This quick read from January’s edition of Fancy Food & Culinary Products contains some great tips on customer friendly merchandising. Use these tips for every product; from food to beauty to general merchandise.

10 Simple Guidelines for Follow

Rx technology is empowering pharmacists
Chain Drug Review
November 2011

“Technology is at a point now where the value proposition has intersected with the need in pharmacy,” says Parata Systems chief executive Tom Rhoads.

That value propositions is time, as automation has increasingly enabled consistent, repeatable work-flow processes and lowered the cost per script.” Our automation and technology frees up quite a big time, allowing the pharmacists to spend that time out in front of the counter interacting directly with their patients, doing medication counseling, immunizations, diabetes counseling and even health clinics,” Rhoads explained.

Doyle Jensen, exectutive vice president of global business development at Innovation, noted that technology is paving the way for central fill capabilities, workload balancing and more efficient work flow – refocusing the pharmacist’s role from production to patient care.

“Redeployment of the pharmacist is the key, having technology protocols to allow the pharmacist to not be tethered behind the counter and to be out front engaged with patients,” he said. Innovation has developed “smaller, less capital-intensive” central fill options for regional chains, and via a recent partnership with RxSafe it has begun deploying a solution that will automate over 95% of a drug store’s prescription filling process, according to Jensen

Expanded functionality also has honed pharmacy operations. For example, QS/1 this summer launched Sidebar, a new feature that lets pharmacists customize icons to access frequently used functions with on mouse click.

Sidebar can be found in QS/1’s NRx and PrimeCare GUI systems with Service Pack 19.1.7. “Pharmacists are getting busier,” QS/1 market analyst John Frady stated when Sidebar was announced. “Anything we can do to help them save time lets them focus on other projects and, most importantly, their customers.”

Questions? Contact Christin Penley at penley@chaindrug.com or (800) 935-2362 x668.

Chocolate-covered raisins, peanuts from Dove hitting store shelves this spring
Drug Store News; January 16, 2012
By Allison Cerra

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Dove is pairing its chocolate with a new bite-sized candy that combines taste and texture.

Questions? Contact Christin Penley at penley@chaindrug.com or (800) 935-2362 x668.

Chocolate’s popularity just keeps on growing
Chain Drug Review
September 26, 2011

Among the stronger performers in the category was 3 Musketeers, which saw volume jump more than 17% and has been relaunched with a new recipe to deliver more chocolate taste.

The poll found that over 90% of Americans want more chocolate. Debra Sandler, chief consumer officer for Mars Chocolate North America, says, “The updated 3 Musketeers bar still has the same fluffy personality. But now the bar is packed with even more chocolate taste that consumers love.”

Questions? Contact Christin Penley at penley@chaindrug.com or (800) 935-2362 x668.

Pharmacy Operators Ramp Up Service Offerings
Chain Drug Review
November 21, 2011

Select Walgreen Co. stores across the country have been offering free blood glucose testing during November, which is observed as American Diabetes Month. In addition, participation 24-hour stores scheduled three “Wellness Wednesdays,” during which information about diabetes-appropriate snacks and shakes, product demonstrations and diabetes education were presented.

Walgreens also teamed with Sharps Compliance Corp. and Novo Nordisk to offer a safe needle-disposal option for people who self-injest insulin and other medications. And Walgreens chief medical officer Cheryle Pegus recently participated in a Joslin Diabetes roundtable at which she discussed an array of programs that the retailer has rolled out to address the growing diabetes epidemic.

Rite Aid Corp. launched the “Rite Track Diabetes Tour,” Which has been offering complimentary blood glucose testing as well as disease educational resources and samples of products that assist diabetes patients.

Furthermore, Rite Aid has unveiled wellness+ for diabetes, a program that offers exclusive access to a special Rite-Aid-sponsored section of WebMD’s “Diabetes head2toe online tools. The multifaceted program includes a personal diabetes work plan that is customized for individual members that offer such features as a daily glucose tracker, a weekly workout log, and recipe and meal planning trips.

CVS Caremark Corp. recently released results of a study of diabetes social media sites that finds few standards are used to ensure that the sites effectively provide information and answers to health-related questions. The report, by CVS Caremark with Harvard University and Brigham Women’s Hospital, concludes that social media sites use different communication and financing structures, vary in how they offer expert participation, and share little in common as it pertains to oversight of content and membership criteria.

“The Health Mart private label will help our Health Mart pharmacists advance their relationships with customers with an affordable, high-quality line of over-the-counter health products.” Says Brian Tyler, president, McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical. Launching with diabetes care, the linen will add categories regularly, with smoking-cessation and analgesics products scheduled to debut in January 2012.

Marsh Supermarkets has launched Marsh  Diabetes Care Program, which includes access to more than half a dozen free diabetes medicines, available with prescription through a March pharmacy, as well as comprehensive nutrition and wellness support with a registered dietitian.

One Source Industries Promotions Becomes a Qualified Vendor of Promotional Products to Choice Hotels International
Agreement marks OSIP entry into the lodging industry
Source: One Source Industries Promotions, LLC

“We are very pleased that we will be joining the Qualified Vendor program at Choice Hotels to sell our promotional products. As a fully integrated, customer-focused company with a global network of resources, OSIP will provide branded promotional products to a network of over 5,000 Choice Hotels properties in the U.S. to help increase brand awareness among businesses and guests,” said Joe Baksha, President and CEO of OSIP.

OSIP will assist Choice Hotels by building and maintaining an official “company store” website offering an extensive catalog of promotional items and gifts for associates and guests.

“The quality of the products is high, their execution is excellent and OSIP’s pricing is very competitive. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship,” said Karianne Cibello, Director, Business Development of Choice Hotels International.

Baksha said the opportunity to work with Choice Hotels is an important step for the company. “The relationship with Choice Hotels marks our entry into the lodging industry and builds on the expertise we have developed with Fortune 500 companies in the cosmetics, consumer electronic products and apparel industries. The opportunity to work with one of the leading hotel chains in the world is a great partnership for OSIP,” added Baksha.

About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc., franchises more than 6,100 hotels, representing more than 490,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories.

About One Source Industries Promotions
One Source Industries Promotions, LLC (OSIP) is a division of One Source Industries (OSI), one of the nation’s premier producers of award-winning point-of-purchase displays, custom packaging solutions and promotional programs. OSI services include strategic input, planning, concept, design, sourcing, manufacturing, testing, assembly, packaging, installation, measurement, warehousing, fulfillment and logistics, as well as promotional products. In addition to its Irvine, California, headquarters, other OSI facilities are located in Bentonville, Arkansas; Chicago, Illinois; Memphis, Tennessee; New York, New York and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.onesourceind.com or www.osipromotions.com.

Contacts
Joe Baksha
President and CEO
(949) 784-7205

Kroger installs Eyecon machines
Featuring CDMA Platinum Member Avery Weigh-Tronix

Read the story here!

Kodak and Facebook!
Kodak has introduced new kiosk software that will allow users to pull images from Facebook, which will greatly increase the ease and convenience of using photo kiosks. Read all about it here

Looking for more information on Kodak Kiosks? Contact John Massman from Logix at 1-800-465-6449 or jmassman@logix-usa.com.

Have you ordered enough for Halloween?

Great news! Consumers are expected to spend more celebrating Halloween this year; which means retailers may need to stock up on a bit more than they did last year. The attached article, from Drug Store News, reports that the average consumer is expected to spend $6.03 more this year on Halloween themed merchandise That $6.03 increase per consumer is huge when you consider that total spending for the holiday is estimated to equal $6.86 billion this year.

This anticipated increase in spending must have you thinking…did you order enough merchandise for Halloween?

Halloween Candy Stock Up

Pharmacy automation is longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. Pharmacy automation is the easiest way to optimize customer service and output, while minimizing costly and potentially deadly errors. Please read the attached article on how pharmacy automation has helped Kerr Drug succeed.

Consumables in Drug Stores Growing Quickly

The article quotes Russ Jones, director in AlixPartners’ Global Retail Practice, is saying “Shoppers are more willing than ever to try new venues – and, unfortunately for traditional grocery store, many shoppers are finding a better fit elsewhere.”

Looking for consumables for your store? Contact Christin Penley at penley@chaindrug.com. CDMA members can also login and visit our order guides here.

FLAVORx receives grant to study impact of medicine flavoring

Read more about the grant here.

Grocery shoppers want more than low prices
Progressive Grocer
August 8, 2011

That’s according to a consumer survey by AlixPartners, the global business-advisory firm, which reveals that, despite the fragile economy, 70 percent of consumers are making trips to the grocery store at least once per week and 50 percent plan to spend more on groceries in the coming year, with 39 percent expecting to spend the same amount.

“Grocery shoppers are just as choosy as ever – it’s not enough for grocers to win on price alone,” said Keith Jelinek, director in the global retail practice at AlixPartners. “Shoppers are looking for more from their grocery store; if it doesn’t offer quality and a pleasant experience and value, then they’re out the door. And, with expected increases in grocery spending this year, the big question is: what stores will earn those grocery dollars?”

While perishable quality, store atmosphere and price are the primary factors influencing consumers’ grocery store choice, the survey showed “frequent sales and promotions” are a factor, and can have a big impact on shoppers’ in-store purchasing decisions.

The survey found that 86 percent of shoppers indicated they use a shopping list at least “sometimes,” and 79 percent use coupons when developing those lists. Despite careful preparation ahead of grocery-shopping trips, 93 percent of those surveyed said that product displays and in-store signage – which typically point to promotional and sale items – can influence them to purchase items not on their shopping list. Furthermore, 79 percent of those surveyed indicated that in-store product sampling can persuade them to purchase new items.

“Consumers remain focused on value, regardless of income levels, and promotions and coupons continue to stretch their spending on groceries,” said Russ Jones, director in AlixPartners’ global retail practice.

Competition between traditional and non-traditional grocery retailers is nothing new, but non-traditional players appear to be growing market share at a stronger-than-expected clip. According to the survey, shoppers are purchasing only 51 percent of their items in traditional grocery stores; mass merchandisers are capturing 30 percent of the total grocery spend, followed by club stores with 13 percent. And perhaps most disturbing for old-line players, a relatively new competitor – Internet retailers – are capturing 2 percent of shoppers’ grocery dollars.

“The battle with mass merchandisers, club stores and dollar stores has been dragging on for years, but it’s heating up and traditional grocery retailers are losing ground,” Jones said. “Shoppers are more willing than ever to try new venues – and, unfortunately for traditional grocery stores, many shoppers are finding a better fit elsewhere.”

When shoppers were asked to name and rank their preferred grocery retailers, the five most-cited in the top three on shoppers’ lists included two traditional grocery stores, two mass merchandisers and one club store. Nearly half of consumers surveyed ranked Walmart either first, second or third on their list of favorite places to shop for groceries, followed by Target and Kroger, Costco and Publix.

According to the survey, the lowest-income shoppers are purchasing only 45 percent of their groceries at grocery stores, with mass merchandisers capturing 38 percent of total spending from these consumers. However, it’s not just low- to mid-income consumers who are looking elsewhere for value. The highest-income shoppers (those with incomes of $100,000 and above) purchase most (56 percent) of their groceries at grocery stores, but club stores have become extremely popular, capturing 17 percent of this group’s traditionally larger grocery spending.

“With growing threats from other channels, increasing price transparency made possible by mobile devices and the tepid economy, we see the potential for significant consolidation in the coming year,” he continued. “Grocers cannot continue ‘business as usual’ and expect to come out on top – and, though there is no ‘silver-bullet’ strategy, customer segmentation is key and it’s critical that grocers take a step back and look at their market and how they’re serving it. Fortunately, due to shopping frequency and existing customer-focused programs, grocery retailers have the means to know both their markets and customers better than any other type of retailer – it’s time for them to tap into those resources and make the strategic calls that will bolster their profitable customer base.”

Though earning new customers is important, keeping existing customers and getting them to spend more is critical. Loyalty-card programs, according AlixPartners, have become a gold mine of information on frequent customers’ behavior and preferences, but have not reached their full potential. According to the firm’s research, loyal customers can purchase 20 to 30 times the amount purchased by the occasional or new shopper, and can be a major source of revenue growth.

“Most grocers have loyalty programs now, and we’ve seen a lot of new ones lately, but very few grocers have unlocked the power of these programs,” Jelinek said. “Grocers who leverage existing loyalty programs to identify and understand their customers, and then use that information to develop customer segmentation strategies, will come out on top.”

A fully-developed loyalty program can also inform growth into new services such as in-store pharmacies. The AlixPartners survey showed that only 18 percent of consumers fill their prescriptions at grocery stores.

“With consumers looking to maximize efficiency and minimize shopping trips, this is a big opportunity for grocery stores,” Jones said. “Well-planned in-store pharmacies can lead to a significant margin boost, and mining the data from loyalty programs can be the key differentiator.”

The AlixPartners Grocery Shopper Preferences Survey was conducted April 11-12 among 1,000 U.S. adults. AlixPartners LLP is a global business-advisory firm offering comprehensive services in four major areas: enterprise improvement, turnaround and restructuring, financial-advisory services and information-management services.

New service helps retailers find ways to donate overstocked merchandise
By Michael Johnsen    July 12, 2011

The charity locator features an interactive map of nearby charities from a Retail ROI-developed database of 501c3 organizations across the country that focus on at-risk children, women in distress or families in need.

Of an estimated $65 billion in overstocks, the vast majority is housed in small lots at local stores, which makes it costly to consolidate the merchandise, Retail ROI stated.

RetailROI’s charity locator is available here.

Eliminate the Hassle of Expired Pharmaceutical Product Returns

With the revolutionary OneCheck Select program, you can choose to receive your credit in as little as 30 days, or choose from the 60 or 90 day options. Credit comes directly to your store in the form of a single check, so there is no need to track credits from the wholesaler or manufacturer, and the amount received from each

Return Solutions offers both the convenience and simplicity of the On-Site program or the freedom and economy of the Mail-In program. On-site service is completely comprehensive: a rep scans the shelves and pulls the outdated items, inventories them there, and arranges for FedEx to pick up the next business day.  He leaves a complete inventory and estimate for the pharmacist to review.  With the mail-in service, a pharmacy staff member scans the shelves and inventories the outdated items either on the

Within either 30, 60, or 90 days, depending on the time-frame you select, you receive a single check from Return Solutions that represents the majority of your credit.  The manufacturers that you have received credit from are listed on the check stub along with the dollar value of their credit. If there are any manufacturers that will issue credit directly to you, the amount you should receive from each is noted on the check stub as well.

Please contact me at Penley@chaindrug.com for more information or if you have any questions.

Open Communication Helps RDC and FLAVORx Make Connection

Please contact me at Penley@chaindrug.com for more information on FLAVORx and their products.

P-O-S system a vital weapon in retail arsenal

“Given the complexity of running a retail pharmacy, having a pharmacy management system and an automated inventory and P-O-S system isn’t a luxury, it’s a requirement for success,” remarks Jack Walker, president of Walker Drug, a Grand Junction, Colo. -based chain with two stores in that state and one in Utah.