Randall's goes to school for BTS package promo

Drug Store News, Feb 2, 1991

Randall's goes to school for BTS package promo

HOUSTON -- Randall's Food and Drug, this city's leading combo store chain, has made it easy for parents and school-age children to stock up on all their back-to-school needs with one easy purchase. Result: there is a mounting surge in late-summer sales of school supplies every year.

Several years back, Randall's applied a creative twist to its back-to-school promotions by catering directly to the needs of students in each of its markets. The program works like this: Randall's obtains from each school district served by its stores the lists of the school supplies each incoming student is required to have on the first day of school. Then every store uses the lists to put together a complete package of required supplies for each student at all grade levels--including notebooks, paper, pens and pencils.

A special package

The complete package comes in a heavy-duty vinyl bag stamped with Randall's logo and the grade level it's intended for. The packs are sold in a special seasonal display on the promotional aisle during the B-T-S period.

The promotion not only makes it easy for parents and kids to stock up for the new school year; it also saves them money. "We discount the supplies 40 percent off retail when customers buy them as a package," said Bob Morrison, general merchandise buyer for Randall's.

The chain's efforts have resulted in "one of the most successful promotions we've run," Morrison said, what he termed, "one of our biggest promotional periods of the year."

Randall's aims at the back-to-school season in other ways, as well. It runs two special circulars devoted almost entirely to school supplies -- including one in early August and another mid-month--in addition to its regular circular program. Last year, the chain also began B-T-S spots on TV, said Morrison, with very positive results.

Adds 35 linear feet

To meet added demand during the five- to six-week season, Randall's adds 35 linear feet of school supplies on each side of its promotional aisle and more paper products at the front end, in addition to its permanent in-line run of 35 feet of school supplies and 11 feet of office supplies. Since school supplies and stationery have become a "fashion business," Morrison said, the chain replanograms the section every year in advance of the B-T-S season.

Randall's is quick to get into the season with its secondary bulk display, and quick to get out. "Volume really kicks up about Aug. 15, and dies off about Sept. 8 or 9," Morrison told Drug Store News. "It's really dead after that."