Next to the Sandwich Man, the Clip Strip is at the top of the chart in terms of effective sales tools. Why? Because, like a sandwich man, the Clip Strip is hard to pass up.
Invented in 1980 by CEO and founder of Clip Strip Inc., Edward Spitaletta, they are an inventors’ dream come true with billions of units and a global market.
Also called Impulse Strips, they appeal to our basic human nature and instinct to be attracted to things that stand out from the crowd.
The soup shelf with hundreds of neatly stacked cans is a sight to behold, but the Clip Strip,with seasoning packets for soup, is more of an attention-getter. Why? Because it requires no effort, and it practically lets the product jump into the customers’ hands.
Clip Strips are the low hanging fruit of retail sales strategy because they are reachable with little effort.
Even a well-stocked soup shelf, takes the effort of deciding which flavor, what size, how many and just too many decisions.
Clip Strips take all that away and purchasing becomes like putting your hand in a candy jar.
Table of Contents
BACK TO THE SOUP SHELF
The idea behind cross marketing, is having one product drive the sales of a related product.Having cans of soup nicely displayed is fine but having a Clip Strip with spices adds interest.
and drives sales of both products.
The presence and easy availability of spice packets is an attractive item, but it drives the sales of the soup.
A customer who may not have even thought of Soup for dinner, now has a good idea on how to create a tasty meal for the family.
WHAT GOOD IS A CAN OF PAINT WITHOUT A BRUSH?
Without a brush, your choices are limited, and painting your ceiling with your hand is no fun.
The point is that the two products complement each other. Some consumers may be motivated to buy a paintbrush just because it is a handy thing to have around the house, but the two together drive sales of both products.
Add in some free pamphlets on how to do a great painting job and you are starting to see the real potential of Clip Strips as marketing tools.
THE KING OF POP!
Point of purchase marketing does not get much better than the Clip Strip. When walking down the aisle, consumers are drawn to Clip Strips the way a cat cannot resist a toy mouse.
The strips not only attract consumers to a specific product,but they also decorate your retail space and make the shopping experience better.
A happy shopper is a better customer, and besides getting the necessities of life, people shop as a form of entertainment.
Clip Strips make that experience better.
THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THE CLIP STRIP
As in the paint aisle example above, any aisle in your store with any product can benefit from pamphlets, brochures, example sheets and other materials that educate the consumer.
We live in an information age, but useful information is hard to find. Clip Strips with informational pamphlets attract curious consumers and satisfy a basic human need. To gather information.
The strips also can have value when used to display promotional materials.
In this scenario, you benefit by selling space to a manufacturer to use your floor space, and the information helps drive your sales.
Everybody wins.
CLIP STRIPS TAKE UP LITTLE SPACE
Unlike folding cardboard or shelf type POP displays, CLIP STRIPS use space that is usually not used for anything else.
Maximizing the return on floor space is one of the keys to profitability in the retail world.
They are also neat and easy to maintain. Just hang a new package on the strip and you are done.
The frequency of restocking is the same or less than shelved products, because when a consumer takes a package off the strip the rest of the strip stays neat. This is different from products have to be moved around to get to the item you want often leaving the shelf in disarray.
WHO PROVIDES THE CLIP STRIPS?
The Clip Strip is often part of a manufacturer’s marketing tool set and will be supplied by the manufacturer with their product.
TYPES OF CLIP STRIPS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS
Although they are called CLIP STRIPS, the variety is almost infinite. Manufacturers will design a strip best suited to their product.
If you decide to purchase your own devices, the cost is relatively low, starting at a few dollars each. Most are sold in bulk with quantities as low as five units.
SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIP STRIPS
SPRING LOADED STRIPS- Products are easy to remove and replenish. This type is a simple spring -clip attached to a bar.
SLIP CLIP- This is a simple punched out clip and the product is simply slid into place.
HANGER TYPE- Many product packages have a slot specifically for hanging. The strips have hooks to receive the product. These are easy to remove and replenish.
SIGNHOLDERS- These clip on to any vertical wall or structure and simply hold signs. Messages like last chance, Take Additional 10% Off next are just some of the types of messages you can use.
Note that this section does not begin to describe the thousands of varieties available. Either browse a catalog or contact a manufacturer.
EXPOSURE TO SHRINK
Any POP display is exposed to theft and because these devices are designed to make it easy for consumers to purchase products, they also make it easy for shoplifters. Keep these displays in highly visible areas. Smaller retailers may want to keep them near the registers at the check-out counter.
Hopefully, this has given you some insights into the potential of these devices to help you build your business. Need help with merchandising strips, clip strips, or other plastic products? Reach out to Tru-Vision Plastics for more information.
