nOne of the toughest parts of keeping your seasonal store maximising its turnover is how and when to change stock levels to fit fickle shopping habits.
And one of the most seasonal stores out there is Co-op's flagship town centre store in Whitby, which receives thousands of tourists in the summer.
However, store manager Dennis Gilroy makes sure he is on top of things.
While the Co-op has become more savvy around planograms, he is also granted a fair deal of flexibility so he can observe changes in seasonal shopping patterns and stock accordingly.
"We have some autonomy on flexing planograms - we have to do that because it is so seasonal - come the summer we have to put fizzy pop all over the place". Dennis mentions that his friends who work in Asda tell him "they are very strict on planograms".
He says making space for big sellers might mean "pinching the space from soup, which doesn't sell so well".
When it comes to seasonal promotions, they "have to be done with military precision" says Dennis. "It has to be planned because we have to keep to the schedule all the way through. For example, the Easter eggs might be there this week but they are moving the following week because the compost's coming in. It's all very tight, so we think things out".
He says some other retailers "get three pallets at the back of the store, and then say 'where are we going to put them', with no thought going into it".
shop stars?Mark Allen
Midlands Co-operative Society announced that its Service Champion of the Year is Mark Allen, display manager for the region.
Mark, who has worked for the society for more than 31 years, was nominated for "always going out of his way to support team members in providing excellent service". The display department provides all of the society's sign-writing requirements.
One colleague said: "Nothing is ever too much trouble for Mark, he goes out of his way to always provide a service above and beyond expectations. The quality of work is always very high and no matter what you ask, Mark is always able to help and without any fuss."
Mark said he was "shocked" when his name was read out. "I was competing against some very strong candidates," he said.
have your say
Iain Watkins, Imperial Tobacco's UK trade communications manager, updates on possible future tobacco legislation and urges you to make your views known.
The government focus this summer is on 'The Future of Tobacco Control' following the launch of a public consultation that proposes options to reduce smoking in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A summary of some of these proposals is shown below, together with an examination of how they could potentially affect retail trading practices.
Proposal 1: Restrictions or a ban on the display of tobacco products in shops:
? How much would it cost to refit each store?
? Will there be a risk of increased theft from other categories while staff retrieve hidden tobacco products?
? Would the level and speed of customer service be reduced?
Proposal 2: A ban on the sale of 10s cigarette packs:
? 10s packs are an established part of the retail mix accounting for around 20% of the cigarette market*
? A ban on 10s packs could reduce footfall and sales of associated purchases from other categories.
Proposal 3: All tobacco products could be in plain packaging with no logos or branding:
? Could this increase illicit tobacco sales in the local area?
? Would this impact on customer service if all packs looked the same?
You have until 8 September 2008 to respond to the consultation at tobaccoconsultation@dh.gsi.gov.uk. The Scottish government has also launched its 'Smoking Prevention Action Plan', which has similar proposals on display and 10s packs and also includes the licensing of tobacco retailers. The Scottish government will consult further but it is likely to be done via parliamentary committee rather than a public consultation. Scottish retailers should highlight their views to their local politicians and Public Health Minister Shona Robison at shona@shonarobison.com.
Imperial Tobacco believes stricter enforcement of the current underage laws and more resources for Trading Standards to tackle illegal selling are needed rather than placing pressure and burdens on legitimate retailers.
- Source: RAL
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