POS & MERCHANDISING


CUSTOMERS MUST BE INSPIRED


Keep your customers’ eyes roaming around the store, at different heights and levels so they stay inquisitive


R


etail is an extremely diverse and creative industry. Whilst there are certain elements that can’t be changed – just


as dresses need to be hung on garment rails, power tools need to be displayed on shelves and racking – many of the rules for successful retailing are relevant to all aspects of retail. Consumers are essentially the same; they naturally want the best product at the best price but they must always be inspired. A store that looks and feels good has been proven to increase footfall and customer spend considerably. Nowhere is this more important than in the home improvement and garden sector, where a huge percentage of the British population choose to spend


their time.


Creativity, innovation, flair and ambiance are all vital ingredients of a great store securing sales and repeat business. Not only must your interior be well designed, so that customers are instantly drawn into it and want to explore, but it must also be well thought out. Your brand identity and message needs to be evident through your


The Shop and Display Equipment Association (SDEA) and its members offer their tips on how to get that uplift in sales with an impactful store interior and effective visual merchandising.


merchandising from the moment they enter to the point of sale. Specialist display, retail and


storage equipment suppliers, Shopfittings Warehouse explain: “Making your


customer feel


comfortable in your environment is paramount and that can extend beyond space alone. Colours, scents and harmonious coordination of product themes all have their role to play to make a customer relaxed as well as inspired. Allow customers to touch and pick up manageably- sized goods. The opportunity to be tactile can sometimes prove more beneficial than visual impact as it puts the customer in ‘possession’ of the product, making the buying process more natural.” Shopfittings Warehouse continues: “Using


quality,


options mixed with dramatic island counters


and gondolas


sturdy shelving provide


a nice flow without being too ordinary and orderly. Keep your customers’ eyes roaming around the store, at different heights and levels so they stay inquisitive and enthused. Use materials and colours that


reflect your brand and stay


in-keeping with the overall tone of your outlet.”


“Look for shelving and


display components that can be easily moved or modified, so can easily adapt to new promotional displays and cater for a variety of product shapes and sizes. Designate areas to depict themes and features that can easily change or be modified.” “On a more practical note, your display equipment should be of good


quality and well


Create an imagined experience of how customers might feel were this display translated to their own living space


presented, but you must also consider the flooring, the lighting and the signage. Each of these has the power to make a great store even better.


Flooring should


be attractive, durable and safe, while lighting should be warm and inviting and signage must be clear. POS expert and manufacturer, Durable offers further advice: “Visual merchandising is integral to any retail store to ensure you get key messages directly to your customers. Products, promotions and store layouts change rapidly, so POS information needs


to


change rapidly too. As in all great stores, the key is in the detail.


Unless a store is well merchandised and has fabulous retail displays throughout, it’s really only going to be a means to an end. Whilst choice of fixtures and fittings instore can be personal and reflect identity, but as we’ve already discussed their primary role is functional. A store’s ambiance can only be fully realised with good visual merchandising – it’s the glue that holds everything together. Sensational windows and flamboyant in-store displays are imperative to the success of your store.”


Display specialist, the Silk Forest


discusses the art of good visual merchandising: “This is more than a few pots and pans - the objective is to create a vision of the product to which a customer can aspire. It is the aroma of the meal before it arrives… It reflects the lifestyle objects which define the taste and preferences of someone who would consider that particular product.” The Silk Forest continues: “The


idea is to create an imagined experience of how they might feel were this display translated to their own living space.


It asks the


customer a question: how would it feel if you owned this? The answer should be obvious.”


Look for display components that can be easily moved or modified 16 DIY WEEK 14 APRIL 2017 Display equipment should be of good quality and well presented www.diyweek.net


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