Herb Sorensen, Ph.D.

CPGmatters: McNeil Provides Solutions at Shelf for Shoppers of the OTC Drug Category

July 21, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Research from Johnson & Johnson, the parent of McNeil Consumer Healthcare, found that OTC drug is a complex category that leaves shoppers overwhelmed and often confused. How can retailers improve the "shopability" of the OTC drug category?      [more...]

If they fix OTC drug merchandising, then what will I use for an example of a retail disaster? And Gene Detroyer notes the "helpfulness" of government here--the FDA--as a reminder to those anxious to get more government involvement in health care!

I don't know the details of what sells to whom here, but I'm certain that OTC has a big head and long tail as well as any other area of the store. I can't think of a section that would benefit more by the retailer simply tagging the top ten selling items in the section, and telling shoppers, "THIS IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE BUY HERE!!!" No need to remove alternatives. Some people will reject the "wisdom" of the crowd and select one of the rest of the plethora.

Personally, I've asked the pharmacist, and had no confidence he wasn't more focused on selling what he wanted to sell, than what I might really need. Do you really think pharmacists are right on top of this hellish selection? They're probably watching the same commercials I do, with the added incentive of bonuses for persuading me to buy this or that nostrum.

Once again, business model trumps shopper-rational retailing. But then, shoppers don't own the store, so rational retailing IS retailer-rational.