The appearance and layout of your store can be just as important to your success as the products you sell. The role of merchandising is to promote the sale of your goods. From product trends to investing in cardboard displays, merchandising is an integral part of the overall business.
Marketing the right merchandise at the right time, in the right quantities, and at the right price is a delicate balancing act. Getting it right is imperative to improving your retail game! Seven not-to-ignore tips to boost your in-store sales include:
1. Location, Location, Location
Before you set up any products, you must choose the location that will yield the most sales. Many stores will have sections defined by gender or groups of product. Your most engaging products should be displayed at the front of the store for outside shoppers to see. These products will act as your bait, luring customers into your store.
Your customers should not have to bend down or ask for a ladder in order to find your merchandise. Displaying your items vertically is another tip to ensure more of your items are brought into sight range. Having your items in a comfortable sight range for your customers will do wonders for your sales and customer engagement.
2. Focus on ALL of the senses
Store merchandising should not be restricted to only what the customer can see. Scents of vanilla and other ingredients make shoppers feel more comfortable in the store. This leads to further browsing and increased sales.
Your in-store playlist should also reflect your brand, products and the shopping experience you are aiming to achieve. For a teen clothing store, this will mean upbeat and catchy tunes to suit the demographic. For a candle store, slow and soulful tunes are the way to go.
3. Clean & Simple displays
Simplicity can often be overlooked. Overcrowded and hard to reach displays distract from your product and negatively affect your sales. Keep your displays simple and clear, to boost customer engagement. It is also important to ensure that all items are clearly visible and within your customer’s reach.
Using signs is an easy way to provide your customers with information on certain products. All signs should be well-placed and well worded. Stick to the key features and benefits of the products and you can’t go wrong.
4. Follow the seasons
You should always display products that are relevant to the current season. This means holding off on the bikini-wearing mannequins if it’s snowing outside!
Following the seasons also applies for major holidays. Halloween displays and Christmas decorations are a great way to boost customer engagement.
5. Use Mannequins
If you are selling apparel mannequins allow your shoppers to see exactly how the item looks on the human figure. Styling your mannequins in your latest designs at the front of the store and in your store windows, draws your customers inside. Rolling racks are useful for storing your products, but if you want visual appeal and sales, you need to be using mannequins.
6. Show off the ‘wants’
Most customers will come in with a specific need in mind. Store displays are your tool to appeal to your customer’s desires. Grouping items is a great way of upselling your products. For example, placing all items related to drinking tea in the one bundle.
While your customer may have come into the store with simply purchasing a tea-cup in mind, displaying the cups, saucers and tea leaves together is your opportunity to persuade the customer into purchasing these added extras!
7. Change it up
Shoppers grow tired of seeing the same display every time they come in. Your visual merchandising strategy needs to be updated on a regular basis to implement new products and designs.
Visual merchandising isn’t something that you can set and forget. Keeping your displays fresh and relevant is key to landing those major sales!
Visual merchandising can generate product appeal, customer engagement and lead to increased sales. Your store décor and your visual merchandising techniques are all essential to your customers’ experience. Keep in mind these tips when merchandising your store, and enjoy a boost in your in-store sales!
This post was written by Laura Costello. Laura is in her final year of a Bachelor of Law/International Relations at Latrobe University. She is passionate about the law, the power of social media, and the ability to translate her knowledge of both common and complex topics to readers across a variety of mediums, in a way that is easy to understand.
