More Than Entertainment!

Even during the recent crisis and lock downs, I've been working.  One of my clients that I did display and merchandising for, including traning her staff, has just gone out of business after trying to stay afloat the last three years. It wasn't due to her display or merchandising. It was due to shoppers coming in recently and making the comment, "I'm glad you're still here." but not making a purchase! She realized she had become entertainment for shoppers happy to get out and about, without masks, or so much social distancing, but also less motivated to spend money in such uncertain times. 

Main Purpose of Merchandising and Display: All my educational materials and semiars begin with the words: "Goods to be sold, must first be seen." Whether you are shopping online or in a bricks and mortar store, you want to SEE what's available if you are searching for something specific, or not. The benefit of a real store is that the other senses kick in with taste (food samples) smell, and touch, not just sight and sound.  For my client her windows were the first impression of traffic, vehicle or pedistrian. Therefore, it was important to have them attractive, change them often, even a little weekly for regulars, and use good lighting for extra impact and focus of details.

Merchandising and display is also to enhance the shopping experience. Categorizing and arranging items helps the shopper in a hurry to make a bee line for what they are looking for. Category (department) is first and then brand POP or color, and then size, and other features that justify the price: high or low. A complaint on a website recently showed the purchase of a designer dress online that turned out to be for a doll! Just like in the picture, but a very wrong size! Unless the important deatils and descriptions aren't in the online ad, researching is necessary and trying it on in a real store is the best.  

Windows and Websites: If you have a store front, or a face from a tent in a market, that is considered a 'window' and your window online if your website, or social media page.  Here too it's all about what is seen.  I have a saying about store windows: 100% go by!  Of that number what percent are you attracting, at least slowing down to take a closer look? Pay attention when you shop to what slows you down or stops you to take a closer look, or walk in and check out more. 

Four Motivaters from Merchandising: To reach the maximum number of shoppers in your target your displays should do one or more of these four things:

• Educate: Show 'n Tell with illustrations, signs, packaging, and demonstration what the features are to educate your shoppers.
  
  • Example:If it's 100% wool a small show card with that symbol will sell the product and justify the price. 
    
• Motivate: Show more than one size, color, pattern so the buyer is motivated to make a purchase because they see their size and favorite color in the assortment; mix. Don't confuse with too many options.  Sometimes one single item features alone under it's own spot light says it all. Understated elegance and simplicty is a motivator.  
  
• Inspire: Let the creativity of the display and the right props tell a story that goes beyond the product itself. 
  
  • Example: I once did a display in a baking supply retail store of a manniquin wearing an apron, holding a mixing bowl in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other standing in front of a table spread with all the ingredients and a recipee book open. A plate of cookies to sample by shoppers finished off the experience!                          
• Entertain: Staging merchandise in feature display areas close to where all the inventory and back up stock is neatly lined up on good shelves is the entertaining factor. The stage tells the story and appeals to a distinct shopper with the props, but the 'actors' are all available for sale from the shelves.  Excite the customer then make it easy to find the items in the display.
  

Conclusion: As long as the store is organized, neat, tidy and shoppable always do something fun, different, and attetion grabbing to entertain and see the traffic increase and the sales go up.
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