Nick Poulson, UK Sales Manager at Carhartt, explains how effective point of sale can be when it comes to boosting workwear transactions.
The exacting standards of UK tradespeople mean that merchants are in a good position to bring brands alive for these customers with stunning in-branch point of sale (POS) displays that have a true ‘wow’ factor and are a point of difference for their stores.
POS material remains a powerful marketing tool, and builders’ and plumbers’ merchants operate in a competitive industry where differentiating their offerings is vital. As such, well-designed and strategically placed POS displays, signage, and banners can effectively grab the attention of potential customers, creating brand awareness and promoting specific products or promotions.
Eye-catching displays can have a significant and positive impact on customers, influencing their purchase decisions and driving sales.
For more than 130 years, the Carhartt brand has been known for its rugged construction, innovative designs, exceptional quality standards, durability and comfort — and tradespeople actively seek the workwear out. Accordingly, point of sale is important to famous brands like Carhartt and we take great care to design in-store displays with our merchant partners that show off the products at their very best.
For example, some of the merchant partners with in-branch displays include Lawsons, Isaac Lord, GPH Builders Merchants and John A. Stevens. As they will testify, working with Carhartt does not mean ‘pile them high and sell them cheap’; rather we talk to our stockists about their local market, their customer base and how we can work together to optimise the look of the products — and of course, sales.
Our Visual Merchandise Team brings the in-store concept alive and we also carefully analyse the space in the branch to find the optimal position for the displays. This work and attention to detail ensures customer interest and a transformation in what stocking workwear can mean to the bottom line.
There is little doubt that branding and imagery can provide a huge wow factor in branch. For a brand like Carhartt, our imagery and values are extremely important to us, are consistent around the world and have an instantly recognisable look. For merchants, we make it easy to understand these values and access them with a picture library and marketing package that they can access for use in their own marketing around the store.
One other thing to remember about selling workwear in branch is that it has a seasonal element to it. At Carhartt, we have our core, ‘carry over’ products that are perennial favourites with the trade, such as trousers, jackets and hoodies. But there are also two distinct workwear seasons; spring/ summer and autumn/ winter when new collections are launched.
The spring/ summer season includes T-shirts and caps while autumn/ winter gear includes more heavyweight items that protect tradespeople from the cold and the wet.
Stunning POS material, like Carhartt’s, enhances the overall customer experience, making their shopping experience enjoyable and efficient. A positive shopping experience can lead to customer loyalty and increased customer satisfaction, encouraging repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Click here for more information on the Carhartt range.
A version of this article appeared in the July/August edition of Professional Builders Merchant. Click here to view the full issue online, via the PBM website.
