How to Keep Your Candy Displays Fresh and Unique

Regardless of what they sell, most retail stores change their displays from time to time. Whether you manage a candy store, or a grocery store, bookstore, toy store, or gas station, if your establishment sells candy, below are five ways you can make sure you keep your candy displays fresh and unique.

Tip #1: Mix and Match Various Candy Store Displays

When you showcase your candy, you don’t have to keep your displays to one or two of a certain kind of fixture. There are numerous kinds of fixtures at your fingertips, and it’s easy to keep your displays fresh and unique when you mix and match a few of them.

If you’re creating a point-of-purchase display, or POP display, for example, you could mix clear plastic containers or colored acrylic bins to hold small pieces of wrapped candy or gumballs with pre-filled lollipop trees or gumball machines.

Tip #2: Update Your Candy Display With the Changing Seasons

This is perhaps the most fun tip when it comes to keeping your showcases fresh and unique. It’s easy to find both display fixtures and candy in holiday themes and colors, and it’s easy to use existing fixtures and candy to create showcases with a holiday flare.

For example, during Halloween you could create a gumball display using orange and black gumballs. You could do the same during Christmas using red and green gumballs. Colored acrylic bins are easy to find, and you could choose red and clear for Valentine’s Day displays, or pastels for spring and Easter.

Note that this tip also works well if your store is located in a city with a high school, college, or professional sports team. Showcase your candy in containers of the team’s colors!

Tip #3: Keep Your Eyes Open for New Candy Store Display Fixtures

Traditional candy display fixtures have survived the test of time because they’re functional and reliable; when it comes to clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins, for example, there’s definitely no reason to fix what isn’t broken.

However, wholesalers and retailers that specialize in display fixtures are always coming out with new kinds of candy store display fixtures, and it’s wise for you to keep your eyes peeled for these releases. Trying out new fixtures isn’t “fixing what isn’t broken”; rather, it’s adding visual appeal and new convenience to your displays – and customers always appreciate that!

Tip #4: Reuse Old Candy Display Fixtures in New Ways

Depending on the kind of store you manage, you might have old display fixtures lying around that – while they weren’t originally used for, or maybe not even intended for, candy displays – would work well to showcase various kinds of sweet treats.

Tip #5: Don’t Confuse Your Customers!

In an effort to keep things fresh and unique, you might be tempted to rearrange your store or reposition your candy displays from time to time. Keep in mind that while rearranging your store and repositioning your displays every now and then is fine, and sometimes necessary, doing it often will only confuse and frustrate your regular customers.

You want to give your customers a sense of familiarity and comfort when they visit your store, and that’s tough to do when your constant changes make them feel as if they’re in a completely different store every time they visit. Unless it’s absolutely time to rearrange or reposition things, keep your steps to keeping your displays fresh and unique to the above four tips.

3 Different Ways to Use Merchandise Display Fixtures

As a store owner, you already know how important it is to have the perfect display fixtures for showcasing your merchandise; however, do you know what to do with those fixtures once they’re no longer of use to you?

If you ever find yourself with display fixtures you can no longer use or no longer want to use for showcasing merchandise, consider the three solutions listed below.

1. Make the Most of Your Display Fixtures’ Versatility

There are many different kinds of display tools with more uses than one. When you think your fixtures have reached the end of their line, stop and think about the other kinds of merchandise you can display in them.

For example, you can use mini bin display racks attached to your slatwall fixture or on your countertop. Gumball machines are great for holding gumballs, but you can also fill them with other snacks like trail mix or with small children’s toys like bouncy balls. Clear plastic containers you once used to hold unwrapped candy are also great for holding travel-sized hygiene products or small convenience items like miniature sewing kits or eyeglass repair kits.

2. Turn Your Display Fixtures Into Storage Fixtures

Once you no longer need your display fixtures to showcase merchandise, you can use them to organize and store items behind the scenes.

For example:

• Use clear plastic containers and acrylic bins to organize and store small items like sale price stickers, pens and markers, and other small display tools like rolls of tape, screws, bolts, and tacks.
• Use fixed-position or rolling display racks to store clothes items that need to hang but aren’t ready for floor display yet, or for holding containers you’re using as storage tools. (How you use your display racks depends entirely on the kind of racks you have and the kinds of merchandise you sell.)

3. Donate Your Display Fixtures

If you no longer need your display fixtures (for example, if you’re remodeling or redecorating your store, or you’re moving locations and need to lighten your load), and you’ve decided there are no other uses for them within your establishment, the next best thing to do is donate or sell your fixtures to other businesses or organizations.

Consider these ideas:

• If you know of any new businesses in the area, or have heard there will be a new start up business coming soon, contact the owner and find out if he or she is looking for a few discount (or free!) display fixtures.
• If your store has a large window area, consider moving your display fixtures close to the windows and placing “For Sale” signs on them.
• If your store has a sizeable enough sidewalk area, dedicate an evening to holding a sale.
• Contact local charities or other nonprofit organizations to ask if they need any display fixtures. This works out especially well for organizations such as the Salvation Army and churches that frequently sell or donate items to people in need and need ways to display them.

Donating or selling your old display tools not only helps out other businesses and organizations, but it also helps keep these items out of landfills, which is great for the environment!

3 Creative Ways to Spice Up Your Countertop Displays

Nearly every kind of business - from convenience stores and gas stations to motels and restaurants - can benefit from countertop displays.

Countertop displays are lucrative merchandise display options and it's important to make sure these displays offer both convenience and visual appeal. To achieve this, read on for the three ways you can spice up your countertop displays.

1. Use Colored Acrylic Bins and Plastic Containers in Fun Shapes

Even if you don’t already have a countertop display and are using this information to help you create your first display, chances are you already know how popular acrylic bins and plastic containers are for displays. They’re versatile and durable and, once they’ve run their course out front, you can move them to the back of your store and use them as storage fixtures.

However, what you might not have known is that you can find acrylic bins and plastic containers in vibrant colors and fun shapes! You can use these options to make your countertop displays reflect the current season or holiday, your local college’s or high school’s colors, or any specific theme or décor you’ve already established for your store.

2. Use Two or More Display Fixtures Together

It’s easy to create countertop displays with acrylic bins and plastic containers by themselves, but when you pair them with other display fixtures – such as wire display racks or convenience store racks designed small enough to rest on countertops – you not only create more visual appeal and possibly make the display more convenient for your customers, but you also increase the amount of countertop space you have to work with AND the amount of space you have for merchandise!

If you plan to use other display fixtures with your acrylic bins or plastic containers, make sure you either choose the fixtures that will work with the containers you already have OR choose the containers that will work with the fixtures you already have.

3. Use Pre-Filled Candy Displays

No matter what kind of store, restaurant, or other business you manage, chances are high your customers would appreciate a candy display.

Pre-filled candy displays take the work out of creating your own candy display and, because there are so many different kinds of pre-filled candy displays, you’re sure to find the display your customers would like the most and the one that would be most lucrative for you.

Consider:

• Gumball Machines: You can find gumball machines designed to rest on countertops and pre-filled with colorful gumballs. You can even find these machines pre-filled with other kinds of candy and snacks and even small novelty toys.
• Lollipop Trees: Just like gumball machines, some lollipop trees are also designed “short” enough that you can situate them on your countertop.
• Pre-Filled Candy Containers: Most pre-filled candy containers (which are typically just plastic containers or acrylic bins) are filled with gumballs; however, you can sometimes find them filled with other kinds of candy your customers might like.

Best 3 Pieces of Candy Shop Equipment for New Stores

New candy shop owners have a lot on their minds, and each concern is just as important as the one before it. What candy should you sell? How should you display the candy? How should you decorate your shop – should it have a theme? What should you charge for your candy?

Fortunately, one of the decisions that seems the most difficult – which candy shop display equipment should you use? – is actually one of the easier decisions to make when you take a look at three of the most essential, and convenient, pieces of candy shop display tools.

Pre-Filled Candy Displays

Pre-filled candy displays are actually helpful for every kind of candy store – as well as establishments that aren’t in the business of primarily selling candy – but they’re especially beneficial for new candy stores because they require so little effort. There is generally little if any assembly required when it comes to pre-filled candy displays and they’re already stocked with candy so store owners don’t have to spend time deciding which kinds of candy to sell.

Basically, the only decision a store owner has to make about pre-filled candy displays is which kind(s) to purchase, and they’re available as:

• Pre-filled bucket displays (store owners can find varieties that rotate for floor use or fixed-position styles designed to hang on walls and maximize space).
• Gumball machines (store owners can find gumball machines in numerous sizes with as few as one head and as many as eight, as well as in a variety of fun designs).
• Lollipop trees (store owners can find varieties of lollipop trees short enough to sit on countertops and tall enough to be used as floor displays).

Large Candy Display Racks

Large candy display racks actually come in a variety of sizes, but even the smallest would be considered “large.” These display racks work well as “focal points” in the center of your store or in the center of a wide aisle, or you can situate them against the walls of your store or use them to help create aisles.

You can find display racks with varying numbers of shelves, gravity bins and/or buckets, and accessories like aluminum or plastic scoops or tongs that make it easier for customers to access the candy.

Plastic Containers

No list of essential candy shop equipment is complete without plastic containers, and for good reason! These containers are versatile and durable, can be used as display tools and recycled for storage purposes, and are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and even colors.

Plastic containers are great for showcasing both wrapped candies and unwrapped candies, and work well with accessories like plastic or aluminum tongs or scoops for customer convenience. You can also pair plastic containers with other display fixtures. For example, even though these containers work well as stand-alone display tools, they’re also great with fixtures like convenience store racks and wire display racks. Using plastic containers with other display tools helps you maximize your display space as well as create display space where there was none before.

How to Create Candy and Snack Displays for Your Party

Planning a party is a fun, but time-consuming, event. Where will your party be? How many guests will attend? How will you entertain them?

How will you feed them? Will you offer an elaborate meal or will you create candy and snack displays?

If you’re leaning toward the latter, below are four steps to help you create the perfect candy and snack displays for your party.

1. Consider Your Party

Before you do anything else, you must think about the kind of party you’re having – this will help you determine what kinds of people will be at your party.

For example, are you throwing a birthday party for a child where lots of other children will be present, or are you having an anniversary party that will cater mostly to adults? Will your guests consist mostly of high school or college-aged kids, or will it be packed with established business professionals?

Having a good idea about who will attend your party will help you when the time comes to choose your candy and snacks.

2. Evaluate Your Environment

The main reason you need to evaluate your environment is so you’ll know how modest or elaborate your candy display or snack display can be. It will also help you decide which display fixtures will work best for the amount of space you have to work with.

Take note of how much space you have to work with, and make a list of any existing structures that could work to your benefit (such as countertops) as well as any fixtures you might need to add yourself (such as tables). If there are any fixtures in the room that you can’t use, will you be able to store them somewhere else until the party is over, creating more room for your candy and snack displays?

3. Check Out Different Kinds of Candy and Snacks

No matter who your party guests will be, the perfect candy or snack is out there!

If you expect mostly children to attend the party, consider fun items like novelty candies or even a gumball machines. You might even want to look at bulk wrapped candies to put in a pinata.

If you expect mostly adults to attend the party, you can always include candies popular across various age groups as well as more sophisticated candies like gourmet chocolates.

Buying wrapped and unwrapped candies in bulk from a distributor helps you get enough candy to serve all of your guests as well as save money and stick to your party budget!

4. Find the Perfect Display Fixtures

Now that you know how much space you have to work with and the kinds of candy and snacks you want to offer, it’s time to think about the perfect display fixtures.

Clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins work well for nearly every kind of display. You can use these fixtures alone, situated atop tables or countertops, or you can pair them with wire display racks of various heights and widths to create attractive displays.

Revolving display racks, such as 30-bucket revolving racks, are great space savers and offer plenty of room for showcasing a variety of treats, and you can also find fixed-position bucket racks designed to sit on tables and countertops.

Keep in mind that, in additional to gumball machines, you can find pre-filled candy displays. These displays are excellent time savers and come filled with everything from popular candies like Whoppers, Junior Mints, Jolly Ranchers, and Laffy Taffy to chic sweet treats like gourmet chocolate-covered pretzels, nuts, cherries, and raisins!

Why Your Business Needs Gumball Machines

Gumball machines are classic display fixtures for a wide assortment of merchandise. You can fill these machines with gumballs or other kinds of bulk unwrapped candy, or you can use them as display fixtures for small children’s toys like bouncy balls, play jewelry, and action figures.

If you’re still unsure about whether or not your business can benefit from gumball machine displays, think about how convenient they are for you and your customers, how attractively they display merchandise, and how well they provide opportunities for passive income.

Gumball Machines Are Convenient for You and Your Customers

One of your first priorities to your customers is to make sure you offer the merchandise they need in convenient ways, but wouldn’t it be great if you could also make sure things are convenient for you?

Yes! And that’s where gumball machine displays come into play.

Just consider all the ways these machines add convenience to your shoppers’ experiences and your store operating duties:

• You can fill the machines with gumballs; snacks like unwrapped pieces of candy, peanuts, or trail mix; and small children’s toys like bouncy balls.

• You can offer as much merchandise as you want using these machines. The heads of these machines come in a variety of sizes, so you can find heads that will hold as much or as little merchandise as you want. Plus, you can look for machines with as few as one head or as many as eight, so you can make your merchandise display as small or as large as you want.

• You can place the machines virtually anywhere in your store. There are gumball machines designed to sit on countertops and stand on floors, so you can place them near your countertops and registers for point of sale purchases, near your store’s entries and exits so customers can make a purchase on their way in or out, and throughout your store to complement other merchandise displays.

Gumball Machines Are Attractive Display Fixtures in Any Business

Because it’s easy to find gumball machines in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and styles these days, it’s also easy to find the perfect gumball machine for any business. When you think about businesses that use these machines, you probably think of convenience stores and gas stations, toy stores, and grocery stores.

However, gumball machines are also great additions to:

• Movie rental stores and movie theaters.
• Restaurants and specialty food shops like yogurt shops, bagel shops, and ice cream parlors.
• Beauty salons and barbershops.
• Hotel and motel lobbies.
• Travel information centers.
  

Gumball Machines Offer Options for Passive Income

Gumball machines provide one of the most passive income options around.

Think about it: You don’t have to worry about sales or promotions. You don’t have to think about encouraging your customers to purchase the gumballs or the handful of candy or the bouncy balls as add-on items. All you have to do is buy your machine, position it somewhere in your store, make sure it stays filled with whatever product you want, and collect the money!

Are You Using These Effective Hospital Gift Shop Display Fixtures?

Hospital gift shops serve important purposes: In addition to offering convenience for hospital visitors who might want to purchase a snack or something to read but don’t want to leave the hospital, they provide the gifts hospital visitors want to purchase for their loved ones.

Therefore, it’s important to use effective hospital gift shop display fixtures that will conveniently and attractively showcase the merchandise within the shop. After all, the people who shop at hospital gift shops generally have more pressing matters to deal with than trying to wade through an unorganized shop to find the items they need.

Clear Plastic Containers and Colored Acrylic Bins

Because of the wide range of shapes, sizes, and styles and the many kinds of merchandise items you can put in them, clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins are some of the most popular of all display fixtures, so it’s only natural they’d work well as hospital gift shop display fixtures.

You can use clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins as stand-alone display fixtures on your countertops, or pair them with other display fixtures like wire racks, convenience store racks, and bucket racks for both countertop and floor displays.

Racks for Floor and Countertop Displays

Unless you’re creating a countertop display using only clear plastic containers or colored acrylic bins, chances are you’re going to need some kind of display rack – or racks – for your floor and countertop displays. A few ideas for to get you started include:

• Wire Display Racks: Wire display racks are available in many styles and sizes. For example, you can find spinning wire racks for hanging items, grid display racks for hanging clothing or “baskets” for small merchandise, or wire racks with shelves for displaying stand-alone merchandise or products in plastic containers or acrylic bins.

• Traditional Convenience Store Racks: Like wire display racks, traditional convenience store racks are available in many sizes and styles, but most of them are sturdy enough for holding heavier kinds of merchandise that stands alone.

• Bucket Display Racks: Bucket display racks do just what their name suggests – hold buckets filled with merchandise. These kinds of racks are excellent tools for making the most of whatever space you have to work with, and you can even finding revolving bucket display racks to add convenience for your customers.

Post Card Racks

Post card racks are useful gift shop display fixtures because not only do they hold post cards, but they also hold gift cards, note cards, and inspirational plaques. You can find post card racks small enough for creating countertop displays and tall enough to use as floor displays.

Pre-Filled Display Racks

Not only are pre-filled display racks perfect for busy hospital gift shops and those gift shops that are just getting started, but they also offer some serious versatility and convenience:

• You can find pre-filled display racks filled with wrapped or unwrapped candy.

• You can find pre-filled display racks filled with some novelty toys ideal for both children and adults.

• Pre-filled display racks come in a wide variety of styles and sizes. You can find them for countertop displays or floor displays.

Gumball Machines

Gumball machines are ideal for nearly every kind of retail business – including hospital gift shops! You can find gumball machines in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, and you can even fill them with other kinds of merchandise such as small children’s toys like bouncy balls.

Explore Pre-Filled Display Racks for Your Business

Pre-filled display racks are ideal for store’s that are just getting started, managers who operate busy establishments and don’t have time to create their own displays, and store owners who are just looking for an attractive and convenient way to add extra merchandise to their selection.

There are a wide variety of businesses out there that cater to an even wider variety of customers; fortunately, there are several different kinds of pre-filled display racks available! Store owners can find displays pre-filled with edible merchandise like candy and gumballs, as well as racks pre-filled with non-edible items like novelty children’s toys.

Below are a few of the most common kinds of displays you can find pre-filled with a variety of merchandise items. One of them is bound to work for your business!

Pre-Filled Candy Display Racks

You don’t have to manage a candy store to have a need for candy displays! These pre-filled candy displays work well in a variety of businesses such as bookstores, movie rental stores, specialty food shops like ice cream parlors and bakeries, and even throughout large shopping centers like malls.

Plus, pre-filled candy displays work well in a variety of store setups because owners can find them designed for use on their stores’ countertops, floors, and walls. Some options of displays pre-filled with candy include:

• Display racks and buckets filled with popular wrapped and unwrapped candies like gumballs, Whoppers, Junior Mints, Candy Sours, Smarties, and various flavors of saltwater taffy.
• Display racks and buckets filled with novelty candy like Rock Candy, Push Pops, Ring Pops, Wax Bottles, Pop Rocks, Candy Wafers, Sour Geckos, and Bottle Pops.
• Display racks and buckets filled with gourmet candy like chocolate truffles.
• Lollipop trees and lollipop display racks filled with lollipops and suckers of an assortment of flavors.
  

Pre-Filled Gumball Machines

You can’t think of pre-filled candy displays without thinking of the most common kind – gumball machines!

Because the contents of these machines are enclosed and protected from wandering hands, gumball machines are ideal for positioning virtually anywhere inside or outside of your store. You can find gumball machines in a variety of sizes and styles so they work well for nearly every kind of business, no matter how much display space is available, and you can even fill these machines with merchandise other than gumballs, such as other kinds of small candy like M&Ms and Skittles or other snacks like peanuts and trail mix.

You can even turn your pre-filled gumball machine into a toy machine and fill it with small children’s toys like bouncy balls!

Pre-Filled Novelty Display Racks

Of course, candy displays aren’t the only kinds of pre-filled displays you can find for your business. Pre-filled novelty displays, filled with fun novelty toys, are excellent ways to expand your merchandise selection without doing a lot of work!

Obviously, toy stores have a need for pre-filled novelty displays, but these displays are also great additions for businesses that do a lot of business with families that have children such as convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores.

5 Display Tools for Old-Fashioned Candy Stores

If you’re thinking of opening an old-fashioned candy store, or you already manage an old-fashioned candy store but need some help giving your business a makeover, some of the first things you should think about are the kinds of display containers and fixtures you should use for your candy displays.

Below are five ideal display tools for old-fashioned candy stores to help you pick the tools that will work best for your store!

1. Wholesale Glass Jars and Glass Fish Bowls

Wholesale glass jars and glass fish bowls are the epitome of old-fashioned candy store displays. You can find these glass containers in a variety of sizes and styles, as well as with lids for keeping unwrapped candies wrapped and safe from dust and debris.

While wholesale glass jars and glass fish bowls are perfect for displaying candy in old-fashioned candy stores, broken glass is extremely dangerous so you’ll want to make sure you use them in low-traffic areas of your store or, at the very least, positioned on sturdy display racks.

2. Fixed and Rotating Countertop Racks and Floor Display Racks

If you manage a candy store, chances are not all of your displays are on countertops. This means you’ll other kinds of display tools (besides the glass jars and fish bowls) to hold your candy.

Fixed display racks designed for floors and countertops are ideal for displaying glass containers of candy. At the same time, rotating display racks are great for bags or boxes of candy you can hang from begs or stack on shelves.

3. Wooden Baskets and Wooden Display Racks

Wooden baskets and wooden display racks exude old-fashioned charm and are excellent alternatives for store owners who don’t want to use wire display racks like those found in convenience stores.

You can find wooden displays designed for countertop displays and floor displays, but because the wooden baskets generally don’t come with lids, these display tools are best suited for wrapped bulk candies like Atomic Fireballs, individual pieces of bubble gum, and gourmet chocolates.

4. Gumball Machines

Gumball machines are classic display tools for candy stores. You can find gumball machines with one head or numerous heads and in a variety of different styles. Choose classic styles with round or square heads or fun styles shaped like rocket ships or designed with clear stands to allow your customers to watch their gumballs traveling down to meet them!

Gumball machines are also quite versatile. You can find machines designed for countertop displays, or you can find them positioned on stands and ready for you to move anywhere in your candy store.

5. Dry Food Dispensers

Some unwrapped bulk candies – like Skittles, M&Ms, Runts, Mike & Ike, Good & Plenty, and Jelly Belly’s jelly beans – work well in more than just wholesale glass jars with lids. Because these candies are unwrapped, you can keep them fresh and safe from contamination when you store and display them in dry food dispensers.

You can find dry food dispensers designed to mount on your store’s wall or countertop, and they allow customers to select the amount of candies they want while keeping the rest secured inside.

5 Ways to Treat Your Customers with Jelly Bean Displays

Jelly beans, such as those manufactured by the well-known Jelly Belly Candy Company, are popular among a wide variety of customer bases and therefore make an excellent choice for candy displays in convenience stores, grocery stores, delis, bakeries, yogurt shops, ice cream parlors, and many other kinds of retail businesses.

Should you display your jelly beans on your store’s countertop? On a display rack that sits on the floor? What about your walls? Can jelly beans go there, too? As with other kinds of candies, jelly beans lend themselves to many different kinds of candy displays. Below are five of the most convenient and attractive ways to display your jelly beans. Choose the one – or two! – that best suit your store.

Plastic Containers, Glass Jars, and Fishbowls

Plastic containers, glass jars such as candy jars, and fishbowls (in both plastic and glass) are some of the most common display tools in most stores, and this is likely because these containers are durable, versatile, and reusable.

If you choose any of these kinds of containers for your jelly bean displays, make sure you choose containers with lids to keep your jelly beans fresh and safe from debris, as well as aluminum or plastic scoops so your customers can easily scoop out the number of jelly beans they want without touching any they don’t want – but others might!

Gravity Bins

You’re probably familiar with gravity bins; they’re the kinds of bins designed to be fastened to countertops, walls, or shelves and usually contain coffee beans, dry cereal, or small candies.

These bins are ideal for holding jelly beans as they save space, allow the customers to easily see what kinds of jelly beans are inside, and allow them to easily dispense the number of jelly beans they want.

Drawer Displays

Draw displays are quite convenient in that they protect your candies from the elements but they don’t require you to keep up with a lid.

Drawer display units, like plexi displays and acrylic dispensers, come in units comprised of several drawers that can hold various amounts of weight and can be paired with other units to create a jelly bean display sized exactly as big or small as you want it.

Scoop Bins

Scoop bins are similar to regular candy containers (like plastic containers, glass jars, and fishbowls) as well as drawer displays. You can find units comprised of several bins attached together, and each unit comes with a convenient attached scoop that will reach all the bins.

You can order scoop bins based on how much candy you plan to display in each bin, as each different kind of scoop bin will hold a certain weight of candy. If you plan to have a large jelly bean display, choose scoop bins that can hold a heavy weight of candy; likewise, if you expect your jelly bean display will be small, choose a scoop bin that will accommodate light weights.

Gumball Machines

Despite their name, gumball machines aren’t just for gumballs! You can put many different kinds of merchandise – edible and non-edible – in these machines, and that includes jelly beans.

3 Tips for Using Gumball Machines in Your Business

Gumball machines are extremely popular display tools for a number of businesses. Every establishment from convenience stores to hotels can use gumball machines to offer their customers extra sweet treats, snacks, or toys – all the while increasing sales.

1. Think about the Location of Your Gumball Machines

Gumball machines work well in the following locations:

• Just on the inside or outside of the store’s entryway. Because the merchandise – the gumballs, other treats, or small toys – are enclosed in the machine’s heads, there’s little chance a customer with sticky fingers can walk away without paying.

• At the ends of the store’s aisles. Placing the machines in high-traffic areas allows more customers to see them and maybe make a quick purchase while they’re already shopping.

• Near the store’s countertop and register. Situating your machines near the checkout puts the merchandise in front of customers – and gives them one last chance for a treat – before they leave.

2. Consider the Number of Heads for Your Gumball Machines

The “head” of a gumball machine is the clear round or square container at the top that holds the gumballs or other merchandise. Gumball displays are available with as few as one head and as many as eight heads.

As you’re considering the number of heads to include, consider the following factors:

• The different kinds of merchandise you want to display in your machines. If you only want to sell one kind of gumball – or, just gumballs, period – then a machine with one head will work for you. However, if you want to sell an assortment of gumballs or a variety of candies, treats, or small toys like bouncy balls, then you might want to select displays that offer several heads.

• The amount of traffic you expect your machines to see. If your store experiences a high volume of customers, chances are a display with several gumball heads will work best for you; but, if your store is small and doesn’t experience a high number of customers, you might want to use a display with just one, or a few, heads.

• The amount of space you have to work with. Obviously, you need to choose a gumball display that will fit in the space you’ve allotted for it. Storeowners with little space might want to choose machines with single heads situated on a skinny stand, while storeowners with lots of space might be more interested in larger gumball displays with multiple heads situated on a metal rack-style stand.

3. Have Fun with Your Gumball Machines!

Gone are the days of using only traditional gumball machines with round or square heads. These days, you can find gumball machines in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and styles!

Spice up your display with machines in fun shapes like rocket ships and with clear stands so customers can see their gumballs as they travel down to greet them! You can also fill your gumball machines with other kinds of merchandise – both edible and non-edible – such as pieces of candy, peanuts, trail mix, and bouncy balls.

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:

• Colored and plastic containers.

• Glass and plastic fishbowl containers.

• Gumball machines.

• Wire display racks like convenience store racks. *

• Wooden display racks and wooden baskets. *

• Pegboard display racks. *

• Hanging shelf display racks. *

* 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.

Pre-Filled Candy Displays: Learn Your Options

Pre-filled candy displays are perfect for every kind of retail business. Candy stores, gas stations, convenience stores, bookstores, gift shops, even hotels and motels – they’re all perfect places to situate a pre-filled candy display. Just as importantly, pre-filled candy displays are perfect for:

• New stores that need help stocking before Opening Day.

• Established stores that want to add candy to their merchandise selection but don’t have the time to hand select each and every piece and display.

If your store falls into one of those categories, it’s time to take a look at your pre-filled candy display options.

Gumball Machines

A gumball machine is probably one of the most popular candy displays around. These machines are perfect for nearly every kind of business – from convenience stores and grocery stores to actual candy stores and other specialty shops – and they’re available in an assortment of sizes and styles.

The kind of machine you choose will depending on where you want to situate it and how much space you have to work with. You can find single-head gumball machines designed to sit on your countertop or stand on the floor, or you can find elaborate displays with as many as eight heads. You can even find gumball machines in fun styles like rocket ships and designed to show the gumballs rolling down the escape!

Lollipop Displays

A lollipop display is another popular kind of candy display for various businesses.

Traditional lollipop trees work best for stores that have room for floor displays, but you can find lollipop displays made of an assortment of sucker styles and flavors situated within decorated cardboard containers or acrylic bins. These kinds of lollipop displays are best for stores that plan to situate the displays on their countertops.

Plastic Containers

Plastic containers pre-filled with candy are excellent choices if you simply want to display candy on your countertop as add-on merchandise at checkout. You can find these plastic containers pre-filled with an assortment of candies including gumballs, Jawbreakers, Tootsie Rolls, Sugar Babies, and Strawberry Bon Bons.

Keep in mind that once you’ve sold all the candy in your pre-filled plastic candy containers, you can either refill them with more candy to sell or use them for another purpose entirely!

Wall, Floor, and Countertop Displays

These kinds of pre-filled candy displays take plastic containers to the next level. They are generally comprised of plastic candy containers or buckets filled with popular candies and situated on display racks small enough to showcase on your countertop, large enough to use as floor displays, or designed to hang as a wall display.

If your store has enough room, you might want to consider even larger floor candy displays. These displays are tall enough and wide enough to act as focal points on your store’s floor or even entire aisles.

Wooden Baskets and Racks

Wooden baskets and racks pre-filled with candies are the more rustic versions of traditional candy displays made of plastic containers and wire racks. Most often, you can find these wooden baskets and racks designed as “tree” displays sized for both floor and countertop displays, or floor displays of wooden racks that hold the baskets on shelves.

5 Tips for Shopping for Candy Store Supplies

So, you’re thinking of opening a candy store. Or, maybe you already have a candy store, but you need some ideas for giving the place a facelift. Whether you’ve yet to schedule the Grand Opening or you just want to freshen up your existing establishment, below are five tips to help you shop for supplies best suited for your candy store.

Tip #1: Know Your Store

First, you need to get to know your candy store – or the candy store you want to operate. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What kind of candy store do you want to operate? Will it have a particular theme, color scheme, or overall “feel”?

• How much space will you have to work with inside your store? Will there be room outside the building for outdoor displays?

• Will you candy store have any special features? For example, will your business have an area set aside where customers can sit and snack on the candy they’ve just purchased?

Tip #2: Know Your Customers

Second, you need to know what kind of customers you plan to cater to. Candy stores generally appeal to two main kinds of customers:

• Children and families who prefer “fun” kinds of candies.

• Adults who have more mature tastes in candies.

Tip #3: Choose the Candy You Want to Sell

In order to choose the kind of candy you want to sell in your store, you need to look again at the first and second tips. Consider your candy store’s “theme” as well as the kind of customer base you plan to cater to.

• If you plan to operate a fun, fast-paced candy store that does most of its business with children and families, consider selling popular traditional candies like gumballs, Jawbreakers, lollipops, Jelly Beans, and Tootsie Rolls.

• If you plan to operate a more mature establishment that caters mostly to adults, consider candies like gourmet chocolates, including chocolate-covered nuts, pretzels, cherries, and coffee and espresso beans.

Tip #4: Think About the Best Candy Displays

Now that you’re familiar with your candy store, the kinds of customers you plan to have, and the types of candies you want to sell, you’re ready to choose the candy displays that will best suit your business.

Most all candy stores can use display items like glass and plastic containers, colored acrylic bins, and floor and countertop display racks; however, depending on your candy store’s theme and the kinds of customers you expect, you can choose versions of these display tools that best suit your store.

For example, if your store will do business mostly with children and families, colored acrylic containers and bright display racks for your floors and countertop might be best. You can even add additional fun display items like gumball machines and lollipop trees.

Gumball machines and lollipop displays might also work for older customers, but if you plan to have a more mature customer base, you might want to choose wooden baskets and display racks and glass candy jars in lieu of plastic and wire.

Tip #5: Shop for True Wholesale Candy Prices

You’re familiar with your store, your customers, and the kind of candies you want to sell and how you want to display those candies. Now it’s time to make sure you stock your store with those candies at true wholesale prices.

As you're shopping for wholesale candy, make sure you compare the prices of several different candy retailers. Some companies will claim to offer wholesale prices on bulk candies, but further shopping around will prove these prices aren’t true wholesale at all.

Unique Ways to Display Your Candy

Whether you operate a convenience store, grocery store, and gift shop, if you’re in the business of selling any amount of candy you also should be in the business of display that candy in creative, unique ways.

Candy is popular worldwide, and customers generally don’t need any persuasion when it comes to purchasing it; however, visually appealing candy displays are more likely to catch your customers’ attention and increase your candy sales.

Create Candy Displays with Plastic Containers or Glass Jars

Unless your sweet and sour merchandise only consists of candy bars or bags of candy, you need containers for your candy displays. Probably the two most popular kinds of candy containers are plastic containers and glass jars.

Both are available in various sizes and shapes and are reusable, and each offer their own special perks:

• Plastic containers are extremely durable and available in an assortment of colors, which makes creating a unique candy display even easier.

• Glass containers are more easily breakable, but offer an elegant “feel” to your candy display that plastic containers generally can’t accomplish.

Keep in mind that if you’re planning to display unwrapped candies, you should look for food grade candy containers with scoops customers can use to access the candy and lids to keep the candy clean in between customers.

Discover the Versatility of Candy Display Racks

Candy display racks fit no one mold – there are numerous kinds for you to choose from!

• Think about the amount of space your store allows you to work with, as well as the amount of candy you want to display, and then choose floor racks, countertop racks, or a mix of both styles.

• Consider your store’s theme or overall look. Wire display racks, for example, are available in classic colors like white, black, and red. And, if you’re using accessories like plastic containers on your display racks, clear will match every theme while colored containers will add visual appeal.

• Determine your store’s environment. Fast-paced businesses like convenience stores and gas stations often choose sturdy, wire display racks for showcasing candy, while slower-paced, charming stores like specialty shops often like using wooden display racks.

Have Fun with Pre-Filled Candy Displays

If you don’t think you’re creative enough to arrange your own attractive candy displays, or you simply just don’t have the time, maybe you should take a look at pre-filled candy displays. These kinds of displays are available in a wide variety of designs and perfect for everything from gumballs and lollipops to bags of candy and candy bars.

You can find gumball machines, lollipop trees or racks, and wire displays all pre-filled with candy and perfect for floor or countertop displays. Also available are sizeable candy displays designed to line your store’s walls, act as focal points in the center of your store, or even function as aisles.

Some of these pre-filled candy displays also break away from the norm and are available in unique designs. For example, you can find gumball machines resembling rocket ships and acrylic lollipop displays in interesting shapes.

Equipment for Starting a Candy Store

If you’re thinking of opening a candy store, there are quite a few pieces of equipment you’ll need to display your candy in the most convenient, attractive, and effective ways.

Plastic Containers

If you really think about it, it might actually be impossible – or, at least, extremely difficult – to operate a candy store without plastic containers. From wrapped candies like Tootsie Rolls and Jawbreakers to unwrapped candies like gumballs and Lemon Drops, these containers are perfect for virtually every kind of candy.

Not only are plastic containers are quite durable, which makes them ideal for fast-paced stores that often have children as customers, but they’re also rather versatile. You can:

• Find clear plastic containers and colored acrylic containers to match your candy store’s décor and create attractive candy displays.

• Choose from an assortment of sizes to work best with the candy you want to sell and the space you have to work with.

• Add accessories like lids and candy scoops to keep your candy safe and clean.

• Refill your plastic containers with candy once they’re empty, or use them for an entirely different purpose like organizing merchandise in your stockroom or displaying non-edible items your candy store might also sell.

Glass Containers

Glass containers function in many of the same ways as plastic containers do. You can find them in a variety of shapes and sizes, and pair them with useful accessories like lids and scoops.

However, when you compare glass candy containers with plastic ones, you’ll find two major differences:

• Glass containers are heavier and more easily broken, so they’re not always the best choices for candy stores that usually keep a regular stream of young children coming in and out of the store.

• Glass containers add an elegant charm that plastic containers can’t always achieve, so they’re great for displaying gourmet candies in more upscale establishments.

Display Racks

Unless you plan to display all your candy within plastic or glass containers situated on your store’s countertop, you’re going to need a few display racks.

Candy store display racks are available in numerous styles, shapes, and sizes, the most common and versatile of which include wire display racks and wooden display racks designed for either floor or countertop displays. Unsurprisingly, wooden display racks work best with wooden baskets, and you can use wire display racks to showcase bags of candy that are able to stand alone or fill plastic containers with pieces of candy and then arrange the containers on the wire rack’s shelves.

Pre-Filled Candy Displays

Pre-filled candy displays are great for candy stores that are just getting started as well as those that stay quite busy and can’t always find the time to restock their displays. Look for pre-filled candy displays in the following forms:

• Gumball machines designed for floor displays or countertop displays with as few as one head or as many as eight heads. You can also find gumball machines filled with other kinds of loose, unwrapped candies like Skittles and M&Ms.

• Lollipop trees tall enough to display on your floor or compact enough to situate on your countertop.

• Candy filled display racks complete with traditional, novelty, or gourmet kinds of candies. You can find these racks small enough for your countertop, tall enough to act as floor displays, and large enough to essentially act as aisles in your candy store.

How Can Bulk Unwrapped Candies Benefit Your Retail Business?

If you haven’t started selling bulk unwrapped candies yet, what are you waiting for? These kinds of candies:

• Are ideal for nearly every kind of store, restaurant, and retail business where any kind of food product is sold. You can sell these candies in convenience stores, gas stations, hotel snack bars, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, and even more formal dining establishments.
• Lend themselves to an assortment of display options. You can display these candies on convenience store countertops, in gumball machines, in plastic food grade containers near your store’s deli area, and even near the entries and exits of markets and major national chain stores (think of stores like Wal-Mart and Target).
• Come in a variety of types. You can find unwrapped candies like Sprees, Skittles, Mike & Ike, and gumballs to display throughout your store or restaurant. Because of the wide variety of candies available, you can make sure your store is always stocked with something to please every customer.
  

Find Unbeatable Bulk Wholesale Prices on Unwrapped Candies

When you buy in bulk, you’re making sure your business is always stocked with the kinds of merchandise your customers prefer. Before you order bulk unwrapped candies at wholesale prices, take some time to observe sales trends. What kinds of candies do you customers buy the most? What kinds of candies do they avoid? You’ll want your ordering process to match your customers’ buying trends.

Buying unwrapped candies in bulk not only helps make sure your business stays well stocked; it also helps you get the most bang for your buck. When you find a company that sells bulk candy at true wholesale prices, you save much more money than you would if you ordered smaller quantities of candy.

Of course, in order to make sure you get the best deal, you have to be careful of the “wholesale price” claim: Many suppliers will make this claim, but their prices might actually be higher than true wholesale. Be sure to shop around.

Display Suggestions for Bulk Unwrapped Candies

Unlike wrapped candies like Jawbreakers, Laffy Taffy, Tootsie Rolls, and Jolly Ranchers, unwrapped candies need extra protection to keep them sanitary; therefore, a little extra thought has to go into display bulk unwrapped candies. Consider these ideas:

• Gumball Machines: Gumball machines aren’t just for gumballs anymore! You can use these machines to store and display gumballs as well as other kinds of unwrapped candies like Reeses Pieces, M&Ms, Jelly Beans, and BananaRama candies.
• Food Grade Plastic Containers: These containers have screw-on, snap-on, or attached hinge lids to help keep unwrapped candies protected. Using a plastic or aluminum scoop, customers can get as much candy as they want without contaminating any of the rest of it.
• Gravity Bin Dry Food Dispensers: These kinds of plastic containers often hold dry goods like cereal and coffee grinds or beans; however, they’re also ideal for storing and displaying bulk unwrapped candies. These bins generally feature a handle that will start the flow of candy when a customer spins it one way, and stop the flow when the customers spins it the other way – perfect!
  

Ideas for Displaying Merchandise with Plastic Containers

As a storeowner, you know you need to purchase wholesale plastic containers to display your merchandise. What you might not know – or might not fully understand – is exactly how these containers can help your business. You can use these containers to create attractive, convenient displays in a number of locations throughout your store.

Create a Counter Top Display

Because they’re available in a wide array of shapes and sizes, plastic containers are great for creating counter top displays. You can use one or two by themselves to hold small pieces of candy or gumballs, or you can set several atop a wire display rack to showcase numerous kinds of merchandise. Displaying merchandise on your store’s counter top is also a great way to:

• Keep the items within your view. Merchandise in acrylic containers is usually small, and having it on your counter top and near your register discourages thieves. You can also purchase canisters with lids to add extra protection for merchandise.
• Up-sell. The kinds of merchandise store’s keep in these counter top displays are usually the kinds of products nearly everyone likes and can use (think candy and gum, or convenience items like travel-sized shampoos and conditioners), but not items each customer always thinks about when he or she enters the store. Keeping these items near the register puts them in the customer’s view as he or she is checking out.
  

Display Extras Near Your Store’s Deli Area

If your store includes a deli area, you can use square plastic containers to hold extra edible items like condiments and seasonings, or non-edible items like straws, cup lids, napkins, hand wipes, and utensils. It’s best to choose square plastic containers for these purposes as they offer your customers easy accessibility.

Showcase Merchandise In Your Store’s Aisles

Your store’s aisles are undoubtedly equipped with shelves; however, you can situate wire display racks on opposite ends of the aisles that feature plastic containers full of additional items. Maybe you’d like to display candy throughout the store, or perhaps you’d like a better way of organizing the smaller convenience items such as lighters, combs, and key chains. Plastic containers on convenience store racks are great for all these ideas.

Keep in mind that you can also find acrylic dry food dispensers designed to mount to your store’s walls or the aisle’s shelves. If your store sells dry food items like cereal and coffee, these dispensers will work well for you. You can also use them to display small candy items!

Greet Customers at the Entryways

Because placing merchandise near your store’s entryway and making sure it stays safe can get tricky, gumball machines are your best bet. These tools have come a long way since the days of the classic single head gumball machines; these days, you can find machines with as many as six or eight heads. You can even order these machines already stocked with gumballs!

If you’d prefer to use traditional acrylic containers near your store’s entryway, make sure you select large plastic containers that can hold sizeable items. You might even want to look into canisters with lids. And remember: Placing these containers on convenience store racks is a great way to create an attractive, organized, and convenient display.

How to Use Gumball Machines In Your Store

You might think gumball machines are only appropriate for convenience stores, but in reality gumball machines are classic tools for displaying merchandise in a variety of retail settings. If you own or manage any of the following kinds of retail locations, you can benefit from gumball machines:

• Convenience stores designed for travelers and on-the-go shoppers.
• Video arcades.
• Restaurants.
• Large stores part of national chains.
• Specialty shops specialize that concentrate on particular types of food and nonfood items.

Below are a few ideas for using gumball machines in your store or restaurant. You Can Place Gumball Machines Throughout Your Store Gumball machines are convenient for customers because they generally only require depositing a coin or two and spinning a lever. Customers don’t have to deal with employees when they want to make a purchase from a gumball machine, and they can make a purchase at any point during their time in the store or restaurant. If you want to use gumball machines within your store or restaurant but aren’t sure where to place them, consider these locations that make gumball machines even more convenient for customers:

• Near the entryways and exits of your store or restaurant.
• On counter tops throughout your store or restaurant.
• Near your store’s registers or the area where your restaurant customers pay.
• On either end of the aisles in your store or close to your restaurants booths.
• Near any video games or jukeboxes within your store or areas within your restaurant designed to entertain children.

Gumball Machines Come In a Variety of Shapes and Sizes Gumball machines have come a long way since the days of the classic single head gumball machines. These days, you can find gumball machines and gumball displays with as many as six heads of various shapes, sizes, and colors. These gumball machines may come attached to a single stand, or you might find them set on more elaborate metal or plastic frames. Gumball machines with multiple heads are great if your store is small and you want to keep your gumball machines close to one another, or if you’d just rather have all your gumball machines in one location rather than spread out across your store. Gumball Machines Hold an Assortment of Merchandise Naturally, gumball machines are perfect for holding gumballs, other small candy items, and even food items that aren’t candy such as trail mix. You can even order gumball machines that are already stocked with gumballs or other food items. However, gumball machines are also useful when it comes to nonfood items. Whether you run a large national chain store, a small convenience store, or a restaurant of some type, you can use gumball machines to hold and display nonfood items like children’s toys. Some ideas might include:

• Small bouncy balls.
• Plastic jewelry like rings, necklaces, and bracelets.
• Stickers and stick on tattoos.
• Little toy figurines.

You might even be able to order these kinds of gumball machines already stocked, too.

Convenience Store Displays: Ideas for Showcasing Your Merchandise

Many convenience store patrons are interested in only three things: Paying for gas, grabbing a quick snack, and picking up whatever items they forgot to pack or don’t feel like traveling far to purchase. As a convenience store owner or employee, one of your jobs is to make sure you showcase your merchandise in such a way that grab a customer’s attention and be convenient for that customer to purchase.

Some of the most common places to display your merchandise include registers and countertops, aisles, entryways, and deli-style areas. Below are suggestions for making the most of those areas by creating appropriate and effective convenience store displays.

Registers and Countertops

Placing merchandise on countertops and near registers is one of the most common ways storeowners choose to display their merchandise. Not only do these locations help prevent theft, but the also help ensure customers will see the merchandise.

Convenience store displays on countertops and near registers most often include small items like candy. Plastic containers work well with these kinds of displays. Of course, you can also find convenience store racks small enough to fit comfortably near your register or someone atop the countertop and these racks lend themselves to slightly larger items like bags of candy, chips, and trail mix.

Aisles

Convenience store racks like wire displays are great for showcasing merchandise in your store’s aisles. Many storeowners choose to use these wire displays for items like bags of chips and candy, but they’re functional for displaying a variety of products like maps, toys, and personal hygiene items a traveling customer might have forgotten to pack. You can even find wire displays made for holding acrylic dispensers for both your edible and non-edible merchandise.

Make sure you choose wire displays that will comfortably fit in your convenience store’s aisles. If you have a lot of room, you might want to choose wider displays to showcase more merchandise; however, if your aisles are narrow, it’s a good idea to choose narrow wire displays. These displays also come in a variety of heights, so if you must choose a narrow display you might be able to supplement the space by also choosing a tall display.

Entryways

Many convenience stores don’t generally offer an abundance of space, and sometimes you must get creative in order to effectively and attractively display your merchandise. Entryways – just inside your convenience store’s main door – are great places to store merchandise within space-saving, enclosed displays to protect the items from sticky fingers and the elements that might travel in each time a customer opens the doors.

Gumball machines are especially popular displays for convenience store entryways and you can choose from a wide selection of styles. Some gumball machines are traditional in that they are fairly tall, thin, and offer one plastic bubble filled with gumballs; however, gumball machines have come a long way over the years, and now you can select machines with two or even three plastic bubbles as well as small gumball machines designed to rest on multi-leveled wire display racks.

Deli-Style Areas

If your convenience store includes any kind of deli-style area, there’s no question about whether you need plastic containers for holding items like napkins and hand wipes, straws and stick stirs, and condiments and seasonings. However, depending on the kind of foods you offer in your deli, you might also require displays designed for containers like cereal dispensers.

Clear Plastic Containers: Not Just for Your Checkout Counter Anymore

While checkout counters are notoriously popular for convenience stores to showcase their merchandise within clear plastic containers, these containers are extremely versatile and can hold and display a wide variety of items throughout the entire store.

Consider Wire Display Racks

Clear plastic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes; fortunately, so do wire display racks. You can use wire display racks to hold your plastic containers and create convenience store displays for an assortment of your store’s merchandise. Combining your store’s plastic containers and wire display racks is a great way to organize a variety of items, including:

• Edible items like candy, breath mints, and chewing gum.

• Fun and souvenir items like key chains decorated with personal names or the name of your city or state.

• Useful items like lighters, small packets of tissues, or lip balms.

• Personal hygiene items like shampoos, conditioners, soaps, razors, and shaving creams in travel sizes.

Reintroduce Yourself to Gumball Machines

As a convenience store owner, you probably purchase bulk candy wholesale, and among that candy is probably gumballs. Many stores choose to display and sell their candy from traditional gumball machines. Not only do these machines help protect the gumballs from dust and other debris, but they also help keep the gumballs safe from theft and are quite convenient for customers to use.

In the past, gumball machines have varied in height and have typically consisted of one stand and one plastic bubble. Today, convenience store owners can choose from a wide array of gumball machine styles. As your shopping for gumball machines, keep these varieties in mind:

• More than one plastic bubble: These gumball machines are space savers that allow you to organize your gumballs by flavor, size, or price.

• Various sizes: Gumball machines come in a variety of sizes, so choose the size that will work best with your store’s space.

• Standless machines: You can purchase gumball machines without stands, and these machines are perfect for displaying on convenience store racks. Choose a rack that’s sizeable enough to hold as many machines as you want, and one that will allow you to group the machines close together for convenience.

Keep in mind you don’t have to fill your gumball machines with actual gumballs. These machines are suitable for a variety of small candies – be creative!

Don’t Forget Your Store’s Hot Food Items

Many convenience stores go above and beyond simply offering their customers quick snacks like chips, candy, and bottled water or soda. These stores also provide a deli- or restaurant-style area where customers can purchase hot food items like hotdogs, corndogs, hamburgers, and nachos, as well as coffee, fountain drinks, and even ice cream. Little extras like condiments, seasonings, toppings, creamer, sugar, and sweetener, as well as non-edible items such as utensils, cups, straws, stir sticks, and napkins, also fit nicely in clear plastic containers.

Your store might actually employ individuals to prepare deli-style sandwiches for customers, and clear plastic containers are useful for storing and showcasing the kinds of sandwich meats and dressings available. And, if you offer dry food items like cereal, don’t forget to look for acrylic or plastic cereal dispensers that will comfortably fit in your store’s deli area.

Of course, what’s a hotdog or hamburger without a bag of chips and a piece of candy for dessert? Here you can use small wire displays and convenience store racks to display bags of chips and candy, as well as breath mints and chewing gum.

Gumball Machines and Bulk Candy Vending Machines

Candy Concepts has launched a new line of gumball machines and bulk candy vending machines including:

• The CCI Rocket Sprio Gumball Machine
• The CCI 4 Foot Wiz Kid Gumball Machine
• The CCI 5 Foot Wizard Gumball Machine
• Classic Styled Single, Double, Triple, Quad Gumball Candy Machines on Stands
• Pro Styled Single, Double, Triple, Quad Gumball Candy Machines on Stands
• 6 and 8 unit Vendors
• Gumball Machines that also dispense superballs, bouncy balls, toy capsules and more!

Candy Concepts Inc. also offers bulk gumballs in 35 different flavors, bulk candy, and bouncy balls for filling these machines.

Please call 1.877.234.1222 or visit www.candyconceptsinc.com today!