Challenge: A major retail and pharmacy chain had remodeled a number of stores in the Northeast, as part of an early-stage redesign of all locations with a new “Store of the Future” layout. The new design emphasized the Health & Beauty Aid area of the store (active beauty consultant now on-site) with less emphasis on other items/aisles, including candy/seasonal items (e.g., moved toward the back with decreased shelf/display space, etc.).

Objective: The major retail and pharmacy chain and Hershey’s wanted to better understand how the new design would impact candy-buying behavior, and determine how to optimize the candy/seasonal aisles with this shift in design prior to the full launch of the “Store of the Future” redesign across the retail chain.

Solution: Plan-it conducted exploratory groups and one-on-one walk-throughs to explore:
• Knowledge and reactions to “Store of the Future” layout; specific likes and dislikes overall
• Reaction to the placement, size, and contents of the seasonal, candy, and checkout areas
• Effect of layout on shopping behavior/purchases, particularly for candy/seasonal items

Result: Findings and insights from this study were used to guide and inform future improvements to the signage, merchandising, and flow within the retail and pharmacy chain stores, with recommendations for strategies to increase candy/seasonal item sales.