Do and Don't: Printing Price Signs

Printing prices or handwriting them? Of course handwriting them is so much easier but it also comes across as home-made and very unprofessional unless the handwriting is consistent and beautifully executed.

 

DO: If your handwriting is less than perfect, opt for a printer. It adds business credibility and supports the products’ value.

 CAN BE IMPROVED: Selling formal wear requires a higher standard than those selling regular casual wear. This is due to the difference in price points and also product values. In more cases than not, a professionally finished price tag is necessary.

 

 

Do and Don't: Cubes? Who Knew?!

I mentioned in a previous blog that mannequin displays are appealing when they eye hits near the chest area. But what about kids mannequins? How can they be boosted higher closer to the eye so it hits the right spot?

DO: A great kids mannequin display! They are stacked atop cubes of varying heights giving the display an appealing and inviting look.

DON'T: Placing the kids bodyform on the floor is just too low. The customer has to probably bend down on their hands and knees to see the detail of the clothing being promoted.

Do and Don't: The Right Fixture Makes The Difference

I am not sure what shopkeepers are expecting when they place teeny tiny items on the floor. Do they expect customers to kneel down and browse through them?!

DO: Products are neatly displayed on a nesting table. Display strategies implemented make this set-up appealing. I did one project wherein I exchanged gondola units to nesting tables and their sales went up 37% without changing inventory. Amazing what fixture can do to sales!

DON'T: When merchandise is stacked atop one another in a glass unit, there is hardly anywhere the eye can stop. There are advantages to a glass unit such as allowing the light through the displays, however the one pet peeve I have about these units is when it looks like products are just crammed in. Very unappealing, where's the romance?

Do and Don't: Missing Bottoms

Mannequins exist to sell products. They are there to grab customer attention and invite them in for a closer inspection. As with anything in retail, attention to detail is crucial in grabbing the RIGHT attention.

DO: I appreciate how the mannequin is dressed and the clothing displayed on it can be immediately found merchandised behind it. Makes shopping a breeze!

DON'T: Where's the bottom of the front mannequin? This surely attracted attention, but the wrong kind. I noticed customers noticing it not for the clothing displayed, but rather for the lack of it. Imagine little boys laughing so hard.

Do and Don't: RMUs- How Low Can We Go?

Ever wonder what some retailers are thinking when displaying their products? Is their goal just to show as much merchandise as the space allows regardless of visibility? Shouldn't it be what makes more sense- such as how easily accessible and viewed products are from the customer's viewpoint? After all, some empty space is good as it gives the eye a place to rest.

DO: The ideal lowest level of merchandise display is knee height especially for small items. This makes it easy to access and view the merchandise in relation to a customer's height.

DON'T: Really? Floor level? I realize retail carts do not have as much room to display products, however to merchandise all the way to the floor doesn't make sense. Do the operators think customers will squat down or go on their hands and knees to view these items?

Do and Don't: Bugged by the Bag

In some outdoor city markets such those in Asia, where pollution and dust is a big issue, retailers will often have one single clothing item on display and the rest in their original plastic wrap. This is how customers prefer to buy them as they are assured of a clean garment and retailers do not mind as labour costs are not high. However in first world department stores and boutiques, retailers will have all the garments out to encourage customer interaction with the products, as well as promote self-service. When customers see items in bags, they immediately think back stock and off limits to their inspection.

DO: Have all merchandise ready for display. This means removing them from their original packaging and tagged with the right information. Clothing displayed this way encourages customers to touch and buy the products more so than if they are covered in plastic.

DON'T: Yes, this is the top shelf but these specific merchandise are not displayed elsewhere and I wanted to take a closer look at the gray sweater.  However with the plastic cover, my impression is that these items aren't for sale. Oh well, possible lost sale!

Do and Don't: For the Vertically Challenged

DO: I like how merchandise is displayed vertically from top to bottom rather from side to side. This introduces customers to new products as they scan left to right. Best of all, for vertically challenged people like me, I can access any product.

DON'T: Well, more in the 'category of could be better' than a real don't. Depending on customer height, the brown boxes will sell faster than the gold ones, which can only be reached when I tippy-toe.