Do and Don't: RMU Romancing the Customer

I often see the sad state of displays whenever I shop. I feel sad for the beautiful products that are just placed haphazardly as if the owner didn’t care. Even marked down pieces deserve a nice set-up.

 

DO: Retail Merchandising Unit Display (RMU)

The display is given structure and several design elements are utilized. There is direction, there is shape and there is an appeal to customers to interact with products. Items are also grouped by design.

 

COULD BE BETTER:

Nice ceramic bathroom accessories are just placed on a shelf without thought for design and display appeal.

Do and Don't: Lets Confuse the Customer-NOT!

DO: Make it easy for customers not only to buy but also understand your groupings. By displaying products with the same end-use, in this case a dressy clutch bag with coordinating accessories, it silently sells to customers a one stop shop for their special occasion needs. DON'T: Can this be anymore confusing?! Evening jewelry merchandised alongside an everyday bag; evening clutch bags with everyday wallets immediately below it. Is this how customers will wear them?

Do and Don't: Hodge Podge Displays

DO: Make it easy to buy! Within a single category such as souvenirs, group like items together. E.G. Food within its own subgroup and gifts in another.
DON'T: Avoid displaying all kinds of souvenirs together. Products lose their credibility and perceived values when it is in a hodge podge display.

Do and Don't: Layout-Category Placement

DO: Keep your merchandise category layout organized and logically sequenced. This makes shopping so much easier. Best of all, it encourages multiple sales between categories. Fixtures that form mini sections can create a clean delineation between categories. DON'T: Refrain from placing merchandise without careful thought of the story you would like to convey.

Do and Don't: Valentine Window Display

I realize that not all retailers can afford to hire professional visual merchandisers to do their window displays all the time. This is just fine, when having the right foundation (in this case, fixtures) and by applying some shape to the set-up can go a long way in creating an eye catching display.
DO: (Above)

1. Nesting tables set a good foundation that creates interest in a display.

2. The products placed from top to bottom invites the eye to view the entire display.

3. The diagonal line created by the bags provide eye direction.

4. The backdrop stops the eye from meandering elsewhere.

5. The strong use of the colour red cannot help but stop the eye.

DON'T:

1. Half hearted attempts at this Valentine display fail to attract positive attention.

2. The sparse merchandising and haphazardly placed merchandise look extremely unprofessional and thus, devalue the products.

3. There is really nothing that attracts the eye to this low display. Eye level is really the interior of the shop which just adds to visual clutter.

TO DO THEMED WINDOWS WELL, YOU GOTTA DO IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Do and Don't: Housekeeping-- an Organized Display

DO: With all items front faced and merchandised military grid style, finding an item is easy. Signs also help identify products. DON'T: How long before a customer gives up looking for an item?

Do and Don't: Holiday Displays

DO: A relatively inexpensive holiday display that maintains product and brand values. DON'T: Dollar store finds often work when integrated with other elements within a theme. However the example below of haphazardly hung garlands and mismatched bows serve to effectively devalue the store's brand and merchandise.

Do and Don't: Housekeeping--DUSTBALLS ARE NOT ROMANTIC

DO: Nice, clean fluffy towels invite customers' touch. DON'T: Towels with dustballs, anyone?! Ewwww.

Do and Don't: Jeans Display

DO: A great looking display statement on Jeans. DON'T: Really? This is the only way one can think of to display designer jeans?!

Do and Don't: Product Adjacencies

DO: Single branded kitchen accessories easily prompt multiple selling. DON'T: Yes, both are for hygiene but one is for oral and the other for your shoes!