All About Store Staging

Visual merchandising and store staging is a fascinating topic. It's amazing how much the arrangement of your store and your inventory can affect your sales. If you can afford it, hire a visual merchandiser or contract one out through a freelancer-it's certainly worth the money. If the budget is tight, however, here are some useful do-it-yourself tips.

1. Staples in the back - If you have a "bread-and-butter" kind of product, keep it located in the back of your store. The idea is that while customers are walking through your store they will see other items that attract their attention and thus they will buy more than just the one item for which they came. This is why grocery stores always place milk, butter, eggs, etc. in the very back of the store. Many even put the restrooms in the back!
2. Best sellers in the front - If you have a best-selling item or a new one that you expect to sell very well, feature it in the front of your store. Display a large vertical banner next to the product so customers' eyes will gravitate towards it. These should be the products that everyone will want-make them as accessible as possible to move more merchandise.
3. Groupings - In many cases, grouping similar items together will increase sales. At the very least, create a display that shows customers how to use your products together. They can be grouped by color, theme, brand, etc. Having a variety of merchandise that isn't grouped in any natural fashion looks scattered and confuses customers. Most of the time they want to see everything you offer in a certain brand, color, style, etc. Use posters in each section that show customers what they will find.
4. Lighting and décor - Utilize the power of your store lighting. Dramatic lighting effects will capture the attention of customers and show off your products. Use mirrors in your store to create dimension and visual interest. Adding decorative designs like etched glass decals or other die-cut vinyl decals also makes your store look more special and unique, rather than just ho-hum and boring. The more customers enjoy being in your store, the longer they will stay and the more they will spend!
5. Rearrange - A complete new floor-set is a huge endeavor-one that you can only undertake periodically. Smaller rearrangements however, make your store look fresh and current. This can be very-helpful when presenting new merchandise as you're able to feature it, and then a few weeks or months later, you can make room for the new merchandise.

Posted in: All About Store Staging