5 Easy Steps to Successful Visual Merchandising

Understanding customer behaviour
In order to be able to sell products effectively, we need to be remember that we are human first and shoppers second. Even as consumers, our actions are governed by our natural behaviours. We makes us feel comfortable, what we find attractive, how we navigate and how we take in information are all elements that play a huge part in how we shop.

The power of impulse
50% of supermarket purchases are bought on impulse. As independent retailers, we need not only to be making it easy for customers to find what they are looking for, but in order to be commercial we need to inspire them to buy products on impulse.

Seasonal displays
Seasonal displays are high impact displays used to ‘push’ seasonal products within your windows and key focal point fixtures in high footfall areas of the sales floor. Seasonal window displays should be fabulous, full of drama and theatre, and designed to tempt and inspire the customer. You may want to use seasonal messages and props to build upon your display.

Cross merchandising
Cross merchandising is when you pull products together within a lifestyle setting or theme to enable customers to visualise the products in an aspirational sense.

Hero-ing a product
Another type of promotion is a new product launch. This kind of promotion usually involves ‘hero-ing’ the new product in the window or in key focal points within the store. ‘Hero-ing a product’ is a way of actively ‘pushing’ a new product line or building customer awareness of an existing unknown product by creating a display dedicated to telling the story of that single element.

Read our complete guide to visual merchandising in our September issue, available to download for free here