Prime Space, Missed Opportunity: The Cost of Empty Displays

There are many things I know about retailing, merchandising, and product to be true.

One of them is this: sending your customers to your website while they are standing in your store is rarely, honestly never, a good idea.

Sadly, sometimes the obvious just needs to be said in merchandising.

The supply chain teams, ecommerce teams, and bean counters may disagree with me, but here’s why.

When a customer is inside your four walls, that is your moment.
You have the traffic.
You have the attention.
You have the chance to sell.

And in most cases, you are the only one who can mess it up.

Store traffic still matters. A lot.
Most retail sales still happen in store.
So nothing says we are not serious about this space quite like an empty endcap or drive aisle display with a sign telling customers to go shop online.

Nothing sells from an empty shelf.
And the only person who feels good about that sign is the person who approved it.

Sometimes these decisions are inventory-driven. Sometimes they are marketing-driven. Sometimes something just did not ship. Fine. Retail happens.

But if money is tight, inventory is late, or a display falls apart, empower your store teams to make a smarter decision than leaving eight feet of space empty.

I’m not picking on JCPenney here... although this was eight feet of drive aisle space on a Saturday, with lights and signage already in place.

I’m just saying: what could have gone there instead that would make 100 times more sense and cost very little?

Cotton balls or loofahs. Cheap, easy, useful, and often purchased in multiples.
Private label products. Better margin, better control, faster turn.
Discontinued product. The customer does not know it is on the way out, and you may sell through before markdowns hit.
Spring basics. Lotion. Sun care. Easy wins.

Retail is full of hard problems.
This one should not be one of them.

If the customer made the trip to your store, give them something to buy when they get there.

Here’s a slightly punchier ending too, if you want it:

If a customer is standing in your store, the goal should be to sell them in your store. Not remind them your website exists.

And here is a shorter, sharper version if you want it even more LinkedIn-ready:

There are many things I know about retailing, merchandising, and product to be true.

One of them is this: sending customers to your website while they are standing in your store is never a good idea.

Sometimes the obvious just needs to be said.

When the customer is inside your four walls, you have the traffic, the attention, and the opportunity. Nothing says we are not serious about selling like an empty endcap or drive aisle display with a sign pushing shoppers online.

Nothing sells from an empty shelf.
And the only person who feels good about that sign is the one who approved it.

Yes, sometimes inventory is late. Sometimes displays fall apart. Sometimes the plan does not come together. But that is exactly why store teams should be empowered to make better decisions.

Cotton balls. Loofahs. Private label. Spring lotion. Sun care. Discontinued product you still need to move. Almost anything makes more sense than empty space.

Retail is hard.
This part should not be.