May 20, 2017

Produced in collaboration with Drug Store News


News, products, marketing and merchandising tips for the
front end of community pharmacies


* TIPS from NCPA's Front-End Guru, Gabe Trahan *


Creating an Effective Sun Care End-Cap

End-caps of sun care protection first must have a sign informing customers of the importance of protecting their skin from the sun. The end-cap should include a wide variety of sunscreen products, burn relief, aloe, depilatories, lip balm, wide-brim hats, children's sunglasses, and sunless tanning choices. Sunscreen products you sell in your pharmacy should offer anti-aging, natural, children's, baby, sports cream, and spray-on choices. Your inventory should include of more of the higher number SPF products than the lower, single-digit SPFs. Insect repellents should be merchandised as a companion sale item. Can't find enough product to make your end-cap look full? Order floor displays and tear them apart to take up space.


End-of-May Reminders:

  • Post signs on your entrance door, at the pharmacy counter, and on your website reminding customers of your Memorial Day weekend hours.

  • All Mother's Day greeting cards and gifts should be off shelves by now. Take notes on any leftover cards; what should you order more or less of next year? Put Father's Day cards out.

  • Check inventory of sun care items; customers will be hitting the road soon for summer vacations.


A Quick Way to Free Up Space in Your Front End

Open up your store aisles and remove clutter by eliminating cardboard floor displays and spinner displays, excluding spinners that are holding greeting cards. Move the product that were in these displays to end-caps (create a theme and add a sign). Refresh end-caps on a regular basis (good rule of thumb: approximately every two weeks).



* What Others Are Buying and Selling in Gifts *


LAST CHANCE: Join Front-End Overhaul's Red Shoe Posse at the Atlanta Gift Show in July & Get a Free Night's Hotel

Meet up with Front-End Overhaul's Gabe Trahan, NCPA senior director of store operations and marketing, and your peers at the Atlanta International Gift Show July 13-14 for a real-time experience on negotiating with vendors for the hottest gifts and merchandise. Gabe will lead you through the show and help you find new items to carry in your store that will add WOW to your front end. Attending the show is FREE and we worked out a special deal for a one-night complimentary hotel room for you to attend. Hurry, the hotel offer is first come, first served and ends June 2, so register today. (P.S.—you can also attend the gift show for FREE!)



* Independent Only Products You Can Recommend *


NCPA Teams With Union Springs Healthcare to Help Owners Boost Patient Interactions & Revenue

NCPA members have new access to a special membership discount on unique health care products available only through independent pharmacies. In a collaboration with Union Springs Healthcare (USH) announced earlier this month, NCPA brings independent community pharmacy owners and staff the Companion Care Counseling® (CCC) Program developed by USH. CCC helps facilitate more productive pharmacist-patient interactions to address common health problems or side effects from existing prescription medications. This program and accompanying resources provided by USH have already been successful in hundreds of independent pharmacies at improving patient outcomes and growing pharmacy revenue. NCPA members can learn more about the program, the products, and claim their special member prices at www.ushcare.com/pharmacy-partner.



* Front-End Marketplace Vendor of the Month *


Free Shipping on Your First Order with Zollipops

Zollipops, the 'Clean Teeth Pops,' are perfect for both kids and adults and are a great healthy alternative to sugary candy on your counter. Check out this amazing Steve Harvey interview with founder Alina Morse (she was 9 years old when Zollipops was launched) for the back story and then order some for your store today via Front-End Marketplace. Be sure to use the code "1timefreefreight" for free shipping on your first order.



* More from Drug Store News and HRG *


Breaking Through: The Common Denominators of Success

Hamacher Resource Group's New Item Review team, in its ongoing evaluation of new products, evaluated a whopping 2,685 health, beauty and wellness items in 2016. Basing their analysis on five criteria—product innovation, promotional support, category growth, product orientation and earning potential—HRG awarded one to three stars to 315 of those products believed to have the highest potential for success. The top 40 are listed in this special report. Read more...


Don't Forget

Being a member of NCPA means you have access to a treasure trove of helpful hints, tips, and resources to make your front end more profitable! Download One-Pager Tips on a variety of topics. Gabe typically posts a tip once or twice a day on his Twitter account — if you're on Twitter, give him a follow at @NCPAGabe. You can also find tips in Gabe's monthly column in America's Pharmacist. The Overhaul of Fame galleries contain hundreds of photos to inspire you, from effective signs to successful end-caps and everything in between. Finally, you and your staff can access several staff training videos that will help you take an objective view of your store, both inside and out!

This wealth of knowledge is due to the fantastic photos, ideas, and suggestions we receive every day from NCPA members like you. Drop him a line at gabe.trahan@ncpanet.org with your questions, photos, best advice, and recommendations. What's selling well in your store? Let us know.


"Profit Makers" is produced by NCPA in collaboration with Drug Store News




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