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 2014.
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Positive POS is back in brisk business “There is a lot of choice out there and retailers can afford to be choosy”
There was a lull in the fight for your floor space during the recession as manufacturers reigned back on their investment in the big ticket items such as integrated wall stands.
But now, the battle is back on and suppliers set great value on securing as much of your retail space as they can to promote their products. There is a lot of choice out there and retailers can afford to be choosy.
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. But this approach needs a large store if you are to represent all the leading brands that your customers want to see. 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. But recent systems are more robust and reckon to last longer. Graphics embedded into samples have become a trend in wall displays with the increasing investment in top quality roomset photography. These presentations have a strong aspirational tone which appear to be popular with consumers. The initial rush of enthusiam for video on POS has subsided display designers have accepted that many retailers don’t remember to switch them on - or even get around to wiring them up! But 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.
Read our reviews of the latest in POS on pages 48 - 52
from The Stocklists
April 2014 47
Special feature
Ten tips for top-selling stores 1.
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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. 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. Use your window – too often this is a neglected area but a good display reassures consumers that you’re a smart retailer. 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. 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.
Create different areas for different product types so that consumers are not confused by too much on offer in the same place. 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. 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.
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Cormar Carpets Cormar Carpets stunning, new wool twist ranges, Home Counties Heathers and Plains are beautifully presented on this 27” display lectern. Home Counties Plains comes in a range of 18 contemporary modern shades, branded under the Wools of New Zealand banner. Whilst Home Counties Heathers offers a selection of 14 natural heather hues, in British Wool. Both are premier quality tenth gauge carpets, moth resistant and are available in two pile weights (42oz and 50oz). All 32 colours are shown to good effect in less than one square metre of floor space, with the samples being stepped, so that all the colours are immediately visible drawing both the eye and the customer! When promoting wool twist ranges in store to consumers there is no better way to impress. T 01204 881234
www.cormarcarpets.co.uk
ON DISPLAY 48 April 2014
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FlooringNews
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from The Stocklists
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Special feature Crown Floors The new lectern in the striking royal blue colours of Crown Floors is now available, displaying the new Parkland, Wilton House and Sheringham collections and existing Roseland, Penrose with its coordinating stripe, and Alderley Edge ranges. With a single range housed on each lectern, space is given to large feeler swatches of all colours, with a header board showing striking lifestyle images and key selling points. Displaying carpets this way, without underneath storage needed for additional samples, means a compact footprint, a key target of the unit. T 0800 077 33 01 www.crownfloors.co.uk
Mohawk by Lano Capture the power of SmartStrand carpets with the striking new Mohawk Revelation stand, distributed exclusively in Europe by Lano Carpets. Capitalising on the ability of Mohawk SmartStrand carpets to fightoff stains with a Lifetime Stain and Pet Warranty while remaining incredibly soft, exceptionally durable and made from 30% renewable content, the Revelations stand brings SmartStrand carpets to the fore. With original SmartStrand ranges such as Independence, Splendour and Gentle Essence among others, the Revelations stand also features the made for UK Super Freedom and Freedom collections. With eight collections showcased in large 44 x 22cm samples and 10 sets of smaller 10 x 30cm feeler samples, handily stored and accessed beneath, the stand delivers maximum impact for minimum footprint. “Such is the strength of the SmartStrand story that it deserves a stand that has a proven track record in maximising impact rather than blending in with the sea of natural wood and muted graphics of other carpet displays,” explains Tom Mathys, area sales manager UK and Ireland, Lano Carpets.” T 00800 5266 5266 www.lano.com
Crucial Trading The Mini Hub is a clean contemporary design which gives a great in-store presence displaying Crucial Trading’s full collection. It offers large size samples, mini rugs and individual swatch books placed in the Mini Hubs discreet cupboards. T 01562 743 747 www.crucial-trading.com
ON DISPLAY 50 April 2014
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FlooringNews
Point-of-sale and merchandising
Whitestone Weavers has devised a range of new POS displays for retailers this spring. Three tombolas representing the company’s core product areas for the year ahead are taking centre stage: The Twist Collection showcasing its best-selling Wool Twists; The Loop Collection housing its Wool Loops, including stripes; and The Hasslefree Collection complementing its increasingly popular bleach cleanable products. Soon-to-launch will also be the new on-trend Tartan Lectern displaying the company’s 30-strong Tartan and Plaid designs. Sales Director, Vince Holden says: “We have invested a lot in POS over the past twelve months, with all the stands being heavily subsidised. The good news is, the return on investment is excellent. Retailers are being bombarded more and more from manufacturers and distributors so we have to work hard to make sure that the stands are eyecatching, practical and our products offer excellent value.” To back up this offering The Whitestone Group now employs two full time merchandisers to install and update its growing number of displays. T 01429 892 555 www.whitestone.co.uk
For more details contact your associated weavers area manager or Tel: 01422 431135
from The Stocklists
ON DISPLAY 2014
April 2014 51
Point-of-sale and merchandising Kingsmead Carpets The smart new wall display from Kingsmead features Glen Shee from the Highland Fleece range plus the stunning Artwork and Artwork Special edition stripe produced in conjunction with Wools of New Zealand. Kingsmead’s unique blue edge-lit acrylic detailing makes a distinctive difference to the presentation. The unit has additional full size lectern feeler samples with mini-rolls with individual lighting. Large hanging samples are avaible below. T 01827 831424 www.kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk
Kährs new vertical wood flooring displays provide a simple, yet incredibly bold sales tool. The contemporary-style stands include large, tactile samples, allowing customers to view a sizable floor area. Complementary ‘collection’ sample boards, which represent a whole range on one board, are also available. Kährs ‘toast rack’ stand format - which measures 1970 x 545 x 800mm - includes eight large portrait samples and provides an excellent product overview. For space optimization, Kährs ‘waterfall’ stand measures 1970 x 490 x 800mm and includes 16 landscape samples, which provide a stunning floor-to-ceiling colour spectrum. T 023 9245 3045 www.kahrs.co.uk
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
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FlooringNews