Boosting Impulse Buys: Sensory Marketing with Fresh Popcorn
How to Use the Senses to Increase Sales
With online shopping becoming the preferred purchase method and the dominance of big box retail stores, consumers have more competition vying for their wallets than ever before. That puts the pressure on stores to get more creative. To capture more sales, retailers like convenience stores and grocery stores, must find a way to connect with consumers. Engaging the senses matters. Whether it is through the smell of freshly brewed coffee inside a c-store or an eye-catching end-cap display for a new product, there are ways to not only catch customers’ attention but also prompt a purchase. And with fresh popcorn, sensory marketing is a recipe for success.
Why Impulse Buys Matter
Getting impulse buys is a sales strategy that cannot be overlooked. Statistics show that shoppers frequently make purchases considered impulse buys.
- According to a study out of Washington State University, only 21 percent of shoppers make a list before they shop, and more than half of supermarket purchases are impulse buys.
- The 2023 NACS Convenience Voices study revealed one out of five customers (20.1%) said they left the store with an impulse purchase. 16.1% of impulse purchases were for salty snacks.
How can you get your share of those impulse buy dollars? What influences shoppers to make a purchase is their senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste.
- Shoppers are considerably more satisfied with their visit when they sense a pleasant aroma, based on a national grocery shopper survey by the Feedback Group.
- Nearly one out of four shoppers (24.7%) like to see and touch products before purchasing. (Raydiant State of Consumer Behavior 2022).
- According to Gray Group International’s Shopper Marketing: Strategies to Influence Customer Purchases, engaging multiple senses and providing a memorable experience means retailers can increase the likelihood of purchase and foster customer loyalty.
Sensory marketing isn’t just a trend – it’s a proven tactic that drives results.
The Power of Popcorn
Fresh popcorn is a natural fit for engaging the senses. You know this firsthand any time you go to a movie theater. The sound of popcorn popping, the buttery aroma in the air, and the sight of popcorn overflowing in the popper are all a part of the moviegoing experience.
Bringing fresh popcorn to retail locations can now be done in a fun, efficient, and effective way with the ReadyPop® popcorn vending machine.
“Popcorn is a powerful tool to engage customers the moment they walk through the door,” shares Gold Medal’s vice president of branch sales and operations, Pete Bakala.
The ReadyPop is made for customer engagement. How does it work? Operators can pop multiple batches early in the day, as the ReadyPop can hold up to 20 gallons of popcorn. A customer smells the aroma of fresh popcorn, approaches the machine, takes a bag or cup and holds it under the dispenser, then just pushes a button to dispense the popcorn. Customers will enjoy interacting with the machine. And operators will enjoy a product with low costs and high profit margins.
Bakala gave the following illustration, “A serving of popcorn (85 oz. bag by volume) can be sold at a price of $2.00 (or more). With just a minimal 15 servings per day, that yields $30 per day. Over a year, that equals nearly $11,000 in gross sales.” (*Costs and profit projections are an estimate and for informational purposes only. These projections are not a guaranteed return on your investment.)
What has the response been? Customers love it! One client purchased a ReadyPop based on selling just 15 servings a day. They are now averaging 49 servings per day, earning substantial profitability.
Popcorn is so affordable many stores use it within their customer loyalty programs. Some offer special themed popcorn buckets. BOGO (buy one, get one) offers are also common practice or others create a combo deal with a beverage purchase. The promotional opportunities are outstanding.
A Low Labor Alternative
If popping popcorn isn’t feasible, locations may opt for the ReadyServe® One. This popcorn cabinet and self-serve dispenser holds up to 40 gallons of popcorn. Rather than popping, operators use Gold Medal’s bulk popcorn. What’s great about this is that you can try out different flavors like movie theater popcorn, kettle corn, cheese popcorn, or a mix of cheese and caramel corn. (Note: Gold Medal does not recommend dispensing bulk caramel corn.)
Additional Options
The Ready Series of popcorn vending machines offers two unique options you can’t find anywhere else.
First, is the cashless payment system. This card reader allows customers to pay and serve themselves in one simple transaction. (Payment systems are sold separately.) It saves on labor and offers customers convenience.
You can also visually engage customers with a custom graphics package. Fully wrapped in your custom artwork, your machine will be an attractive brand ambassador. It will set you apart from the competition and give customers an even more appealing experience. (Graphics packages are available at an additional cost.)
Incorporating sensory marketing with fresh popcorn is a powerful, cost-effective strategy for driving impulse purchases. By engaging customers’ senses, retailers can create a memorable shopping experience that not only attracts attention but also fosters loyalty and boosts sales. The ReadyPop and ReadyServe One provide the perfect combination of efficiency and customer engagement. In today’s competitive retail landscape, adding fresh popcorn is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss – because when customers’ senses are satisfied, so is your bottom line.
Want to learn more about the Ready Series?
Visit our product collection page about popcorn vending machines. Then, reach out to your nearest Gold Medal distributor to schedule a demo.
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