CHICAGO-The use of industry data must combine with a focus on the customer for supermarkets to be successful selling housewares, according to a panel discussion conducted here yesterday at the International Home + Housewares Show.
Moderated by Nielsen’s Todd Hale, “Housewares and Supermarkets: A Profitable Pair” included Steve Davis of Weis Markets, Bill Anderson of H-E-B and Dewayne Rabon of Bi-LO Dixie. It included data presented by Mark Deuschle of Global Market Development Center.
The executives said each of their chains is dong more in the store “to drive more engagement with shoppers,” according to Hale. Davis cited how Weis is putting soup bowls near soup as an example. Rabon said, in a general sense, Bi-LO Winn-Dixie is seeking ways to “make it easier for people to cook at home and have fun.”
Data and benchmarking are critical to the supermarket marriage of food and housewares, the panelists said. Rabon mentioned the need to understand the competitive landscape through data. “We need to know that that customer is doing, of course, but we are starting with the common denominator, which is the customer,” he said.