Shoelace business. On the importance of related products.

At the time of the economic downturn, even the most unexpected move may turn out to be advantageous. For example, introduce related products to your shoe store’s assortment. Although how unexpected is this move? Soputka is an old, loyal assistant to increase the average bill and increase income.

Related goods are considered that are used together with already purchased, complement its properties, help them use, are its interchangeable parts. In our shoe case, these are shoe care cosmetics, laces, insoles, socks and so on.

What to sell?

The sale of related products occurs after the sale of the main product, when the customer said: “Yes, I buy.” It is quite possible that this resale does not begin at the box office, but at the dressing bench after the client's words: “Boots fit, I take.” Experienced marketers are confident that the sale of related products should be carried out after each purchase, that is, in 100% of cases of sales of the main product. In this case, you can easily achieve an increase in the average bill. But in order to establish sales of related products, it is first necessary to determine which products can be considered related to a particular product.

Of course, when forming an assortment of related products, it is worth starting from existing ones on the main shelves. If we talk about shoes, then as a "bundle" can be a whole range of different products: laces, insoles, socks, various shoe care products.

And even ... accessories (wallets, bags, gloves, belts), because women, as you know, do not buy individual things on their own, but model the finished image in your head using this same purchase.

When forming an assortment of related products, pay attention not only to the color scheme of your shoes, but also take into account the different types of leather from which it is made, and the expected weather conditions for the near future.

Shoe care products are included in the category of related products

However, do not focus only on shoe cosmetics, as most domestic stores do, it is necessary to expand the boundaries of the offer. For example, this summer Obuv Rossii Group of Companies is developing a line of Westfalika Medical cosmetic products sold in the Westfalika and Pedestrian chain of stores, adding hand creams, face scrub and accessories to the assortment. The new cosmetic line of hand leather care products includes 5 creams with various active ingredients, such as extracts of chamomile, calendula, ginseng root, wheat germ, vitamin complex. Their strategy for developing sales of related products is paying off. So, in the 2013 year, sales of the “bundle” amounted to 865 million rubles, which is 2,7 times higher than the 2012 year. And in 2014, the company plans to increase sales by 70% to 1,5 billion rubles, and increase the share of related products in revenue to 20%.

“When choosing product categories of packages, always be creative and think about what else might be interesting to your customers,” recommends Megan Cleary, shoe expert, and author of Shoe are You? - For example, if the assortment of your store has a lot of children's shoes - supplement it with inexpensive small toys for children of the appropriate age, as well as, possibly, bags for interchangeable shoes for schoolchildren. In a sports shoe store, not only “sports” socks should be sold well, but also small accessories such as headbands, elastic bands for hair, wristbands, etc. ”

Determine the price

Choosing a price segment for a bundle is not an easy task. First, determine what the average check of your store is and, based on this amount, try to determine how much your customer is willing to spend on additional goods. For an average check of 3000 rubles, the top bar for the price of one unit of a bundle will most likely be 300 rubles. For a higher segment, respectively, this amount will increase.

The hunt for change.

This is an interesting move to sell the track, which is easily carried out by Western retailers and does not take root well in Russian realities. It's simple: when a customer buys something that costs a non-circular amount, he rarely hands out exactly as much money as the product costs - usually the seller has to count the change. Each time this is some insignificant amount, as a rule, from 1-2% to 10-15% of the purchase price. But if you take into account that a few hundred or even thousands of people go through the cash desk per day, then a substantial amount is obtained per month. And such small products as shoelaces, socks or care products are good because their low purchase price allows you to make a high mark-up in 400-500% and, accordingly, make good money on them. If the assortment of your store is small, then you can check in advance what amounts of change most often have to be returned to the customer, and pick up one or two popular products for each such amount. For example, if the shoes cost 2800 rubles, then most likely the buyer will give the cashier three pieces of paper for 1000 rubles and will wait for 200 rubles for delivery. You need to pick up some product of the same or close cost and also related shoes, for example, a care product or a transparent plastic box for storing shoes in a closet. “Remember that in this case a speech must be compiled that will help sell these funds (or boxes),” explains Melissa Potter. WHO IS SHE???. - For example, like that. Look in the eyes, smile: “Do you want funds for your shoes for change? (Hand gesture towards the rack with the funds) Your shoes will look perfect twice as long! ”You should also try the option when the seller does not just point to the funds, but takes the appropriate one and hands it to the client.

Perhaps this will help to sell more, perhaps it will hurt. Unfortunately, in this case you won’t know without testing ... ”What is the economic effect? Let's estimate. Suppose 12 pairs of shoes are sold per day, and suppose every fourth customer purchases a shoe change tool. Total, 600 rubles per day, 18 thousand per month, 216 thousand per year. Not bad for such a simple trick. In addition, if you give the seller the right to reduce the price of goods purchased for change (within the limits set by you), this will further motivate buyers: “And you do not want instead of 240 rubles of change to receive this magnificent English shoe polish that costs 350 rubles? ”Surely he wants to!

"Buy for a husband." 

You can try another option for more expensive purchases - the phrase “Buy something for your husband”, which, among other things, gives the woman a moral justification for spending. So the girl will be able to tell her husband not “I bought myself Italian boots”, but “I went to buy you socks (or, for example, sandals for the summer) ... well, at the same time I bought myself boots.”

Places to Know

The axiom of merchandising states that small related products should be located in the impulsive purchase zone, that is, near the cash register, where a person is already mentally prepared for spending money. A larger bundle should be placed next to the product that it complements: a bag next to the shoes, a wallet and gloves - next to the bag. Alexander Levitas, author of the book “More money from your business”, advises: “If there is no physical opportunity to place an accompanying product next to the main one, internal navigation can help you out - a plate with an offer to buy an accompanying product and information on how to find it in the store ". However, keep in mind that it’s not enough just to put the goods or service advertising in plain sight, to place them nicely on the counter or in the window. Moreover, it is necessary to offer actively. The seller should look into the eyes of the buyer and say: “Buy this one too!” This is not difficult, but in commercial terms it sometimes literally works wonders.

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Shoelaces can also be included in the range of related products.

How to offer

Think about it: your business is selling a certain product or service, and what related products or services do you sell to it? Do your sellers offer them to anyone who makes a purchase? If not, why? How much money do you lose on this?

Do not steam!

Why not selling? Sellers often answer this question that they don’t do it, because buyers are offended and believe that they are being “cheated” on unnecessary goods. Remember how often, when you are in the store as a customer, you feel that you are being “thrilled” by unnecessary things. Alexander Levitas describes the difference between selling and “steaming” well: “If I buy feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and pickled olives, and the cashier asks me:“ Do you want a toilet brush at a discount? ”- in this situation you really get a feeling that they’re giving you something. But if the same cashier looked at the products in my cart, realized that this was an obvious salad set, and offered related products - for example, she would ask: “Do you want olive oil for salad at a discount?” Or “Do you want salad sauce with a discount? ”, even if I hadn’t bought anything, I would have remembered that the person at the checkout thought about me, offered exactly what I needed at that moment.”

Show interest.

In a shoe store, consultants should be able to determine why this person came to the store. For example, a girl in early July buys sandals. It would be logical to ask her if she is going to take a vacation on the sea, and, having received a positive response, offer cute beach slippers or a bright anklet bracelet. A man purchasing boots for hiking in the mountains will certainly be interested in warm, wear-resistant socks or a tourist backpack.

In this case, the consultant must clearly understand what it is worth focusing on the client. There are three product supply strategies: up-sale, cross-sale and down-sale. As a rule, the last, down-sale (the so-called "resale") is usually used for the transaction, when the client is offered a cheaper product that complements the already purchased one. But if it comes to buying an expensive pair of shoes, it is worth offering a quality, expensive cream to care for them, emphasizing that this new thing will last longer.

From big to small.

Offer a bundle should be in descending order of price: from the most expensive to the cheapest product. So the probability is high that the client will stop on an expensive offer, thus bringing you big profit. To the question: “Do you want more cream (socks, insoles)?” Most people most often answer: “No”. Therefore, it is better to replace it with a call to action: “Let us pick up your insoles!” Or “Let's take a water-repellent spray,” to which a person will most likely reflexively agree.

Assemble the kit.

There is another trick to increase the total purchase price. The seller combines several different products that are related to each other into a set and sells this set as an independent unit of goods. The trick is that not only is it more profitable for the seller to sell the kit, but it is often more profitable for the buyer to purchase it all at once, and not in parts. The main thing is that the kit should be completed successfully: there is everything that is needed, there is nothing superfluous, all components are combined with each other. At the same time, it is advisable to allow the buyer to change the configuration of the kit in reasonable aisles: replace something, add something, and remove something. This increases his motivation for shopping, but try to make sure that the changes do not reduce the total cost of the kit.

Wallets, bags, gloves, belts look organically in the assortment of shoe retail

Give a discount.

Do not forget about the "rewards." First of all, it is a discount on a specific product or group of goods when purchased in excess of a certain amount. True, such a discount is best served as a "gift", but everyone loves gifts and does not like to quickly count in their minds. Want an illustration? You are welcome! Compare the three promotional offers: “Three pairs of shoes for the price of two”, “33% discount when buying three pairs of shoes” and “When buying two pairs of shoes - the third as a gift!” Agree that the last offer looks much more attractive, although all three are absolutely identical in meaning.

Present a service.

Well, another way to encourage purchases is a free service related to purchased goods. For example, "When buying shoes worth more than 5000 rubles - a sticker of anti-slip plates on the sole is free!". And do not forget to “loudly” inform the buyer about the promotion that awaits him in case of a big purchase. Write about it on the plate above the cash register, on the product price tags, on a large poster behind the seller’s back. Remember the needs of your buyer, and he will buy from you everything that you offer him!

FACT: On average, 25% of buyers respond to an offer to buy related products.

This article was published in the 119 issue of the print version of the magazine.