Boosting Sales on Impulse

Impulse [im-puhls] – noun
1. the influence of a particular feeling, mental state, etc.
2. the sudden involuntary inclination prompting one to action.
3. a psychic drive or instinctual urge.

When you go to the supermarket to buy milk, why do they put it way in the back of the store? When you are standing in the checkout line, why do they surround you with candy, gum, tabloids and other not so inexpensive items like razors and smoker stoppers.

The placement of these items is not by accident. Many thousands of dollars have been spent by markets to determine the best items to be placed in the check out aisles to increase sales. Most people will act on impulse if given the chance. With the milk in the back of the store, customers have to walk all the way to the rear, passing thousands of items and all the way back to the front, passing even more.

Waiting in line puts even more ideas in front of your customer. With inexpensive items in reach, ideas begin to form. Thoughts like “I’d really like a Hershey bar!” or “Could I use a lighted key ring?” begin to talk the customer into buying on impulse.

Impulse sales happen if the thought process is triggered. If the checkout lane had empty shelves, most people wouldn’t think of buying those items. Impulse sales work!

Many locksmiths have already learned this lesson. The ability to use the available space to increase your sales is a natural. Why should you have a front customer area clogged with broken safes, UPS shipments and empty, dusty shelves?

Take advantage of your showroom to make more money. Look at some of the products different companies offer to make this happen.

Keep in mind that what some lock shops consider certain products impulse items, others may not consider those same items in the same way. A small rack of lock de-icer tubes will sell better in Sheboygan than it does in San Diego. The surfboard key rings may do better in San Diego. Are there any surfers in Sheboygan?

Let’s take a look at some common items that will prompt your customer to add to the sales total they walked in to make.

The first part of this article deals with the smaller less expensive items, but we’ll also explore bigger ticket items that may fall under the impulse umbrella as well.

DECORATIVE KEYS

In addition to plain keys, a number of companies are now offering specialty or decorative keys. Choices include the images or logos of hundreds of cartoon characters, college and professional sports teams, racecar drivers, flags, floral patterns, etc. Here are some of your choices.

KABA ILCO CORPORATION – Ilco offers hundreds of choices with their eight painted key groups including; Personali-Keys, Team Keys, Collegiate Personali-Keys, Automotive Personali-Keys, U.S. Armed Forces Keys, Cool Colors Keys, Magnet Keys and NASCAR Keys.

Individual flat panel and three-sided counter top display racks are available to promote the items to your customers. A rotating display is also available for individually carded keys. The painted finish is durable, detailed and commands notice. All of the designs are available in the common Schlage/Baldwin, Kwikset and Titan keyways, with some patterns offering additional choices in Master and Weiser key sections. Cool Colors adds Yale, Arrow, Dexter and Weslock key sections and Automotive Personali-Keys offer eight of the most popular vehicle keyways that cover over 775 makes and models.

Ilco keys are sold through distribution. For more information on Ilco keys, contact your favorite locksmith distributor or go to www.kaba-ilco.com

JET HARDWARE MANUFACTURING - Jet offers a large creative selection of Groovy Keys® in eight different categories: Fun Groovy Keys, Military Patterns, Patriotic Patterns, Sports Patterns, Religious Patterns, The “Simpsons”, Animal Kingdom and Zodiac Patterns. New releases include Playboy Patterns and Spoo-Key Patterns.