Using End Caps to Boost Sales

To many, gun cleaning is an activity as exciting as watching paint dry. It is, nevertheless, a critical part of gun ownership, and gun owners are in constant need of gun cleaning components. And that is why retailers need to stock up on these items, which range from bore cleaners to disposable wipes. A key element to increasing sales is where and how these essentials are positioned in your store.

That’s where end cap displays can make a big difference. In the past year Remington helped Fleet Farm Stores and Dunham’s increase sales of Remington gun-cleaning products through the installation of Remington end caps. In both cases, these retailers saw dramatic double-digit increases in year over year point of sale purchases.

All of which begs the question: why are end caps so productive?

“End caps not only allow a manufacturer to showcase best sellers and pair items together to increase purchases, but end caps also grab a consumer’s attention, helping them find what they need faster. And that can also trigger impulse buys,” says Eric Labelle, senior national account manager at Vista Outdoor Shooting Sports. “We find that on average, end caps lift gun-cleaning accessory sales between seven and 12 percent.”

Labelle also notes that end caps serve another important purpose as well. “Education on the end cap via a QR code that leads to gun cleaning videos ensure consumers are buying the right products for the intended result, which drives product satisfaction. It also reminds customers to clean their firearm more often. That drives frequency, which is important in this category.”

Remington will customize end caps to a particular retailer’s space and product-mix needs, but as for location Labelle says, “Gun cleaning is a solid bridge between ammunition and firearms, so locating the Remington Gun Care end cap here can be very beneficial. And because end caps, in general, can drive impulse buys, locating them in areas close to the checkout counter can also help.”

Ammo end caps, which Remington also will provide to retailers, are another way to boost sales. Labelle says that retailers can expect to see, on average, a significant lift in ammo sales with specialized ammo end caps. “In many situations, we’ve seen more than 10 percent lifts in ammo sales.”

Like with gun-cleaning end caps, Remington will customize its ammo ends caps to fit the product mix and merchandizing needs of the retailer. And just like what you see in real estate, location is everything. “Ammunition on an end cap near the checkout counter or inside the entrance of the store during the various hunting and shooting seasons makes it easy for the consumer to easily find what they need for their shooting activity,” Labelle says. Another good location is between the firearm and ammo sections of a store; there the end cap will help create a natural sales bridge between the two. Another excellent location for an ammo endcap is near the firearm sections of a store; once a gun is sold, the sales associate can point the customer to the endcap to buy ammo for it.

For best results, Labelle says ammo stock should be customized to the relevant season. For example, an endcap featuring duck and goose loads in the weeks approaching waterfowl hunting season will help boost sales.

“End caps are nothing new,” he says. “But if you truly want them to increase sales, they must be used creatively with specific purpose and great graphics.” (remington.com)