Inkjet & Digital Printing
SP helps store chain increase sales
Wednesday 13. April 2011 - Countrywide Farmers is a chain of 47 stores serving the rural community with everything from farming and equestrian supplies through to country clothing and Christmas gifts. The business has taken an innovative approach to increase sales by clever use of data and digital print to improve in-store promotional merchandising.
“Our product range has become varied and complex. We identified variable data printing as the most efficient way to manage price and promotional information,” says Rebecca Barningham, group marketing manager.
The company segmented its retail estate into four types based on size and location, from smaller, local outlets through to the largest, rural store. For each store, Countrywide provides point-of-sale material on a rolling basis which used to involve a lot of wastage as standard materials were not relevant for all stores.
SP, St Ives Retail Division developed a specialised point-of-sale process using digital presses and workflow, allowing Countrywide to generate store-specific packs of material that are printed, cut and sorted down to create a unique walk route through for each outlet. Countrywide need only provide SP with a spreadsheet detailing the product, price and promotional information.
The results have seen more efficient promotions, that provide more detailed product information but more importantly the implementation has seen an increase in sales year on year says, Barningham.
“One childrens clothing range grew sales by 28% compared with last just because of the additional information we were able to display.”