Sweets make for a great product – they sell all year round, children and adults adore them, and their shelf-life is decent. What’s more, the profit margins are sweeter, especially during the holiday season when people prefer buying sweets and candies in bulk.
But there’s more to candy retailing. The dilemma of choosing between best-sellers, or questions like, “Should you fill your aisle with seasonal stock? “Or will the transition to healthy eating habits thwart your sales?” With these questions in mind, it is easy to overlook the massive potential the sweets industry has in store for retailers.
Take, for example, Whittakers chocolate – one of the best selling chocolates in New Zealand. The consumption of this brand has risen so much over the years that it has only forced the company to expand in order to keep up with the demand. There are other brands and products like Chupa Chups, Cadbury chocolate, etc. that are in line when it comes to popular sweets in NZ.
Ideas to make sweets sell out faster
- Stock up on seasonal merchandise
Seasons like Christmas and Halloween must not be underestimated when it comes to selling candy. Every year, shoppers become more excited about Christmas and Boxing Day.
So, the major question is: how can retailers reflect market shifts while simultaneously capitalising on this opportunity? Fortunately, suppliers are working hard to make their items more relevant, and leading retailers are changing their sales techniques.
Investing in Christmas-themed wholesale confectionery is a no-brainer during the holiday season. But many store owners are left anxious about being stranded with worthless holiday merchandise in January after the season has gone.
When it comes to impulse confectionery, the key is to not over-buy because you might end up with a bunch of stock that won’t sell after Christmas. Some can be repurposed for upcoming seasons or commemorations like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Pro Tip: Consider buying “too-Christmasy” or overtly themed confectionery in limited stock. This helps in getting it off the shelves easily while also creating scarcity for the customers, which will drive them to your store. The idea is not to over-purchase since you may wind up with a surplus of inventory that will not sell after Christmas.
- Buy your wholesale confectionery before the peak season
How can retailers store festive confectionery without losing money after the holiday season due to excess stock?
One solution to this is to get stock as early as possible. This is because people do like to start shopping for Christmas confectionery around October.
Many bulk confectionery suppliers and manufacturers usually release their promotions in early October, so you can usually go for your bestsellers during this time.
A few days before October, you can start thinking about designing displays and marketing seasonal goods.
Pro Tip: Be prepared ahead of time, beginning the countdown in October with self-treats like Cadbury black forest chocolate or caramilk chocolate. Then, as November approaches, continue the countdown with advent calendars and novelty sharing lines. Make it evident that the Christmas spirit has arrived in your business by stocking selection boxes, sharing lines, and top-up presents in December.
- Go for premium pricing
Holidays may seem to be the best season to sell out candy, as there is a huge demand that can be catered to, resulting in more profits. Yet, some customers continue to search for ways to save money in spite of holidays like Christmas being a time for indulgence. A question that business owners ask themselves is, “Should I offer a premium selection or one for budget-conscious customers?”
From what has been the trend over the years combined with retail psychology, premium candy wins the competition.
It’s important to invest in high-quality seasonal confectionery, as this is a time to show your customers that you have premium products waiting just for them. This is your opportunity to compete on premium pricing, by employing a few tactics like attractive displays and deals to achieve your goal.
When customers come across these deals and attractive displays, the holiday vibe sets right in – and they sell extremely well.
Best-selling confectionery in New Zealand
- Whittakers chocolates – a touted Kiwi brand and everyone’s special, Whittaker’s chocolates are famous for their smooth, creamy texture. Undoubtedly, they’re a holiday classic!
- Chupa Chups – This spanish brand of sweet and sour candies is popular especially among kids. A great pick for holidays, of course!
- Cadbury chocolate – Even though kiwis prefer Whittaker’s over Cadbury, there is still a significant demand for this contender. Most loved variants in Cadbury are black forest chocolate, caramilk chocolate & flake chocolate.
- Lollies – Lollies are Halloween season’s staple confectionery items. Among these, mayceys lollies, american lollies and even Pascall lollies have a decent demand in NZ.
- Mints, gums & refreshments – Confectionery is incomplete without bubble gums & mints. Top-selling brands in bubble gums are Wrigleys gum, Eclipse mints, & a famous Japanese brand by the name of Hi chew.
- Anzac cookies – This is a classic kiwi cookie made with oats, coconut, and golden syrup.
Conclusion
This guide for stocking bulk confectionery is aimed at making retailing easier by incorporating aforementioned tips. However, these strategies are not a general rule of thumb, and you can have your own unique selling strategies, as long as they help you generate sales.
