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TruServ turns to impulse shopping for a sales boost
CHICAGO - TruServ is asking its members to turn their attention to one of the basic merchandising strategies: impulse shopping. A couple candy bars, a few bottles of cola and some packages of batteries are not all that TruServ has in mind. On the contrary, the Chicago co-op is pushing the initiative as another signature department that could bolster its members' bottom lines.
Impulse Merchandising, as TruServ has dubbed it, is one of the co-op's latest merchandising platforms, which joins the likes of Tool Shop, introduced two years ago, and Color Made Simple, the paint program ushered in last fall. TruServ helped make its case for the program when it unveiled a 2,000-square-foot Impulse Merchandising booth at its spring market held at the Dallas Convention Center last month. Featuring a variety of impulse mockups and quick-buy products, the booth was abuzz with member interest.
"Ultimately, every member that has a checkout counter should take advantage of impulse buying," said Ted Noring, TruServ's director of retail marketing. TruServ wants its members...