Advice to heat up grill sales
If you got ‘em, flaunt ‘em; and other tactics for grill season.
Awareness and visibility are two keys to boosting sales in the hot-opportunity category of grills. There’s always opportunity in the grill arena, and the products have a strong pull on customers, but it takes effort to effectively merchandise this category.
That’s some of the advice from Orgill’s Alan Shore, senior category manager for outdoor living for the Memphis-based distributor. “Dealers who succeed in selling grills give it proper attention in the store,” he said. Placement in the store, depth and breadth of offering and employee expertise all factor in the success equation.
First things first: location. Dealers should put their grills on display in the front of the store. “It is an attention grabber, and it is a visually appealing category,” he said. The more grills the better. Orgill recommends an assortment that hits all the major price points and all the categories that match up with a specific region – whether that’s charcoal, pellet, gas or kamado style.
An important point in the path to sales is that moment when the customers “lift the lid and see what’s inside,” he said. And that can’t happen when the grill is in a box unassembled.
“The customer will want to know that they’re getting a quality product, and an unassembled grill in a box won’t convey that quality,” Shore said. “Along with this, dealers should utilize any sort of point-of-purchase material that is available to highlight the key features of each grill.
And then there’s the weekend demo.
”There is simply no better way to sell a grill than to have customers see it in action, smell the food that’s cooking and taste the end product” he said. Weekend demos not only promote visibility, awareness and sales, they also tend to increase traffic to other departments within the store.
As grilling season approaches, the category can expect to benefit from the simple fact that grills are getting better. Significant upgrades in quality and new features combine to help generate new sales, he said. Shore listed some of these improvements: heat retention, starting capabilities, cooking surfaces, cart enhancements.
“Grills are a little like cars,” he said. “Each year, there are significant upgrades. But, there are customers out there who still like the classics.”
Among the bigger trends heading into the 2018 grilling season are versatility and ease of use. Pellet grills are popular for their ability to maintain consistent temperature without much effort on the part of the “grillmaster.” Another trend is smart grilling, through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth thermometer readings. And Shore doesn’t expect grills to get much bigger than they already are. In fact, many consumers, he said, are looking for a smaller product that saves space on the patio or the deck, and saves fuel as a bonus.
There’s no substitute for expertise on the sales floor, to walk customers through the various features, and at the same time promote add-on sales, such as covers, fuel, accessories – even barbecue sauces.
“Customers are looking for the grill destination, where they can see a wide offering, determine which grill is right for them, have their questions answered, and get value with their purchase,” Shore said. “Dealers that address those areas on the floor tend to have the most success.”
That’s some of the advice from Orgill’s Alan Shore, senior category manager for outdoor living for the Memphis-based distributor. “Dealers who succeed in selling grills give it proper attention in the store,” he said. Placement in the store, depth and breadth of offering and employee expertise all factor in the success equation.
First things first: location. Dealers should put their grills on display in the front of the store. “It is an attention grabber, and it is a visually appealing category,” he said. The more grills the better. Orgill recommends an assortment that hits all the major price points and all the categories that match up with a specific region – whether that’s charcoal, pellet, gas or kamado style.
An important point in the path to sales is that moment when the customers “lift the lid and see what’s inside,” he said. And that can’t happen when the grill is in a box unassembled.
“The customer will want to know that they’re getting a quality product, and an unassembled grill in a box won’t convey that quality,” Shore said. “Along with this, dealers should utilize any sort of point-of-purchase material that is available to highlight the key features of each grill.
And then there’s the weekend demo.
”There is simply no better way to sell a grill than to have customers see it in action, smell the food that’s cooking and taste the end product” he said. Weekend demos not only promote visibility, awareness and sales, they also tend to increase traffic to other departments within the store.
As grilling season approaches, the category can expect to benefit from the simple fact that grills are getting better. Significant upgrades in quality and new features combine to help generate new sales, he said. Shore listed some of these improvements: heat retention, starting capabilities, cooking surfaces, cart enhancements.
“Grills are a little like cars,” he said. “Each year, there are significant upgrades. But, there are customers out there who still like the classics.”
Among the bigger trends heading into the 2018 grilling season are versatility and ease of use. Pellet grills are popular for their ability to maintain consistent temperature without much effort on the part of the “grillmaster.” Another trend is smart grilling, through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth thermometer readings. And Shore doesn’t expect grills to get much bigger than they already are. In fact, many consumers, he said, are looking for a smaller product that saves space on the patio or the deck, and saves fuel as a bonus.
There’s no substitute for expertise on the sales floor, to walk customers through the various features, and at the same time promote add-on sales, such as covers, fuel, accessories – even barbecue sauces.
“Customers are looking for the grill destination, where they can see a wide offering, determine which grill is right for them, have their questions answered, and get value with their purchase,” Shore said. “Dealers that address those areas on the floor tend to have the most success.”
