9 Visual Merchandising Examples That Drive Sales
When it comes to visual merchandising there are a variety of ways in which one may display products and merchandise in order to increase foot traffic, online traffic and drive sales.
Utilizing visual merchandising specifically for your target customer with use of the items listed below will ensure your brand recognition and increase your companies overall sales.
1. Cross Merchandising
A display method where you can utilize space for a secondary placement to increase sales is called cross merchandising. As in this North Face display where the shirts are merchandised with shoes, backpacks, hats, jackets and sweaters. They utilize the floor space in a manner where they can cross merchandise and still have a cohesive story line.
2. Interactive Displays & POS Systems
Utilizing an interactive display within the department store allows the consumer to engage more with the merchandise without having to physically touch the products. This is especially important now more than ever. Along with interactive displays there has been an influx in customer friendly POS systems where they can ring out their own merchandise as show above.
3. Interesting Product Displays
In visual merchandising the key to any display whether in store or window is to tell a story. This story must captivate the audience in a manner where they will be intrigued and motivated to want to be apart of the family in which the display is manifesting. That can mean part of that brand identity, the ecosystem of the store and staff. The story behind the displays will convey a message to the customer that will be inviting and yet relate to the products and merchandise throughout the store. Bring your customers into your ecosystem in which you are showcasing with your display.
4. Knowledgeable Team Members
Team members are key to the success of any store whether it is a brick and mortar or strictly an online store. Having people with a similar belief system and understanding of the merchandise and products you are selling is extremely beneficial. They will be able to share their viewpoints with customers in regards to certain pieces and aide them in a pleasant shopping experience.
5. Lighting
When it comes to creating a display using the element of light to focus on the products that you want to sell. The use of light also creates the ambiance, mood, texture and overall appearance the merchandiser is trying to convey to the consumer. There are various forms of lighting such as overhead light, spot light, display rack lighting, lights within the dressing rooms, as well as lighting for shelves which can be on/behind/below the shelving.
6. Scent
Is known as the most powerful of all the five senses. It has an immediate impact on the buyer the moment they walk through the door of the store. Scent evokes a response in the customer to want to make a purchase.
7. Signage
With any display the use of signage is their to aide the customer. The use of signage is there to provide information to the customer such as the location, name of store, and any merchandising and marketing that may be happening within that location.
8. Theme/Story
In any form of merchandising having a theme or story to tell when showcasing products is how stores are able to engage with their target consumer. Having a display that someone can relate to or finds mesmerizing (such as Bergdorf Goodman’s window displays), puts the consumer in a trance state of mind. Engulfed by the beauty and story the display is portraying drives the customer to want to purchase what is in the display so that they can be part of that story being displayed.
9. Window Displays
The first display a customer will see upon entrance to a store is a window display. The window display is what entices the customer to walk into a store and in the end make a purchase at that store. Once the potential customer witnesses the impressive window display that the merchandisers have created it is inevitable that they will in the end become a long time customer of that store.
Note: There are three types of window displays: closed-back, semi-closed, and open-back window displays.
BONUS: Instagrammable Displays
Attract customers and create buzz about your products and store by creating backdrops suitable for instagram. Grab the attention of many worldwide with an enticing environment that people want to gravitate towards.
Note: Make sure you analyze your sales weekly in order to adjust displays and do an audit to ensure compliancy.
