Overcoming space barrier to be able to sell mouldings and related wood products in Hardware Stores
Background Information
Mouldings and related wood products are difficult to include in a hardware store due to the limited retail footprint. Space is always a challenge for hardware retailers, but including these products in-store enhances the customer’s overall shopping experience and increases sales.
BMF worked with one of its clients to develop innovative display fixtures to overcome these challenges and opened up a new market for the client and their retail accounts.
BMF’s Approach
BMF jointly developed clearly defined design objectives with its retail partner. The solution had to be easy to implement, cost-effective, non-disruptive to store traffic, and make it simple for customers to access and evaluate the products.
Once the design objectives were agreed upon, BMF created initial design concepts that were modified with input from the client. BMF then built prototypes using an iterative process with all stakeholders having a say during each step of the process. Feedback resulted in additional refinements, including merchandising adjustments.
During this process, BMF provided the client with:
- Concept Development and Design
- Detailed Drawings
- Renderings
- Prototypes
- A final product optimized for ease of assembly and to minimize shipping and handling costs
The Solution
BMF designed and built a custom rack which allowed hardware stores to merchandise sixty-two products they had not previously sold – all within a 3’ x 4’ floor space.
Although a complete rack measures 8’ in height, it slotted together without tools for easy assembly. Each unit was shipped on a single standard 46” pallet stacked in twos. This meant that fifty-two units could be transported per truck, which cut shipping costs in half.
The Results
The results of the program have been exceptional. All units were shipped across North America, arriving in perfect condition without exception.
Sales increases were realized in the pilot store, and several hundred additional stores with the same space limitations installed the rack. Due to the success to date, the program has continued to expand and other hardware chains have now purchased the rack. A second version of the rack has been developed to work in stores with low ceilings, further expanding the program.
This innovative, easy to implement solution to a long-standing problem has produced nothing but upside – increased sales and customer satisfaction for every step in the value chain.
