Visual Merchandising.
Why is Visual Merchandising Important?
See It. Like It. Buy It! Have you ever noticed when you enter a store, supermarket, fashion house, jewellers or just about any space where transactions take place, that products are placed for maximum visibility and monetising? No? This is the reason visual merchandising is key in subtly influencing you to make a purchase, or purchases based on product placement using psychology.
Techniques That Work.
VM is about creating an experience for the customer and making a sale for the supplier.
MALE SHOPPING
FEMALE SHOPPING
Men tend to shop more practically. They are described as destination shoppers.
Women tend to shop emotionally and can be influenced fairly easily. Products are merchandised by category to make the experience easier.
Displays with bags, shoes, scarves etc are there for a reason! If they need trousers, the destination is the trouser area. Job done!
Chequerboarding. By using a different colour in between another, it creates and makes for a more interesting display, and gives the customer different colour options and more choices with designs.
Light to Dark.
To create a transitional colour display, light to dark is a softer technique to use.
Colour Blocking. This technique tends to be used in high end or designer outlets, particularly in fashion. It can though be used anywhere to create a dramatic monochromatic effect e.g. if you had lots of black spectacles and wanted to create a gender neutral area, displaying them all together achieve this. Do ensure the lighting is angled correctly to bring some light into the dark!
Pricing and Positioning. It is always a better commercial merchandise high to low when pricing.
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If you merchandise low to high, the chances are the customer may find it difficult to go up in price if they find a suitable frame at the bottom of the display. Its easier to go down in price than up. Top down selling once you establish a budget is: “Eye level is buy level� Displaying a product at eye level is a particularly good way of subtly increasing customer focus. This will work if a product is very different and needs to stand out, is brand new or one that needs selling as its been on the shelf for too long.
Seasonal Merchandising. Whether it is an Optician, a supermarket, fashion store or any other type of outlet where product is for sale, seasonal merchandising can turn a potential customer into a purchasing one. It is recognised as humans we scan left to right and make assessments very quickly. Window displays are given a whole 3-7 seconds to take in the message. Use them wisely e.g. sunglasses. As soon as these are available they should be in the ‘money area’ of the practice (i.e. within their focal point as you enter the door in its own display area or stand). Your customer then knows their destination, if this is the product they are looking for.
Thank You.