Health o meter Massages Retailers for Display Space

Health o meter Inc. is applying its vast wealth of knowledge in marketing and merchandising scales to its new line of ProRelief massagers. "We're taking the know-how and experience from addressing the scale business in the past five years and applying that to other categories, starting with massagers," explains Bob Van Zeyl, director of marketing for Health o meter, based in Bridgeview, Ill.It has been Health o meter's experience to cater to the retailers, "to make the merchandising effortless for the [retailer]," Van Zeyl says. For the ProRelief massager line, that effortless merchandising comes in the form of a countertop display, which can be set up in 2-foot increments to the width of the retailer's choosing. Measuring 16 inches high by 16 inches deep, the height can also be varied to suit the retailer's needs, Van Zeyl says.A few of the design details are being finalized, but each 2-foot section will hold three wand-type massagers. Slide-in feature call-out cards are located directly below each massager, while the back panel features the Health o meter logo.According to Van Zeyl, not all retailers will be enthusiastic about devoting coveted display space to only the ProRelief massagers. "If Health o meter couldn't get the entire planogram, we're interested in [creating a turnkey program] for the retailer and sharing the planogram." This means Health o meter would customize the back panel to include its competitor's logo, as well as printing the feature call-out cards, he says. It might seem like the company is going to extraordinary lengths to satisfy retailers, but Van Zeyl says it's all part of the philosophy adopted from the company's scale business.The ProRelief massager displays can be attached to either a shelf or a countertop to keep the unit from sliding. The massagers' cords are run through and secured to the display with cord brackets and ties, Van Zeyl says. This is added insurance that the massagers won't walk away, "yet allows the consumer to pick up the [massager] and move a couple of feet away," he adds. According to the retailer's preference, the massagers may or may not be plugged in and operational."We wanted to improve the consumers' understanding of massagers," Van Zeyl explains. "Many wanted to test them but can't at the store level. This display allows them to be more familiar with them at the point-of-sale. [In addition], many consumers have a tendency to open the packaging to make sure what they're getting resembles the picture on the box. [The display] lets the consumer see exactly what the product looks like."The packaging also was designed with these thoughts in mind. Designed around the massager, the packaging allows the consumer to see and touch the actual product. The graphics accommodate displaying the packages either horizontally or vertically.Chicago-based Creative Displays designed and manufactured the plastic countertop displays that will be seen in department stores, mass merchants, discount stores and catalog showrooms nationwide.Van Zeyl says the permanent displays will be available "the latter half of this year -- probably September."

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