Infinity Says Unorthodox Product Placement Effort Helps Boost Sales

September 25, 2022  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry   

With inflation on the rise and indications of a recession around the corner, many retailers are seeing a decline in furniture purchases nationwide. However, retailers carrying high-end massage chairs from Infinity have been observing a spike in sales of these upscale products, despite their typical retail price range of $5,500 to $7,500.

“We found that consumer trial is driving sales for us, so we strategically placed the chairs adjacent to our finance area. The placement allows our guests a convenient spot to relax and try out a new product during any wait they may experience, which greatly enhances their shopping experience,” said Jordan Storey, vice president of Wichita Furniture, a second generation, family business in Wichita, Kansas.

Added Tom Kovash, vice president of Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Furniture Mart USA, “We’ve found that placing the chairs near the bedding area worked well because many consumers will place their massage chairs in a bedroom. In other cases, we found that displaying them in areas where consumers naturally congregate, like counter areas, drove up sales as well.”

Many top retailers have told the company that following strategic layout strategies used by big box chains such as Costco and Target are key in capturing the attention of consumers.

By placing the massage chairs in customer waiting and operational areas, for example, shoppers are able to interact with and experience the product, even if they were not intending to shop for a massage chair when they entered the store, the company said.

Product placement is extremely important in encouraging high-involvement purchases. By placing the products in ‘unexpected’ places in the store, we have found consumers are more apt to try the chair. Once they sit on it and experience some of the features, they fall in love and make the purchase.,” said Michael Milone, vice president of retail sales and business development for Infinity Massage Chairs. “The strategy is much less in-your-face and that is less threatening to many consumers.”

Due to the influx in high-involvement purchases as a result of unique product placement strategies, Milone said retailers are continuing to invest in and feature Infinity’s products on their floors.

“I didn’t have the secret recipe for the perfect placement but knew that it had to be a spot that had enough traffic to ensure the chairs would be in plain sight,” said Matt Kramer, executive vice president for I. Keating Furniture World, a family-owned chain based in Minot, N.D. “Once customers were able to sit in the chairs, even if that wasn’twhat they came into the store for, they fell in love. The quality of the chair speaks for itself.”