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Last-Minute Gifts

Retailers and industry analysts find that carrying accessories for consumer electronics near the front of the store and close to the gift cards can be advantageous for retailers, as shoppers might see them as last-minute gift items.

Retailers and industry analysts find that carrying accessories for consumer electronics near the front of the store and close to the gift cards can be advantageous for retailers, as shoppers might see them as last-minute gift items.

“When people walk into a grocery store, they tend to be looking for food so it doesn't make sense to bury small gift items like electronic accessories far back in the store,” said Ellen Davis, spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, Washington.

Older shoppers who like to wrap something alongside a gift card and those who favor themed gifts like an iTunes card and headphones will appreciate similar merchandising techniques, she said.

Blackhawk Network, a prepaid card provider owned by Safeway, Pleasanton, Calif., supports cross-merchandising programs that benefit both the retailer and the consumer, according to Teri Llach, senior vice president of marketing.

The company's Gift Card Mall, an end-of-aisle gift card section that is in many supermarkets, often includes things like a cell phone or telecom section right next to the cards that are redeemable for cell phone minutes, she said.

“Blackhawk Network even encourages our [retail] customers to develop creative ways to present our gift cards by including an unexpected item that is consistent with the theme of a gift,” she said.
— W.T.

TAGS: Marketing