Effective POS is essential in a crowded, competitive market so we’ve selected some of the best displays for retailers to help drive your business in 2013.
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Manufacturers deploy their forces in the battle of the High Street Retail floor space is precious territory in the battle for consumer spend and in the war of attrition that has become the UK High Street since the recession, manufacturers have been deploying their forces with great care. Two tactics have emerged. Substantial, coherent display systems that work across a large section of the store to form a defined area versus the small modular units that retailers can move around for greatest effect. What works best depends on the store. Some choose to go for the designer, interiors look and a number of leading manufacturers have responded with the store-within-a-store concept for their brands. POS expert Andrew Fry of T&E Display Systems commented: “There is a lot of choice out there and it is relatively easy for retailers to achieve any flavour of store that they think works for their customers. “Retailers have very different needs. Some prefer the coordinated look while others are more product-led and like a mix to make sure there appears to be lots of choice from many different brands. To some extent it depends how aggressive you want your sales environment to be,“ he says. “The good thing is that the main players continue to show their commitment to independent retailers by investing in POS for them, even though the climate is so tough for everyone in the sector,” says Andrew. Quality has been an issue and retailers are increasingly critical of systems that look good at first but are not built to last and show wear within the first year or so causing appearance and maintenance issues. New technology continues to gain ground. On-board video – though irritating many store owners – is increasingly popular, although the all-tocommon dead screens that have not been plugged in have a negative impact on the overall store presentation. One of the greatest improvements is in lighting with LED systems allowing more creative effects. The price of the technology has fallen quickly in the last year and the greater use provides retailers with reliable, safer lighting systems with very low maintenance. “There is a lot of competition for your floor space so you can afford to be choosy,” says Andrew. “Make sure that your selection reflects your style of business and keep on top of what’s available to make your store look fresh and modern.”
“There is a lot of choice out there and it is relatively easy for retailers to achieve any flavour of store that they think works for their customers.”
from The Stocklists
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Ten tips for top-selling stores 1. Ensure a large mix of standard and niche products to reassure consumers they have plenty to choose from – even if they ultimately go for something safe.
6. Create different areas for different product types so that consumers are not confused by too much on offer in the same place.
2. Mix more expensive items with cheaper products so that the opportunity to trade up is always there – don’t place the high end products on their own or in an increasing price layout where they can be disregarded by customers.
7. Avoid an ‘industrial’ environment – too many stores are sheds with industrial roofs, lighting and ventilation on show. Use suspended ceilings, black paint and screens to hide the worst parts – the buying environment should be as domestic as possible.
3. Use your window – too often this is a neglected area but a good display reassures consumers that you’re a smart retailer. 4. Use your floor! Have the most popular of your higher margin products laid in sections of your floor. Consumers like to buy what they can see in a larger sample. 5. Keep literature racks full – empty displays look tired and complacent and consumers like to have material to take away – and you can clip your business card to it.
8. Use soft furnishing, furniture items and flowers around the flooring displays to create a homely environment. 9. Avoid empty racks, dead bulbs and dark video screens. 10. Be careful about locating roll stock – very often it has a prominent position and lures consumers past the higher margin material. Consumers not only know it’s cheaper but the large area helps them visualise it in their own home which is more challenging with small samples.
Mohawk’s new Ultimate SmartStrand features 16 qualities of high-performance and luxurious carpet styles crafted from SmartStrand fibre collections, offering retailers an impressive choice of designs on one wall unit. The new display includes a range of carpets containing the latest supremely soft incarnation of SmartStrand fibre, SmartStrand Silk. Temptingly touchable, this range offers plush underfoot comfort and has been designed to appeal to homeowners who desire carpets that have both innate resilience and a sense of complete luxury. Also housed on this visually striking unit is Mohawk’s comprehensive Ultimate Collection, comprising 6 qualities; Super Freedom, Freedom, Splendour, Liberty, Independence and Carnival. Combining quality with an array of colours and carpet widths, this collection alone provides the customer with an amazing choice of 174 different options to suit any room. T 01282 606992 www.mohawkinternational.com
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FlooringNews
Point-of-sale and merchandising
Cavalier Carpets It’s all about catching the eye!, and few manufacturers point of sale range does it better than the stunning Cavalier display system. Choose from ‘Slim-line’ wall units, 500mm wide modules with up to twelve different carpet cassettes and stylish low voltage lighting. Also in the range are contemporary lecterns and now a matching single ‘design a drum’ tombola where you can choose any combination of 100 samples from over 300 product options. T 01254 268000 www.cavaliercarpets.co.uk
Crown Dunnottar Castle, the latest addition to the Crown Floors collection, is presented on a dedicated lectern, providing retailers and homeowners alike with a collection of beautiful carpets on one easy to use in-store touch point. Available in a timeless colour palette of 10 calming shades made from practical 100% bleach-cleanable polypropylene, Dunnottar Castle is the only collection from the Crown Floors to have its own point of sale, offering retailers the opportunity to maximise space and offer shop floor prominence to entice consumers. Available in a four-metre width, the Dunnottar Castle lectern compliments current in-store wall stands and finished in Crown Floors’ famous royal blue colour for complete coordination. The new lectern and the larger wall unit are available to order from Crown Floors agents up and down the country. T 0800 0773301 www.crownfloors.co.uk
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Whitestone Weavers With several new ranges for 2013, Whitestone Weavers has designed a stand that enables easier browsing. Lower than standard POS displays, the Whitestone stand features steps up to a lectern; a cassette containing all colourways; and swatches underneath. This means retailers can better support purchasing decisions with such an extensive sample set to hand specially built with women in mind. “It’s all very well arming your customers with the most imposing stand possible but bulky tall designs aren’t necessarily conducive to consumer product selection,” said Whitestone Weavers’ Managing Director, Steve Byrne.
Regency Carpets are set for a stunning start to the Spring buying season when they unveil their eagerly awaited addition to the Carefree Carpets collection later this month. Neil Valentine of distributors Furlong commented: “People in the industry have been wondering what we’ve been up to in the last few months. They are about to find out - and I guarantee no-one will be disappointed!” See next month’s magazine for the great unveiling! T 01772 696787 www.regencycarefree.co.uk
“We’re confident the revised design showcases our new ranges in their full glory and look forward to rolling it out over the coming months. “New ranges include Durham County Loop (a rustic loop pile) and Durham Velvet (a pure wool product offering an exceptionally plush palette). The company has also revitalised Weaverstone Twist with an extended colour bank.” T 01429 892518 www.whitestone.co.uk
Balterio In line with the homey and warm style of the brochure and the website, Balterio offers its distributors a new Shop in the Shop display programme. Based on the concept 'a true interior experience', exchangeable communication panels in the display help to convince the consumer in a simple and clear manner of the advantages of Balterio laminate flooring. Consisting of three modules with a total capacity of 84 SKUs at a width of no more than 3.5m, the stylish light colour of the new SIS system gives it a very bright look. T +32 56 62 80 81 www.balterio.com
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FlooringNews