In today’s competitive food retail environment, presentation is everything. Whether you’re running a convenience store, supermarket, café, or foodservice operation, the way products are displayed can significantly impact consumer behavior and your bottom line.
At The Sam Tell Companies, we work with top-tier manufacturers like Structural Concepts to deliver display solutions that don’t just store food—they sell it. Known for their industry-leading refrigeration technology, contemporary aesthetics, and performance-driven engineering, Structural Concepts’ self-service and service merchandisers are designed to help operators drive sales through smart merchandising.
Here are some proven best practices for merchandising to optimize sales and customer satisfaction:
Craft Your Business Narrative
Every retailer has a story to tell about their values, product quality, commitment to fresh food, and consumers crave this narrative. Your store layout, merchandising strategy, and product presentation should visually reinforce your brand’s message.
Structural Concepts helps bring this narrative to life. From fresh food and chilled beverage schematics to planograms and merchandiser shelf-space planning, their displays ensure each product category is placed with purpose, supporting a cohesive and meaningful customer experience.
Pro Tip: Use consistent design elements and color palettes throughout your merchandisers to visually “narrate” different departments or themes like “Fresh & Local,” “Quick Eats,” or “Seasonal Favorites”.
Drive Sales with Strategic Product Placement
Strategic product placement influences purchasing decisions at every turn. Structural Concepts offers industry-leading merchandisers designed not just for temperature control and energy efficiency, but for real-world retail results: attention-grabbing displays, easy access, and optimized product visibility.
Best Practices to Implement:
- Cross-merchandise complementary products. Placing dips near produce or croissants near coffee encourages multiple-item purchases.
- Encourage premium purchases. Display higher-end items at eye level, while positioning lower-cost alternatives below or above that zone.
- Capitalize on impulse buys. Place quick-grab snacks and drinks around your checkout area to increase basket size.
Their innovative display designs allow for fluid, intuitive flow throughout your store—keeping customers engaged and shopping longer.
Connect with Consumers Through Visual Merchandising
Customers are drawn to inviting, organized, and well-lit displays. Whether it’s a service deli case loaded with gourmet cheese, or a self-service grab-and-go cooler stocked with salads, effective visual merchandising transforms everyday transactions into meaningful interactions.
Structural Concepts’ equipment is purpose-built to entice, excite, and enhance the buying experience, leading to more unplanned purchases and stronger overall engagement across categories like bakery, meat & seafood, produce, and prepared foods.
Sales Optimization Tactics:
- Showcase best sellers prominently and flank them with slower movers to increase their exposure.
- Maximize shelf space—empty shelves create visual disinterest and can imply poor product quality or freshness.
- Guide customer flow. Place eye-catching items near entrances and best-sellers toward the back to ensure customers explore your entire space.
Design a Showplace, Not Just a Storefront
Modern shoppers are looking for more than just products—they want inspiration. Your refrigerated and non-refrigerated displays are a canvas to present a curated, consistent, and engaging food experience.
With Structural Concepts, you get design flexibility and style options that support your brand image while ensuring functional excellence. Their merchandisers blend seamlessly into any concept—whether rustic and artisanal or sleek and modern.
Visual Storytelling in Action:
- Use lighting to highlight product freshness.
- Incorporate signage and category callouts to clarify your value proposition.
- Create zones that reflect eating occasions or customer missions—breakfast-to-go, post-workout fuel, seasonal specialties.
With Structural Concepts' state-of-the-art display solutions and, your brand can turn every display into a selling opportunity—and every visit into a story worth sharing. Plus, we will support you through every stage of the process, from conceptual design and store environment design to tailored product presentation solutions
