Petra Blog

5 Types of Portable Speakers that Sound Like Profit - Petra Blog

Written by petrablog | Feb 7, 2017 6:00:00 AM

Portable speakers can be your next big impulse item.

No, really.

There are several categories of portable speakers that have the qualities you want in an impulse buy item. They’re unique, colorful, not too expensive and have broad appeal. Here are a few different designs that can add some flash to your impulse buy areas.

Portable Speakers that Add Novelty

These can include  all sorts of other styles that stand out. If you want to grab attention on an end cap, you need something that will stand out. These speakers will cause a nearby shopper to take a second look.

Portable Waterproof Speakers

Waterproof speakers are going to be key as we head into summer and people start heading for the beach or the pool. Try setting up an end cap with a large sign showing people that speakers like these are waterproof. They can be a big driver of impulse buying dollars.

An end cap works well for waterproof speakers, but as we get into summer you might even consider them as a stack out. Everyone’s going to want something that can play music near the water. The more you can grab people’s attention as they walk by, the more likely it is that you can make that extra sale.

Portable Speakers for Students and the Outdoors

There are a few lines of speakers that are uniquely suited to hanging from backpacks. This is great for students—they’re backpack is usually full, meaning that a speaker that hangs from the outside is a lot easier to fit.

One of the more interesting concepts is the combination water bottle/speaker, which means one less thing to carry. Simple, clever, innovative design like this is something that translates well to impulse buying.

Lighted Speakers that Are on the Move

Lighted speakers, especially if they have other visual elements, are eye-catching additions to an end cap. Petra carries a large variety of lighted speakers, some of which even move with the music. These are a good option to be used as a live display to grab even more attention if you can hook up a sound source nearby.

Plush Toys that Make Music Playful

Speakers that are combined with a stuffed animal work well for kids. Using them as an end cap near other child-themed merchandise can be a great way to attract attention from parents of small children.

Portable Speaker Selling Strategies

Portable speakers pair really well as a complimentary item for a smartphone purchase, especially as we get closer to summer. Getting your salespeople to mention these speakers as an add-on sale possibility is a great way to increase the number of unplanned purchases that both help your bottom line and aid customer satisfaction.

Portable speakers pair well with purchases of:

  • Smartphones—the obvious choice for portable music playback. Probably the most common item you can leverage for an add-on sale.
  • Tablets—just like smartphones, an excellent choice for portable music playback. In some cases, especially with bigger portable speakers designed for home playback, it may be easier to do a portable speaker as an add-on with a tablet than with a smartphone.
  • Headphones—this would often be more of an impulse purchase than an unplanned purchase when paired with headphones. They’re already in the mindset of finding something for portable audio, so having an inexpensive and distinctive portable speaker option might be something your customers are interested in as well. This might be a good option to focus on with students close to the time when they go back to school.

When you’re setting up an end cap for your portable speakers, consider cross-merchandising with one of those 3 other product types to maximize sales. If you have the resources available, setting up a trial station with a tablet in an antitheft security case and a portable speaker is a great way to show sound quality and grab that extra little bit of attention.

Amplifying Impulse Buys

Don’t just get stuck in a rut with your traditional impulse buy categories. Try something different and see the difference with portable speakers, a category that sounds like profit. You can see our full line of speakers at Petra.com—browse to your heart’s content 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.