Unparalleled Retail Merchandising Experience

RMS is a privately owned, boutique agency specializing in servicing Target, and is proud to have been a Preferred Target Partner for 38 years and counting.

Collectively, our leadership team brings more than 150 years of executive retail experience. On top of that, the majority of our leadership team and account teams have worked in Target stores, with many as Executive Team Leads and Store Directors. This brings a deep understanding of Target to our clients that just cannot be matched.

Flexible Merchandising Solutions

By drawing on this experience, RMS is able to offer solutions that are flexible to the shifting needs and challenges our clients face. And above all, we care about building deep and long-lasting partnerships with both our clients and our retailer partners.

Our “secret sauce” is an open secret – we value relationships.

We assign field reps to specific stores that become that representative’s primary location. This provides concrete insight to the unique qualities of every store and creates strong relationships between the RMS field rep and the management team at the assigned store. The result is more efficient service, more willingness to help from Target team members, and higher rates of success locating cartons of critical SEM or product because of deep knowledge of that store.

Customizing solutions allows RMS to respond to specific challenges with nimble strategies. Numerous case studies show how RMS has been able to make a difference for brands facing issues such as Scan-Based Trading (SBT) management. RMS is also responsive to challenges and opportunities that arise from economic trends and seasonal patterns, designing crucial strategies for display maintenance in response to changing consumer behavior.

Every Target Store Covered

RMS covers every Target store with average completion rates over 95%. Our field team visits every Target store at least once per week and averages over 1 million logged hours in Target stores annually.

RMS focuses on quality service. We employ 150 certified trainers across the country. Every field rep spends their first day in face-to-face training at the store they are assigned, learning the RMS way as well as the Target process and meeting the Executives and Team Leads in the store they will service.

RMS offers so much more than routine visits, and the difference shows in our execution rates and client satisfaction. Our best-in-class compliance and other protocols are popular with clients, garnering such comments as “Everything was great! Love the communication” and “RMS is a great partner and I recommend their services to our clients regularly.”

Whatever your unique challenges, RMS has the experience and flexibility to provide the merchandising solutions you need. Our built-in process with Target means we are positioned to improve everything about how your brand is represented there. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!

The post Why RMS is the Right Retail Merchandising Partner for Target Suppliers appeared first on RMS.

Capture Holiday Dollars with Eye-Catching Displays

Eye-catching displays are the key strategy to draw in this year’s holiday consumer. Displays continue the visual narrative that the consumer experiences online. This is a factor of growing importance as omnichannel merchandising becomes more expected. Endcaps and displays are also a perfect vehicle for cross-sells and bundles. This year, 30% of businesses are focusing on cross-selling opportunities, which combines the prioritizing of deals as well as a growing trend of meeting customers where they are.

Endcaps and displays provide strong lifestyle visuals, memorable branding imagery, and information about deals, as well as an opportunity to place complimentary products together. A stunning display can even increase your social media buzz. Brands have found that shoppers will take a photo in front of an exciting display, and data shows that sharing on social media can have a big impact on a retailer’s bottom line. Nearly 80% of consumers say that user-generated content highly impacts their purchasing decisions, and 66% have been inspired to make a purchase from a new brand after seeing social media images from other customers.

This year’s holiday shoppers are all about the visuals, bringing expectations from their online shopping experiences and hoping that shopping itself will be an opportunity for sharing on social media. But they are also concerned with the life cycle of the products they buy. Consumers want to know where a product’s material and packaging come from, and where they might end up. Endcaps and displays are an excellent opportunity for sharing this information in a way that will impact today’s visually-oriented consumers.

Displays are Powerful – if Done Right

Endcaps and displays are a powerful solution for the challenges and opportunities this holiday season presents. But they are also a major stumbling block in the chain between brands and retailers. A third-party merchandiser can tighten up these connections to ensure that displays meet their potential for impact. RMS offers Endcap and Retail Display Services that will make the difference in in-store execution this holiday season.

Here are a few examples of past displays that we’ve serviced:

Athena Club highlights their product with visually appealing colors and larger-than-life imagery. This display emphasizes inviting product visuals to catch the eye of the consumer.

Quip uses their endcap space for storytelling.  It allows them to express what makes their product unique.  Endcap displays allow brands to provide key selling points and short copy much like an online experience.

Function of Beauty uses a soft and dreamy, on-trend ombre color palette to catch shoppers’ attention.  This specific product requires customers to purchase multiple items to match their hair type.  The display uses perfect placement to ensure products are kept in the correct order and easily step customers through the purchase process.

GreenPan’s display uses their identifiable green color to call attention to their brand, which was a well-known Direct to Consumer brand prior to entering retailers. They used their endcap space to identify each of their pan sets and uses, making it an educational and creating a value statement.

The Key to Success – Display Installation and More

The success of each of these displays was in the perfect execution of every step. First, the visual marketing was powerful. Then, the displays had to be installed. Finally, frequent audits and on-time restocking have to happen on the store floor. The financial and time investment in endcaps and other retail displays are worth it. But if your display or product never makes it to the floor, it will all be for naught.

We make sure that doesn’t happen by assigning each client their own account manager who works with the field team to ensure that endcaps and displays are set correctly and that they are fully stocked. All signage and ISM materials are serviced and documented to make sure that your investment in storytelling follows through to the consumer’s in-store experience. With 64% of shoppers reporting that the in-store experience has the greatest influence on their purchasing decision, it is clear that this step is essential to making good on your holiday goals.

Every year we are learning more about the ways that consumers interact with brands both online and in person. While at one time it seemed that one form of shopping might win out over the other, we now see that increased hybridization of the two is the order of the day. While this holiday shopping season will prove to be long and robust, it presents the challenge of keen-eyed consumers whose vision is trained on emotional narratives as well as solid deals. Keeping up appearances is essential this holiday season, but you don’t have to go it alone.

Contact RMS today to find out more!

The post It’s All About Displays This Holiday Season: Are You Ready for Your Close-Up? appeared first on RMS.

The key to success for any SBT program is top-notch retail inventory management. Every step from locating boxes of inventory at the receiving dock, to getting them to the sales floor must be executed flawlessly. Inventory counts must be frequent and timely. And of course, every item needs to be priced correctly. For a supplier with nationwide coverage like this brand, finding the right partner who could perform at the highest level consistently, was the top priority.

RMS was thrilled at the opportunity as we specialize in nationwide, SBT support, and our in-store execution rates are unparalleled. RMS accepted the challenge and set out a plan to help this card company course-correct and set them up for future growth.

Read on to learn more about the challenges this company was facing and how we were able to develop a program that has helped them thrive over several years.

The Challenge

This greeting card company needed to address the daily management of their SBT program and during peak holiday seasons. Before RMS, this brand’s cards were not making it to the shelves. From missing shipments at store locations to improperly managed out-of-stock items, to accuracy challenges, it was clear they needed robust processes and automation to improve store execution. 

RMS’ Solution

After implementing some basic blocking and tackling SBT strategies during the initial non-holiday period, they were thrilled with how efficiently RMS handled their day-to-day management. Ahead of the first cycle of holidays, we collaborated with them to ensure every gap they wanted addressed had a strategic plan and process to address it, giving them peace of mind, even before the busy season hit.

RMS developed specific strategies for this client to address the time-sensitive nature of the product, creating specialized and season-specific shipment tracking. RMS partnered with the client to create branding on shipment boxes to help field representatives locate a higher percentage of shipments, versus their previous service provider.  RMS also created a shipping carton scan feature that automatically matched sent cartons to the cartons the field reps were servicing.  We also implemented a photo capture of the shipping label to provide to the client to double confirm the correct cartons were being located and worked to the sales floor.

To improve inventory management, reps scanned out-of-stock and damaged items and uploaded information to the client’s inventory system automatically every evening.

RMS also partnered with the client to create a scannable Add/Drop product list for service efficiency.

Finally, we created detailed scan guides that were sent to reps to help improve accuracy in setting new POGs and seasonal endcaps.

Results

Once this client and RMS partnered, we were able to deliver significant improvements and have been honored to be their merchandiser of choice ever since.

A few highlights of our work together:

• In 2021, RMS completed a total of 28,628 visits during Holiday servicing.
  
• In 2022, Mother’s Day saw 98% of cartons were located and installed, while stores were visited 7 to 11 times per week during the Valentine’s Day 2022 period.
  
• In 2023, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day numbers remained high, with 93.6% visit completion for Mother’s Day and 91.7% visit completion for Valentine’s Day.

Since starting with RMS, this greeting card brand has beat internal seasonal sales forecasts every period. We wanted to make sure they were set up for long-term success so they also retain the reporting and automation created by RMS for future seasons. This includes Box Find reporting for tracking and reporting all shipments sent to the store, and the Box Scan Functionality, which allows reps to scan shipment tracking barcodes to improve the accuracy of shipments.

At the conclusion of each season, RMS provides a hindsight presentation highlighting wins and opportunities, and strategies for future seasons. This is in addition to weekly inventory reports, weekly servicing recaps, and weekly reporting on missing ISM.

Most recently, this supplier reported that they had a successful holiday season thanks to RMS’ execution, adding “Major, major kudos to everyone involved with this project, it was a gigantic success!”

Flexible solutions make the difference in maximizing in-store execution for products like these, and RMS has the robust and tested methods to make the most of every season.

Companies of every size and scope need focused solutions for improving SBT performance. RMS has a standard program that covers the basics of shipment locating, product stocking, planogram transitions, SEM management, and service reporting. Account managers are able to develop specific strategies to address the particular needs and opportunities of each client to make sure your goals are met or exceeded.

If you’re wanting to experience best-in-class management of your SBT program, give us a call to see how we can help!

Contact us today!

The post See How A Large Greeting Card Company Partners with RMS for Expert Scan-Based Trading Management appeared first on RMS.

Learning from the 2022 Back-to-School Retail Season

2022 showed how important the back-to-school spending trend is, with a record high $34.4 billion spent despite the downturn in overall retail sales due to inflation. This year is shaping up to follow this trend, with 38% of consumers saying they are cutting back on other spending to focus on back-to-school purchases. According to the NRF, 56% of consumers are starting their back-to-school shopping as early as July. Starting early means shoppers have time to seek out the best deals. Shopping for dorm essentials and school supplies will continue as students receive their lists from schools, so retailers must be ready for wave upon wave of back-to-school shoppers.

Planogram Maintenance

Planogram maintenance is an essential strategy for keeping up with the record-high numbers of back-to-school shoppers. The RMS Planogram Maintenance Program keeps shelves stocked to capacity, reconciles count inaccuracies with store personnel, and ensures that displays are clean and generally looking their best. Ongoing planogram retail merchandising services reduce out-of-stock events by 23% on average. Consumers who find their desired item out of stock will move on to another brand, so make sure you are ready to get top marks in every wave of back-to-school shopping.

A Back-to-School Retail Strategy for Every Generation

At this moment, every segment of the population is shopping differently. But for everyone from Generation Alpha to Baby Boomers, social media is a big part of the picture. Most of Generation Alpha has had smartphones from a young age and are already heavily engaged in social media before they start shopping for themselves. Generation Alpha is mostly parented by Millennials, who are tuned in to the purchasing desires of their kids as well as their own consumption of social media advertising. Three out of five US parents say they look to their kids for what to buy during back-to-school shopping, while 70% of millennial parents say they’ve purchased products related to their child’s favorite character or show.

Gen Z is now part of the back-to-college shopping population, and they present particular challenges and opportunities for retailers. Brands have to meet Gen Z where they are, which at this point means reaching them on TikTok. Gen Z uses TikTok like Google, searching for products they want directly within the platform. Keywords, hashtags, and optimized content are important for any brand looking to reach Gen Z on TikTok. While Gen Z likes to build their back-to-college shopping list by engaging with social media, 55% of them still prefer to purchase products in-store.

What’s Getting Purchased

It’s no surprise that electronics continue to be a big part of back-to-college shopping. But electronic purchases are now focused more on accessories, with the sale of big-ticket items like laptops falling to 54%, the lowest it’s been since 2017. Clothing and apparel are rising in importance, as college students get used to making a statement for in-person learning. Dorm and apartment furnishings are also on the rise in the minds of Gen Z shoppers, reaching an all-time high of 57%.

Preparing for an Omnichannel Retail Strategy

Brands need merchandising partners with the know-how to meet the expectations of Gen Z shoppers. If an initiative is launched with an influencer, it’s essential that shelves are stocked before shoppers arrive. RMS’s Internal Compliance team is responsible for punctual store visits and maintaining consistent store coverage. The Compliance team audits 100% of photos taken by merchandisers, providing assurance for brands that nothing is missed. We all remember being told to check our work in school: the RMS Internal Compliance team checks the work of merchandisers to make the most of your marketing initiatives.

Consumers from every generation are looking for an omnichannel experience, with seamless transitions between online and in-store shopping. Whether they are Generation Alpha students making their first solo back-to-school purchases or Baby Boomers just warming up to social media, there are opportunities to meet consumers online through influencers that must be consummated with in-store sales. RMS provides customizable solutions for every brand’s strategy.

Contact us today to see what we can do for you!

The post Study Up for the Back-to-School Retail Boom of 2023 appeared first on RMS.

The sheer volume of people purchasing graduation gifts is climbing. The NRF reports that the number of people purchasing graduation gifts hit a ten-year low in 2020. But in just two years the number of purchasers has rebounded to the ten-year average of 33%, with a total expected spend of $5.8 billion across the population. The average amount spent on graduation gifts is also climbing, a trend that has continued steadily in recent years. Respondents to the 2022 survey reported spending an average of $114 on graduation gifts.

What People are Gifting Their Grads

But what are people actually giving the graduates in their life? There are more options out there than ever, and some experience pressure to come up with unique or personalized gifts for graduates, which is why it’s no surprise that the most popular choices for graduation gifts continue to be cash, cards, and gift cards. Cash is by far the most popular graduation gift, accounting for 52% of graduation gifts in 2020. Giving cash gives graduates the option to spend or save as they choose, an important parallel to their transition into adulthood.

A card with a personal message is still an important way to congratulate graduates on their achievements. Cards account for 37% of graduation gifts in 2022. When paired with cash, a card can combine a personal touch with practicality. The card’s message could be an opportunity to suggest how the cash or gift card could be spent, such as for dorm room supplies or headphones of the graduate’s choice.

In a similar way, gift cards can suggest a type of gift while giving the graduate the actual purchasing power. Gift cards are the third most popular choice in the NRF survey, accounting for 31% of graduation gifts. With gift cards, retailers have two opportunities to connect with consumers: first with the initial purchase of the card by the gift-giver, and then with the graduates themselves. Whether catching the attention of someone purchasing a gift card or drawing in a graduate with a gift card to spend, brands must ensure that their shop floor presence is on point to maximize in-store execution.

How RMS Can Help Brands Capture Grad Dollars

RMS is uniquely positioned to assist brands in making the most of graduation season. Your RMS account manager works with you to develop ISM strategies and conduct field tests of the service, ensuring that displays are in place and up-to-date and that shelves are re-stocked promptly. 64% of consumers report that the in-store experience has the greatest influence on what they choose to purchase, making these strategies essential for driving graduation season purchases.

In-store displays and stock-level management are important for other graduation gift categories too. Apparel and electronics represent 16% and 11% of 2022’s graduation spending respectively in the general population. These gift categories are more popular among younger graduation gift-givers, with 27% of people aged 18-34 spending on apparel and 19% in the same age group spending on electronics. Electronics and apparel brands have a great opportunity to catch the wave of younger graduation gift-givers spending more on the graduates in their lives but need to have reliable strategies to track and improve in-store execution.

RMS uses a proprietary platform to provide summary-level and store-level reporting that makes the difference in enhancing your merchandising strategies. Combined with our management team’s more than 150 years of executive retail experience, our cutting-edge reporting allows brands to shape their presence to meet the shifting habits of our younger consumers.

While younger graduation gift-givers are more likely to give electronics and apparel, consumers age 45 and up overwhelmingly give cash. In the 65+ category, 66% of respondents report gifting cash to graduates. This trend is driven by the belief that graduates are better at selecting gifts for themselves, and also from the understanding that they may need more help with basic necessities than they realize. As graduates enter a challenging economic climate, help with groceries and dorm room basics can actually be the best use of graduation gift funds.

The class of 2023 has faced some unprecedented challenges on their way to graduation. Remote learning and economic uncertainty have shaped their experience in education and will continue to shape their lives. Friends and family members recognize this and are showing up for graduates with gifts that empower them. Whether they receive cash or gift cards, graduates will be making the ultimate purchasing decisions on their graduation gifts. Brands have two waves of consumers to catch this graduation season, and RMS has the tools and experience to make the most of it.

Interested in partnering with RMS for all of your retail merchandising needs? Call us today!

The post Graduation Gifting is on the Rise appeared first on RMS.

This presents brands with a mix of challenges and opportunities around the effectiveness of endcaps and displays. With increased competition both online and offline, brands must ensure that their products stand out on shelves and provide a compelling in-store experience. Adding a third-party retail merchandiser to ensure displays are set and stocked can increase display presentation by 40-50%.

What Merchandisers Can Do for Retail Brands

Merchandisers can provide valuable insights into consumer behavior and market trends, helping brands make data-driven decisions about product placement and inventory management. In addition, with the rise of omnichannel retail, merchandisers can help brands create a seamless and consistent customer experience across all channels.

By partnering with third-party retail merchandisers, brands can stay ahead of the curve and thrive in a competitive retail landscape. RMS is uniquely positioned to enhance display effectiveness with tested results. A collective of retail experts with more than 150 years of combined experience, RMS provides best-in-class merchandising services to clients across a variety of retail channels.

What do In-Person Shoppers Care About in 2023?

In-person shopping has taken on a different significance in the post-pandemic consumer landscape.

• Tightening Budgets – Consumers are increasingly driven toward “no-frills” spending habits driven by inflation.
• Self–Care – Conversely, shoppers now view shopping as a form of self-care
• Retailer Loyalty – 64% of shoppers spend more time in a store following a positive previous in-store experience.

How do Brands Stand Out in This Retail Environment?

Brands are investing in displays that have an emotional impact and draw the consumer into an experience that they will remember and return to repeat. A display that showcases a brand’s values or history can create a deeper connection with the shopper and make them more likely to choose that brand over others. But if displays are not set and stocked, that investment is lost.

The popularity of immersive shopping experiences and pop-ups is also driving broader consumer preferences. Storefronts recently vacated by retailers struggling in the e-commerce boom are turning into successful pop-ups that give customers the sensory experiences lacking in online shopping. By using creative and interactive displays, retailers can create a memorable shopping experience that keeps customers coming back. In an era where convenience is king, providing an exceptional in-store experience can be a valuable differentiator.

DTC brands in particular need to be as immersive in-store as they are online to create a unified omnichannel presence. For example, Target is adapting the pop-up strategy by offering DTC brands only available physically in their locations. This creates something new that already has an emotional attachment created from the online marketing efforts of the brand. As more and more new brands and DTC brands come to Brick and Mortar retailers, it’s essential for brands to stand out and make a connection with customers.

How RMS Can Help In-Store Retail Display Management

RMS account managers work with you to develop your store display strategy and conduct field tests of the service. Execution of endcaps and displays is documented throughout the project to ensure accuracy and thoroughness. Our proprietary reporting platform allows our account team to customize reporting format and type of data to fit your needs, and to provide a summary and store-level reporting. These strategies are proven through the results of previous endcap and display projects documented in RMS case studies. When properly set and stocked, eye-catching endcap displays draw shoppers in to connect with brands.

The RMS team is a collective of seasoned experts who have the experiential knowledge to make a difference in display performance. The average tenure of an RMS merchandiser is over three years, and many merchandisers progress to become RMS field trainers and managers who provide valuable store-level feedback to improve performance. The experience of the RMS team gives an edge to approaching the strategies needed in this evolving climate.

While trends in consumer preferences provide opportunities, economic factors continue to present challenges to brands. Retail ranked second highest in January layoffs among industries, surpassed only by tech. Labor shortages put added stress on in-store execution rates. With less staff on the floor, retail merchandisers play an even bigger role in brand effectiveness. The RMS compliance team works with the field team to ensure accuracy and thoroughness in endcap and display maintenance.

Retail displays are more important than ever in 2023. They can attract and engage shoppers, tell a brand’s story, and provide a unique experience that online shopping simply cannot match. By investing in eye-catching and creative displays, retailers can set themselves apart in a crowded marketplace and build lasting relationships with their customers. A retail merchandising partner can make a difference in the effectiveness of these displays, and RMS brings the successful strategies and experience to make good on that investment.

Contact RMS today!

The post Why Endcap and Displays are Important to Brick and Mortar Retail Stores appeared first on RMS.

Retail merchandising execution remains a challenge in this landscape, cited as a major challenge across global merchandising decision-makers and for 18% of respondents, it is their most pressing challenge. A retail merchandising partner can help maximize in-store sales, but how can you make sure your merchandising partner has what it takes to make sure your inventory is placed, set, and priced correctly?

Question 1: How is the firm owned and operated?

Many firms are simply divisions of larger companies that have been acquired and do not operate independently. Is the firm you’re considering privately held?

RMS is a privately held firm, which means we are more flexible and more focused than an acquired division. RMS provides better customer service because our team is more informed and more engaged with the realities of retail merchandising. Our entire team is able to nimbly address client concerns, so no matter who answers your call, you know you’ll find your answer.

Question 2: Who represents the company and how are they trained?

The skills and experience of a company’s field team determines their ability to maximize sales. Is your potential merchandising partner staffed by experienced and knowledgeable personnel?

RMS hires the most skilled and qualified individuals to perform merchandising tasks. We are highly focused on our training, with over 140 Certified Trainers across the country ensuring that all new merchandisers are up to speed. RMS’s award-winning training program provides an edge for effective store execution and reliable data collection.

Question 3: What services beyond merchandising does a firm also offer if any?

Some companies split focus across many strategies including sampling, remodels, and new store openings. Multiple strategies can lead to a scattershot approach lacking effectiveness.

Merchandising is all RMS does. Our focus on maximizing execution is unwavering, and we have developed specific technologies to enhance performance. We use a proprietary platform and mobile application to increase flexibility and provide unparalleled data collection.

Question 4: What access does the field team have to the retailer systems?

A merchandising firm’s ability to access retailer systems and work independently will determine their success. Without access, the merchandiser relies on the retailer’s ability to monitor and move stock. With retailer-only execution rates hovering around 40%, your merchandising firm needs access to inventory in order to improve sales execution.

RMS is BackRoom certified at Target with access to their backroom and inventory devices. This means our field team can independently locate backstock and move it to the sales floor, closing a major gap in the sequence to successful execution.

Question 5: What kind of experience does the corporate office have?

Real-world experience is necessary to understand the issue at retail and the best way to achieve optimal store execution results. It’s important to know where your potential merchandising partner’s corporate office gained their experience.

The RMS leadership team has more than 150 years of manager-level retail experience both at stores and corporate offices. Our seasoned experts also draw from backgrounds in merchandising, operations, and manufacturing. The concrete skills and deep knowledge of our leadership team means we understand retail through and through.

Question 6: Where does the company’s field team spend their time?

If you are looking for help with a particular retailer, it’s essential to take a look at how much time a merchandising company’s field team spends there. How often do they visit, and what does their presence achieve? The more familiar a rep is with a store, the better their ability to complete tasks and the more likely successful execution will be.

Every RMS rep is assigned their own store so that they can familiarize themselves with the operations of a specific store and garner a relationship with the retail team. Our reps collectively spend over 1 million inside our retail partner t stores each year. 

Question 7: Do the client service leaders of the firm have retail experience?

Just like with the corporate office, it is important that client service leaders have retail experience under their belt. Does your potential merchandising partner have a field team with real-world retail experience?

Our client service leaders have all had management-level positions at retail stores. Furthermore, our field team is all required to pass in-store training from RMS-certified trainers upon hiring. This ensures that our team brings practical experience to bear, as well as delivering performance consistent with our standards.

After three years of upset and uncertainty, the opportunities of the “new normal” is coming into focus. Consumers are returning to in-person events, and retailers have a chance to capitalize on the desire for an immersive and holistic shopping experience. Retail execution implementation remains a major concern, reportedly leaving 81% of companies unsatisfied. With the right merchandising partner, there are great gains to be made in this new landscape.

Contact RMS today to see if we’re the right fit for your merchandising needs!

The post What Questions Should You Ask When Considering a 3rd-Party Merchandising Firm? appeared first on RMS.

As we enter 2023, major retailers are focused on supporting a seamless hybrid customer experience from app to aisle. Read on to learn what this means for brands, and how your brand can leverage these trends for retail success. 

In-Person Shopping is Here to Stay: Making the Most Out of Sets, End Cap & Promotional Displays

Large format retailers like Target continue to include partnerships with distinct brands among their priorities. We are seeing higher brand investments on impactful sets, end cap facing, and displays accordingly.

While online shopping has become increasingly centered on customer experience and efficiency, the sensory experience inherent to brick-and-mortar retailers cannot be beaten, and the statistics prove it: 72% of consumers are relying on in-person shopping as a part of their primary buying method and 64% of shoppers say the in-store experience has the most significant influence on their purchase decision. Endcaps and promotional displays create great brand exposure and sales opportunities. Fully and correctly stocked displays draw shopper attention and maximize sales.

Leveraging In-Store Window Shopping to Increase Campaign Success

The post-COVID consumer is a hybrid shopper. Brands must leverage both retail brick and mortar, and digital space to promote and advertise themselves. While investing in retail media grows in importance, more freedom to make a statement on retailer shelves means that in-store marketing continues to play an important part in driving sales.

In-store marketing engages customers and helps your product stand out from the competition. Whether it’s shelf signage, displays, or other point-of-purchase materials, shoppers will miss engaging with your products if they are overshadowed by other brands.

Keeping in Mind: Smaller Budgets Mean More Competitive In-Store Dollars

As consumers continue to face staggering inflation, we are seeing these trends continue through 2023:

• discretionary spending is down,
• omnichannel marketing is more important than ever,
• consumer habits are shifting in favor of resale, savings, and community-building

As shoppers tighten their belts, brands are uniquely at risk of losing the attention of existing customers. This means that brands are also uniquely situated to get ahead by winning over new shoppers, as well as by maintaining their existing base. To do so, they must be able to break through the noise of competitors.

Make Sure Your Marketing Investment is Properly Executed

Poor in-store execution can result in up to a 25% loss of retail sales. High merchandising execution rates and ISM help drive consumer purchasing decisions, yet it is unfortunately all too common that expensive displays never make it to the sales floor, products are not optimally stocked, and planograms are improperly executed. As retailers continue to face staffing shortages, average execution rates efforts such as display set-up, stocking, and product turnovers fall around 40% when the responsibility for stocking and displays are left to retailer staff alone. 

Third-party merchandising partners can be a crucial part of your brand’s success, increasing in-store execution significantly and thus, increasing profits. The right partner will improve the execution of resets, promotions, and displays to ensure store presentation is optimized and make sure that your products stand out from the competition.

RMS Can Help You Make the Most of Retail Trends in 2023

Retail Merchandising Services (RMS) is an experienced retail execution partner. We have a national field team of industry experts, offer best-in-class merchandising training with over 140 certified trainers across the country, and are managed by retail experts with over 150 years of combined store management experience. RMS is also Backroom Certified at Target and has been a Target Preferred Partner since the program’s inception. See RMS’ web page on Target Services for more detail.

Contact us today to see if we are a good fit!

The post Leverage These Retail Trends for Brand Success in 2023 appeared first on RMS.

In years like this, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to every in-store detail.

Do you have in-store marketing in place? Are your planograms being executed correctly? Did your product make it from the backroom to the shelf? Are you standing out from the crowd? Are you auditing your store presence frequently enough?

All these questions and more are critical to answer. Read on to get the in-store holiday retail checklist and discover services retail merchandising partners can support you with to make sure this holiday season is nothing short of jolly.

The In-Store Holiday Retail Checklist

While managing retail store execution is complicated, the checklist doesn’t have to be. Follow these questions and make sure your in-store presentation is in tip-top shape.

• Is your in-store marketing strategy confirmed and being executed to plan?
• Did your products make it to the backroom of your retail partner’s stores?
• Is your product making it from the backroom to your sales floor locations to meet sales demand?
• Are your products set to planogram and priced correctly?
• Are you taking advantage of promotions like Instant Redeemable Coupons?

Of course, this is a simplified checklist. But the heart of a successful retail season is the same: in-store product management.

58% of consumers expect to spend less on non-food purchases this season so suppliers must focus on making sure there are no gaps in their process and no inventory slipping through the cracks. Land every opportunity for a sale by ensuring your in-store operations are in tip-top shape.

If you don’t have time to go into each retail partner, third-partner retail merchandisers like RMS can be the boots on the ground and the helping hand you need.

How Third-Party Merchandising Partners Can Make the Holidays Bright for Suppliers

Of course, we’re partial to merchandising partners because we are one. But we’re passionate about what we do because we know how much work goes into getting your products placed at a retail store to begin with. We want to make sure your product’s journey doesn’t end sitting in the backroom of a store. Here’s how we can help make sure that’s just the start of its adventure.

First, we’re Backroom Certified at Target. This means we are able to work independently in stores – locating product in the backroom, pulling inventory to the sales floor, printing shelf labels, and looking at store-specific planograms. No matter who you partner with, this is important. Without this certification, your retail merchandising partner is severely limited in what they’ll be able to do for you.

Must-Have Retail Merchandising In-Store Maintenance Services

Make sure your product is getting the attention it deserves, no matter what shelf it’s on.

We offer:

• Planogram maintenance to keep the shelves full, products merchandised to planogram, and tagged correctly on shelves.
• Perishables maintenance to make sure your food and beverages are in stock, not expired, and rotated to maintain the longest shelf lives.

Can’t Miss In-Store Marketing and Visual Merchandising Services

Make your inventory pop and catch customers’ eyes with these services.

• Endcap and display services to maximize brand exposure on those high-value locations.
• Instant Redeemable Coupons (IRCs) to capture eyeballs, stand out from your competition and move inventory faster.
• In-Store Marketing (ISM) and Execution to tell your story and ensure your items stand out from the competition.
• Reset and Revision audits to ensure inline sets are completed, merchandised to planogram, correctly signed, and in-store marketing materials are installed.

Third-Party Managed Programs

• Scan-Based Trading Management (SBT) completes program management from receiving door to transition send-backs. RMS takes care of setting planograms, pricing, inventory management, cut-ins, and overall store execution of each program.

See all of our services here. 

Partnering with a Third-Party Merchandising Partner to Maximize Retail Success 

But what happens if you don’t have a retail merchandising partner?

Did you know that poor store execution can result in up to a 25% loss of retail sales? That’s a hefty price to pay and too steep to risk. Partners like us can boost in-store execution rates by 40 or 50%, making the return on investment more than worth it.

Don’t let your products slip through your customers’ fingers this holiday season. Follow our checklist and partner with a trusted merchandiser to maximize your sales and streamline your in-store presence.

Interested in partnering with RMS for all of your retail merchandising needs? Call us today!

The post The In-Store Holiday Retail Execution Checklist appeared first on RMS.

If you win, you meet your sales goals and the busiest season of them all gets to be a solid success. But if you fail, the loss can echo for years to come, like the ghost of Christmas future.

We’re going to walk you through your game plan for this holiday season to make sure you avoid the pitfalls too many suppliers fall into and come out the other side with your pockets full of gold coins.

The Goal: Sell. That. Inventory!

Here’s the easy bit. Your mission this season is to sell your inventory. After a few years of challenging supply chains, labor shortages, and now inflation compounding all of it, each sale is more important than ever, not to mention more challenging than ever.

Not to worry though, we’ll go over how to mitigate these obstacles and how to keep your customers’ eyes on your products so you walk away with the prize: a successful holiday season.

The Key: Capturing the Consumer Attention Span

Some good news for all suppliers that sell their products at brick-and-mortar locations: foot traffic is bouncing back. Now, the trick is to turn heads once those shoppers enter the store. There are three strategies that can be deployed separately or together that can help grab those eyeballs.

Strategy 1: Omnichannel Presence

Don’t wait until feet are in the store to start marketing. Embrace digital marketing and online store presences to generate awareness and appetite so shoppers walk into the store with your products on the top of their “must buy” list.

Strategy 2: Visual Merchandising

Visual merchandising is crucial no matter where your products are living but especially if you’ve invested in any sort of promotional display. Make sure your products stand out and are visually appealing. If you can, employ in-store signage to further direct feet your way.

Strategy 3: Instant Redeemable Coupons

Who doesn’t love a great deal? While consumers are always scouting for a few ways to save, with increasing inflation and the purchasing power of a dollar decreasing instant redeemable coupons (IRCs) are the perfect way to capture not just attention but most importantly, purchases.

Challenge 1: Labor Shortage

The retail labor shortage isn’t new news and while it’s been an issue for a while now, it’s more pressing during the holiday season than at any other time during the year. In fact, it’s an even bigger worry for retailers than the supply chain challenges with 50% of companies surveyed reporting that it’s their biggest concern.

Challenge 2: Inflation

Inflation is rising, currently hovering at 8.5%, and consumers are taking note with the average household looking to spend $770 on gifts in 2022 vs the average of $1,000 spent in 2021.

This leads to intensifying competition for every consumer dollar. Whether your strategy is impeccable visual displays or embracing in-store coupons, perfect execution is going to be your best friend for capturing eyeballs and getting into peoples’ carts.

Challenge 3: Inventory Floods and Backroom Chaos

Alas, it’s not just your products in retailers’ backrooms. They’re contending with a flood of inventory from all angles and especially during the holidays, this creates chaos. The heightened load during this season directly impacts salesfloor execution and not for the better.

That’s one of the reasons it’s crucial to have a merchandising partner that can ensure your inventory makes it from the backroom to the floor. Find an expert merchandising partner who is certified to enter your retailer’s backroom.

The Solution: In-Store Execution Assistance

Having feet on the ground in-store is the best way to increase the success of displays and on-shelf sales. Because you and your team can’t be everywhere at once, it is imperative to partner with a merchandising partner you can trust.

Partnering with the right merchandising partner can raise your in-store execution rate by as much as 50%, and the average store-only execution clocks in at 40%.

Even though it’s another challenging holiday season for suppliers, there’s no need to fret if you’re properly prepared. Having a solid in-store strategy and accounting for the external forces will set you up for selling success.

Want to make sure you’ve got a best-in-the-industry merchandising partner by your side? Give us a call today and see how we can help you navigate the holiday season and come out stronger on the other side!

Get in touch with us today!

The post Why In-Store Retail Execution Matters Most During the Holidays appeared first on RMS.