VISUAL MERCHANDISING AND DISPLAY

CHAPTER 18

WHAT IS VISUAL MERCHANDISING?

Visual Merchandising—the coordination of all of the physical elements in a place of business that are used to project the right image to its customers.

Visual Merchandising is used extensively at manufacturer’s showrooms, trade shows, and conventions as well as at retail and wholesale locations.

DISPLAY

Display—refers to the visual and artistic aspects of presenting a product to a target group of customers.

There are four basic types of displays:

1) One-item display2) Line-of-goods display3) Related-Merchandise display4) Assortment Display

THE RISE OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

Visual Merchandising has increased tremendously in importance because of the growth of self-service, superstores, and box stores, such as Home Depot.

There is little personal selling in the warehouse environment of the box store—products must sell themselves.

This has spurred stores tom develop giant signs, graphics, and banners to designate areas within the store to drive customers to certain areas.

ELEMENTS OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

Visual Merchandising is used to create a positive shopping experience, which makes customers want to return.

There are four key elements to visual merchandising:

1) Storefront

2) Store Layout

3) Store Interior

4) Interior Displays

STOREFRONT

Storefront consists of the total exterior of the business.

The storefront includes:– Signs

– Marquee—architectural canopy that extends over a store’s entrance. Ex. Broadway

– Entrances– Window Displays

STORE LAYOUT

Store Layout refers to the way the store floor space is used to facilitate and promote sales and to best serve the customer

A typical store layout divides a store into four different kinds of space:

1) Selling Space—interior displays, demos, sales

2) Merchandising Space--inventory

3) Personnel Space—lockers, breaks, restrooms

4) Customer Space—café, food court, dressing rooms, recreation for kids, lounges, movement

STORE INTERIOR

Once it is determined where merchandise will be located, the appearance of the interior can be determined.

The selection of floor and wall coverings, lighting, colors, and fixtures, affect the store image.

The width of store aisles is also an important consideration dependent upon the types of products being sold.

INTERIOR DISPLAYS

There are five basic types of interior displays to consider:

1) Architectural Displays—model rooms, etc

2) Store Decorations—banners, signs, holiday items

3) Open Displays—hanging racks for clothes, fruit displays allow for handling

4) Closed Displays—see, but not handle(jewelry)

5) Point-of-Purchase Displays—items, such as candy, at registers

INTERIOR DISPLAYS

There are five basic types of interior displays to consider:

1) Architectural Displays—model rooms, etc

2) Store Decorations—banners, signs, holiday items

3) Open Displays—hanging racks for clothes, fruit displays allow for handling

4) Closed Displays—see, but not handle(jewelry)

5) Point-of-Purchase Displays—items, such as candy, at registers