Josh Varner

Summary Background

  • General Background:  Major Broker, 16 years,  Running and Selling Merchandising Services, Last Two Years Running Program to Prevent Out Of Stocks. 

  • Also with Perry Drug, (Rite-Aide), OCP Ketchum (Cardinal)
HBC Sales Successes for Manufacturers and Retailers

(87)*  $150 Million+ Incremental Sales for Retailer in Year One by Improving Promotion Compliance.  Compliance at Walgreen Improved from 38% to 62% in 18 Months through RFID System.  System tracks POP Displays, Shippers, etc. instead of individual products.  Results were achieved over 1,000+ promotions. Category:  HBC, Other  (JV) Initial data revealed that: 

  • Displays sent to 34% of stores produced NO increase in sales
  • Displays sent to 39% of stores produced 1% to 40% increase in sales
  • Displays sent to 18% of stores produced 40% to 100% increase in sales
  • Displays sent to 8% of stores produced an average 234% increase in sales

Results were achieved by acting on this data and correcting promotion compliance problems.

(20)  $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 Incremental Sales (Estimated) for Manufacturer by Being "Best In Country" on Speed-To-Shelf New Item Introductions. (Top 5% among 36 Teams).  Program Lasted Over 8 Years.  Success came from building a process where manufacturer, retailer and merchandiser all coordinated on new item introductions.  (Planning – 90 days out, prep - 60 days out, ready for launch - 30 days out, measurement during launch, etc.)  Bristol Meyers Squibb.  Category:  HBC, Analgesics, Hair Care, Nutrition

 

(18)  Increased Sales by 5.1% for 1,400 Participating SKU’s in a 3 Month Test at No Incremental Cost to the Retailer.  Sold Program for Prevention of Out of Stocks to Midwest Chain.  160 Meijer test stores, 10 stores kept as control.  Sold program to retailer, then sold program to 9 manufacturers in multiple grocery categories.  Participating sku’s realized a 5.1% increase in sales vs. control group (verified by ACNielsen data.)  (JV)  Category:  HBC, Grocery

 

 

Merchandising Sales Success Stories* 

(164)*  $24 Million Merchandising Work Sold Over Three Years to M&M Mars (Pedigree) Through Dedicated Team Approach.  Associate led team that closed and delivered the work (JV) Category:  Pet

 (19)  Sold $10,000,000+ Program (425,000 Hours) of Merchandising Services at 20%+ Higher Profit Than Standard Continuity Work.*  Demonstrated that targeted project work produced a better ROI for manufacturers and retailers than generic continuity work.  Kmart.  Grew base of business from 72,340 hours per year to 425,531 hours per year over five years.  Growth came by transitioning from continuity work to project work.  Included Hair Care Resets for 6 years running, cosmetics resets at one mass merchandiser and becoming the preferred provider at another mass merchandiser.  Discovered that project work provides much higher revenue opportunities than generic continuity work.  Project work was often 20% to 25% more profitable than continuity work because of significantly less drive time.  Had to become good at dealing with a fluctuating work load.  Transitioned to part time work force.  (JV)  Category:  Hair Care, Cosmetics, Other

 

(17)  Sold $1,000,000+ Program of Cosmetics Resets to 13 Manufacturers for Mass Merchandiser.*  42 feet of shelf space was reset at all stores.  Associate led team that sold program first to the retailer, then the manufacturers.  (JV)  Category:  Cosmetics

 

(21.1)  Sold $2.5 in Incremental Merchandising Services Work in One Year by Becoming  Preferred Provider at Target.  First National Company to be Back Room Certified for Target.  Accomplished by having all part-time merchandising reps certified to enter back room, manipulate inventory / place orders.  (JV)  Categories:  HBC, Other

 

(22)  Became Preferred Merchandising Services Provider at Top 10 Grocery Chain (Mejier).  Accomplished by selling the “predictive out of stock prevention” program.  Natural progression after performing. (JV)  Categories:  HBC, Other

(165)*  $12 Million Merchandising Work Sold Over 30 Months to Fuji / Polaroid Through Dedicated Team Approach.  Associate was team member and part of delivery of the work. (JV) Category:  Photo

* Success stories are summaries and approximations only.  See our web site for additional details on success stories.