When setting up a window display you have to consider many aspects, especially if you are an independent retailer and you don’t have a visual merchandiser to help you.
This blog post was written by Marcia Gigante a visual merchandiser based in Italy, and sometimes the translation is a little rough. However, the principles of good visual merchandising are universal, so whatever city you are located in, the concepts that Marcia discusses below are relevant.
Some retailers believe that more products are displayed the window, the greater the flow of customers and therefore sales.
To do this, efforts are made to use the space in the window as much as possible, without leaving even a hole for a pin, exposing the full range of products available in the store, hoping to meet the different tastes of all.
Another belief is that once the windows are set up, they can last forever.
Neither of these two theories works!
Here a list of the 5 most common mistakes of setting a window display to avoid. Below are photos from our Pinterest board on bath and body displays so you can see different ways of displaying the same type of merchandise.
1. NOT SELECT PRODUCTS TO EXPOSE
Displaying products in large quantities and without a defined priority, importance and layout makes the window “dumb”, unable to communicate
The truth is that the human eye seeks order, clarity of reading always, even when observing a window display. This doesn’t mean that appreciates monotony but that find it easier to be guided through lines and geometric paths.
The large amount, the monotony and seriality of exposure are not elements that convey the value of products and therefore not inviting the customer to come into your store.
It is necessary to distinguish a few pieces from the rest, make a selection of priorities, placing them at different heights, in order to guide the eye toward the highlight, the top product that is in the shop window.
Not necessarily have to be the most expensive piece.
This may be an offer (best value) or products in line with seasonal and colors, for example
2. LEAVE NO SPACE
Leave no space between the products creates a fast scan effect, very fast, in the minds of your customers who will compare your shop to a thousand others similar to ignore.
The space in a display can determine a rhythm that the eye follows nicely, this rhythm can be perfectly measured or variable.
This will allow the customer to give different value to the products displayed based on its own interpretation and opinion as needed at that time.
3. NOT PLACE SPOTLIGHT
You must define which products to prioritize time to time in the window.
There are products that sell anywhere from being displayed some others are not.
It happens to benefit some products but you should give a chance to all products, especially those that sell less (but not all at once, remember point 1.)
This means put more emphasis on the display of these products.
Maybe they can work better according to the periods of the year, based on the interest of your target or are products on which you you want to bet.
There are no mathematical formulas that work, but since you’re in the store more often than anyone else, you will be able to know what are the best pieces of sale, those that are sold with virtually no promotion and those that need a bit of thrust.
Putting the window spotlight on a product that you don’t sell a lot is the boost it needs.
4. DARK, DIRTY AND DISORDERED
I think the title says it all but to be clearer: dark, dirty or disordered are sad and useless displays.
In a display window is not enough to take care only of the products, choose the right ones and make them look their best.
If the window is dirty, dark or messy this will ruin all the work done and will get worse sales.
The maintenance of the window is a daily activity.
Make sure the lights are working, that there is no dust, that all is in order, that the installation did not fall, check if there is still stock of the products displayed etc.
This must be applied for the shop window and for the inside of the store.
Always.
this are the basics.
If we do not take care of these aspects, customers will wonder why they should give value (and money) to these products an to your store.
5. NOT HAVING A PLAN
Planning is the most important rule of preparation shop window.
You can have a plan monthly, quarterly or annual basis but you have to have a plan that includes a rotation of goods and installations within your shop window.
Only in this way you can have windows always cool, interesting and with an appeal to your customers.
This will arouse interest, you will gain new customers and your sales will improve for sure.
Aspects to consider when planning are few and basic but make a real difference.
– Seasons
– Holidays
– Sales
– Special Events
Click HERE to see the presentation on Slideshare.
Leggi questo articolo in ITALIANO
