Expanding the range of grab-and-go options can significantly enhance a retailer's sales and customer flow. The demand for convenient, on-the-go meal choices has never been higher. However, introducing these options to stores presents a challenge. This particular store embarked on a major upgrade, focusing on improving its prepared foods, service offerings, and grab-and-go sections.
To accomplish this, the store needed to undergo an expansion and relocation of several departments. Numerous refrigerated cases had to be taken offline, removed, relocated, or replaced. Many retailers typically restrict this type of work to overnight shifts to minimize disruptions to store operations.
Unfortunately, completing such work overnight is often extremely challenging and sometimes impossible. As a result, stores may open the next morning with missing cases, crucial high-selling products absent from shelves, and bewildered customers.
Research conducted by 84.51, the Retail Media Arm of Kroger, revealed that 28% of customers will leave a store if they cannot find the item they desire. In this case, not only were numerous items unavailable on the shelves, but there were no shelves at all! The downtime of refrigerated displays can lead to substantial losses in sales per hour, not to mention the potential loss of customers.
Projects of this nature can also create safety hazards if rushed or left incomplete overnight. In this instance, several cases and a temporary wall structure remained on the sales floor, posing potential risks to customers and presenting an unattractive sight.
