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4 visual merchandising tips for boosting sales, driving growth

Marla Bracco, content marketing manager for shopPOPdisplays, explains how visual merchandising allows retailers to set themselves apart from their online counterparts, whether that be via customer service, product placement or in-store design.

Photo by iStock.com

April 25, 2019

By Marla Bracco, content marketing manager, shopPOPdisplays

As the shopping journey transitions online, visual merchandising becomes increasingly important for brick-and-mortar stores looking to compete in a digital world. Visual merchandising allows retailers to set themselves apart from their online counterparts, whether that be via customer service, product placement or in-store design. Additionally, according to a report, 65% of shoppers still prefer the in-store experience, giving retailers a chance to increase sales through visual marketing.

Taking window displays to the next level

The buyer's journey begins as soon as the customer sees what the retailer has to offer. Window displays are a key factor in the decision-making process when it comes to determining whether a customer sets foot in a brick-and-mortar store. These displays should catch the eye and showcase the best of what the store has to offer. We've found that this immediately entices buyers and encourages them to look for more.

When constructing these designs, retailers should create a key focus for those passing by their store to focus on. Busy window displays look cluttered and create unease for the viewer. Showcasing a few bestselling items can help encourage more foot traffic. Additionally, retailers should consider aesthetics and colors. Pairing complementary colors (blue with orange pieces or green with red pieces) can help draw the eye into the display.

Grouping Items

Grouping together complementary items that are similar in nature can lead to more purchases by customers. There are a few ways retailers can group products together. For example, retailers can consider grouping products together that have a natural relation to one another. Heavy coats and winter boots, for instance, go together, and may get customers thinking about what else they need to buy before they head to the checkout line.

Similarly, layering similar items can effectively lead to more buying. Think of a bin that has similarly priced items — shoppers who are sifting through the products might consider more than one item to be a steal. In the end, this results in more purchases and a boost in your overall bottom line.

Retailers can also group items together based on research. These items upon initial glance may have nothing to do with each other, but may often be purchased together. For example, retailers may place patio furniture with grills for barbequing. Upon initial glance, these items may not be related. However, if data backs up that these two items are often purchased together, pairing them could lead to an increase in sales.

Upselling consumers with countertop displays

According to 4imprint, only one third of purchases are intentional. Encouraging impulse buys can help upsell consumers. Research also shows that consumers are more likely to buy items at eye level, which can further drive these impromptu sales.

Countertop displays are especially important to making a sale since they invite consumers to make an impulse buy with products placed at the optimal eye level. In addition, they can be placed at "hip height," meaning customers don't have to ask for help to reach a product and take a closer look. Placing a dump bin on a countertop is one ideal way to showcase more than one product at once and spotlight it to all customers who walk by.

Since countertop displays are front and center, products at the higher end of the price spectrum do well when placed in these areas. This is most likely because people are inclined to “impulse buy” from countertop displays, giving higher-priced items an advantage when situated in these locations.

Staying unique but organized

Although we try to avoid it, customers often get overwhelmed by the number of options available in a store. Organization is critical when it comes to displaying our products, whether it's by price point, height or any other factor. For this reason, we take an ample amount of time to ensure that our products are strategically placed — organization is the key to happy customers, as well as making that final sale.

When Apple opened its first store, Steve Jobs focused on store layout and open spaces. Based on boutiques, organization became a central focus. Consider using lighting to emphasize key products and creating paths for your consumers to follow. Stores should be kept orderly as to encourage return foot traffic and drive additional sales.

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, we ultimately want to deliver a satisfying buying experience to everyone who walks through the door. It isn't just about making the sale, but ensuring that the journey to get there is as enjoyable and fulfilling as possible.