What are the best fridges for driving impulse buys?

Impulse buys are an important but often overlooked aspect of food and drink retail and hospitality.

Customers will often come into your business to buy one thing – say, a pint of milk or a quick coffee –   and will leave with more than they intended.

But, as a forward-thinking business owner, how do you tap into this potential? How can you maximise those all-important impulse buys?

Investing in the right commercial refrigeration, and optimising your displays, can help. Here’s how…

If they see it, they’ll buy it

Impulse buys are split-second decisions, driven by emotions.

Your customer may have popped in to buy a coffee and while queuing at the counter to pay, they see a beautifully presented slice of cake. Suddenly, they can taste the cake in their mouth and they’re tempted into buying a slice to go with their drink.

If that cake wasn’t on display, was just written on a menu or, worse, was displayed in a dark and uninviting fridge, the customer wouldn’t have been tempted and you wouldn’t have upsold the cake to them.

Humans are visual creatures. We’re drawn in by colours, shapes, light, and attractive or unique displays. Any display or set-up that captures your customers’ attention will increase your chance of an impulse buy. Our display fridges are designed to increase visibility and maximise sales. From slimline frames to LED lighting, our range is carefully chosen for your business.

Location, location, location

While having the right sort of display fridge is important, so, too, is where where you put it. You could invest in the very best display fridge, but if you put it in a dark corner, where your customers don’t venture, it won’t be a success. Display fridges situated near to where your customers queue can be very successful. Sweet treats, like cakes and biscuits, work well near pay stations, encouraging people to add to their order. Think about how people move around your shop, watch the traffic flow and footfall so that you understand their habits. Where do they stop? Where do they browse? Which areas do they rush past, without a second glance?

Once you understand their movements and behaviour, you’ll be better placed to choose the optimal location for your display fridge.

Don’t be afraid to move your units around, space permitting. Try them in different areas and monitor the results. A good quality display fridge is an investment, so make sure you maximise it.

Improving your business with the right display fridge

Choosing the right display fridge for your business can be challenging, but the team at Fridgesmart will always be on hand to help. The first point to consider is what you want to sell. Items such as ice creams, cakes, soft drinks or snacks are good examples of impulse buys. Once a customer has set foot in your shop, or entered your café, they’re already in buying mode. Increasing the sale is easier than persuading a new customer to venture into your business. If you’re selling ice creams, then a specific ice cream freezer will help to maximise sales. If you’re selling cakes, a cake display fridge is ideal. If you’re selling cold drinks or snacks, then either a glass-fronted or open-fronted multideck will be the best choice. The choice between glass-fronted and open-fronted can be difficult. An open-fronted display fridge has no barriers for the customer… they can literally pick up exactly what they want with no effort. A glass-fronted multideck gives the same visibility but with the barrier of the door, however, these are far more energy-efficient and are becoming increasingly more popular.

Invest in your business with Fridgesmart

Capitalising on the hidden potential in impulse buys is a sensible and strategic business decision. Choosing the best display fridge to maximise this potential is vital to encourage impulse buys. Here at Fridgesmart, we have a wide range of display fridges to suit all different businesses and budgets, and you can take a look here. Our experienced and friendly team are always on hand to discuss your business needs, simply call us on 01792 677169.