Perfect Pairings

Various funded and retail products that blend well together from a marketing and merchandising standpoint.

• By Joseph Duffy
• Apr 01, 2012

Although pairing products is best considered after taking a look at many factors, such as store best sellers, price range of average products, illness codes, store expertise, etc., here is a list of general product ideas and categories for you to consider. The items listed are products that may make sense in your store to group together or with products from the same product category. This chart is just a starting point to possible product pairing ideas that could help raise revenue in your store.

For all categories, Acker recommends:

• Knowledgeable staff who can suggest and recommend complimentary retail products.
• Cost vs. MSRP: Does it make sense to stock?
• Consider high-volume disposable products to guarantee repeat business.

Oxygen	Pulse oximeter, tubing, filters, air purifiers, hospital bed, bed wedges, mattresses.
Support Surfaces	Mattress overlays, floor mats, wedge guards, safety siderails, pillows, positioning devices, socks, reachers andgrabbers, trapeze, sheets and gowns, overbed table,specialty utensils; consider pairing with mobility products(power chairs, standard wheelchairs, and cushions), ADLs,and bath safety items (shower chairs/transfer benches,raised toilet seats, grab bars, bath mats, etc.).
Mobility products	Wheelchairs, anti-tippers, wheelchair cushions and backs,walkers, canes, cane tips, wheelchair positioning belts,baskets, trays, backpacks, coffee cup holders, walkerbaskets, walker coasters, walker balls, rollator and accessories;consider pairing with support surfaces, ADLs andbath safety items.
Sleep Products	CPAP headgear, masks, nasal pillows, humidifiers, saline,CPAP pillow, contoured pillows, specialty pillows, sheets,mattress pads, mattress encasements, pillowcases, beds,mattresses, headboards, footboards, bed trays.
Aids to Daily Living	Lumbar cushions, crescent pillows, invalid rings, reachers,button/zipper aid, dressing aids, extended shoe horn,magnifiers, pill holders, eating accessories.
Bath Safety	Shower chairs, tub chairs, grab bars, commodes, raisedtoilet seat, bath seats, transfer benches, toilet seat riser(both mounted and suction), shower head, bath mats, bathpillows, bath sponges, shower rods, ceiling track lifts fromroom to room; consider pairing bath safety items withalmost all of the above items, as they make great complementarycash sales items.

This article originally appeared in the April 2012 issue of HME Business.