End caps and aisle-ends are an important promotional location inside a retail store. Estimates of the sales effectiveness for items placed in these locations may be as high as 30 percent of all sales, so it’s clear that this is an important retail space inside a store. When stocking a beer cooler with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, explore sales impacts of this plan.

The Effectiveness of End Caps

Displaying items on the ends of aisles has an overwhelming result of increasing product level sales, according to the 2014 study “Sales impact of displaying alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in end-of-aisle locations: An observational study” published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. For a beer cooler, sales volume increased 23.2 percent when placed at the end of an aisle, and the estimated increase for wine was 33.6 percent. Non-alcoholic beverage sales increase even more substantially than alcoholic beverages. The estimated increase is about 51 percent for carbonated beverages and more than 73 percent for coffee-related drinks. Tea beverages come in at an increase of around 113 percent.

The Most Effective End-of-Aisle Displays

Main aisles in a store with end-caps facing inward are one of the best locations for product displays and beer coolers. Aisles along the edges of a store and along checkout areas are also ideal for setting up special promotions and displays due to the high volume of customer traffic. Checkout areas are also ideal due to the idle time that customers may have while they wait in line.

Pricing Considerations

Stores may opt to use different price points for items located in ends of aisles and items elsewhere in a store. Prices may be slightly lower on end-caps to attract customer attention.

The evidence shows that making room at the end of aisles for both alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic beverages in drink coolers is a lucrative move for retailers.