick n mix sweets, cubes of trending fudge, or something more suited to your speciality,

For obvious reasons, this isn’t possible for online-only businesses. But sharing samples or little tasters in your shipments can have just the same effect. Even if shoppers aren’t enamoured by the exact treat they taste, there will still be goodwill, which will work in your favour later on.

Let’s Not Forget Online Merchandising

Across your website or posting on social media accounts, showcasing your business and stock online is also an important part of your merchandising strategy. Whilst this is plainly true for online-only businesses, it is also a key aspect for multi- and omni-channel entities, too.

Consistency is a powerful thread when it comes to brand presence, so define your style and stick to it across platforms. From social media posts to website banners, page design, and email communications, a definitive style will make everything you do feel more cohesive – this can make it resonate deeper with shoppers.

So much of modern confectionery is vibrant, and aesthetic packaging is a big part of individual products’ appeal – make sure you showcase this with clear product imagery. Particularly with interactive stock, you can show off its playful side with GIFs and make your offering pop. These are ideal for both your product listings and catching the eye on social media. Whether you offer bespoke sweet tubs, seaside refreshments, or just a breathtaking range of confectionery, showcase what it is that makes your offering unique, and the rest will follow.

Ready to Build Your Range?

You don’t need huge resources and a vast team to create a big impression. Remember that making your stock shine is central to merchandising, and with smart layouts, clear signage, and a dose of creativity, you can easily elevate any range. Remember, whether you’re building a seasonal push or looking at year-round sellers, Hancocks is always here to help you out. Shop online, in-store, or make the most of our free Click & Collect service – whatever suits you best.

Share this post