We know that constant change is what
keeps customers coming back for more. We also know that there is never enough
time to do all of the things you’d like to do on your sales floor. And while we
can’t make the days longer, we can help with the tools necessary to help you
plan your visual merchandising.
You may have read that goldfish have an
attention span of just nine seconds. That’s one second longer than to human
attention span – we tend to lose interest after just eight seconds. Blame it on
technology. When it comes to in-store displays we tend to lose interest in
about five seconds – this is why the days of “this display is good enough for
now” just doesn’t cut it anymore. So, what’s a retailer to do?
Elements of a Great Retail Display
We began our retail careers in the
department store industry, back when these stores were glamorous examples of
great retailing. One thing that has stuck with us from those days is that it
takes time and preparation to build a themed experience each month, and that a
plan of action is necessary to make it happen.
Great displays don’t just happen. Sure,
sometimes you get lucky and throw one together, but that’s exhausting month
after month. It’s far better to know where you are going. Consider the
following areas in planning your displays.
1. Theme: Choose a monthly
theme or one for each in-store event or promotion. Think about that overall
theme and what it will take to achieve the look you are going for. When it
comes to creating a theme remember that the store is always the story, not a
single display. Carry elements of the theme throughout the sales floor to
create a unified story.
2. Platform: This
refers to the type of fixtures that are needed to create displays on your sales
floor and in the windows. For example, what platform will you need to build
your speed bump display? (Think stacking tables, props and signage.) Be sure to
take into account what you already have and what you may need to buy.
3. Props: The little
touches that you add to a display can add the pop that takes it over the top.
Think texture: baskets, smooth woods, glass, metal, even different
fabrications. Inexpensive Plexiglas risers are nice to have on hand to elevate
featured products. Consider also the big props, like decorated Christmas trees
during the holidays and trim throughout the store and windows.
4. Product: Choosing
items to be displayed in advance helps you focus on telling a complete story.
While you are already purchasing lines seasonally, look for additional items to
be merchandised on end features and other areas. You can swap out or add
additional product from the floor as needed.
5. Display Techniques: Consider
the best technique to make the product stand out. We know that product set in a
vertical segment is almost always better than product spread horizontally
across a gondola, wall or shelving unit. Vertical Merchandising causes the
shopper to see more of the display because they look up and down at the display
as well as forward. Cross-merchandising – placing items together that
complement one another – is another strong technique to embrace. It makes
buying more than one thing an easy decision for shoppers because you are
exposing them to items they may have not considered before. Bonus: higher
average sales.
Each display will also need a Focal
Point, the spot a shopper’s eyes go when looking at the display. When there
is no focal point browsers may be confused about where to look and simply move
on. If the fixture itself is the focal point then it’s time to change the
fixture.
6. Negative
Space: This is the empty areas; the “white
space” that frames the product. Not every display needs to be a treasure hunt –
your store is an explosion of color; let your key displays breathe a little.
7. Color: When
you are searching for theme ideas color is a powerful choice. We are naturally
drawn to color, but it’s also important to keep in mind that colors can have an
effect on shoppers: Red is an aggressive color that makes some people
anxious and can actually speed up the metabolism. Pink is happy, romantic,
light-hearted and soothing, yellow is optimistic, warm, cheery and the first
color our eyes see. Green is calming and refreshing and said to be the easiest
color on the eye. Brown signifies warmth and security, blue represents trust,
loyalty and confidence. Purple symbolizes luxury, wealth and sophistication, and
orange just makes us happy.
8. Communication:
In-store signing is incredibly important, yet often underutilized component of
a good display. Signs answer questions about the product and can highlight
features, price points, etc. On the sales floor women read signs for
information but men rely on them, especially for big ticket items where
features are so important. Remember that eye level – 4’-5’4” from the floor –
is buy level. It’s also the best-selling area for adult shoppers. Signs can
almost always help encourage purchases so use them.
9. Five Senses: Each
of the five senses play a role in the customer experience and enhances your
chosen monthly theme. Sight and touch and taste obviously relate to
merchandise, and hearing and smell can make your monthly display themes even
better.
Hearing in store design is really audio
architecture because the right music can influence sales by providing a
background that entices shoppers to stay longer and buy more. Disco, or any
music that’s up beat, is our favorite because young or old, it makes shoppers
smile. Music can also energize your store associates.
Research has proven that a
pleasant-smelling environment has a positive effect on shopping behavior. A
fresh pine scent during November and December, for example, will put shoppers
in the holiday spirit. If you add scent to your themes do it safely using
diffusers or machines specifically made for that purpose. Burning candles on
your sales floor is dangerous.
10. Marketing: This
involves any events or promotions that are tied to your theme, plus where the
theme and related products will be marketed. Consider Facebook, Facebook Live,
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest and bi-weekly email blasts.
Areas of Importance
on Your Sales Floor
Knowing in advance which areas of the
sales floor will be part of your monthly theme is a time saver. You can spread
your theme wherever you like throughout the store, but there are key areas that
need to be involved for one reason: If you mis-merchandise, these highly visual
areas it can cost you in sales.
Store Front Windows are
the “eyes of the store”; they are the first thing shoppers see as they approach
your store. Unless you are in a high traffic area where you need to change or
tweak your windows weekly, plan to change your windows about every 30 days.
More often if you have multiple themes planned for that month.
Speed Bump
Displays work the same way speed bumps in
parking lots work: they slow shoppers down. They are also the first display
shoppers see once they enter the store, giving a good indication of what to
expect as they peruse the floor. Plan to change or update your speed bumps
displays once a week; more often if your store has a lot of repeat customer
traffic.
Lake Front Property
(LFP) on your sales floor is high end
real estate. And since 90 percent of customers enter a store and look or turn
to the right, your LFP has a big impact on store sales. If your store has a
center door you will find your Lake Front Property on the front right side of
the sales floor. If your door is at the far left your LFP will be on the right
as shoppers enter, it’s the reverse if your door is located in the right
corner. Regardless of where your LFP can be found it is important selling space
that needs to be included in your themed displays and updated regularly.
Power Walls,
the one located at the front right in particular, is the most important selling
wall in your store. Use it to feature merchandise you want every shopper to see.
End Features
are high-impulse shopping areas that are located at the end of gondolas or
similar shelving-type fixtures. End features should not be used to house
product permanently, they are best used to feature new items and promotional
goods.
Theme Ideas to Help
You Get Started
There are dozens of real and made up
holidays to celebrate each month, like National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day in
January – we can see an entire window dedicated to this theme. Listed below,
you will find several holidays and ideas for each month to help get your
creativity flowing. Brainstorming ideas with your associates is always a good
idea, so is googling “goofy holidays”. Check also for state holidays and local
events such as festivals and celebrations.
January: New
Year’s Resolutions, New Year, New Projects, Fresh Start, Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day. February: Black History Month, Groundhog Day,
National Wear Red for Women Day, Super Bowl Sunday, Chinese New Year,
Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, The Oscars. March: March
Winds Blow, Women’s History Month, St. Patrick’s Day, Coming of Spring. April: April
Fool’s Day, April Showers Bring May Flowers, Spring, Take Our Daughters &
Sons to Work Day, Easter, Arbor Day, Earth Day. May: May Day,
Kentucky Derby, Mother’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Armed Forces Day, Memorial
Day. June: Juneteenth, Vacation, Kid’s summer camp, Father’s
Day, Flag Day, Summer. July: Independence Day Patriotism, |
BBQ | Picnics, Family Time, Hooray for the Red, White & Blue, Summer. August: Dog
Days of Summer, End of Summer, Back to School. September: Labor
Day, Autumn, Fall leaves, Patriot Day (In honor of September 11), Grandparents
Day. October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Indigenous
People’s Day, Halloween, No tricks, Just Treats, Columbus Day, Sweetest Day,
Oktoberfest. November: Family, I am Thankful For…,
Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber
Monday. December: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter,
Snowman, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Love, Family, New Year’s Eve.
Much of your success at retail is
contingent upon your visual merchandising skills – shoppers are not drawn to
sparse or poorly executed displays, and stores that are the same no matter what
time of year are often bypassed for those with a better in-store experience.
Every fixture, every product, and every detail has an influence on whether a
customer stays to buy and if they return to shop with you again. Yes, setting
displays is an art, but it is also a science. And with just a little planning
you can eliminate the last minute “what am I going to put there?” blues and
give yourself a head start to creating great displays.
COPYRIGHT KIZER & BENDER | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Retail Adventures Blog
