RETAILER FOCUS The silent salesman
Pam Moss, corporate brand manager for Home Hardware Southwest Ltd, highlights how retailers can enhance sales with window displays.
Topical displays have a good connection. A notable window display that a few of our members have created during spells of wet weather, is a window full of opened umbrellas. The retailers have found the display brings good sales results and a fun talking point!
How can retailers prepare and stay up to date with seasonal trends? Our members get regular publications from Home Hardware, highlighting new ranges. This communication is prepared by our buying team who work closely with suppliers so that we highlight new, and innovative collections. For example, we are already promoting new trends for Christmas 2024. Our trade show offers a great opportunity to showcase new products, upcoming trends, and insights from suppliers. Inspiration from social media now plays a vital role in keeping on point, with exciting ideas for creative window displays.
Please tell us about your role at Home Hardware. I’ve been in the position for over 13 years and as part of my role, I offer proactive support to our member retailers, including ideas for window and in-store displays.
What makes a good window display? A good window display can be a powerful tool for attracting customers and enticing them to enter a store, it’s the silent salesman working 24/7 on the store’s behalf!
A successful window display communicates a clear theme or message. Whether it’s promoting a sale, showcasing new arrivals, this message at a glance. Personally, I like a good themed Christmas window. It’s not just about selling products, it’s about the magic and theatre of the event, the type that draws you across the road to view it, resulting in the need to pop in! Ultimately, the display should be visually appealing and eye-catching. The use of bright colours, interesting props, and creative arrangements can grab the attention of passersby. During darker hours, make use of good lighting; window displays are often more effective after dark!
What key features in a window display engage customers the most? featured in the display. The use of props and accessories is helpful, for example, if you are promoting a cake stand, the use of prop cupcakes would bring the item to life. Props are a good investment, as they can be reused. We all like to see pricing in window displays, and although not always necessary, it often helps, especially if you have a call to action, like a sale or limited-time offer. Window displays are excellent for putting retailers best offers
prominently in front of consumers as they enter the store, highlighting products they may miss inside. As customers visit on average every two to four weeks, we recommend the window displays are changed every four weeks to maximise opportunities.
24 | March/April 2024
Home Hardware regularly run window display competitions, is this a key focus for the business? We have been running window dressing competitions for over 15 years. The competitions are open to all members and were originally introduced to encourage retailers to showcase products featured in our promotions. It’s a real pleasure seeing the entries, the effort and imagination that members put in is very impressive, and we proudly support the competitions. The prizes are given as gift vouchers, which retailers can share with their team.
What additional support does Home Hardware provide to retailers? As we know our retailers are busy so we aim to take some of the pressure away in the form of window merchandising display ideas. We which we create visual ideas for members to copy. We photograph and list products in our creations and send them out to members. In addition, many of our promotions also come with window graphics. These brightly-themed graphics narrate the topical promotion and set the scene for the products. We also provide themed price cards for items featured, highlighting the savings customers can make, these are perfect for merchandising. Finally, we have just launched a new video sales aid option, perfect for window displays. The video will work on a TV and promotes 20 products which loop, to replay continually. Having a moving display in the window draws the eye and feedback from our retailers has been very positive.
housewareslive.net
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