P1: Describe the visual merchandising and display techniques used by three different types of retail outlets. In this assignment I will be describing the visual merchandising and display techniques that are used by 3 different retail outlets. The 3 different outlets are banks, department, speciality store and the companies I will be using are Debenhams, Boots and Barclays. What is Visual Merchandising and Display? ‘Visual merchandise is the presentation of a store and its merchandise in such a manner that will attract the attention of potential customers.’ In my opinion visual merchandising is how the business promotes the business brand for the public to see by using colour to attract more customers. What is the purpose of Visual Merchandising? There are many different purposes of visual merchandising: o o o o o o o
To raise awareness of brands of products To attract customers To create an image Grab attention Idea on wide of products Display their product Create first impression
What are the different techniques of Visual Merchandising? Micro-merchandising- to draw attention to certain products in the middle section of a long aisle by using different types of shelving or fixture or using different colour schemes End caps- display items on end such as fixtures at the end of aisles Technology- flat screen TV to broadcast in store advertising message Proper Space & Theme- this is when a company displays the products when it comes to the seasons of the year. For example; when it Halloween a business will use orange and black clothes to signify Halloween. Use of fixtures and fittings- there are many different fixtures that are used for the store. For example; hardline fixtures are used as small tables for items that don’t have a specific brand. Another fixture would be for flooring plans that get moved around and get changed a lot but gets decided the store.
Types of furniture- furniture is used to help show the main product off. Place of dummies- this when the company place mannequin to help the company show the public how a garment would look on someone. Fragrance of the stores- stores will use fragrance to help entice customers into the shop. For example; big stores will use fragrance between the first door and second of the store. Pyramiding merchandising- this will allow your eyes to focus on the product which also helps a vocal point in the middle point and bring the public's eye down to the sides. Consistency & Repetition- this allows the person a chance to read everything in a short amount of time. Also keeps the walls more exciting when the eye looks at the wall. Vertical and Horizontal merchandising- is when a business line up their products in a horizontal or vertical ling whether it’s on wall or shelve. Cross merchandising- this is when the business gives customers ideas on what products match well. What are the different types of retail outlets? Department stores- is a large business that offers a wide range of products in different categories which are known as 'departments'. For example; Fenwick Malls- is a large retail that contains variety of businesses and sometimes restaurants that is connected in a series of buildings in a large building. For example: Westfield Speciality stores- is a small retail business that focuses on selling a specific product range and associated items. A specialty store operator will maintain considerable depth in the type of product that they specialize in. For example; ray ban Supermarkets- is a large company that sells household product and wide range of goods or services that also operates on a selfservice basis. For example; Asda Discount stores- is a department store that sells products at a lower price than other retail stores. For example; pound land Warehouse stores- is a large store that sells large quantities of products at low prices to the public. For example; Ikea Debenhams use a variety of different visual merchandising techniques which encourages new and current customers to grab their attention. The some of the different techniques they use are the place of dummies, use of fixtures and fittings and finally colour & lightening.
The place of dummies is a technique that Debenhams us to catch the eye of the public whether they are inside the store or not however not all stores use them. They are usually used in clothing stores such as Debenhams they usually place their mannequins in the window and in the store as customers are shopping. As a result, this gives customers a chance to see something they like on the mannequin whilst also knowing what it will look like on them whilst seeing what will go with the clothing. Another technique Debenhams use are the fixtures and fittings as it helps them grab attention of the customers. For example; companies like Debenhams use the fixtures and fittings technique in the window display by putting props that are associated with the clothing just like the picture on the left where they put clocks in the window to show that the outfit is back in time. Another technique Debenhams use is the colour & lightening as it helps them show the main they are showing so the customers will be drawn to the shop. They use different colours depending on the occasion of product. For example; Debenhams use the colours which are associated with Christmas and use the lightening to help the customers know what the bestselling products is. Boots are a specialist store as they sell a specific range which health products and associated products which is makeup, hair dye, baby products and many more. They use a variety of different merchandising to promote their products such as; micro-merchandising, consistency & repetition and end-caps. Boots use a technique that is called end cap where they put their products at the end of the aisles to help customers notice the products easier. For example; when customers come into a store boots use the end of the aisle to promote the main products like the picture on the right. The reason they do this is because when the customers come instore they notice it straight away so its grabbing the customer’s attention. The way they do this is by putting signs like using BOGOF to help entice customers to the product. Another technique boots use is consistency & repetition to help customer notice the product slower and easier, but they also use micro-merchandising by using shelves and fixtures. Boots use micromerchandising with their make-up as make up get sold quickly so they must make sure they have lots of the same product there will be enough for customers to look at. Also, by using bright shelves and wide shelves this will make it easier to boot to be able to more ideas on the wide shelves, by having bright shelves with lightening this will intrigue customers to come over.
Barclays are a bank so they use visual merchandising in different way to specialist stores like boots or a department store like Asda. They do use the same techniques such as; technology and the type of furniture they use. Barclays are a bank so they need to have furniture in their banks so customers can feel comfortable in the store and they don’t have to be waiting around. Barclays have tables and chairs for customers who want to discuss important details about their bank and then they have chairs for customer who are waiting. Barclays also use technology in their banks so the customers have something, Barclays put the BBC news on specifically to do with money so the customers and the employees know what is happening around the world. Also, Barclays have interactive ATM so customer can touch it, they also have employees who walk around and have pads in their hands to help deal with your issues quicker. P2: Describe how visual merchandising techniques are applied to a range of goods in three different retail outlets. In this assignment I will be using the techniques I found from P1 to help me with how my 3 business apply the techniques to a range of goods they have in their stores. My 3 stores I will be talking about are Barclays, Boots and Debenhams. There are many different types of goods that companies use; Impulse Goods- these are the products that customers don’t plan on getting. For example; when you go into a store and shopping around and you don’t plan on buying make up but you do anyway that is impulse goods. Essential Goods- these are known as convenience goods as they are the products that you need and are easily brought and they are at an affordable price. For example; buying toothpaste, soap, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner. Search and compare- customers can find a product they want and visit their website to compare other products to see which is cheaper and then go to the store and buy it. For example; go compare they can compare insurance and see what type of insurance in cheaper. Speciality goods- this is a product that will be so unique and completely different from other products that it will make customers want to buy the products. For example; Burberry they sell designers bags that cost a lot of money but people will want to buy it as its designer and top range. Seasonal goods- this is when products are either not available on the market during a certain season of the year. But they put specific products out in the season. For example; asda will put mince pies out on the shelves when its Christmas time. Complementary merchandise placement- this is when a product has to put with another product. For example; shampoo and conditioner as they are used together.
Barclays will offer customers their product additionally to their main offer. For example; if you a young person’s account and you’re getting to the age where your about to go university then Barclays will send you a letter to let you know that you are eligible to have student account and you are eligible for student loan as well if you come into your nearest store. The type of goods Barclays use is complementary merchandise placement the reason for this is because when Barclays gives you a loan they put money into your bank which is for students. The visual merchandise technique they use to grab customer’s attention is technology by emailing people or texting them to let them about the account. Also, they use impulse goods when customers are queuing up for the desks Barclays put insurance leaflets, credit card leaflets along the counters which is a horizontal merchandising technique that they use to raise awareness of the products whilst grabbing their attention. For boots impulse goods are at the front of the till for the customers they put sweets, gift card, health snacks, chewing gum, discounted products, the technique they are using horizontal and vertical merchandising. Boots also have convenience goods which are toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, nappies, wet wipes, sanitary items, these are all mostly for women as they need these things urgently as they are important thing women need. The technique they use to give the products awareness or grab the attention of the customers are micro-merchandising, cross merchandising when displaying the products. Complementary merchandise placement is used in Debenhams with their clothes and accessories. For example; Debenhams put their outfit on the mannequin then they use jewellery, handbags or shoes which shows customer what would go well with the outfits they would also use pyramid merchandising to help display the product. Seasonal goods are also used in Debenhams by each season where they have different products such as in summer season they have swimsuits/bikinis, sandals, hats; the technique they use for the season goods is cross merchandising. Bibliography https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF8#q=department%20store%20definition http://www.dictionary.com/browse/mall http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/specialty-store.html http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/specialty-store.html http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/discount-store.html http://www.dictionary.com/browse/supermarket http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/visual-merchandising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOjkQfzE0mY https://prezi.com/cn8vrr89kzul/btec-national-business-unit-30-visual-merchandising-in-retailingassignment-1/https://padlet.com/nikkiechezona/lesson2/wish/121038312