Every supermarket has a careful layout that is designed to get you to buy more items. Their strategy is very simple. Arranging the shelves and products at a certain height are common in the pantry aisles. The perishable food found in the refrigerated area, however, pose a challenge to marketers. They must balance strong sales with chilling the food at a proper temperature. When it comes to supermarket refrigeration, an ongoing battle between glass doors and night covers continues. Take a look at the main benefits of night covers compared to glass doors. The hard facts may surprise you.
Cold Impacts
Consumers want their perishable food at a certain temperature for safety reasons, but they don’t want to feel the cold themselves. Night covers operate as described. They are used at night and disappear during operating hours. Any cold air surrounding the food will emanate into the surrounding aisle otherwise. Consumers who are walking into the aisle are already met with cool conditions. As a result, there is no hesitation to grab a product and buy it.
The Full-Arms Effect
The supermarket industry appreciates glass doors because they create a barrier to energy loss. However, they also hinder product selection. Consumers who encounter glass in their supermarket’s refrigerated section might wish to quickly have their hands on certain items. But with no easy way to access the perishable food, they pass by the items without purchasing them. Night covers solve this dilemma. No barriers translates into a quick grab and purchase.
Impulse Purchasing
The grocery industry relies heavily on impulse buys. Items at the checkout counter are a testament to this activity. The chilled aisle also relies on impulse consumer behavior.
Consider the snack area where pizza bites, taquitos, and other party foods reside. Consumers don’t see these foods as staples, but they are tempted to have them in the household freezer. By keeping the chilled aisle open to browsing, more people are prone to grab and purchase these snack items. They may not sell as well with the glass doors in place.
Studying the Package
Consumers are more inclined to pick up a new item and read its packaging if night covers are part of the supermarket’s design. Open shelves invite people to look at items that may be brand new to them. They simply think twice if a glass door must be opened and closed.
Economic Trade-Off
The supermarket industry looks at costs versus profits. Every business operates in this manner. Using night covers may seem like a financial loss from an energy efficiency standpoint, but you make up the extra costs with enhanced sales.
Consumers can move with ease through the chilled aisle, grab their items, and pay for them. Doors create barriers and require constant repairs when cracked. The grocery industry must weigh their costs before investing either in glass doors or night covers.
Every supermarket and grocery store must make its own decision when it comes to marketing their refrigerated items. Consumers will always appreciate the convenience of easy access to frozen foods, so it is up to the grocery industry to cater to their needs.