These include a marked increase in promotional activity, particularly from retailers that didn't previously rely on promotions to drive value among their customers and consumer basket and transactional analysis, where retailers are increasingly assessing product combinations and using these to inform their promotions. For example, supplier banded packs have been around for years, but we have noticed an increase in the past year of cross-supplier promotions.
While it's interesting to note how these trends are influencing activities, it's important to recognise their place within the fundamentals of good retail marketing to start with. Knowing what these principles are allows you to employ successful marketing strategies that deliver strong return on investment.
Retailing is not rocket science; it's common sense, but the problem lies in the execution of these basic issues.