Did you know that impulse purchases make up 62% of all supermarket sales?
If you don’t understand the psychology behind impulse buying, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to increase your grocery store’s revenue.
In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of grocery store impulse buying and share how you can take advantage of it to delight customers, increase your average basket size, and boost overall sales.
It’s happened to all of us: You walk into a store with a short list, and by the time you reach the checkout counter, you have a cart full of things you didn’t know you needed.
That’s impulse buying psychology at work.
When customers walk into a store, they don’t take a direct path to the items they need. Instead, they wander around, letting the displays tell them what to buy.
Here’s how this phenomenon affects their grocery shopping habits:
Source: Capital One Shopping
Knowing these statistics can help you make informed display and promotion decisions to drive sales. Let’s look at six specific strategies to try in your grocery store.
Designing a smart grocery store floor plan is the most effective way to drive impulse purchases.
Your store’s layout should gently encourage customers to move through the aisles in a specific pattern — ensuring they see your most exciting (and most profitable) products during their shopping trip.
For example, most grocery stores place essentials like meat, dairy, and bread at the back of the store. That way, customers pass by the rest of your departments before reaching the items on their lists.
Related Read: How Are Grocery Stores Organized? (+ How You Can Optimize Your Layout)
Endcaps are prime retail real estate. Customers see them right at your entrance, pass by them as they wander your aisles, and peruse them while waiting in the checkout line.
This high visibility makes endcaps an excellent place to display impulse items. Here are a few examples of how to use your grocery store’s endcaps to drive sales:
Most importantly, you need to rotate these endcap displays regularly, giving customers something new to look at every time they stop by your grocery store.
Related Read: Stocking Seasonal Products in Your Grocery Store: 5 Tips
Ice cream and sprinkles, peanut butter and jelly, tortilla chips and salsa — customers are more likely to purchase complementary items like these if they’re right next to each other.
This strategy is called cross-selling, and it’s a highly effective way to drive impulse purchases. Here’s how to do it:
Cross-selling is a win-win for you and your customers. You’ll enjoy increased revenue, and they’ll avoid the second trip to the grocery store for a forgotten item.
Related Read: Grocery Store Merchandising: How To Display Your Products for Maximum Sales
Customers rarely turn down a free sample, and they’re much more likely to purchase a product after they’ve tried it. That’s why samples are another one of the best ways to drive grocery store impulse buying.
Here are a few of our top tips for turning samples into sales:
Free samples work especially well around the holidays! Highlight appetizers like brie bites, premade charcuterie plates, and cocktail meatballs to simplify their preparations.
Hungry customers can’t ignore the aroma of a fresh rotisserie chicken — which is why ready-to-eat foods are one of the most popular grocery store impulse buys.
Along with rotisserie chickens and precooked proteins, shoppers reach for hot sides like potato wedges, premade sandwiches and wraps, and baked goods.
The right promotional strategy encourages customers to turn these ready-to-eat foods into full meals. For example, you might offer a bundle deal where customers can get a made-to-order entree, single-serving side, drink, and dessert for a special price.
The checkout counter is your last opportunity to drive sales. As customers wait in line, they let their eyes wander — and putting impulse items within easy reach can turn these looks into revenue.
Here’s what to stock in the displays near your cash register:
Shoppers shouldn’t have to think about or budget for these items, so stick to products under $10.
Looking for more tips to maximize your revenue? Check out our comprehensive guide to the top products sold in grocery stores!
This free resource covers: