Home Décor

cially important to make the non-apparel items stand out so customers see all other product options. “Presentation is key,” Pallo explained. “If you can create a shop showcasing items as to how they may look in the home, and mixing items, you will sell more. We have a man cave display, a kitchen display, a bar/glassware display. They all have their own little shops within the main novelty area.” Creating a display of newlyarrived or trending items can also work well. Collins said, “Some tips we’ve relied on are to prominently display the things that utilize the team logo very well—something that kind of stood out. Items with a pub feel or bar feel did well. We’ve also got a lot of little signs with the wood grain barrel look. Anything that resembled a rustic pub or tavern moved really well for us.” Scoma suggested merchandising throughout the store to further increase visibility—“Just one area really limits exposure,” he added. Berry promotes sales by building on customers’ team spirit when they walk in the door: “I enjoy creating an experience when you walk in, with Buckeye music piping inside and out for fanatics to get in the mood for Gameday. We place our oversized chair on the sidewalk and fly our flags to attract the people driving by,” she said.

Sports fans are always happy to add the latest “must have” item to their memorabilia and décor collections. Among the newest items Pallo carried this season were “novelties targeting the ladies—kitchen towels, potholders, candles, makeup bags, tapestry throws. Sales were strong. Once our main fan base sees them, they will do well,” she said. Scoma said the newest items in their 1,500-square-foot store are “newly-released helmets. Fans collect them and always want to keep adding to their collections. Sales are steady in these areas, but they can be super impactful, especially if ASU releases a game worn helmet to be available for retail, which they don’t always do.” Collins said their newest items—ticket rugs measuring approximately 30 inches wide and 72 inches long—saw strong sales. “They’re nice long rugs, and they did really well for us. We have about 20 different teams between the NFL and MLB. We offer ordering for all 32 NFL teams based on customer request,” he added. Berry is excited to add welcome signs/mats and outdoor garden art to the inventory in Picture This/OSU Sports Fans’

2,300-square-foot space this year. “From statues, to inflatables, benches, and steppingstones, Buckeye fans love to decorate outside as much as inside, especially on Game Day!” she explained.

Retailers have a few predictions for this year’s trends in the licensed home décor category. “Since people have been staying at home more, clocks, games, cards, and puzzles will keep trending,” Berry said. “We like to offer something for every age. The oversized Connect Four and Hook ‘n Ring games are perfect activities for friends and family.” Collins said he expects most of 2021’s trends to continue into the new year: “The home décor has stayed pretty steady. Everyone likes to decorate their fan zone space—they keep to the colors of the team, or the logos. That usually stays pretty true. Most of the changes that come through—maybe a different color scheme on a plaque. Trends usually stay pretty consistent [in home décor]. This year was maybe the first time we saw the shift to the old wood-grain from the neon signs.” Pallo said, “Travel tumblers are huge right now. Yeti or Hydro-flask styles will be the Number One seller if you can find a good price point.” Scoma said he and other retailers are “at the mercy of our vendors coming out with fresh new looks.” He predicted, “The hottest item is a newlyreleased mini- or full-sized helmet the football team has never sold before at retail.”

Clean, organized displays are most effective when it Continued on page 84 comes to arranging any type of merchandise. Collins said they group merchandise by teams in their 4,000-square-foot store to keep displays organized and easy for customers to navigate. Scoma said merchandising means “everything”—he and his team give customers the opportunity to find items in different parts of the store so nothing gets missed. “When you walk into our store, it can be overwhelming to the eyes. There is a lot to take in, and so many options, which is why we have items displayed in several areas of the store. Items are easy to miss, so we like to give [customers] the opportunity to see items in different areas, especially if we have excess stock of an item, or something is not moving. We constantly shake things up every week. It also helps the store to look fresh for repeat guests.” ‘Shaking things up’ and moving inventory regularly is one of Pallo’s merchandising philosophies. “When guests look at merchandise, it needs to speak to them. It needs to tell them a story. It needs to make sense. We change our displays at least twice a month. Not new merchandise, just new placement. I cannot tell you how many times someone will come in and ask if something is new simply because I moved it