It’s no longer enough to be “just” a grocery store, or a pharmacy or a party supply store. As consumers’ perceptions of value change to place ever greater importance on convenience, they’re increasingly expecting retailers to offer broader solutions for their daily needs. In turn, diversification and differentiation of assortment are gaining ever-more importance in the retail space.
According to Michelle Riley, Director of Product Development and Marketing for Daymon, one way grocery retailers in particular can diversify and differentiate is through seasonal general merchandising programs. From the identification of relevant trends, to the design and sourcing of products, all the way through delivery, the Daymon team creates full-service programs for retailers that help elevate the concept of a what a retail experience should be.
“The idea is to make the store a seasonal destination,” explains Maria Rodriguez, Director of Sales for Daymon. “Our goal is to help create a solution for our retailers and for their customers that allows them to go to one store and get everything they need. So if the customer is going to have a BBQ, for example, they can go to one store and get the food, the cups, the plates, the tablecloth, citronella candles—and it all matches. There’s one cohesive theme.”
Once a trend is targeted by a retailer, the process of creating that cohesive theme and destination begins with design. “Our team creates one-of-a-kind designs for our retailers that push the bar and that customers can’t get anywhere else,” explains Riley, thereby creating a feeling of exclusivity that offers a compelling reason for customers to choose that retailer over a competitor.
The sourcing of products to bring those designs to life also helps support consumer expectations and a retailer’s overall strategy. “We work to identify and vet suppliers that have ability to deliver what our retailer partners need and to meet their requirements, such as certain social accountability standards, as well as requirements for import,” Rodriguez explains.
“Then we even create the planogram, identifying the best locations to put what we call the ‘wow’ items—those that will draw the consumer in and reshape their perception of the retailer.”
The end result once these exclusively designed and responsibly-sourced products make it to their strategic places on the retailers’ shelves is an immersive, inviting and impactful consumer experience. “You’re taking that aisle that maybe the consumer didn’t go down before because they thought it was easy to skip, to now pulling the consumer in because it’s impactful and compelling. It’s really a win-win for the retailer and the consumer,” says Riley. “The retailer gets the added sales, and consumers get the solutions and convenience they were looking for.”
To learn more about partnering with Daymon for seasonal general merchandise program development, sourcing and logistics, contact Maria Rodriguez, Director of Sales, at mariarodriguez@daymon.com.