Pool and spa accessories can turn a mere backyard body of water into a vessel of fun, frivolity and relaxation. After all, how can your customers throw a truly epic barbecue/pool party without inflatable rafts, beach balls and volleyball net sets? How will they enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot tub or a poolside yoga practice without Zen-inducing music gently coasting out of portable patio speakers?
But the accessories market isn’t just about having a good time. Devices such as inflatable arm bands, hot tub covers and safety railings can keep your customers and their families safe while they enjoy their pools and spas.
But selling these products is not as simple as perching them on a pegboard or stacking them on a display shelf. There’s a little more artistry, skill and know-how involved. That’s why we’ve asked experts to weigh in on the best merchandising methods to help accessory products catch customers' eyes — and pave the way for a very profitable season.
Product Placement
It’s difficult to sell pool and spa accessories if your customers can’t see them. For this reason, product placement plays a crucial role in getting this inventory category to move.
Ted Lawrence, corporate retail category manager at Covington, La.-based distributor PoolCorp, recommends setting up a main product category section on the sales floor, in addition to “peppering the infield” with the same products throughout the store. This reinforces the message.
“Duplication is one of the big areas where people fall short,” Lawrence says.
Instead, he’s noticed, retailers typically choose to consolidate a product category into just one area. But duplication increases the customers’ exposure, thus increasing the chances that they’ll buy, he says.
It’s OK to get a little whimsical with your product placement as well. After all, it is summertime.
If you have the space, consider taking a few pool toys out of their boxes and placing them in the hands of a child-size mannequin, suggests Linda Cahan of Cahan & Company Retail Design Consulting in West Linn, Ore. Preferably the mannequin will have movable arms to allow greater flexibility in your display message. Dress up the mannequin with goggles, swim towels, swim fins and whatever else your store carries for the season. The mannequin also can be positioned on the side of a spa, holding a toy.
But you can’t rely on mannequins alone to sell accessories. Cahan suggests placing five or more boxes of the product within 4 feet of the figurine for instant purchasing.
If mannequins don’t fit into the budget, retailers have less expensive display options to consider.
Zac Nicklas, co-owner/president of Swimming Pool Warehouse in League City, Texas, sells the Pool Pouch, a large mesh bag that can be hung near the pool to store inflatables and pool games. Nicklas displays the pouch in his store and fills it with various pool toys and inflatables to showcase not only how the item works, but some of the other pool toys he sells. “It gets attention, mostly from kids interested in all of the floats inside,” says Nicklas.
It’s also not a bad idea to keep accessory products in a place where customers have a tendency to linger. Nancy Nelson, owner of Nelson’s HomeTowne Recreation in Janesville, Wis., positions her pool toys and games near the water-testing station at the back of the store. In the summertime, she may have a line that’s 6 to 8 customers deep, and the wait time gives them the perfect opportunity to meander around and pick up a few extra items.
Grabbing Their Attention
Before a pool or spa accessory can sell, it must catch the customer’s attention. Movement is a great way to do this.
Cahan recommends hanging a variety of inflatable toys from the ceiling over the aisle where the products are housed.
“It’s colorful, and it actually [defines] the area,” she says. “Every time someone walks by…[the products] move a little, and that attracts very positive attention.”
If you’re concerned about using products as props instead of making a profit off them, Cahan recommends asking for seconds from the manufacturer. The company may have products sitting around the warehouse that are slightly damaged or have off-color printing, which they are likely to provide retailers for free.
Cahan recommends suspending at least a dozen inflatables to avoid creating a flimsy look. But Nelson has managed to create a very eye-catching display with only one. The first thing her customers will likely notice in her store is a large sun-shaped pool float that hangs from the ceiling in the center of the store. It’s about 6 feet across. “It’s pretty darn hard to miss,” she says. “People walk in and say, ‘I want that!’”
A caveat from Cahan, regardless of how many items you hang: You still need to climb up there every now and again to dust them.
Sound also works as a great attention grabber, and it can be used to merchandise accessories, such as waterproof speakers and stereos. In Lawrence’s observation, speakers shaped like backyard rocks, as well as waterproof speakers that float or adhere to a surface with suction cups are incredibly popular.
Once again, he recommends showcasing these in multiple locations around the store. But in addition, he suggests playing a video next to a speaker to explain the features and benefits of the product.
“People don’t want to ask the questions about products,” Lawrence says. Playing the video alongside the product allows them to discover the item on their own.
Retailers also can float the portable speakers inside demo hot tubs, Cahan says. Of course, the music should be kept at a low volume so it doesn’t annoy your clientele. It’s also a good idea to play music from a radio station that most customers will likely enjoy.
Saving Space
Savvy business owners know that every square foot of floor space must pull its own weight by contributing to the bottom line. But how on earth do you merchandise big, bulky accessories such as hot tub covers, which not only can take up a huge amount of space but also dwarf most other accessories?
Make the cover a part of the hot tub display. Cahan suggests placing one on top of a demo tub in the showroom to give customers an opportunity to touch the product and see how it fits.
You also can merchandise a hot tub cover by … not having any in the store at all. Nelson used to display covers in the showroom, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t the best use of space. Instead, she merchandises her covers by providing brochures and material/color samples alongside an inventory sheet. After seeing the colors and styles that are available, customers can fill out the sheet and order a cover in the desired size.
“You don’t necessarily have to stock everything in the store,” Nelson says. “You order it when you need it. It keeps your inventory down.”
