Spotlight on Store Fixtures and Lighting

they pass by your window,” said Cook. “Staff and visitors are going by windows looking at cell phones and their patient itineraries. If there is something that can capture their attention, a bright color, a funny saying, or an unexpected item, they will stop and look.”

And since customers cannot always stop and shop right away, your display should also be memorable, recommended Cook. If it’s memorable, they will keep thinking about the display, and hopefully stop in later to buy – or even mention the cute item they saw in the window to a friend.

According to Cook, a good display should also tell a story. To do that, you’ll want to pick a theme, and an item to be the focal point. Your customers’ eyes will stop on that item, said Cook, and then move on to the other merchandise you have included in your story. For that reason, you can also sprinkle older items in with the display to make them appear new. Using different heights and depths gives visual interest to the story you’re telling, said Cook. But she also cautions against overcrowding your display.

Jennifer Anderson , assistant supervisor of the Mayo Clinic Methodist Campus Gift Shop, recommended that a hospital gift shop be set up as a destination. Apparel in particular can help patients, visitors and staff imagine destinations that take them away from their present-day stress and worries, said Anderson. “Color, fabrics, and textures in apparel will help evoke their senses, taking them on a journey,” she said.

According to Anderson, one of the best ways to sell your apparel and accessories is to use a mannequin. She recommended thinking of dressing a mannequin like “outfitting.” “By outfitting your mannequin with current and on trend apparel and an array of accessories, you will enhance visual excitement,” Anderson said.

When outfitting, it’s important to use the rule of three, which is the idea that consumers are visually stimulated when items are displayed in groups of three. An example of utilizing the rule of three, said Anderson, would be arranging styles of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets in one focal point.

Anderson also recommended cross merchandising items to make the most of every inch. “Cross merchandising items from different product categories together will draw attention to your wall or windows showing customers what all your store has to offer,” said Anderson. “Cross merchandising provides value to customers by reminding them of a need, sparking ideas, and streamlining their shopping process. This is also a big win for driving sales.”

Anderson and Cook said their favorite display piece depends on the situation. They favor acrylic cubes in most displays to gain height.

They also love using pieces of artificial turf and greenery. “It brings the outside into the building creating an atmosphere of outdoor fun and helps customers visualize what they could do with the merchandise at their own home,” they said.

In general, said Anderson and Cook, people enter a shop and turn to the right, so they always have a great display on that side for customers to stop at and acclimate to the store. In addition, they curate a great display on the other side as well. And, like the other shops featured in this article, they leave the candy display for the back of the store, so customers go by many displays before getting to the candy. ❖

Maury Regional Auxiliary Gift Shop Manager Tracy Barker, in blue, with Sales Trainer and Creative Design staff member Katie Collier. The two have been working together for the last five years “to make the shop something more than just another retail establishment. In this COVID world, it’s a place where anyone who needs to forget they’re at a hospital can find an oasis, hear fountains, listen to chill music, and decompress. And of course shop. The shop has been the main fundraiser for the Auxiliary for nearly 60 years,” Barker wrote in an email.