Do and Don't: Don't Say Bad Words

Ever been to shops where you already know the chances of the staff being rude is high? Just the tone of their signs already gives off a signal of this. How sad many shop owners are unaware the power of their signs and how unwelcoming they can be.

DO: This sign says "These items are FRAGILE Please handle with care, We gladly provide assistance." Isnt this a nice way of informing customers to be careful instead of saying the usual "You break you pay"? or "Do not touch"?

DON'T: Hmmmm. The store wants customers to buy but God forbid they try something on. As if the pink paper and border ribbons will make up for "NO FITTING"!

Do and Don't: The Perils of Live Mannequins

DO: This example of a window display using live mannequins show professional models working their best to create interest in the store and their products.

DON'T: This female model is indeed creating interest, just not in a positive way. I do feel bad for her, however she is supposed to promote merchandise, not show how tired she is.

Do and Don't: When An Empty Space is A Wasted Opportunity

DO: A great focal display informs customers not only of what to expect inside the shop, but also makes a statement on price and value.

DON'T: A wasted focal display space! The statement this area is trying to make is incomplete and draws the eye to the wide empty wall space.

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: When Height Matters

DO: The bust forms displayed atop the table is just the right height to relate to the products displayed in front of it.

DON'T: Removing the wooden stand will make this bust form display better. Not only will it fall within the lit area, the display will be easier to view as well. The way it is currently displayed highlights the stand more than the body form.

Do and Don't: Am I Too Fat?

DO: Allow enough room for customers to browse through merchandise on the back wall. After all, there are more merchandise displayed here than on the front feature table. At least three feet of space between fixtures is good.

DON'T: I realize that space is at a premium, however who can ever fit in between this feature table and the wall to comfortably browse through the wall merchandise selection? I can't even imagine how anyone, skinny or otherwise, access this section.

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: Are we out of stock?

DO: Product intensity at a prestige shop is less, to correctly convey high price point, high value and its exclusivity. DON'T: A popularly priced gift shop should intensify its merchandise display to maintain a consistent message of its price point and target market. The photo below shows the store to be sadly lacking in inventory.

Do and Don't: Crouch to Browse?

DO: Shopping for bags is a breeze in this display. All bags are front faced, making it easy to view. Height levels are great as customers need not reach too high nor bend too low to access the products. DON'T: Bags hanging on a waterfall below waist level?! Viewed from a normal height, one sees only the tops of the bag straps. Is this store really expecting customers to crouch down to browse through the selection?

Do and Don't: Multiple Selling, Anyone?

DO: A great display shows bags of similar price points and end use. To top it off, the store merchandised the bags with coordinating shoes. Multiple sales, anyone? DON'T: Evening bags displayed alongside backpacks and everyday bags? This display would've been better if they segregated a section for evening bags, one for backpacks and one for everyday shoulder bags. Shopping would be easier and the display a lot more organized.

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: Is It Me or Is It Dark In Here?!

DO: Lighting each shelf over and above general store lighting is a great way to make products more visible. DON'T: While there seems enough ambient lighting, shadows and dark areas abound especially on lower shelving displays. This causes a visibility issue and thus makes the products harder to sell.

Do and Don't: Give me a path to walk on

DO: Have a defined layout that allows customers an unobstructed path from the front of the store to all the sections at the back. Identifying strike zones and power wall locations minimize challenged areas. DON'T: When there is no path for customers to follow; and when whatever path there is left to walk on is blocked, shoppers tend to BOOMERANG out of the shop- pretty much what happens to this store below.