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Commentary
From Our President
Every merchandiser knows the importance of micro-marketing. Getting the right products that suit customer preferences on a per-store basis, can be tough work, but the benefits are more than compelling. Last month I had an opportunity to visit a number of leading supermarkets in Puerto Rico. I was surprised to find a number of top selling categories in the Northeast that were conspicuously absent in Puerto Rico. A longtime friend, Bill Mansfield, a non-food consultant who ran Pueblo’s GM departments, had a ready explanation. He informed me that sponge mops are not used much in Puerto Rico, nor are vacuum cleaner bags. Few homes in this hot climate have rugs on the floor. Shoppers prefer wet mops for their tile floors. IMUSA cookwares, 12- to- 16 ft. displays, outsell coated cookware which is relegated to only 4 feet. And our best sellers in pet supplies, mainly dog & cat accessories, get relatively little play compared to Cokadoo bird seed. Other interesting variations include differences in seasonal & holiday promotions. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are major selling events with full end-caps displaying promotional features for Moms and Dads. And it’s not surprising, vibrant colors, Caribbean designs and fashion out sell our more basic offerings in the Northeast. When you think about it—micro-marketing spans a lot of items and consumer buying preferences right here in our own back yard. Just compare a non-food product mix between rural and city stores. The demographic differences in regions, incomes, ages, ethnicity, and even in lifestyles create consumer preferences which are amazingly diverse. Specialty Distributors have to be leaders in micro-marketing. We can’t coast on vanilla. We need to have all the flavors available. Armed with demographic information, specialty non-food distributors have become expert in product assortment and space management. Simply put, we carry more variety with a broader product range in order to assist our retail customers. It’s tough work, but the benefits are compelling when it comes to satisfying diverse customer preferences. For comments or questions, contact us by phone at 508-756-5156, or e-mail: msleeper@imperialdistributors.com
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Satisfying Diverse Customer Preferences