We all have different shopping behaviors.
Some shoppers like to linger in a store. Others want to get in and get out.
If you want to increase your pharmacy’s front-end sales, recognizing these patterns can help you improve.
That way you don’t set up your front end as one-size-fits-all. Because not all pharmacy shoppers fit into the same mold.
Look at it from a retail perspective.
Recognizing different shoppers’ personalities can help you:
- Improve your pharmacy’s marketing efforts
- Target your pharmacy’s best front-end shoppers
- Increase retail sales
- Create better front-end discounts and promotions
And despite the accessibility of online shopping, people still want the experience of shopping in a physical store.
Why people still want to shop in a physical store:
- The ability to see and try out products before purchasing
- The satisfaction of taking items home immediately
- Easy returns
While your pharmacy is a healthcare destination, not simply a retail store, you can use retail merchandising principles to increase front-end sales. And understanding common shopping personalities can help you better tailor your front end to patients.
Check out these five common shopping personalities and how you can promote to them.
These Are the 5 Types of Pharmacy Front-End Shoppers to Know
Why do certain shoppers choose one product over another? Why do some spend more time browsing than others? And why do certain products appeal to certain personality types?
Now’s your chance to understand what makes front-end shoppers tick.
1. The impulse shopper
Impulse shoppers are driven by spur-of-the-moment desires.
If they pick up an item, chances are they’ll purchase it.
The right merchandising can influence them to choose certain products or services. For example, display easy-to-grab impulse items at the checkout counter.
Impulse items to display at the pharmacy counter:
- Candy
- Lip balm
- Seasonal merchandise, like cough drops
These shoppers also respond well to recommendations. So, encourage front-end staff to make themselves available to shoppers to offer product suggestions.
2. The lingering shopper
As kings and queens of browsing, these front-end shoppers like to take their time in a store.
They wander in without a specific product or service in mind but instead shop for the experience.
They look for interactions and communication while shopping, so a friendly, community-like atmosphere can appeal to this type of shopper.
It’s important to provide prime customer support to these shoppers because they’re likely to tell others about their experience in the store.
Encourage these shoppers to linger with interesting end-cap displays.
And offer different types of merchandise that they might not expect to find in your pharmacy, such as local honey, skin care products and cards made by local artists.
3. The loyal shopper
These shoppers may not represent the largest chunk of your market, but they come back again and again.
Loyalty rewards programs that reward shoppers for repeat visits will appeal to this type of shopper.
Retain these customers by communicating with them regularly through phone calls, coupon mailings and email offers.
4. The necessity shopper
These shoppers come into a store hunting for a specific product or service.
If they don’t find it, they’ll leave just as quickly as they came in.
Interacting positively with these shoppers can convert them into loyal customers over time.
Communicate with them, learn their needs and think about how to help them.
Consider stocking merchandise they request or provide services they want. A larger segment of your market could also be searching for the same products or services without you realizing it.
5. The discount shopper
As bargain junkies, these shoppers frequent stores, but only buy based on the size of the discounts.
Appeal to these shoppers by offering promotional sales or discounts on items that you want to turn over quickly, such as short-dated merchandise.
Also, create an end-cap display of discounted merchandise. These shoppers love shopping discount sections. But make sure to tuck this display into a back corner. You want to appeal to these shoppers, but you don’t want to give other shoppers the impression that your pharmacy is a discount store.
Now that you recognize people have different shopping behaviors, you can better merchandise your pharmacy to front-end shoppers.
READ NEXT: 15 Retail Strategies to Increase Front-End Sales Year-Round
