Like every business, liquor store owners also have to consider consumer preferences to boost sales. So, if the foot traffic in your liquor store has been a little light, here are a few tips to help grow your liquor store.
Emphasising premium drinks
The desire for premium drinks is on the rise in South Africa. With money being a concern for most consumers, no one wants to waste their money on cheap beverages that are likely to cause havoc to their health. That is why the premiumisation of alcoholic beverages is on the rise, consumers want to spend their money on quality products.
Low alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages
With consumers paying more attention to their health, consider expanding and prominently displaying non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages in your store. The more health-conscious, younger consumer is trying to make positive lifestyle choices and manage their alcohol intake. So, stocking good-quality non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages, that still taste great, could make your liquor store their first choice.
Ready-to-drink cocktails
Again, due to the changes in attitudes about alcohol and health, ready-to-drink beverages like hard seltzers, are increasing in popularity. To profit from this, you need to be on the lookout for new canned cocktails, hard seltzers, kombucha etc. and add them to your inventory so that you’re better aligned with new customer preferences. Once you have them, you can use your liquor store's POS system to put together bundles and create promotions for your ready-to-drink beverage selection.
At-home cocktail creations
Most basic cocktails are easy to make at home, so consumers who prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings would rather enjoy their cocktails at home. If this makes sense for your liquor store, you should consider bringing in more products that would speak to this consumer. You may already have aromatic bitters and mixers to start with so, consider adding products like margarita salt and elderberry syrup to start. And then depending on the response you get, you can take things up a notch by adding non-edible products like cocktail shakers, alcoholic beverage recipe books and glassware to give the consumer more options for their gatherings.
E-commerce alcohol purchasing, pickup, and delivery
Convenience is key for most consumers. That is why, if financially feasible, your liquor store could benefit from joining online food ordering and delivery platforms. This allows the consumer to save their time and still purchase goods from you. If your liquor store is not in a position to join online platforms yet, then consider adding the option for your consumer to call in their orders for collection.
The bottom line
Staying top of mind for your consumer is a battle that most business owners face and this requires industry and consumer research on your part. Ensuring that your store aligns with popular consumer preferences is a great way to run a successful liquor store.
