Changing purchasing habits through non-monetary point of sale strategies: The case of Australian oysters

Abstract

In Australia, oysters are perceived as luxury products or are reserved for special occasions, making their consumption infrequent. Point of sale (POS) strategies can encourage consumers to increase purchase frequency. This paper reports the results of a field trial conducted for the Australian oyster industry to increase oyster purchase frequency. Five non-monetary POS strategies were trialled over 16 weeks in seven specialty seafood stores. While issues with store POS strategy compliance made evaluation difficult, sales increased by 15–20%; the most effective strategy was in-store sampling. Management and staff commitment to the POS campaign positively impacted results.