Whether a customer is grabbing a bite to eat because they are hungry or doing routine shopping for deli products, you want the merchandise to be as appealing as possible and that starts with how you display your products. Most people shop for edible products with their eyes rather than their wallets. With that in mind, you want to entice their appetite with a visual display that will catch their attention. The difference between selling your products or not begins with choosing the right display cases for your deli.
There are many factors that go into play when choosing the right deli display case for your deli. This process can be very overwhelming and confusing if you do not know what to search for. To find the ideal display cases for your business these are some of the questions to ask yourself: How do you want your store to be laid out? Do you want customers to serve themselves? Do you want your employees to serve the customers? Are you displaying prepackaged food? Are you displaying hot or cold foods? Would self-contained or remote cases be better for you?
You want your store to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Image is a big factor and customers will shop in a store if it is visually appealing. When a customer is shopping they make some impulsive purchases, you want to draw them to your products with an attractive display. When considering the layout you must bear in mind that you must leave room for the customers to move around, you do not want them to feel cramped. You need to leave adequate room for customers to browse your store as well as customers waiting to be waited on.
Many customers appreciate the convenience of being able to grab items and go. They do not always want to take a number and place an order. This dilemma can be solved with a self-serve display case. Self-serve display cases can come with or without doors. The cases without doors are referred to as an open case. This type of display case can come equipped with shelving to place products on or hooks to hang packages from. You may want to place this type of display near the entrance door so the customer can see it as soon as they walk into your store. There will be numerous products that cannot be stored in a self-serve case; these items will be displayed in a service case. When choosing a display service case you will have many options. The front glass display can be a straight front or curved front glass depending on the look that you are going for. Another option you will be given is a single or double duty case. The single case just provides you with the display area for your products, where as a double duty case provides you with a storage area underneath the case to stock product out of the view of the customers. Also, you will have options such as adding on a scale stand, paper cutter, additional shelving, drop work shelf, mirrored doors, and front bumpers.
You must take into account the products that are being served to the customers. Will you be selling hot prepared foods along with you deli products? If you are, you will want to consider purchasing a hot service display case. They come equipped with wet or dry heated individual wells, separate drains for each well, and each well is individually thermostatically controlled and they have their own heat lamps.
Many deli cases are available in a self-contained or remote refrigeration configuration. The condensing units in a self-contained model are mounted within the bottom of the case. Usually small businesses that are leasing their space will opt for this option so the equipment can be easily moved if need be. If your display case requires a larger condensing unit or if you have multiple condensing units you may want to consider getting a remote refrigeration system. With multiple units or a larger condensing unit more noise and heat will be generated into your store. If you do choose to purchase a display case that requires a remote condensing unit, you will need to contract with a licensed refrigeration specialist to make the required connections for you.
When taking all your options into consideration, you want to think about the customer. What will make your business different from the next and bring the customers to your store for their purchases? Make sure you communicate your requirements and expectations with a commercial refrigeration specialist to make certain that you are getting precisely what works best for your business.
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