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Shop Talk: February 2025

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February 27, 2025 at 4:57:39 PM PST February 27, 2025 at 4:57:39 PM PSTth, February 27, 2025 at 4:57:39 PM PST
Shop Talk add ons

Add ons

This month we’re discussing the popular business model: Add-ons.

How many times have you gone to do your weekly shop and seen an item on your way to the till and purchased it on an impulse? This is commonly mistaken for add on purchasing, when it is an impulse purchase or point of sale purchase.

An add on is usually smaller than the main product, it’s price should be less than the main desired item and should be relevant to what the customer has come in to buy.

What's the point?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work smarter not harder” and smart selling add-ons can help make your customers love you more.

There is a perceived value for consumers in a level of personalisation; by determining their core needs you can offer other products that may compliment their personal needs and or advance their keeping practices. This helps elevate their buying experience and build loyalty to your store.

By being able to quickly identify opportunities for additional products that compliment either their personal needs or their core purchase, you can leverage untapped revenue potential and maximise perceived value to your customers.

Add on example:

SituationCore offeringAdd on opportunity
Your customer wants to buy more substrate for their crested gecko set up and discussed cleaning out the enclosure HabiStat Coir substrate 10LHabiStat Sphagnum moss and/or leaf litter. This could also present an opportunity for adding on a cleansing spray such as Vetark Ark-Klens spray or HabiStat Anti-bac spray.

How can I find out what my customers want? Add-ons can be uncovered by building a rapport with your customer and discussing their needs. This can be done by striking up a conversation while they’re browsing in your store or when they’re at the till. It is worth considering that if they’re at point of purchase, your add-on products will need to be quickly accessible for you and your colleagues but not so close that the customer subconsciously sees it as an impulse buy or promotional push – making them more unlikely to buy.

Placement should be near the till but not on it or behind it.

Not only can you do this face to face but subtly with additional printed marketing materials that offer complimentary items near related products. For example, a laminated A4 sheet that shows the supplementary recommendations for a specific reptile with a weekly schedule.

Pricing strategies are crucial for securing the maximum value without discouraging consumers from buying an extra item that they weren’t expecting. So be reasonable when pricing add-on items.

By implementing an add-on strategy within your business, it can help enhance your customer’s journey by building a long-term relationship and fostering loyalty by getting to know your customer base, subsequently providing additional revenue and promoting the long-term success of your business.

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