Retail front end's power lies in its ability to capitalize on impulse purchasing behavior. Retailers strategically position items at checkout areas because this represents one of the most profitable opportunities to capture impulse purchases from customers who are already committed to making a transaction.

The importance of impulse buying in consumer behavior has been studied since the 1940s, since it represents 40-80% of all purchases, with recent research showing impulse buying accounts for up to 62% of grocery sales revenue (and up to 80% in some product categories). The front-end checkout zone takes advantage of a captive audience during wait times, when shoppers have lowered psychological barriers to spending and are in a completion mindset. Research from CMA member InContext Solutions reveals interesting demographic patterns in checkout impulse buying. On average, women buy impulse items 24% more often than men at a staffed checkout lane, and 6% more often than men at a self-checkout lane.

The financial impact is substantial. According to recent Capital One data, the average consumer spends $281.75 per month on impulse buys in 2024. What's more, impulse buying can make up to 40% to 80% of retail store revenue during peak shopping days, according to Shopify. Furthermore, InContext reports that 50% of all groceries purchased are impulse buys, demonstrating the massive revenue potential of checkout placement strategies.

For retailers, optimizing checkout space through careful product selection, attractive displays and strategic pricing can meaningfully impact overall profitability. The average new impulse purchase contributes approximately 20% to overall daily retail revenue according to Zipdo, which also reports that visual merchandising increases impulse purchases by up to 30%. The front-end checkout area is prime real estate for promoting new products, clearing inventory or showcasing items with emotional appeal, making it an essential component of retail strategy that can contribute to net margins while enhancing the customer experience by offering convenient last-minute solutions to forgotten needs or small indulgences. Items placed at checkout typically include low-cost, high-margin products like candy, magazines, travel-sized toiletries, phone accessories and seasonal novelties that don't require significant deliberation.

Confectionery remains the undisputed champion of front-end sales, with data from the National Confectioners Association’s 2025 State of Treating Report showing remarkable resilience despite broader economic pressures. Total confectionery and gum sales reached $54.2 billion in 2024, with chocolate the leading category. While a little more than half of confectionary sales were driven by chocolate in 2024, nonchocolate candy saw the most year-over-year growth, up 4.9%. Chocolate grew just 0.4%, with gum and mint category growth 1.8%. According to the NCA, nonchocolate candy “is expected to have a growing share of sales,” with projected sales of $26.9 billion by 2029, though chocolate (projected sales for $38.2 billion by 2029) remains the lead in the confectionary category.

While confectionery drives volume, successful front-end management requires a diversified approach. For example, magazines and batteries are important impulse drivers at the front end.

Magazines are still relevant despite the digital transformation of the media and offer shoppers a pleasurable indulgence while waiting at the checkout. Magazines offered at the front end of the store can be celebrity-gossip-focused, but there might be an opportunity in special-interest magazines, which dive deep on a particular celebrity or topic (think, for instance, of the “special edition” magazines that commemorate a celebrity’s life and times after their passing). Poynter, a journalism-industry nonprofit, reported recently on the increased interest in special-interest titles; according to a360media, the category grew 20% in 2021.

Batteries are another example of a front-end staple. For retailers, batteries are high-margin, high-impulse at the front end as they are typically purchased without extensive planning, as anyone who’s ever had to run out to buy batteries for a children’s gift would attest.

The Bottom Line: Front-End ROI

The data is unequivocal: the front end represents one of retail's highest-margin, most immediate opportunities for revenue growth. For category managers, this translates to a clear mandate: optimize your brand’s front-end strategy now. The question isn't whether you can afford to invest in front-end marketing, promotion and optimization — it's whether you can afford not to.

The front end isn't just where transactions conclude; it's where profit margins can expand and customer satisfaction peaks. Make it count.