Selling Practical Gifts

Displaying Soaps and Candles

Candles and soaps alike are scented favorites for gifts and home purchasing. But displaying these popular products well is the key to turn scent shoppers into buyers.

At Candle Delirium in West Hollywood, Calif., the shop’s Sales and Store Manager Brice Oates said he keeps things interesting in the 4,000-square-foot shop by changing the store’s full display by the season. “Periodically, we change by both scent and with décor that fits time of year, such as holiday decorations in the winter, and spring and summer flowers. Currently, we have beautiful quince branches in our window.” The shop carries luxury, high-end candles, such as Voluspa and Nest candles.

Displaying these candles is all about accessibility to samples for Oates’ airy store space. “We make sure there is a sample out of everything that comes into the store, and that customers can easily try the product. Most of the brands are purchased as gifts, so we put the candles on shelves by brand in a manner that’s easy for shoppers to find. Every customer is different, but having been in business for 17 years, we know how they tend to shop.” When it comes to soap, his sudsy scents are second in terms of quantity to candles, but are certainly not forgotten, and equally luxurious with brands such as Archipelago and Diptyque. “Candles are the main thing here, but we display our soaps and lotions in a separate bath and body section. For sampling, we use the lotions as our testers for scents.”

In Tucson, Ariz., at Rustic Candles, Sales Associate Alexis Ho , speaking for owner Monica Cota, related that the shop carries a variety of different soaps, salt scrubs, and bath bombs.

“We have everything that smells good or makes you smell good. We display our soaps similarly to our candles, but because our candles are handmade here, there are some differences. Our soaps are