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To get a position of importance within the competitive shelves of small convenience stores and large supermarkets your product has to be extraordinary and unique. It is your responsibility as the manufacturer or brand owner to create awareness about your product and its special features so buyers associate it with quality whenever they see it at a retailer.
Few of us remember the umpteen numbers of advertisements beamed on television or printed on newspapers and magazines everyday unless it has something of interest for us. Advertisers say that knowledge about how to get a product into c stores is only half the battle while the other half is focused on ensuring that your product retains its position on the shelf of c-stores and superstores for a few decades at least.
To make your product and brand stand out among the crowd of products in the retail store you have to ensure that it is both visually appealing and creates an instant desire to own the product. Entrepreneurs tend to forget that product design is critical for its success and focus more on its functionality than the experience it will bring for customers.
They work with distributors and convenience store brokers to ensure steady distribution to all locations, but fail to inform target customers about the positive difference the product can bring into their lives. For a product to create a niche for itself in the market it has to be projected as an object which is more valuable than the price being demanded for it. Entrepreneurs who promote their brand as risk free offer show confidence in their product making you feel comfortable in purchasing them over a competitor’s brand.
Effective tips to make your product competitive
Studying your target audience – When you plan to manufacture and launch a product into the market make a detailed study of the preferences and dislikes of your target customers. Observe their reactions around various brands which are in the category you want to explore.
Commissioning a market research in a particular category may be an expensive exercise, but you can conduct personal research by observing the reaction and comments of shoppers when they are purchasing similar products. Innovators can also conduct in-store interviews of store owners and grocery distributors about which products are in demand in certain localities over others. As a manufacturer you can also search for case studies and research papers available online or with traders’ associations about products in demand and failed brands.
Quality test for the product – Once your product’s prototype is ready along with professionally designed packaging send it for testing to check its properties and functionality. If you have developed a food product then check if it contains all the original ingredients and tastes the way you wanted. Get your immediate circle of friends, relatives and acquaintances to try it out and see their reaction. If the product has multiple uses then try their varied functionality which can be used during advertising its uses to target audience. In the competitive world of beverages a manufacturer has to be extremely innovative and also manage beverage distribution to ensure that stores never run out of capacity and is always available on demand.
Creating a product with unique attributes and capabilities – When your product is ready for launch after the mandatory clearances from authorities take the assistance of a marketing firm which has experience in dealing with launch of your kind of products. They will help you design a campaign to present your products with unique attributes which cannot be copied in terms of customer experience and price. Present yourself as a company with vision which is offering high quality products that will be competitively priced to meet budget of various customer categories.
Maintaining constant innovation – The competitive field of this convenience industry ensures that no creator can rest on their laurels for a long time. Constant innovation ensures that your products are always way above competition and are difficult to copy. Keep your portfolio of products small but of high quality which please the buyers and are based on their preferences. Explore sub categories and check if you can expand into them without diluting your brand. Work with consumer groups to study changing preferences of people and interact with target customers on social media to check their views about your products and brand. Innovate in accordance with consumer tastes to keep your product popular and timeless through generations.
How to maintain product differentiation
Have you ever wondered that when all salted potato chips taste almost the same why do some brands remain unsold on shop shelves while others are quickly sold out? Is it because the unsold ones have lesser chips in their packets or the taste is not preferred by everyone or price is not competitive enough?
In the competitive field of food distribution anyone of these causes along with a host of other reasons could be behind the success or failure of a product. So what determines the success of a brand and makes it famous in international markets while another one remains only a regional brand? To maintain your product’s differential qualities you can try the following strategy:
Service differentiation – Offer customers a unique service by making it easy for them to order and receive your product by online purchase and delivery. Add value by assisting customers to use your product for different purposes thereby satisfying several needs with one product. Do not ignore any customer complaints and solve each one with patience and care.
Physical differentiation – Customers are willing to pay a higher price for products which have better durability and quality and new features which others in the market do not possess. Though the shape, color and other physical attributes of products cannot be changed to a large extent, their attributes can be presented in a differential manner.
In the competitive world of convenience products gently urging your target customers will not help sell your product. Instead give them a reason as to why they have to buy the product immediately before it gets sold out and they may never get such a fantastic product soon.