How one Costco demo led to four more dates booked for Black & Decker

When we returned to running Costco product demos after the first UK COVID-19 lockdown, we knew that we would need to stagger things to return to something resembling “normal”. Our very first demos focused on products that were easy to sample, such as non-cooking products, in single-serve portions that we could prepare one at a time. Since then, we’ve continued to build on our learnings from our trial demos in Reykjavik and Watford, as well as the other demos we’ve conducted, to ensure that member and brand ambassador safety is our focus. 

It’s meant that we’ve managed to expand the range of products that we can safely demonstrate to Costco members – including, in November, Black & Decker’s 18v Power Series Extreme Stick Vac. Read on to learn more about the product, our approach and the demo’s results.

The Black & Decker 18v Power Series Extreme Stick Vac

Priced very competitively at £99.99, the Black & Decker 18v Power Series Extreme Stick Vac has a whole host of benefits that we knew would appeal to Costco members. From its 55 minute run time from a single charge to its triple surface cleaning system and twist and clean filter that maintains optimum performance, the briefing document we put together with the help of the vendor gave our brand ambassadors plenty of information to get members excited.

The stick vac also features a one-touch easy empty 650ml bowl to avoid needing to touch the contents, a crevice tool for hard-to-reach areas, a pet brush to get rid of stubborn pet hair and comes with a two-year warranty, giving Costco members peace of mind. 

That gave us plenty to work with – so what approach did we take with the Stick Vac demos?

Black and Decker Vac
18v Power Series Extreme Stick Vac

Our approach

Blacker & Decker initially booked one demo day, covering all 29 Costco UK warehouses. We gave our brand ambassadors plenty of ways in which to engage with Costco members: asking what they currently use for their daily cleaning tasks, establishing whether they have pets in their household, letting them know that the battery is compatible with other Black & Decker products, and more. Once members approached the demo stand, our brand ambassadors were able to share the product’s benefits in more detail…and then it was on to the demonstration itself. 

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Using Rice Krispies as the “mess” that needed cleaning, we demonstrated the Stick Vac in use in three different ways: as a floor vac, as a handheld vacuum cleaner, and then with the extension wand. After cleaning, our brand ambassadors then demonstrated how easy it is to twist the product to clean the filter, remove it and then reattach the one-touch empty collection bowl. We were also able to demonstrate how to charge the product, how to change the speed settings, and how to establish the battery level. 

Excitingly, we were also able to allow members to handle the product for themselves – within, of course, strict guidelines that took COVID-19 into account. Whenever a member handled the Stick Vac, the brand ambassador was required to stand two metres away, and the product was sanitised with approved antiviral spray every time a member touched it. In addition, the demonstration products were routinely cleaned with antiviral spray and paper towels at 30 minute intervals. 

What results did we achieve?

While Black & Decker had initially only booked one demonstration date, the revenue generated from this was reason enough for them to justify booking another four dates before Christmas. This means that we will have conducted 145 demos for the brand in 2020, spanning all 29 Costco UK warehouses. 

Sales across all demo days were incredibly strong, delivering an average sales uplift of 211%. What’s more, 32% of all of the Black & Decker Stick Vac demos are delivering uplifts in excess of 300%. We’re expecting the remaining Black & Decker 18v Power Series Extreme Stick Vac to be just as popular as we move in to 2021.

To book in your next Costco demo, get in touch.  

Images: www.blackanddecker.com