Did you know that end caps are the second most-shopped areas in a store?
End caps sit at the end of an aisle to display items and to help sell more products.
Well-constructed end cap displays can:
- Increase your pharmacy’s front-end sales
- Move inventory
- Promote seasonal offerings
Take your independent community pharmacy’s end cap displays to the next level with these tips.
7 Ways to Improve Your Pharmacy’s End Cap Displays
1. Pick a theme
The purpose of an end cap is to increase sales.
But you have to display products that will pique patients’ interest or meet a specific need.
That’s where the theme comes in.
For example, patients who visit your pharmacy in the winter are likely dealing with cold and flu symptoms.
Grab their attention with a flu-themed end cap. Include thermometers, tissues, cough drops and hot water bottles. The display may drive them to buy products they otherwise would have forgotten.
Try these end cap theme ideas:
- Heart Health Month: Include aspirin products, multivitamins, blood pressure monitors
- Summer Skin Protection: Include sunscreen, lip balms, bug sprays, first aid items
- Nutrition and Fitness: Include vitamins and supplements, fitness equipment, cookbooks
- Happy Holidays: Include holiday cards, candy, gift wrap, decorations
- Pet-Friendly: Include collars, leashes, treats, toys, flea and tick medication
2. Less is more
Displaying too many products can defeat the purpose of an end cap.
A cluttered end cap can overwhelm patients, which means they may not stop to browse.
Select a few key products that align with your end cap’s theme. Stock them deeper with at least four facings to fill the shelf.
3. Use signage
Use signage and other visuals to attract patients to your end cap displays.
For example, include a sign that educates patients on the products in your display. Or, if you’re offering products at a discount, use a sign that highlights the price point.
You can also use attractive colors and decorations that work with the display’s theme.
4. Offer a tester
Patients are more likely to buy a product if they can try it first.
Use your end cap displays as a way for patients to test products.
Allow patients to sample certain products, such as hand lotions or wrapped cough drops. You’ll pique more patients’ interest and drive impulse purchases.
Make sure you stock plenty of the tester products on display. So, patients can buy the product after they’ve sampled it.
5. Refresh often
End caps are promotional. And like any promotion, after a while, they start to lose their allure.
So, refresh your end caps displays at least once per month.
Change the theme. Or, swap out a few of the products if the theme is still relevant.
6. Position products strategically
When it comes to product placement, you always need a strategy.
For the biggest merchandising payoff, run one product or like products across a full shelf. The more shelves you use for like product types, the greater the effect.
You should also place larger products lower to visually anchor the display. And place smaller items closer to eye level so nothing gets overlooked.
Additionally, ensure shelves appear well-stocked. Eliminate excess space between the top of the product and the shelf above it by positioning the shelves closer together.
7. Spread the word
Ideally, your end cap displays will speak for themselves. But it never hurts to generate awareness.
Encourage employees to suggest products on display. Or, ask them to endorse ones they’ve tried and liked.
For example, if a patient is going on a camping trip, direct him to your end cap display of sunscreens and bug sprays—and recommend your favorite.
Increase your pharmacy’s front-end sales by creating powerful end cap displays.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
