Hot spots

Continuing my meandering on merchandising:

Merchandising planners decide carefully where products appear of the shelves because some spots sell more than others.

There's an old saying in the retail trade: "Eye height is buying height."

It means that on a 7 level shelf arrangement, shelves 4 and 5 will move more product because the shopper can see the product without peering down or stretching their necks upwards. The amount of product moved by these two shelves is extraordinary. These are called the primary hotspots in the store.

Supermarkets don't use their top shelves for different product brands or variants. They use them to store more of the same product that appears on the primary hotspots.

Naturally there is competition for this space. Supermarkets actually charge brand owners for he privilege of being there. They charge 'slotting fees'. It's valuable real estate, so they charge like a wounded bull.

What is the marketing principle behind hotspots, do you think?

I think it is convenience, that universal consumer standard. Life is hard enough without having to peer down or strain upwards (really)...