The retail market is in constant evolution, and with the arrival of 2025, consumer expectations have never been higher. The trade marketing and visual merchandising strategies, for example, play a fundamental role in creating an engaging shopping experience and converting consumers
However, there are recurring errors that, if they are not corrected, can compromise the performance of any retailer. I would like to highlight ten of these mistakes and offer suggestions on how to avoid them, ensuring that trade marketing operations continue to be a growth lever
- Lack of personalization in actions
One of the most common mistakes is applying the same approach to all clients. In 2025, preferences are increasingly segmented, and what worked for an audience a few years ago is no longer effective. Personalization should be the key to any action at the point of sale
What to do:Get to know your consumer in depth, use data to segment and create campaigns that speak directly to the interests and behaviors of each group
- Misalignment between online and offline actions
The integration between the physical and digital worlds has never been more important. Many retailers still make the mistake of treating these two fronts in a disconnected way, creating a fragmented experience for the consumer
What to do:Ensure that the actions at the point of sale and the e-commerce strategies are aligned, creating a smooth and coherent purchasing journey for the customer
- Disregarding the customer experience at the POS
The POS should not be just a transaction location, but one more engaging interaction point with the brand. Many retailers still treat it as a simple product display space, without worrying about the experience provided to the consumer
What to do:Invest in a store design that is interactive and attractive, and train your team to provide a unique shopping experience
- Ignoring the power of visual merchandising
Visual merchandising is crucial to spark consumer interest. Simple mistakes, such disorganized display of products or not understanding how visual elements influence purchasing decisions, can significantly harm the results
What to do:Invest in layouts that naturally guide customers through the store, highlighting products strategically and driving them to purchase actions
- Lack of results monitoring
The lack of measurement and monitoring of the results of trade marketing actions is a mistake that many make. No data, it is impossible to assess the effectiveness of a campaign or optimize future actions
What to do:Use monitoring and analysis tools to understand the impact of your actions and make data-driven decisions to adjust and improve performance
- Not training the sales team
The sales team is one of the main influencing agents at the point of sale, but it is often overlooked when it comes to specific training on trade marketing strategies and visual merchandising
What to do:Invest in continuous training for your sales team, ensuring that they understand the objectives of the campaigns and know how to best communicate the benefits of the products to the customers
- Lack of flexibility in actions
In a dynamic environment like retail, maintaining rigid and inflexible actions can be a fatal mistake. The market and consumer needs change rapidly, rigid actions can harm the relationship with the customer
What to do:Maintain an agile approach, be ready to adapt your campaigns and offers according to changes in behavior and market context
- Not focusing on the complete purchasing journey
Many retailers still make the mistake of focusing only on one part of the customer journey, whether in initial marketing or at the completion of the purchase. Not understanding the consumer's decision-making stages can compromise the effectiveness of your actions at the point of sale
What to do:Map the complete customer journey and create strategies to support and engage them at each stage of the buying process
- Underestimating the importance of promotions
The promotion of products is one of the most effective ways to increase sales, but many retailers still make the mistake of not making these promotions attractive or poorly positioned within the store, directly impacting the success of the action
What to do:Create impactful promotions, visible and well-positioned, according to the consumer profile and the purchasing behavior identified at the point of sale
- Neglecting sustainability in actions
The modern consumer is more aware of the sustainability and social responsibility of brands. Ignoring them in trade marketing actions can result in a disconnection with the target audience
What to do:Adopt sustainable trade marketing practices and, when possible, use recyclable materials or more eco-friendly solutions in campaigns and visual merchandising
As it is perceived, 2025 brings new challenges and opportunities for retail. By avoiding these crucial mistakes and adopting a more strategic approach aligned with consumer needs, brands can ensure superior performance at the point of sale
Trade marketing and visual merchandising should be seen as part of an integrated ecosystem, where all aspects of the consumer experience are taken into account. To be successful, it is necessary to invest in data, training, innovation and flexibility, in addition to a deep understanding of consumer behavior and market trends
