It’s very rare that a consumer will come into a store needing a coffee machine on its own, especially if they’re a first-time buyer. To create a positive end experience for the customer, savvy retailers should ask questions about what accessories they can add to the bag — things like coffee pods, espresso cups or glasses, grinders and even storage containers for pods.
The customer is probably hard pressed trying to choose a machine, so choosing accessories might be the last thing they think of (until they get home and realise they have coffee to serve and nothing to serve it in!)
Adding a few accessories into the sale is a great way to ensure a positive experience for your customer and to add a few dollars to the bottom line. Here are a few suggestions on where to start, depending on what machine your customer is buying.
Manual Must-Haves
Making coffee every morning on a manual machine can result in a big dent on the edge of the kitchen garbage bin. Breville’s Knock Box (BCB100, RRP $49.95) solves this problem by giving coffee lovers a dedicated place to empty spent coffee grounds.
For the Daily Grind
Unless it has a built-in coffee grinder, a manual espresso machine needs its own grinder. Breville has things covered here with the Smart Grinder Pro (BCG820, RRP $299), a grinder with a pause function and precision ‘Dosing IQ’ system that allows the user to program the grind time for each shot or cup.
Automatic Add-On
De’Longhi’s Thermo Cappuccino Glass Set (5513214601, RRP $29.95) includes two 190-millilitre glasses with a double-walled design that makes coffee look good and keeps hands cool.
Pod Purchase
It’s a given that any capsule coffee machine should be sold with at least several boxes of coffee pods, but here’s a tip: those pods need to be stored somewhere. Nespresso’s Pixie Target (3616, RRP $85, sold without capsules) is a wall dispenser that holds 70 capsules and offers a decorative storage solution that will clear up bench space.
For the Hot Chocolate Fan
Sunbeam’s Café Creamy Automatic Milk Frother (EM0180, $79.95) heats and froths milk automatically at the touch of a button, so it’s great for people who haven’t mastered the art of texturing milk with a steam wand. And because it makes hot and cold milk foam, it’s great as a standalone solution for knocking up hot chocolate or iced coffee, with or without a coffee machine.
For the Pod People
Nespresso has successfully built an empire on its instantly-recognisable coffee capsules; each one a different colour to signify the coffee inside. To capitalise on this theme, the brand has released a range of double-walled 40-millilitre espresso cups shaped like giant versions of the tiny pods. Made from stainless steel with two matching stainless stirrers, they’re available in a range of ‘flavours’, including this blue Dharkan Grand Cru design (3610-DH/2, RRP $40).