The increasing size of the senior population means more people with various disabilities and impairments will continue to live relatively active lifestyles. Although activities of daily living products (ADLs) are not "big ticket" items, and do not comprise the majority of inventory dollars, they generate cash sales with good margins. The key for today's HME providers is to embrace the concept of merchandising and selling these items.

First, display products so that patients and caregivers are aware that they are available. Second, educate customers about how the products work. The opportunity is there for providers to ease the lives of people in their communities and add to their profitability.

Every inch of your retail space is valuable. And while your core departments and products must be displayed prominently, with the right design and a little creativity, you can incorporate various ADLs throughout your store without disrupting or taking anything away from your current inventory. Hospital beds, wheelchairs, lift chairs, concentrators, and respirators may make up the bulk of your inventory, but making additional cash sales with ADLs can make a big difference in your profit margin. Now that Wal-Mart, QVC, and the chain pharmacies are getting into ADLs, independent HME providers must step up and position themselves as leaders in the industry.

One way to set yourself apart from the bland and inefficient big box stores is to merchandise products in room settings. By doing this, as opposed to just having products stacked on shelves, you familiarize the customer with where the products can be used. Specific products or product categories can be merchandised within these room-like settings.

Once you have products displayed in areas where they would most likely be used, rely on trained salespeople to educate patients or caregivers on how the products work. If patients or caregivers are exposed to products that will make their lives easier, they are usually happy to be informed and won't hesitate to purchase.

THE BEDROOM SETTING

There are many HME retailers who have a hospital bed out on the sales floor. While it is good to show customers that you provide beds, the downside is you can't sell additional cash ADLs in this area.

If you situate the bed in an area where you can put merchandise around it, then you can do a little decorating to make it look like a bedroom setting. You can fully accessorize the bed with egg-crate cushioning and various levels of bedding, each one folded back to reveal the one underneath. Depending on the space you have, you could add a lift chair, an end table, and some other effects that make the setting feel like home. These room settings don't have to be elaborate. The object is to help customers visualize where and how the product will be useful.

Whether you have slatwall, wire shelving, bookcases, or other types of fixtures near the bed, you can now merchandise a variety of ADLs from the dozens available for the bedroom. You can set up a bed tray with a book, a flexible book-mounted reading light, different types of magnifying glasses, and an oversized remote control. Display reach or grab bars of differing lengths for reaching things easily in closets.

Every inch of your retail space is valuable. And while your core departments and products must be displayed prominently, you can incorporate various ADLs throughout your store.

Oversized and talking clocks and alarm clocks can be displayed on a small end table or nightstand and merchandised on shelves. Don't clutter your display settings with duplicate items and too much stock, but instead give your customers a nice variety of products from which to choose.

From here, a trained, courteous salesperson can set you apart from the competition and generate additional ADL cash sales. A good salesperson will first listen to a patient's or caregiver's needs, and then show them the different ADLs. This approach will alleviate some customer discomfort and put you way ahead of the competition. Additional bedroom ADLs include extended shoehorns and dressing sticks, sock donners, button and zipper hooks, and large-handled grooming tools.

BATH PRODUCTS

Another room that is conducive to generating additional ADL cash sales is the bathroom. A simple display that includes a toilet and a tub can be merchandised with a wide variety of products to assist people and help keep them safe in the bathroom.

Common cash sale products in this department include raised toilet seats, transfer benches, and bathtub safety rails. Other types of bathroom ADLs are extended lotion applicators, long-handled brushes and combs, handheld showers, and nonslip mats. All of these items are cash sales with good profit margins.

Grab bars and safety rails are examples of how manufacturers have recognized the need for variety and style. As little as 5 years ago, you could find grab bars only in standard sizes and steel or white finishes. Now several lines of designer grab bars complement contemporary bathroom fixtures. Back and foot massagers, paraffin baths, easy-to-read scales, and shower seats can add yet more appeal to your bathroom setting. Select the product assortment that best suits your space and expertise.

HMETODAY.COM ARCHIVES For more articles on ADLs and showroom design, visit the free archives section. In the archives, you’ll find a knowledge database with more articles such as: March 2007 - Boost Your ADB (Activities of Daily Business by Joe Groden With bath products as part of a robust ADL/retail sales division, HME providers can boost cash flow and expand referrals. December 2006 - Wal-Mart, Chain Stores, Web Sites, Oh My! by Andrea Tannenbaum Increase cash sales and compete with the big stores for your share of the ADL market. April 2006 - It’s Moos to You by Joe Groden ADLs can be a reliable cash cow for HME providers who know what to recommend.

LIVING ROOM SETTING

If you carry lift chairs in your retail store, then you are no further than a coffee or end table, floor lamp, and house plant away from creating a simple living room setting. In this area, you can merchandise mounted lamps, lumbar/cervical cushions, sofa caddies, oversized and easy-to-read clocks, remote controls, TV trays, and laptop trays. In this scenario, the lift chair generates additional sales for you and adds comfort to your customers' lives.

Other products such as ergonomic pens and key holders, enlarged lamp-switch adapters, and reach bars are available in this area. As is the case with reach bars, some items can be cross-merchandised in multiple areas of your store.

NO ROOM FOR ROOMS?

If space or fixture constraints keep you from setting up these types of room settings, you can merchandise a selection of ADLs somewhere by the service area in your store. If you have clear signage that points out your ADL section, customers will be aware of the products and may decide to browse while waiting for service or paperwork. This is also a good area in which to merchandise various handy kitchen gadgets such as jar and can openers, large-handled utensils, vegetable choppers, easy-to-grip cups and mugs, and nonslip trays. Positioning your ADLs by the service desk also allows employees to be nearby to answer questions.

Creating settings that resemble common rooms in a home is an effective way to merchandise ADLs. Elaborate or simple, these settings create an atmosphere that allows customers to visualize how the products can be useful to them or their loved ones. Combine these settings with a knowledgeable salesperson who is not afraid to sell, and you are well on your way to creating additional sales and higher profits. Become known in your community not only as the source of hard-line medical equipment, but also as the primary resource for a variety of time-saving and life-easing ADLs.

Ed Lemar is senior vice president of Gladson Design Group, Lisle, Ill. He has more than 38 years of experience in home health care and pharmacy design. You can see Lemar at Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas at Booth #1664, or attend his seminar Designing and Merchandising a Retail Environment on April 24, from 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm. Lemar can be reached via e-mail: .