How To Choose The Right Gondola Shelving System For Your Business

Last week we completed a gondola shelving installation job at a grocery store in Endeavour Hills. The customer got their selection 100% right, and prompted this article of things to consider when choosing your own gondola shelving.

You can see how fantastic their store looks below.

When setting up a new store or completing a renovation, time needs to be spent planning for your desired outcome. The colour of the shelving, the configuration of where it is placed in the shop, the amount of shelf levels chosen and many other factors all contribute to the final result.

Below we discuss 5 factors to consider.

Which type of gondola shelving should I choose?

Your options come down to volcano panel (also known as counter sunk panel), punch panel, plain panel and mesh – these are listed in order of heavy to light duty.

Note plain panel can be used with shelving only, but is a cheaper option. So if you are only stocking shelf items and don’t require other merchandising accessories (such as hooks) for your display, then this is a great option. Alternatively, you could use plain panel with a combination of other gondola systems.

What colour is the best for my business?

In general, our customers will stick to good old black and white, but that doesn’t mean you have to.

If you have your heart set on corporate colours, this can definitely be arranged for an additional fee. We use a highly experienced local powder coater. This does increase the lead time on your order being ready, so plan in advance.

If you are placing a large order and order in plenty of time, we can arrange for your order to be powder coated in china for a much smaller fee, or no fee at all.

How many shelf levels?

The amount of shelf levels you decide on will all be dependent on the height, weight, and width of the products you are merchandising. This is why planning in advance is necessary. Some of the most organised clients we have seen will complete a mock drawing of every bay and shelf, detailing which products are going on each shelf, along with the items size and weight. Although it can take time initially, this makes it extremely easy once it comes to purchasing the shelving, as our team will know your exact weight load requirements.

Once you have decided on the above, you will know how many shelf levels you can fit. Remember that gondola shelving comes in various heights, so going ‘up’ is always an option if you can’t fit all of your products.

In the video above, you will notice the customer has opted for shelves along the top level of the gondola unit. They plan to use this extra space for additional storage which assists them to restock products quickly, instead of having to retrieve them from the back room.

Another option is to leave the kick plates off the bottom of the display, meaning you can also store excess stock under the unit.

Which accessories do I need?

As above, this will depend on what kind of products your shop sells. We have a huge range of gondola shelving accessories, from hooks of various lengths, to more item specific accessories like ball and shoe holders.

When it comes to choosing hooks, make sure the hook will support the weight of what you are displaying – a fishing shop displaying anchors will need a very heavy duty hook, whereas lollies will only need light duty, and so on.

What should my configuration look like?

When planning your lay out there are lots of things to consider – many more than this article allows for! Here is a great read that might help you make some decisions.

Below is an example of a simple grocery store layout that gives you an idea of the basics.

One important tip is always leave enough room for prams and trolleys to navigate their way down the aisle – and if there is enough room for ‘2 way’ traffic that’s even better!

Yes, it can be a daunting task choosing which shelving system is going to best suit your business, but by following the above tips, it doesn’t have to be.

If you need assistance from the experts when choosing your own gondola shelving, simply contact us or send through an enquiry. We are more than happy to help.