6 Reasons to Stop Using Gondola Shelving

Grocers have long depended on gondola shelving to hold products and create displays. This type of shelving was seen as the go-to choice. But it's time to think beyond this type of shelf. Other options provide a better alternative that can help your grocery store improve the way you show off your products and entice customers. If you're unsure about switching, consider these cons of gondola shelving:

1.) It's Hard to Reset

Once you set up gondola shelving, it is difficult to reset it into a new position. You might need to bring in a whole specialized gondola resizing and refitting team to create the new setup. This difficulty can deter you from changing the design of the store to create new interest or draw attention to certain products.

6 Reasons to Stop Using Gondola Shelving

2.) It Invites Rodent Problems

A major downside of gondola shelving, especially in a setting that sells food, is that the design of the shelving has space for mice and other rodents to enter. They are able to hide and nest in these areas, creating unclean conditions and food safety problems within the store.

3.) The Shelves Scratch and Rust

In time, gondola shelves lose their appearance. That’s because their materials rust and scratch. When this happens, the shelving takes away from the look of the overall display. The consequence of this effect is that customers can be deterred by the shelving instead of noticing the positive qualities of the products displayed upon them.

4.) It Holds Less

Within the same amount of space in the store, gondola shelving holds fewer products than other shelving options. Using a different type of shelving can boost the capacity by as much as 30 percent. By selling more products, you have the ability to offer more options to your customers, as well as increase profits.

30% space gain

5.) It is Bulky

Gondola shelving has a dark and bulky design that can underwhelm the look of the food you’re selling. This means that customers will focus on the shelving more than the products. The less the customer focuses on the products, the less likely they will be to purchase.

6.) It Has a Dull Style

The look of this type of shelf is simply boring and outdated. It creates a look like every other store rather than providing an appealing and unique design. With this dull style, the overall appearance of the store and its products can be reduced.

A Better Solution

What is your alternative? Rather than continuing to face the cons of gondola shelving, you have the option to switch to a different shelving type that addresses the downsides of traditional supermarket shelving for an improved design.

Different shelving options are available that can maximize space, giving you the equivalent of a minimum of an extra shelf per aisle. This extra space can allow you to offer more SKUs to create up to 20 percent higher profits within that same space. A better shelving solution also uses space better by not requiring the shelf brackets and supports of gondola shelving, which take up a significant amount of space.

Profit Comparison

* $30 per linear foot [average sales per week in all categories]. ** With calculated 23% average gross margin calculated, $110.40/week gross margin increase.

In addition to the space saving benefits, other shelving systems are easier to reset than gondola, allowing you to redesign your aisles and displays as you please. For example, you could simply snap shelves into place to reset them. It’s even possible to change shelves without affecting the ones above or below them. In addition, other shelving can provide a modern and stylish appearance that retains its quality. At the same time, shelving options that stay in the background allow your food to take center stage.

More SKUs = More Customer Choices = More Profits

By changing your shelving, you can update the look of your grocery store and display your products in a more attractive manner. If you are ready to gain extra space within your store, allowing you to sell more and improve profits, contact the space experts at Metro to see how our full line of grocery shelving options can help put your space to work. More SKUs = More Customer Choices = More Profits!

Replace your bulky gondola shelving with wire shelving today!