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: 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!