It’s one of the best-known tenets of merchandising: your retail counter is the #1 place to inspire add-on sales. But that doesn’t mean you can just plop anything down next to your cash register and expect sales to soar. From convenience and grocerie stores to upscale boutiques and jewelry stores, how you treat the area around your cash wrap can literally drive up sales — or drive them away.

The numbers tell the story

Studies repeatedly show that today’s shoppers enter your store ready to receive your merchandising suggestions. In fact, 40% of them spend more in physical stores than they intended, while 25% overspend that way online. A full third of shoppers say they make impulse buys at least once a week (spending an average of $30). You don’t even need a sharp pencil to tote up what that could mean to your bottom line.

Better yet, every customer who arrives at your checkout area has already decided to buy something. That’s why this is the perfect time to suggest a little something more.

Here are some tips to maximize your retail counter add-on sales:

Pick the right merchandise.

• Best-selling impulse items are small enough to easily grasp and add to one’s cart or basket. A counter that’s roomy enough to easily hold your customer’s selections says “room for one more.” Think in terms of trial sizes, frequently forgotten items, accessories, seasonal goodies, gift cards, snacks, and promotions such as 2-for-1.
  
  
• Best-selling impulse items are also inexpensive. You want customers to feel like smart, thrifty shoppers. Higher priced items may make them feel over-indulgent or frivolous, causing them to reconsider.
  
  
• If you aren’t convinced that product selection is so important when it comes to motivating impulse purchasing, you can pencil that out, too.

Display impulse items enticingly, just as you do everything else.

Use bold colors and specialized display fixtures such as rotating counter towers, baskets for “grab” items, or glass-domed trays for edibles. Use signage to make doubly sure customers don’t miss the opportunities. Use the wall just behind the checkout area to display items your sales associate can easily hand the customer – or to remind your customer of a special promotion they may have missed.

Use the power of engagement.

One way brick-and-mortar stores can outshine e-commerce sites when it comes to add-on sales is via live, personal interaction. Even if your store is largely self-serve, each customer has a one-on-one experience with your cashier. Training your employees to point out or “recommend” last-minute purchases will boost sales.

Don’t limit displays to the retail counter itself. Use the lead-up area for multiple impulse displays. This gives anyone waiting in line a greater chance to notice your offers. In fact, there’s no need to wait till customers get near your retail counter to suggest add-on sales. This excellent article offers detailed tips on when and how to suggestively sell add-ons throughout your store.