Are You Telling Your Story With These Merchandising Tips?
Merchandising is a word that holds a world. Every store uses merchandising to tell their story and draw the customer into a relationship that satisfies both seller and buyer while encouraging a future continuing of that relationship. The way your product is displayed and promoted is important. Top merchandisers agree on these merchandising tips:
- Grouping products in logical categories as the customer would use them — cross-selling and add-ons –trigger many purchases. Put up a display that shows the whole outfit or room with all the accessories and see what happens.
- People need light to see, so pay attention to the way your store is lit. Special lighting for displays should be carefully thought through for maximum effect.
- If they can’t find it, they won’t buy it. Big, easy-to-read signs and logical traffic patterns with adequate room to navigate the floor are key.
- Color invites and triggers response. Your displays should change in color frequently…and emphatically. Don’t follow a blue theme with a purple theme…go with a definite change like black & red.
- The classic setup of sales in the back and new items in the front is classic because it works. People will expect a familiar “sale in the back” but think you are desperate if your window is nothing but end-of-season stuff. Put a big sign up that reminds them of the sale and they walk past all that appealing new items to get there.
- The rule of three is another classic. It means that displays are more effective with odd numbers, like 1, 3, or 5 items of different sizes. Try using tall, taller, tallest or small, medium, large in a grouping with one accent item and see what it looks like. The odd number adds a sense of movement and invitation.
- Go simple instead of complicated. Overwhelmed visitors go someplace else.
- Invite your customer to be part of your story by encouraging engagement where possible. Let them try demos, touch things, try it on.
- Keep track of what is going on. Take note of the displays and promotions you use and the customer response. If something isn’t working, then change it and see if sales improve.
In order to tell the story of all your store offers, you need to know it yourself. If you don’t have a way to keep track of all that is happening in your retail business, you will lose all the advantage you have in your uniqueness. So you need a robust retail merchandising software. ChainDrive’s Integrated Retail Management Solution informs your merchandising decisions with simulation, purchasing, allocation, and replenishment methodologies so your displays tell your story, connect with customers, and drive sales.