Visual merchandising in your store is a wonderful thing, it allows you to be creative with the layout of the store and your products, to meet the needs of your customers… and every store is different! This is a huge marketing technique that stores use to capture the customers attention to take them on their purchase journey.
It’s far more than simply setting up shelves!
What is visual merchandising?
It’s the process of designing your floor layout, shelving layout and product displays to maximise sales and give your customers an exciting shopping experience. It can explain how customers behave in store and how your placement of products can provide them with the optimal experience.
So what should you keep in mind when merchandising in your store?
- Brand image… what is the purpose of your products, what do you want your customers to do / feel when they come in?
- Influencing purchasing habits… a clever shelf layout and perfect product placement will lead your customers through the areas of your store that their wallets just can’t resist. With this in mind, you’ll sway customers to purchase 4 items when they only came in for 2… clever right?
Keep reading to find out how to accomplish this…
Aisle Spacing and Floor Layouts
Navigation in a store should be easy otherwise customers get frustrated… they should be able to move down the aisle without having to take their eyes off the shelves. Having an open planned store with shorter shelving aisles will really encourage the customer flow towards your products. There is nothing worse than cramped aisles with no food navigation and really high shelves that you can’t seem to reach.
Product and Merchandise Display Planning
Now that you have an understanding of how a store layout will benefit a customer…. It’s time to start planning how you want to place your products. The top general merchandising points:
- Having the most consumable products at the back of the store will encourage customers to walk past prime merchandising areas on their way back. And hopefully pick up a few extra items on the way!
- Set out seasonal merchandise at the front of the store to grab customers attention. Also have smaller high margin items like gum, accessories or sweets towards the front of the store because customers are more likely to impulse buy.
- If your store provides for all purposes, make sure your general merchandise and groceries are on separate sides of the store. Having different departments makes navigation easier for customers and therefore makes their experience more efficient.
- Never have high theft items at the back of your store, make sure you have a clear view of all to keep your store safe.
Cash register merchandising
The cash register area of your store is prime for selling low cost/high margin products! It’s also more likely to catch the customers attention, a snickers bar? Yes please!
You want to fill this area with smaller items such as, chocolate, sweets, batteries, hair accessories, sunglasses etc. But don’t over-merchandise the desk! You need to make sure that customers have enough room to put at least 10 items on the counter in one shop.
Two additional thoughts when designing your checkout area:
- Place the cash register in the front left or front centre of your store. This placement will allow you to keep a close watch on what’s going on in and around the store.
- Decide what kind of material you want to use for your checkout counter. For example if you have a jewellery store, glass is a good idea so that you can show off your products. Or if you are a general retail store, hard wood or metal will be ideal to support all the products your counter will hold.
The main point
Displaying your items in-store in a way that catches customer attention is difficult at best. But just remember to keep items consistently grouped throughout the store and categorise it into sections.
Make sure you’re smart about the layout, you want customers to feel welcome not crowded and confused.
To find out more about ways to improve your store, check out our previous blog: 3 Thing Retailers Can Learn From The Apple Store!
Get in touch with us today and let us know if these tips made a difference in your store!
