Independents must follow supermarkets’ lead to maximise back to school revenue



Independent outlets must follow the marketing lead set by supermarkets if they are to retain a lucrative slice of annual Back to School retail bonanza.



That is the view of sales and marketing director for UK Point of Sale (UK POS) Debra Jamieson as the clock ticks and parents look to kit their children out for the new school term.



"In recent years we've seen the competition intensify and marketing become increasingly aggressive for everything from school uniforms and stationery to laptops and lunch boxes," she said.



"The last few weeks of the school holidays can be one of the most lucrative periods of the year, but retailers must ensure their point of sale displays work harder than ever to maximise revenues in the face of aggressive price wars and high profile promotional campaigns.



There's still time to reach out to engage with customers. This might mean, for example, employing freestanding poster holders which can enable them to present striking visual promotions and change them quickly in line with sales trends."



Debra points out that there is always a last minute rush and an increase in shopper numbers on the high street as the back to school shopping deadline looms.



"Supermarkets are seemingly giving over more and more square footage to their back to school offer, year-on-year, but they have also honed their use of point-of-sale displays to attract footfall to these areas and to generate sales," she added.



"Considerable opportunities still abound for independents however if they replicate this strategy and adopt appropriate point-of-sale displays in keeping with their respective retail spaces.



"A good point of sale consultant will be able to advise on best practice in this area, depending on the nature and size of the retailer. Get it right and significant financial rewards can be reaped."