Now’s the time to get your front end ready for the upcoming spring season. Easter, spring break and allergy season are fast approaching, and spring is the perfect time to rearrange, remerchandise and revitalize your front end to increase sales.
Consider merchandise that needs to be changed or new products you can add to your inventory to entice patients to make a purchase.
Here are four ideas to highlight your front end this spring season.
1. Alleviate symptoms with an allergy aisle
Warmer weather means allergies and the uncomfortable symptoms that come with them. Help patients find the products they need to alleviate their allergies by stocking your front end with must-haves, such as a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medications, eye drops and tissues. You could also add in homeopathic items, like neti pots and saline solutions, to your designated allergy aisle.
2. Promote Easter in your front end
Easter is only a few short weeks away, and it’s the perfect opportunity to make a profit on candy, gifts and greeting cards. Who can resist a chocolate bunny or Cadbury® Creme Eggs?
“Easter is no exception to the holiday selling season, meaning the bulk of retail sales will take place during the last 7 to 10 days before the holiday. Putting candy, gifts, decorations, and greeting cards out now reminds customers that your store is ready to meet their Easter needs when the time comes,” Gabe Trahan, senior director of store operations and marketing at the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), said in the Feb. 20 edition of Profit Makers, an email with front-end tips for pharmacies.
Keep your pharmacy focused on health, but still cater to customers’ Easter needs by designating one end cap for Easter products.
3. Don’t forget flu season
Cold and flu season isn’t over. Your patients will still need front-end items such as tissue, vitamins, hand sanitizer and cough drops.
Check out our cold and flu checklist for your front end to make sure you’re still prepared to help sniffling patients, and make OTC sales.
4. Create a spring break section
The beginning of March marks the countdown to spring break for students. Make sure your pharmacy is stocked with items travelers can grab before their trip, or pick up as an impulse purchase at your pharmacy while on vacation.
Stock up on items spring breakers will need, such as sunscreen and aloe. Gabe Trahan also suggests creating a “spring break survival kit end cap” featuring items such as energy drinks and bars, water bottles, vitamin B, Imodium®, and headache and pain relief.
Learn even more ways to spring clean your pharmacy’s front end.
