In the highly competitive retail industry, cigarette racks and displays can act as a type of silent salesman for you. Therefore, there are key design factors to look for when buying these items.

Elements of a good display include merchandising space, versatility, economy, durability, pilferage-resistance, ease of use, and ease of installation. Additionally, fast service and on-time delivery will maximize store profits. Let's take a look at each of these features.

Merchandising space: Your displays need to pack more product into each square foot of valuable space. This is especially true in the convenience store niche. Fortunately, small products like cigarettes and tobacco can be merchandised under-counter, in-counter and overhead, as well as in free-standing displays. By choosing well-designed rack and display options, you'll maximum your revenue-per-square foot.

Versatility: Based on your cash wrap design, as well as your market's needs, you may offer a number of tobacco products. Racks that offer elements such as adjustable dividers allow you to display a variety of inventory items such as snuff, pouch tobacco, little cigars, and international cigarettes.

Additionally, displays that come in neutral colors that complement any decor, are a plus.
This kind of versatility allows for a broader inventory offering for your customers, which encourages repeat business and expanded sales opportunities.

Economy: Many retailers and convenience store owners work within slim profit margins. Therefore, while your display's features are important, a cost-effective price structure is not only attractive, but critical to your margin and your store's success.

Pilferage-resistance: Retail shrinkage is a continued and growing problem for retailers. Quality displays and racks help to guard against potential theft with features such as an easy front-loading design. This configuration ensures that cigarettes are accessible only to your clerks, while helping control inventory, too.

Ease of Use: Since successful retailers are busy, your displays and racks need to be easily accessible for employees. Spring-loaded trays and mounting location make all the difference in your ability to move product reliably and quickly.

Ease of Installation: There's nothing more frustrating than receiving a new display or rack, and finding you have no way to easily mount it. A rack with no mounting hardware included may as well not be there! Look for manufacturers who provide easy mounting kits that install in a snap.

Durability: It's a fact of life that cigarette displays and tobacco racks take a beating! Consequently, you count on quality and durability as part of the economic equation. Some displays tend to fall apart after little use, resulting in retail downtime, lowered employee effectiveness, and repairs or replacement of broken displays.

Durable displays keep your cigarette and tobacco products selling and your store profitable.

Aside from these design and manufacturing elements, you need to be able to count on your display provider. Therefore, be sure to work with an established and reputable display company that understands the retail environment and it's critical need for service and prompt delivery.

Store openings, store remodels and other retail events all demand on-time delivery for your cigarette racks and other displays and a good vendor relationship will keep you ahead of the competition. A well-timed promotion, a great display and solid foot traffic are a winning combination any time.