Do and Don't: Housekeeping is MAJOR

I understand how store can be busy and when delivery comes in, it adds to the chaos. However, is it acceptable at any one point to line boxes along an aisle, thereby blocking access to merchandise? Isn't that lost sales?

DO: Clean clear aisles are inviting and does not deter customers from coming in despite the line up at the cash desk.

DON'T: No room to store just delivered inventory? Maybe stacking them up closer to the back will minimize hindrances and allow more access to products being sold. Besides, these are trip hazards and the last thing retailers need is a lawsuit.

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: Is it Fall or is it Winter?

DO: A single idea is being sold to customers--- that it is winter and it is time to buy winter basics.

DON'T: Which season is it? Fall or the holidays?! This shop needs to sell only one idea at a time.

Do and Don't: The Romance of the Holidays

DO: A select few pieces is showcased dramatically with the use of colour and simple props to convey a strong message of holiday gift giving.

DON'T: A holiday window display needs more appeal than the one seen below. The display not only fails to multiple sell within a set, it hardly encourages customers to even want the items displayed. Jewelry is a gift of love and romance. Its absence in this window is simply too jarring.

Do and Don't: What is Being Sold?

DO: Having text on the window acts like a title to the story being sold. It immediately conveys the store's message to the shopper. Crucial to the placement of the text is its position in the window. It should not hinder sightlines to the main selling point which is around the mannequins' chest area. Placing the text around hip level of the mannequins is a smart move.CAN DO BETTER: In this window, the text is more prominent that the products being promoted. The positioning of the text covers the window's main selling point which is right around the mannequins' chest area.

Do and Don't: In Retail, the Lightbulb IS the Detail

When stores are encouraging interaction between shoppers and their products; such as this store providing an electrical outlet for customers to test their display lamps, the least they can do is provide the lightbulb.

Do and Don't: If you can'ts spell it...

This week's entry is just a DON'T photo. I think it speaks for itself and need no further introduction. It simply violates to many guidelines- from hand written signs to spelling and most of all, in devaluing the very product being sold. Enough said!

Do and Don't: Show me the Light!

DO: Darkened areas can make a store look dramatic. In this case, eyes are drawn to feature highlights such as the focal display right at the centre and makes the power wall products visually pronounced. DON'T: A darkened area just because the lighting is inadequate or out of order is hardly the way to sell prestige cosmetics---Especially when customers are invited to test the products and see how it looks against their skin.

Do and Don't: Its a Trap!

Ever decide NOT to walk into a shop because it looks like there are no exit pathways? Funny how some retailers fail to realize that the more crowded a space is, the less likely customers will penetrate that selling space.
Customers do not want to feel trapped and unable to quickly exit any space.
DO: Front the storefront, customers can see that all areas of the store is readily accessible. The floor design itself makes the circular racetrack evident. DON'T: Avoid creating dead-ends like the shop below. I realize that at times, inventory levels are high, however it is still vital that customers are able to easily navigate the entire store.

Do and Don't: Can't See!

GIVEN the choice, will customers still fully penetrate a selling space if they cannot view the shop or will they simply walk past it?
DO: A beautiful display setting that leads the eye from the front low table to the way to the back wall. Guess which direction customer traffic will go? They will surely visit each unit from the front to the back! DON'T: Too bad the front unit is loaded with too much merchandise that it hinders sightlines to the rest of the shop.

Do and Don't: Where's the Romance?

DO: What a beautiful and eye catching jewelry display. Not only is the display eye to waist level, the message is conveyed through a fairy tale story. Makes me wish upon a star for the necklace on display. DON'T: This jewelry display is simply too low. Right at eye level, one sees a blank wall. There is also nothing special displayed, just a mass merchandising presentation. Where's the romance in this?

Do and Don't: Handwritten, REALLY?!

DO: Regardless of how inconvenient it is to get a sign printed, it is vital that they have a professional finish. In this case, the brand and product values are conveyed to customers right before they enter the premises, starting the selling process. DON'T: While effort can be seen in creating this sign, and although the store has up to 50% off sale, this unprofessional look simply devalues the brand, the store and its products.

Do and Don't: I Really Find Slatwalls Unappealing to the EXTREME

DO: Products deserve to be displayed in the most appealing way. These fixtures provides a showcase that enhances perceived product values. DON'T: I really find slatwalls unappealing to the extreme! These are beautiful gift items totally devalued by the slatwall. To top it off, the repeated patterns of line in the slatwall overpowers the merchandise display.

Do and Don't: I like 45' Angles

DO: I like how the angled displays greet customers as they walk this aisle. It makes for an eye catching display and makes both product and price easy to see. DON'T: Well, this really isn't a don't, rather after seeing the 45' angled display above, this flat linear display becomes less appealing.

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: Is that Junk I see on the Window?

DO: A great seasonal window display-- it effectively conveys target market, expected price points and product selection being promoted. DON'T: So sad they ran out of space for inventory and they just stacked all boxes right behind this window display. Note that customers can see past a display- whether it is in the window, behind the cash desk or tucked underneath a wall display.

Do and Don't: What a Waste!

DO: Ensure that every opportunity to sell is taken advantaged of. In this case, not only is there an attractive price point sign, a monitor is added to engage customers. It provides not only product information but also emotional appeal to shoppers at the point of purchase. DON'T: What a waste of selling opportunity. Not only does an empty sign stand convey lack of attention to detail, it also becomes a shopping hazard! This is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Do and Don't: Who Turned Off the Lights?!

DO: When majority of the merchandise is small in size, adequate lighting allow customers a good view of the items being sold. This also makes the store more inviting and sets a positive tone for shopping. DON'T: Customers have a hard time reading product labels and packaging inside this toy and games store.

Do and Don't: How Skinny Should I Be?!

DO: Allow space for customers to walk around a feature display. This provides easy access to all merchandise including those displayed in the back. I don't need a sale incentive to look through these items. DON'T: Wow, what a deal, 2 suits for $199! However, I wonder who is skinny enough to squeeze through and browse that suits rack?!

Do and Don't: Nothing Simple in Garbage

DO: At closing time, bringing garbage out for pick-up in clear plastic bags is a good step in keeping shrinkage down. DON'T: Using store's shopping bag as garbage bins is a surefire way to encourage internal theft.