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Point of Sale Items: Making the Most of the Chocolate Shop Experience
Point of Sale Items - Making the Most of the Chocolate Shop Experience
Whether you’re the biggest chocolatier on the high street, the smallest stall in the market, or a chocolatier running an online store, point of sale items are a must-have in your eclectic selection of chocolate confectionery!
by Michael Rodber
19 May 2023
What's the Point (Of Sale)?
Point of Sale, or POS items, have been in the toolbox of chocolatiers (and other business owners) for decades, and can not only boost your sales, but make the artisan chocolate experience for your customer all the more memorable.
Let us set the scene; you open the door to your favourite chocolate shop. With it, you’re hit with the sweet yet rich notes of chocolate, vanilla, and spices as you enter, accompanied by the delicate ring of a bell, teetering at the top of the door frame, coming to life in fanfare for the shop’s newest customer. It’s magical. You feel like, well, a kid in a sweet shop as you peruse the bars, the bonbons, and the baked goods in hopes of finding that perfect gift for someone you love. You find it, and as you approach the counter you see a small bag of chocolate shards. “Go on then, a little treat for me”, you think. And there it is. That’s the power of the point-of-sale chocolate; affordable, accessible, and memorable – the cherry on top of your chocolate experience. The same can still be said if you’re an online retailer; a final “added to basket” for an extra surprise on the way.
One for Me, One for You
An extra take-home treat isn’t the only reason why POS items are so important either; in the current cost-of-living crisis, it’s those little indulgences that keep people’s spirits up from day-to-day, and for a chocolate lover, being able to continue to support independent chocolate businesses and all the while treat themselves when times are tough can be crucial to morale.
In the chocolate world, we’re obsessed with ganaches galore, bon-bons, pralines, and more – but that doesn’t mean that all chocolate-lovers are. For many, it may very well be their first time inside a chocolate shop and their first time venturing away from supermarket shelf chocolate. For them, point of sale items are familiar, and a great way to dip their toes into the pool of artisan chocolate without breaking the bank, or being put off by a chocolate not suited to their palate.
If upselling is your game, then POS items are the perfect way of bumping the customer’s basket just a little bit to help keep chocolate in your melters. You can float the idea during conversation with the customers, many of which would be more than inclined to add a little extra to their chocolate selection!
Or perhaps you’re all about combatting excess chocolate, minimum wastage, and getting the maximum mileage out of every button. If that’s you, POS items such as shards and lollipops are the perfect way to utilise excess chocolate, and can be made in a matter of minutes after your main batch of chocolate has been made. If you’re looking to do even less work, then simply bagging up buttons in your signature packaging is enough to turn heads, and is particularly useful as a way of shifting short-dated stock!
Public holidays are the busiest times of the year for a chocolatier as we’re sure you’re all too familiar with, and POS items can help you optimise your sales over festive period. When it ‘tis the season of gift giving, small bags of foiled hearts, dipped honeycomb or Callebaut Sensations make the perfect stocking filler or extra Easter gift.
The world truly is your oyster when it comes to point of sale items, but if you’re looking for some inspiration, below are a few ideas with varying levels of time and effort – simply bag or box up your chocolate, add your branding, then finish with a bow or a ribbon, et voila!
POS Items with Zero Prep time:
- Marshmallows – perfect for Easter or bonfire night, marshmallows are a favourite amongst children, and are cost effective, easy to store, and have a relatively long shelf life.
- “Origin” Chocolate – Let the chocolate speak for itself! Callebaut’s Origins, Luker’s Heritage range, or even Cacao Barry’s Plantation range (Cocoa Beans all sourced from one plantation), are all packed with unique flavour profiles, and are great as POS items for those looking to explore rich cocoa flavours.
- Sensations and foiled hearts – The perfect convenience products for POS, our Swiss-chocolate foiled hearts are both high-quality and already packaged in their own right, and can be sold individually or bagged up. Sensations however, are chocolate pearls made by Callebaut, and are perfect for any occasion, boxed or bagged.
POS Items with Some Prep time:
- Sugar-coated pate de fruits – Quick to make on it’s own, or ideal to bag up from left-overs, sugar-coated pate de fruits is a sweet treat that can be a great addition to a chocolate purchase!
- Dipped honeycomb, fruit etc. – Dipped items such as fruit and honeycomb (that can also be bagged as-is are a quick and easy addition to your chocolate making when enrobing truffles in melted chocolate, and are a familiar favourite with many.
- Shards – Shards are the perfect last-ditch effort to ensure you use up all your tempered chocolate. Simply pour out onto a plastic or transfer sheet, add chopped nuts, popping candy or whatever you wish, leave to set and break into pieces, and there you have it!
- Lollipops, coins, and medallions – an easy make all year round or for bonfire night, lollipops can be made with these moulds, or simply by pouring in a circle onto plastic or transfer sheet. We even supply the packaging for lollipops – so you can go from sheet to shelf in no time!
These are just a few ideas to get you started; there are many other ways to make the most out of customer encounters at the till, and to make their experience all the more special. With unique options depending on what you sell (you could bag up your signature chocolates, or brownie pieces if you bake, for example), don’t miss out on taking the chocolate experience to the next level!
Michael is a Marketing Executive with a penchant for punk rock, cheese, and indoor bouldering.
His favourite chocolate is Valrhona Tanariva.
