Using Glass Candy Jars in Your Store

You don’t have to be a candy storeowner to want to create an attractive candy display for your customers. All sorts of businesses – from convenience stores and grocery stores to bookstores and ice cream parlors – create candy displays to both please their customers and increase sales.

But before you head out to order glass candy jars wholesale, there are three things you should consider: Your customers, your store’s environment, and the kind of candy you want to display.

1. Consider Your Customers

Glass candy jars might be best known for the roles they’ve played as charming display fixtures in old-fashioned candy stores, but that doesn’t mean the typical candy store customer (i.e., a child) is the best person to trust around glass candy containers.

Of course, not all candy store customers are children – many customers consist of parents and adults who like candy, too! If your candy store customer base consists of a mix of ages, consider using plastic candy containers as display fixtures in the areas where children are most likely to venture, and save the more elegant glass candy jars for the areas where you display candy products geared toward adults, such as gourmet chocolates.

2. Consider Your Store’s Environment

Even if your store sells no other kind of candy but the kind of candy adults would be most attracted to, such as gourmet candies, you need to consider your store’s environment before you decide whether or not to use glass candy jars.

Fast-paced stores with high volumes of traffic lend themselves to the kinds of situations that can lead to broken glass, so if your store stays pretty busy, you might want to opt for plastic candy jars instead of glass candy containers. Of course, you could also mix your containers up, using plastic containers in the higher traffic areas and glass containers where things seem to be calmer. You know your store’s usual traffic volume best, so be sure to consider it before you order your glass candy jars wholesale.

3. Consider Your Merchandise

Obviously, candy is going to work well with glass candy jars – but you need to consider the kind of candy you want to display in your jars before you actually purchase them.

• Some storeowners like to use glass fish bowls to display their candy. These containers work well for a number of merchandise displays, and it’s no surprise the work well for creating candy displays, too; however, fish bowls leave the merchandise exposed, so if you opt to use glass fish bowl containers as part of your candy display, make sure you choose wrapped candy.
• If you plan to display unwrapped candy, choose glass jar lids. These glass jars are just as attractive as every other kind of glass display fixture, and the lids offer extra protection to the unwrapped candy.
• Note that some candy just isn’t right for glass candy jars. Candy bars, for example, look out of place and fit awkwardly in these kinds of candy containers. Save your glass candy jars for smaller pieces of candy. And remember: Brighter pieces of candy help create even prettier displays!

Plastic and Acrylic Displays Are Ideal for Showcasing Bulk Candy

Candy stores aren’t the only establishments in the business of selling candy! So many retail locations showcase candy to create additional merchandise for customers, and the most popular – and convenient – places to showcase bulk candy using plastic containers or acrylic bins are your countertop, your floor, and your wall.

Create a Countertop Display

Countertop displays are probably the most popular way to display bulk candies (unless you manage an actual candy store, in which the entire establishment is a display!).

To create a countertop display of bulk candy, you can do one of two things (or, both):

1. Create Your Own: Acrylic bins come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose the ones that best fit your countertop and then situate them to create an attractive countertop display.
2. Get Some Help: You can find plastic bucket racks with 6, 8, and 10 buckets designed for showcasing small merchandise like bulk candies on your countertop. You can also use wire racks designed to hold acrylic radeus scoop bins. These racks usually hold a bin on the top shelf and a bin on the bottom shelf, maximizing your display space.
   

Create a Floor Display

Plastic containers and acrylic bins are just as ideal for floor displays as they are for countertop displays, and you can create attractive bulk candy displays on your store’s floor following the same two suggestions:

Consider these two ideas for bulk candy floor displays using acrylic bins:

1. Create Your Own: Creating your own floor display of bulk candy is easy! If you want to use acrylic bins or plastic containers to create bulk candy displays on the floor, you can position the same kinds of acrylic containers you would use for a countertop display on floor display racks. All you need are the acrylic bins best suited for your candy and a display rack designed for floor use. Once you have those tools, you can situate the display rack somewhere on your store’s floor that will offer the best visibility and convenience and then position your acrylic bins on the rack. Presto!
2. Get Some Help: Plastic bucket display racks designed for floor displays can help you quickly and conveniently showcase your bulk candy. These display racks come in fixed position and rotating models and you can find them with as many as 30 acrylic buckets.
   

Create a Wall Display

Walls are often forgotten when it comes to creating store displays, but creating wall displays are ideal ways to make the most of the space within a store.

If you’re considering a wall display for showcasing bulk candy, consider two options:

• Gravity Bins or Dry Food Dispensers: Gravity bins and dry food dispensers (names that are often used interchangeably) are some of the most popular acrylic containers for wall displays and excellent fixtures for holding bulk candy. You’ve probably seen these acrylic wall containers holding food items like dry cereals and coffee; however, gravity bins and dry food dispensers are perfect for displaying unwrapped bulk candies. The closed containers keep the candies clean while they wait for customers, and customers can easily access the amount of candy they want while leaving the rest untouched.
• Funnel Front Bins and Slatwalls: Funnel front acrylic bins fitted to mount to slatwalls generally include candy scoops or rakes (and side slots to hold them) for customers to push candy to a “funnel” and then open a door and catch the candy in a bag or container. Funnel front bins and slatwalls offer a lot of freedom because you can position your bins however high, low, close together, or far apart you want on the slatwall, and they’re generally easy to reposition if you ever want to change your display around.

Choosing Candy Jars: Plastic or Glass?

When it comes to display containers for any kind of retail store or restaurant, the options seem endless. Candy jars are especially popular choices because they are so versatile. They can hold a multitude of different kinds of merchandise – not just candy – and when they’re empty you can simply refill them or use them for another purpose entirely.

However, even candy jars themselves present a variety of options, and – aside from size – perhaps the most important you should consider is the material. Do you need plastic candy jars, or glass candy jars? Which would work best for your store?

Consider the Location of the Display

Whether you’re displaying candy or another kind of small snack in your candy jars, chances are high that you’ll situate your display either on your store’s countertop or on a wire display rack. You might even place your candy jars on a wire display rack designed for countertop displays!

Wherever you plan to place your candy jar display, consider the area’s traffic. If you want to create a countertop display, but your countertop and register areas tend to stay crowded, plastic candy jars are your best bet. If you want to create a display on a tall wire display rack and situate it somewhere else in your store, make sure that location doesn’t experience a high number of customers at any given point during the day before you stack glass candy jars on the shelves; otherwise, you might want to go with plastic containers instead.

Consider Your Store’s Traffic

Sometimes it doesn’t matter where you choose to place your candy jar display; if your store tends to experiences a high volume of traffic during most business hours, for safety purposes it might be best to use plastic candy jars instead of glass candy jars.

However, if your store generally experiences a low volume of traffic – or if most of your customers are adults and not excited children – glass candy jars might be the best display option for you.

Consider Your Store’s Theme or Décor

While the first two factors you should consider – your store’s traffic and the location of the display – are extremely important because they deal with safety issues, this third factor to consider – your store’s theme or décor – is important on an entirely different level.

Most traditional kinds of retail stores – such as convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores – will choose plastic candy jars for candy displays. This is for two main reasons: One, these are high-traffic kinds of stores and plastic is less likely to break and injure someone if it falls from the display or a customer bumps into it, and two, these kinds of stores generally have a laid back atmosphere without any special “theme” or décor.

However, specialty shops such as gourmet candy stores or even bakeries, yogurt shops, or ice cream parlors that sell candy or other small snacks that can fit in jars often want their displays to exude a bit more charm. Glass candy jars are perfect was to achieve such a result.

Hey, Store Owners: Candy Isn’t Just for Kids Anymore

Because candy is so popular, a number of retail businesses such as convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores include candy displays on their countertops or on display racks situated throughout their stores. Even establishments that aren’t generally in the business of selling food products, like hotels, bookstores, and gift shops, will create candy displays to offer customers add-on merchandise as they’re shopping or checking out.

Most of these establishments – especially gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores – sell mainstream candies like Atomic Fireballs, Good & Plenty, Skittles, Jolly Ranchers, and Mike & Ike. Chances are, you’ve never been to one of these kinds of stores and not seen some kind of candy display that included M&Ms, Laffy Taffy, Sprees, or Runts. This is due to the wide variety of customers these businesses deal with on a daily basis. These kinds of candies generally appeal to the masses.

While these common candies certainly have something to offer (they wouldn’t be so popular if they didn’t, after all), sometimes businesses cater to customers who aren’t fans of candies like Tootsie Rolls, Lemonheads, and Bit-O-Honey. Businesses that attract customers with more mature tastes in candy can still benefit from having candy displays; they just need to use candies that appeal more to these kinds of customers. Such candies include gourmet chocolates.

Consider Gourmet Chocolates

European-style gourmet chocolates are excellent additions to your store’s gourmet candy display. These candies with their fancy wrappers and wide variety of types appeal to many customers. You can find milk chocolate-covered European-style gourmet candies like covered raisins, dried cherries, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, and almonds, as well as other kinds of chocolate candies like pretzel twists, malted milk balls, coffee beans, espresso beans, and caramel corn.

Another gourmet candy to consider is rich gourmet chocolate. You can find a wide variety of rich, gourmet chocolate candies including Mint Meltaways and Peanut Butter Meltaways, Coconut Haystacks, Vanilla Caramels, and Peanut Butter Cups. For customers who enjoy chocolate-covered nuts, consider Rocky Road Clusters, Peanut Caramel Patties, Cashew Caramel Patties, Pecan Caramel Patties, and Toffee with Almonds. Also keep in mind that you can find sugar-free versions of many rich gourmet chocolate candies, too.

Displaying Gourmet Chocolates

You can display gourmet candies much the same ways as you can display other kinds of candies. You can create countertop displays for your gourmet chocolates, or you can use display racks to hold the candy containers and situate the displays throughout your store.

Acrylic or plastic containers are perfect for storing and displaying just about any kind of candy or sweet treat, and gourmet candies are no different in that respect. Of course, given that these candies are gourmet you might want to forgo colored or clear plastic containers and use glass candy containers instead. Glass candy jars provide a look of elegance that’s perfect for displaying gourmet chocolates. Regardless of the kind of containers you choose for your candy display, make sure your jars have lids if they’re going to hold unwrapped candies.

Candy Containers: Plastic vs. Glass

Whether you’re getting ready to open a convenience store or you’re thinking of redecorating your bagel shop, chances are you need to think about the kinds of containers you’ll use to store and display your merchandise.

The two basic kinds of containers you have to choose from are plastic (or acrylic) containers and glass containers. Each kind offers its own benefits, and depending on the kind of store or business you manage, one kind of container will probably work better for you than will the other kind of container.

Benefits of Plastic Candy Containers

Plastic candy containers are probably the most popular kinds of containers for storing and displaying a variety of merchandise. This is largely because plastic containers generally offer:

• Extreme durability. It’s nearly impossible to break a plastic container just by dropping it, which makes these kinds of containers ideal for fast-paced environments like convenience stores, or retail settings where children are very likely to try to pick up or bump into the containers.
• A variety of color options. It’s usually easier to find colored acrylic containers than it is to find colored glass containers. You can order wholesale plastic containers in a variety of colors, making it easy for you to create attractive countertop displays that match your store’s “theme,” your state colors, or even the current holiday season.
• Convenience. Acrylic containers are much more lightweight than glass containers, which makes it easier to transport them, clean them, and even display them on racks.
  

Benefits of Glass Candy Containers

However, even though they’re breakable, heavier, and are more often clear than colored, glass containers offer a few perks plastic containers don’t. For example, glass containers:

• Usually don’t show scratches. They might not break when you drop them, but plastic containers show their age much quicker than do glass containers.
• Offer a visual appeal acrylic containers can’t. Glass containers are a throwback to charming old candy stores and general stores of the past.
• Provide an elegant look. Upscale stores often prefer glass over plastic; therefore, stores that use glass containers generally provide a sense of elegance for customers.
  

Look for These Benefits in All Candy Containers

Whether you choose plastic or glass candy containers, there are a few features you should make sure you get:

• If you plan to store unwrapped candy, make sure you containers come equipped with lids. You can find containers with snap-on or screw-on lids, as well as containers that come with attached, hinged lids.
• Choose containers that add to your display’s visual appeal. Colored acrylic containers allow you to add extra pizzazz to your candy display, but glass containers add an elegant charm. Choose whichever kind of container fits best with the “feel” of your store or business.
• Select containers sizeable enough for your merchandise, but small enough for the space you have to work with. You don’t want to sacrifice your customers’ convenience just so you can fit as much merchandise as possible on your countertop.
  

Did You Know About Pre-Filled Candy Containers?

If you’ve ever worked or shopped in any kind of retail or restaurant establishment, you’re probably pretty familiar with plastic candy containers. Business owners use these containers to hold and display a variety of merchandise types – not just candy – because they’re durable, versatile, inexpensive, and lend themselves to attractive counter top displays. Other kinds of businesses, like carnivals and theme or amusement parks, can also use these containers for storing and showcasing merchandise as well as collecting admission tickets and tokens.

However, did you know you can find pre-filled candy containers? Ordering containers already filled with merchandise is a convenience for many businesses, and there are plenty of additional uses for the containers once they’re empty.

Pre-Filled Candy Containers Offer Convenience

Pre-filled candy containers are convenient tools for convenience stores, restaurants, and other businesses just opening up. Any business that plans to regularly sell large quantities of candy should order bulk candy wholesale, but start-up businesses might not have time to work out all the kinks before Opening Day. These businesses can get a head start when they order plastic or acrylic containers already filled with candy.

Too, not every business orders bulk candy wholesale. For example, not many restaurants focus on candy as a main course, obviously, but lots of restaurants do offer hard candy or gumballs to their customers at the check out register. These restaurants can order plastic containers filled with candy or gumballs as they need them and without having to worry about ordering and storing bulk items. Therefore, these businesses can benefit from clean, streamlined path from the candy distributing company to their own counter tops. The simply order the containers pre-filled with candy, receive them, and place them on the counter top. It’s that simple!

Pre-Filled Containers Include More Than Just Candy

You can find pre-filled containers that offer more than just candy, gumballs, or lollipops. Depending on your business, you might want to look for containers already filled with food items like pretzels, trail mix, cereal, or even coffee.

Don’t Trash Your Container Once the Candy’s Gone

Once you’ve sold all the candy or other food item, you don’t have to trash the container. These plastic containers are reusable and quite versatile. Consider these ideas:

• Refill your empty container with the same item. If you ordered a pre-filled container because your business was just starting out, chances are you’ve already started ordering bulk quantities of whatever items you plan to sell and can now begin filling the containers yourself.
• Use the empty container for another purpose. Perhaps you don’t want to sell the candy or another food item anymore, or maybe you’ve thought of another way you’d like to use the container. Many businesses use plastic containers to collect tips, take patrons’ business cards, and store and display other kinds of merchandise.
• Donate the empty container. Another establishment in your area, whether it’s a business similar to yours; a carnival, amusement or theme park; or a charity or fundraising event might have need for your old plastic containers.
  

Which Plastic Candy Container Is Right for Your Business?

For many businesses, plastic candy containers are convenient; for some, they’re even essential! But before you start shopping for the best plastic candy containers for your business, you must first think about two points.

First, understand that not all plastic candy containers are the same. What works for one business might not work for another. Second, realize that what is labeled as a plastic candy container doesn’t necessarily have to store candy. There are a variety of uses for these containers.

Below are some of the most common kinds of businesses that can use these plastic containers and the kinds of containers that work best for each business.

Stores and Restaurants

Because of the kinds of merchandise and products they sell, store and restaurant owners are high on the list of people who can use plastic containers for their businesses.

Whether they simply place them near the cash register or create an elaborate display with wire racks and coordinating colors, convenience store owners and employees are notorious for using clear plastic containers to display food items like candy and chewing gum, as well as other small merchandise like children’s toys.

Some restaurants require food grade plastic containers to store their menu items, but many can find other uses for these containers as well. For example, a restaurant that sells items like breath mints or lollipops near the checkout counter might use a round plastic container to display these items. Similarly, bar-and-grill restaurants might use mini plastic containers as tip jars. Some restaurants even keep small plastic containers near their registers for their customers to drop business cards for future prize drawings.

Amusement Parks and Carnivals

From collecting tickets and displaying small prizes to storing candy and other food items, there are a variety of uses for plastic containers for amusement park and carnival owners and employees. Wholesale plastic containers can come in an assortment of colors, which allows festival workers to have fun with their displays.

If you own or work for an amusement park or carnival that often relocates, remember to search for lightweight and small plastic containers to make moving and resetting your booth more convenient.

Hotel Industry

You might not think people in the hotel industry need plastic containers, but many hotels and motels offer customers continental breakfast services. Food grade plastic containers with handles and lids come in handy for displaying and storing items like cereal, bagels, donuts, and fruit, as well as other breakfast-related items like packets of creamer, sugar, sweetener, straws, and stir sticks.

Fundraisers

Some of the most common types of fundraising events focus on raising money for charities, community clubs and organizations, school activities, and church events. Many people rely on fundraising activities like car washes, bake sales, and raffles to raise money for their particular causes or events, and regardless of what kind of fundraising event it is, there are an assortment of plastic containers that can help out.

For example, people organizing fundraiser events might choose plastic containers to collect tips or store raffle tickets until it’s time for the drawing, or they might need plastic containers to display small dry food products, napkins, utensils, straws, and condiments.