Is a larger assortment key to the future?

Is more assortment the future? Participants of our courses have asked us this question more than once. The answer isn’t as simple as 1-2-3, because we think this is very much dependent on the type of shopper and the formula positioning, say Gert Bloemendal and Edwin Vels of FMCG Opleidingen in their newsletter. “For a part of the shoppers, a larger assortment contributes to more ‘experience,’ but for another part this results in more choice stress. Which of these types of shoppers is dominant for which formula, and what does the formula want to express?”

“The recently opened Edeka Zurheide Crown in the town centre of Düsseldorf in Germany is interesting in this case. It’s a shop worth seeing. Despite its look and feel, it isn’t a department store. It isn’t a hypermarket, with many non-food categories as often seen in France, Spain, the Czech Republic and other countries, either. It’s a very large supermarket for daily shopping and with an enormously deep assortment. It doesn’t just have premium brands and concepts, it also has a complete basic assortment, including Edeka’s own brand ‘gut und günstig.’ Additionally, the shop uses much blurring, or as it’s called in the shop: gastronomy. Visit the shop and judge for yourself if the enormous assortment creates added value,” say the trainers.

“The whole set-up of the store is similar to a department store, with a surface area of nearly 10,000 m2 and with an assortment of 65,000 articles. But it also has a beautiful layout and atmosphere, with playful islands, corners, beautiful shelving and service desks with wide aisles, pleasant lighting and attractive presentations. This is alternated with a champagne bar, premium beef bar, vegetarian restaurant and other options for eating and drinking. Gastronomy plays an important part. Juice and smoothie bars or pastry shops are placed near all the entrances of the building. Enjoyable categories that should lure the customers inside.”

“The so-called ‘Bio Zentrale’ is remarkable, this is a considerable part of the shop featuring many organic products. Eye-catching presentations can be found particularly in sweets, from Lindt, Ferrero and Haribo, for example. The frozen section is very special with black metal freezers and blue lighting placed both above and below them. It’s stylish rather than ‘cold.’ Another great department is the alcohol department, with wine, liquors and champagne. These are colourfully presented on beautiful furniture with lovely hanging lamps. Once again, it’s very much worth it and just across the border!”

For more information:
FMCG Opleidingen
Spotvogel 4
Zeewolde, the Netherlands
info@fmcgopleidingen.nl
www.fmcgopleidingen.nl