Amazon is not the only firm with a huge product mix. Wal-Mart, Target, and others have also expanded their assortments to attract one-stop shoppers. This is one way for retailers to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Now comes the latest move from Home Depot, one that engendered this article title in the Wall Street Journal: “Home Depot, the Place to Go for Toilet Paper?”
As Shelly Banjo and Serena Ng report: “
“Social media marketer Valentina Monte stops by Home Depot every two months. It’s her favorite place to buy toilet paper. The 23-year-old often buys books, clothes, shoes and concert tickets online and watches TV shows from Netflix and HBO Go. But she still treks out regularly from her New York City apartment to visit the do-it-yourself store and stock up. It’s confusing, but it’s no accident.
“Home Depot is one of many unlikely retailers betting that consumer staples will boost sales and pull shoppers into their stores. While sales of most electronics and office supplies have rapidly migrated online, sales of soap and paper towels generally haven’t, making them magnets for foot traffic. As a result, shoppers at Best Buy don’t just find laptops and headphones. They can also buy Keurig coffee pods and Tide detergent. Customers browsing Staples can pick up legal pads, but they can also find shaving cream and deodorant. Best Buy calls the strategy ‘floor optimization.’ Staples calls it ‘Beyond Office Supplies.’ Some shoppers call it puzzling.”
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TAKE A QUIZ: Each retailer sells three of the four items shown. Can you pick the item it does NOT sell? Image by Mikey Burton
Retailing: From A to Z 
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