When Target started adding mannequins to their store, they had a 30% increase in sales of items displayed on the mannequins, according to this article in Fortune magazine.
We tell people all the time that mannequins are silent yet powerful salespeople, but when we say that people think it is because we want to sell more mannequins. (Well, that’s partly true.)
But mannequins are much more visually appealing than a garment rack! Mannequins enhance the decor and create an ambience, all of which improve the shopping environment. People spend more time in a pleasant environment.
Even Ebay sellers say that items on a mannequin sell faster and for more money than the same item that is displayed on a hanger. A mannequin allows people to see what they will look like wearing the garment (or what they hope they will look like).
Too often, it is not because of space limitations that small and mid-sized retailers don’t have enough mannequins but rather due to the limitations of their budget.
A quality mannequin is one that won’t break easily or fade when exposed to sunlight and is sturdy enough for the manhandling in a retail environment. A brand new mannequin by a company like Pucci, Rootstein, Patina V or Goldsmith can cost $500-$1,000 – out of the financial reach for most retailers.
This is why savvy retailers stretch their visual merchandising budget by purchasing “pre-owned” (a fancy term for “used”) mannequins from mannequin liquidation companies like Mannequin Madness.
Mannequin Madness has a large inventory of mannequins acquired from retailers when they are in bankruptcy proceedings (e.g. American Apparel) or when they remodel (e.g. Nordstrom) or when they close a location (e.g. Saks in Santa Barbara).
Frequently, the mannequins are brand new still in the box and even those that have been used are in fantastic condition.
A mannequin that might normally cost $500 – $1,000 brand new can be purchased for ~$125! Quantity discounts are available for purchasing 5 or more items.
Visit MannequinMadness.com and click this link to see our “pre-owned” designer mannequins. The inventory of used items is updated on a weekly basis so check back often.
