Helping shoppers plan their trips to your store can help them have a more positive experience, making them want to become loyal customers. An article in the Savanna Tribune by Carolyn Guilford, CNC, helps consumers make smart decisions as they walk through grocery aisles.
She said it’s important to have a plan before making that shopping trip, and that starts with a well-thought out list. She encourages shoppers to take an inventory of current supplies at home and plan meals in advance. It’s important to stick to the list when shoppers get to the store, she cautioned.
Then, she suggests shoppers look in newspapers and store handouts for coupons and specials, but she advised only using coupons for things the consumer will actually use. She also suggested going to the store on double coupon days.
To further save money, she said shoppers should consider buying store brands, noting one can read labels to see how similar private label products are to national store brands.
Another money-saving tactic she offered was plan how much a shopper wants to spend before going to the store and sticking to that limit. Going without children, she said, will help keep the budget in control.
She recommended shoppers pay attention at the check out to reduce incorrect pricing.
For the healthiest foods, Guilford said to avoid preservatives, excessive sodium, artificial sweeteners and chemicals. She said to look for real foods in ingredient lists and be sure to check "expiration" and "use by" dates.
To make the trip even healthier, she suggested walking to the store if the shopper only needs a few items; that way, the shopper gets exercise and is more likely to stay within the budget. Additionally, she said purchasing fresh foods and bulk items are healthier and cheaper than processed items.
You can help shoppers implement some of these planning tactics by making circulars available by the front door of the store, clearing posting any current specials, offering a quality store brand, displaying the cost of each item at check out on a visible computer screen, and offering fresh and bulk foods.