Proven Ways to Boost Sales Through Commercial Refrigeration

Running a successful convenience store comes down to understanding your customers and investing in the right equipment to maximise revenue. Commercial refrigeration plays a key role, especially when refrigerated goods like alcohol, chilled foods, fresh milk, and soft drinks make up 33.4% of category sales in the average convenience store (IGD, 2023).

In this guide, we’ll break down how you can optimise your commercial refrigeration to boost sales, prepare for peak periods like the holidays, and improve customer experience. Whether you’re thinking about upgrading to more efficient units or finding ways to merchandise better, these proven strategies will help you unlock the full potential of your store.

Focus on Chilled Goods: The Backbone of Your Store

Refrigerated items — including alcohol, chilled foods, fresh dairy, and soft drinks — are your store’s biggest revenue drivers. With more than a third of sales coming from chilled categories, investing in reliable and efficient refrigeration is key to keeping these high-demand products in prime condition for your customers.

Chilled drinks are one of the biggest sellers, and store owners should prioritise keeping them well-stocked and at the right temperature. Display fridges with good visibility and ample storage space make it easier for customers to find what they need, driving both impulse buys and repeat business.

For drinks, an affordable yet efficient cooler like the Husky C400 can help. It’s large enough to store a variety of drinks while offering an attractive, well-lit display with its LED lighting and glass door. This kind of fridge helps keep your stock organised and appealing to customers, encouraging more grab-and-go purchases.

If you also stock fresh dairy products, pre-packed sandwiches, and ready-to-eat meals, consider using a food-certified commercial fridge. The Husky PRO range offers a variety of models (from the C10 to C5) that are not only suitable for drinks but also dairy-certified, making them perfect for food items. These fridges provide a balance between energy efficiency and space, reducing your running costs while keeping your stock fresh and well-organised.

Be Ready for the Holidays: Maximise Sales During Peak Periods

The holiday season, particularly the week of Christmas, is a key time for convenience stores. Google Trends (2024) reports that searches for “convenience store” peak from December 25th to 31st, as customers rush to buy last-minute groceries, alcohol, and frozen foods. Being prepared for this rush can significantly boost your holiday sales, but only if your store is equipped to handle the demand.

One important step is ensuring you have reliable commercial refrigeration that can handle a high volume of stock without risking breakdowns. Engineers are often difficult to reach or expensive during the holidays, and a fridge failure can lead to spoilage and lost revenue at the most critical time, so it might be a good idea to consider upgrading your old fridges before Christmas.

Additionally, stock seasonal items such as chilled holiday drinks, ready-made meals, and frozen treats that customers are likely to pick up at the last minute. Make sure these products are displayed prominently and well-lit to attract attention.

Merchandising Matters: Better Displays Lead to Better Sales

How products are presented in your store can make a significant difference in sales. Customers are more likely to buy products that are easy to find and visually appealing. A well-organised display fridge or freezer not only keeps your products fresh but also ensures that your customers can quickly spot what they’re looking for.

The Husky C400, with its full-height glass door, LED lighting and brandable canopy, is a great example of a fridge that enhances product visibility. Whether it’s beer, wine, or soft drinks, ensuring these items are easy to see will naturally drive more sales.

For frozen goods or ice cream, investing in a compact freezer like the Husky F14 helps create a visually enticing display that grabs customer attention. Positioned near the till or entrance, it can encourage impulse purchases of frozen treats, especially during the warmer months.

Additionally, the Husky F14’s larger counterpart, the F38, offers more storage space for high-demand frozen goods. This is particularly useful if you want to upsell premium ice creams or ready-to-heat frozen meals, which customers often buy impulsively.

Boost Impulse Buys with Strategic Placement

Impulse purchases are essential in convenience stores. The average basket size is just 2.8 items, with an average spend of £8.04 (Lumina Intelligence, 2024). To increase this, you need to strategically place high-margin items in easy-to-reach spots.

For example, positioning a ice cream freezer near the tills can capture attention as customers are waiting in line, making them more likely to add an extra item to their purchase. Similarly, well-lit premium drinks displayed in the C400 cooler near the entrance can increase sales of higher-end beverages.

Moreover, by using our ice-cream freezers you are not tied to any contracts with manufacturers, meaning you can stock higher quality ice-cream with higher margins and lower prices for your customers.

Embrace Digital Sales: Don’t Miss Out on Online Orders

More and more convenience store owners are turning to online ordering and delivery platforms to reach a wider customer base. According to Voice of Local Shops polling (2024), 47% of independent retailers now offer home delivery or click-and-collect services, often through third-party apps like Deliveroo or SnappyShopper.

As these services grow, ensuring that your chilled and frozen products are stored correctly and delivered in top condition is critical. Reliable backroom commercial refrigeration, like the Husky CBR400, can help you manage both in-store sales and online orders by providing the extra capacity needed for bulk storage. For stores offering frozen meal or ice cream delivery, having a chest freezer like the F500 ensures that products are kept at the right temperature until they’re ready for delivery..

To maximize your success on these platforms, it’s important to offer no minimum spend, no delivery charge, and no premium pricing. As your delivery radius is limited, this approach helps you become a trusted option within your local community and encourages loyalty both online and offline. Additionally, try to list as many products as possible, starting with high-demand categories like tobacco, e-cigarettes, vaping products, alcohol, and food and drinks. The broader your range, the more likely customers will return frequently. Keeping track of stock and regularly updating the apps is also crucial to ensure your customers always see real-time availability, which reduces cancellations and helps build reliability.

Make Your Store Stand Out: Increase Visibility with Effective Commercial Refrigeration

Visibility is a key driver of foot traffic, especially when 57% of convenience store customers walk to their local store (Lumina Intelligence 2024). Making sure your store looks inviting from the outside through banners, flags, and A-frames is essential for drawing in passersby.

A well-placed drinks fridge, like the Husky C400 drinks fridge with its LED-lit glass door and brandable canopy, can act as a visual magnet for customers. By placing it near the entrance, you highlight your range of chilled drinks, encouraging people to come in and explore further. Similarly, branded ice cream freezers with illuminated canopies placed near the door can catch the eye of potential customers, drawing them in for a closer look.

For convenience store owners, refrigeration is more than just a way to keep products cool—it’s a strategic tool for driving sales, boosting customer satisfaction, and preparing your store for peak shopping periods. Whether it’s using a versatile display fridge for chilled drinks and food or investing in backroom storage to handle online orders, the right refrigeration setup can make all the difference to your bottom line.

By following these strategies and making smart refrigeration choices, you’ll be well-equipped to maximise sales, increase impulse buys, and keep your customers coming back for more.