You never get a second chance to disappoint a customer! 

Natural brands offer unique cutting-edge products focused on leading the way in healthier “better for you” trends. Now, more than ever, there is an opportunity for natural brands to take a leadership role in the categories they sell in. Natural products are responsible for the sustainable growth across almost every category and in every channel.  In the absence of natural products, mainstream category sales are flat or declining.

Mainstream retailers continue to adopt natural trends like gluten-free, allergy-free, organic, etc.  The challenge is that mainstream retailers overlook what makes natural, natural. Committed natural consumers carefully read labels. They are the ideal shopper because they will pay a premium for products that meet their needs. They understand, better than the average consumer, exactly what they are placing in their bodies and how the ingredients will impact and support their nutritional goals.

Natural brands are more closely aligned to their customers than their mainstream competitors.  They go out of their way to create the innovative products their customers are asking for. This gives them unique insights into their customers, their wants, and how to best satisfy their needs.

So how exactly do retailers capitalize on the natural brands to grow sales and shopper loyalty?

Competitively price popular items.  Focus on unique and specialty items for category growth and higher margins. Retailers can attract new customers by carrying top-selling natural items at prices that are competitive with other mainstream retailers.

Merchandise natural products next to their mainstream competitors. This encourages shoppers to trade up to healthier products that better meet their needs while increasing category growth and market basket size.

Stock items shoppers want. Shoppers want what they want, don’t give them a reason to shop your competition. Leverage the expertise of natural brands to identify the optimal product assortments that attract and satisfy health-conscious shoppers and grow category sales.   

Nothing is more frustrating to consumers than out-of-stocks (especially on sale items). Ensure you have enough holding power. Turn every shopping trip into a positive experience with product demos and recipe recommendations.

Provide exceptional customer service. Educate customers about natural products to highlight your commitment to providing the quality natural products that your shoppers want. Recommend a quality substitute if you don’t have the item they are looking for. Combining exceptional customer service with product education will drive additional traffic to your store and give you an opportunity to introduce new shoppers to the unique products that you feature. Exceptional customer service encourages repeat purchases and shopper loyalty. Satisfied customers share their experiences with their friends and as we all know, word of mouth advertising is the best marketing money can buy.

By doing this, your store can become a destination for new and trending items. The increased foot traffic can then help you improve your relationship with your community which can lead to larger shopper market baskets and increased category sales.