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Friday, June 26, 2009

3 Important Factors for Creating a Candy Display

Whether you manage a convenience store, candy shop, or bookstore, if you’re thinking of creating a candy display you probably have a few questions about how to get started.

What kinds of candies should you use? Should you order bulk wrapped candies or bulk wrapped candies? Where can you find bulk candy for wholesale prices? And how should you display all of this candy?


1. Consider Your Store and Its Customers


The kind of
candy you display in your store should reflect both your store’s “atmosphere” as well as the kinds of customers you serve on a daily basis.

For example, if you manage a convenience store or gas station, you probably serve a variety of customers from all walks of life. This means your candy selection will need to reflect the tastes of each of those customers – or, at least, the bulk of those customers. Perhaps you’ll want to offer a selection of gourmet-style candies as well as a larger selection of popular and novelty candies like Jolly Ranchers, Jawbreakers, Runts, and an assortment of lollipops and suckers.


At the same time, if your store is a specialty shop of any sort, you’ll want your candy selection to reflect that. For example, candy stores that pay homage to candy shops of olden days might want to include classic kinds of candies like gumballs or “penny candies.” A shop that caters to a mature customer base, on the other hand, might want to focus more on gourmet chocolates.


2. Think about the Location of Your Candy Display


The location of the candy display is an especially important factor for storeowners who sell a variety of candies – and a variety of other kinds of merchandise – to consider.


For example, if your store sells merchandise geared toward children, such as toys, coloring books and crayons, and board games, it’s a good idea to situate a small display of your novelty or “more fun” candies – the kinds of candies that appeal to children – in these areas.


3. Compare the Best Candy Display Tools


Now that you know what kind of candy you want to sell, it’s time to think about the best way to display that candy – in other words, you need the display tools guaranteed to showcase your candy in the most attractive and convenient ways.


Some of the most popular display tools include:
* Note that you can find a variety of display racks designed for countertop displays and floor displays.

Just as when you were choosing the kind of candy your store should sell, as you’re choosing your display racks you should consider your store’s atmosphere. For example, plastic containers and fishbowls and wire rack displays work great for all store types, but glass jars and fishbowls and wooden display racks and baskets add an extra elegance to your displays.

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5 Ideas for Using Fishbowl Containers in Your Business

Fishbowls are extremely popular containers for a variety of businesses. They’re available in a variety of sizes for your merchandise needs and, depending on your business’s atmosphere, you can find plastic fishbowl containers for fast-paced areas and glass fishbowl containers for locations where you want to add an extra bit of charm.

And nearly every kind of business can use them. Fishbowls are ideal for everything from retails stores to amusement parks – and everything in between!


1. Use Fishbowl Containers to Create Candy Displays


Fishbowls are great ways to create displays of candy and other small edible kinds of merchandise in your store.

Consider using a few small fishbowls for a countertop display of candy or gumballs for your customers to see as they check out, or create larger floor displays using wire display racks (see below) so you can display even more merchandise in larger fishbowls.


2. Organize Trial- and Travel-Sized Items with Fishbowl Containers


As mentioned above, fishbowls are popular tools for creating candy displays, but they’re also ideal for displaying other kinds of non-edible merchandise. As is the case with creating displays of candy and other edible items, you might want to use wire display racks with your bowls (see below).


If your store sells trial-or travel-sized items such as hygiene products, eyeglass repair kits, or sewing kits, you can display these items in fishbowls. You can even create displays of other normally small kinds of merchandise like key chains, lighters, and small children’s toys.


3. Pair Fishbowl Containers with Wire Display Racks


Fishbowl containers work great with other tools such as
wire display racks. These racks are available in versions designed for countertop displays and floor displays and help you create attractive and convenient displays that work best with the amount of space allotted for your fishbowl displays.

Wire display racks also allow you to make your fishbowl container displays mobile! For example, you can obtain rolling wire display racks that allow you to easily move your display racks anywhere in your store, including outside for sidewalk sale events.


4. Use Fishbowl Containers as Collection Containers


Fishbowls are great for more than just offering your customers a product; you can also use them to collect items from your customers such as tips, business cards, amusement park tickets, and prize tokens.


Be sure to choose the material that will work the safest for how you intend to use the container. For example, if you manage a restaurant or tavern and want to include a container on each table or in your bar area, you might want to use glass fishbowls. If you plan to use your containers in high-energy, high-traffic areas such as amusement parks or carnivals, consider using plastic fishbowls.


5. Hold Prizes in Fishbowl Containers – Even Fish!

Speaking of amusement parks and carnivals, fishbowls are great ways to hold prizes for patrons who win games and challenges! True to their name, fishbowls are excellent for holding fish you offer as prizes, but they’re also perfect for organizing small inanimate prizes for your patrons to choose from.

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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Using Fishbowl Containers as Display Tools

From convenience stores to gift shops, many different kinds of retail businesses can use fishbowl containers as display tools.

Just take a look at how versatile fishbowls are:
  • You can find both plastic fishbowls and glass fishbowls. Choose the material that best suits your store’s environment and atmosphere. For example, if you manage a fast-paced convenience store or gas station, use plastic fishbowl containers for your displays. If your store offers a more laid back atmosphere and you want to add elegant charm to your displays, select glass fishbowl containers.
  • Fishbowls come in a variety of sizes, so you can choose which ones will work best with the amount of space you have work with. For example, if you plan to create a countertop display with your fishbowls but don’t have much countertop space, choose a few small fishbowl containers or one or two larger versions.
  • Other display tools, such as wire display racks, work well with fishbowls. You can find these racks big enough for floor displays and small enough for countertop displays. You can use any kind of fishbowl with these display racks as long as they securely sit on the racks, but because display racks slightly increase the chances of accidents (such as a customer bumping into them), plastic fishbowls might be your best option.
Use Fishbowl Containers to Create a Countertop Display

Like traditional square or round plastic containers, plastic fishbowl containers are ideal tools for creating countertop displays. These spheres are perfect for displaying small candies as well as non-edible items like key chains, matchbooks, and lighters.

The size and number of fishbowls you use for your display will depend on how much countertop space you have. Choose the material of your fishbowls – plastic or glass – based on the amount of traffic your countertop area experiences as well as the kind of visual appeal you’re trying to create. Plastic works best for countertop areas that see high volumes of traffic, while glass adds more elegance to your display.


And, keep in mind you can use wire display racks to make the most of your countertop space (see below).


Pair Fishbowl Containers with Floor Wire Display Racks


If your countertop doesn’t offer a lot of space, or you’d rather spread your fishbowl displays throughout your store, you can use wire display racks. Wire display racks are available in designs suitable for both countertop displays and floor displays.


Choose
wire display racks designed for countertop displays if your countertop doesn’t offer much room, or you simply want to make the most of the room it does offer. These racks generally come with one to three shelves and are ideal for small fishbowls filled with small candies or mini add-on items.

Wire display racks designed for floor displays offer numerous shelves and are great for showcasing additional small items at the end of your aisles next to larger, similar displays. For example, you might want to create a display of travel-sized hygiene products next to your larger display of full-sized items.

Keep in mind that placing your fishbowls on wire display racks means they’re higher off the ground, so you might want to choose plastic fishbowls for these displays.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Create Countertop Displays with Fishbowl Containers

Countertop displays of add-on merchandise like candy, convenience items, and travel-sized hygiene products are essential for any store with a countertop. And, if your business has a countertop, you have a need for fishbowl container displays!

If you operate any of the following kinds of businesses, consider learning more about using fishbowl containers to create a countertop display:
  • A convenience store or gas station.
  • A small local grocery store or a large national chain super center.
  • A bakery, yogurt shop, or ice cream parlor.
  • A toy store.
  • A bookstore.
  • A hobby shop.
Fishbowl Containers Offer Versatility

Like traditional round or square display containers, fishbowls offer a great amount of versatility. Fishbowl containers:
  • Are available in glass or plastic form, which means you can choose the best material for your store’s environment. Plastic fishbowls are more durable and therefore ideal for fast-paced stores with a lot of traffic, while glass fishbowls are a bit more elegant and offer extra visual appeal for more upscale businesses.
  • Come in a variety of sizes, so you can select the perfect fishbowl for the kind of merchandise you want to display as well as the amount of countertop space you have to work with.
  • Are ideal as stand-alone display tools or for paring with other display tools like wire display racks designed for countertop displays. Choose small containers to create a candy display on modest countertop space, large fishbowls for bigger merchandise items on ample countertop space, or make the most of your countertop space by stacking several fishbowls on a wire display rack or two.
Imagine Candy Displays Using Fishbowl Containers

Fishbowl containers are the perfect display tools for a wide variety of candies. You can use fishbowls to organize and display:
  • Suckers and lollipops.
  • Individual pieces of bubblegum or small packs of chewing gum.
  • Small pieces of traditional kinds of hard candies in flavors like butterscotch, peppermint, strawberry, grape, lemon, or cherry.
  • Fun candies like Jawbreakers, Tootsie Rolls, Jolly Ranchers, Laffy Taffy, Smarties.
Keep in mind that most fishbowls don’t come with lids, so it’s best to choose candies for your countertop fishbowl display that are complete with protective wrappers, such as wrapped candies purchased in bulk at wholesale prices.

Showcase Other Add-On Items with Fishbowl Containers


Unless you operate a candy store, chances are high that your business sells more than just candy or other small edible items. Good news – you can use fishbowl containers to display virtually any kind of merchandise small enough to fit inside them!


Depending on the kind of store you manage, consider these ideas:
  • Use your fishbowls to display souvenir items such as small figurines bearing your state’s name or related logo for travelers or sentimental residents.
  • Fill these containers with convenience items in high demand like matchbooks, lighters, eyeglass repair kits, all-in-one pocket tools, or travel-sized sewing kits.
  • Display travel-sized hygiene products like small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, lotion, and deodorant.

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Does Your Business Use Fishbowl Containers?

If your business isn’t using fishbowl containers, it should be! These cousins of the traditional round plastic containers you often see in candy shops and convenience stores are certainly useful for doing more than just holding fish and offer a convenient, attractive display option for a variety of businesses.

Fishbowls come in both glass and plastic, so you can choose the material that best suits your business’s environment. For example, if you manage a gas station that sees a great deal of steady traffic, or you operate a candy store and excited children make up the bulk of your customer base, choose plastic fishbowl containers. If your establishment operates at a slower pace or you’re looking for a more elegant feel for your display, consider glass fishbowl containers.


You can also find fishbowls in a variety of sizes, which means no matter how much space you have to work with, there’s a fishbowl for you! For example, if you manage a store with little countertop space to spare, you can use one or two small fishbowls or just one large fishbowl. If you’re running a display at a trade show and have a fairly large table to work with, you can choose several large fishbowl containers.


Candy Stores and Other Retail Businesses


From candy stores and gift shops to convenience stores and gas stations, virtually every kind of retail business can use fishbowl containers.
If you manage a:
  • Candy store, bakery, yogurt shop, or ice cream parlor, you can use fishbowls to organize and display candy or yogurt or ice cream toppings.
  • Convenience store or gas station, you can use these containers to hold candy like gumballs, Jawbreakers, or suckers, or non-edible items like matchbooks, key chains, or small all-in-one pocket tools.
  • Gift shop, hobby shop, or bookstore, you can use containers shaped like fishbowls to display small kinds of merchandise like bookmarks, ink stamps, buttons, or travel sewing kits.
Restaurants and Other Food Industry Businesses

Restaurants and other food industry businesses like taverns or “bar and grill” establishments can use fishbowl containers to display food items like after dinner mints or small packets of seasonings and condiments.


They can also situate their fishbowls on each individual dinner table, on the countertop, or near the registers to collect tips from patrons.

Some restaurants hold drawings or raffles for free meals and these restaurants can use fishbowls to collect the business cards of customers who wish to enter.


Amusement Parks and Other Unconventional Businesses


Obviously, amusement parks, theme parks, and carnivals can use fishbowls to hold fish they offer as prizes, but these businesses often use these round plastic containers to collect tickets for rides or games or tokens the patrons have collected for prizes. Parks and carnivals also use clear fishbowls to display candies for sale or additional prize options like miniature figurines or small plush toys.


Other folks who can use fishbowls include entrepreneurs who attend trade shows, people in the fundraising business, and charities. These containers are great for displaying small merchandise items or free gifts, as well as collecting donations for charitable causes.

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How Can You Use Fishbowl Containers in Your Business?

Long gone have been the days that clear fishbowl containers were intended solely for holding fish. These days, a number of businesses use fishbowls to display merchandise, collect tips, and overall make their customers’ experiences more convenient.

These tasks become even easier thanks to the variety of sizes and styles. Depending on the purpose of your fishbowl you can find small, medium, and large sizes, and depending on your business’s environment you can choose plastic or glass fishbowls.


Two kinds of businesses that can especially use fishbowl containers are retails stores and restaurants.


Retail Stores Use Fishbowl Containers as Display Tools


When you think of display containers for your retail store, traditional round or square containers made of glass or plastic are probably the first kinds that come to your mind; however, fishbowl containers are extremely popular choices and offer as much durability and versatility as common plastic containers.


Convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, hobby shops, gift shops, bookstores – these are all examples of retail businesses that can use fishbowl containers to better organize and display their merchandise. If you operate any of these kinds of stores, think about the following ways you can use these containers:
  • Arrange fishbowl containers on your store’s countertop. Countertop displays are crucial for any business with a countertop. Fishbowl containers are available in several sizes; choose the one that best fits the countertop space you have to work with and create a display to showcase some of your store’s best add-on merchandise.
  • Situate your fishbowl containers on wire display racks. Like fishbowls, wire display racks come in a variety of styles and sizes and you can find them designed for both floor and countertop display purposes. Choose fishbowl containers in sizes appropriate for your wire display racks, or order wire display racks to in sizes that will suit your fishbowls.
Restaurants Use Fishbowl Containers to Increase Customer Convenience

Fishbowl containers are excellent tools for storing and displaying merchandise, but they’re also great ways to increase your customers’ convenience if you operate any kind of restaurant, tavern, or “bar and grill” establishment.


If you manage one of these kinds of businesses, consider the following ideas for using fishbowl containers to increase your customers’ convenience:
  • Situate a medium-sized, round fishbowl container at individual tables, along your countertop, or near your register to collect tips from customers. Many kinds of restaurants accept tips from customers, and these containers offer an easier and safer alternative to leaving tips on the tables or countertops.
  • Use small fishbowls to hold additional meal items such as seasonings, condiments, and after dinner mints. Packets of salt, pepper, sugar, sweetener, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise fit perfectly inside small fishbowl containers and placing them on each of your restaurant’s tables helps ensure customers always have what they need.
  • Use small or medium-sized fishbowls to hold non-edible items such as complimentary matchbooks with your restaurant’s logo or small drawing pads and crayons to keep children occupied while they wait for their food.

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