Ten Ways to Improve Retail Store Displays

Your ability to have your store become a silent sales person can be a significant contributor to your retail store’s overall sales revenue.  Studies have shown that customers entering a store make a decision whether or not to browse and shop (vs. get in an out quickly) within as little as 10 seconds.  So your ability to create high impact store displays is a critical skill.

With this in mind, here are 10 retail tips to help you build better displays:

1. Display related products together in a themed way.  When building a product display look for products that are natural add-ons to the main product featured.

2. Use lighting to feature products.  Accent lighting creates visual interest for shoppers, and helps to make featured products “pop.”

3. Change displays in high traffic areas on a weekly basis.  Customers want a reason to return to your store, so get them excited by displaying new and different products.

4. Use blocks of color to attract attention.  Bright colors can focus your customer’s attention on key products and services.  Combined with good lighting it helps you to create focal points for your customers.

5. Keep messaging simple.  Use the “blink test” to ensure that your customer can understand your offer.  You only have a few seconds to garner their attention, so do not distract them with too much verbiage.

6. Don’t forget the pricing.  If a customer fails to see a price on an otherwise well-dressed display, they could very well assume that the item is out of their price range, and forcing them to ask for assistance on the item takes the “impulse” out of impulse buying!

7. Pay attention to the store exterior.  This includes the sign, the windows, and the sidewalk.  If your business looks dirty or closed from the outside, then customer perception would be exactly that, and they will walk right by.

8. Maintain your fixtures and store.  You may have the best merchandise that is competitively priced, but if the gondola fixtures, sales counters, or sign holders are broken, damaged, or dirty it reflects negatively on your business…and the sales report.

9. Make merchandise easy to see and buy.  Learn from the grocery retailers…keep your key products at between wait and eye-level so that customers do not have to work to see them or pick them up.

10. Clean, spaced, and organized.  Have you ever been in a store that had dirty merchandise?  Unorganized and dirty stores tell your customer that you don’t care and as a result…neither will they!

Would you like to learn about other ways that you can improve your retail business results?  Let the Retail Advocacy Group and Retail Training Services assist you with implementing a great retail business plan.  Contact us for a free one-hour consultation and needs assessment!

–          David Goodwin is the Principal of the Retail Advocacy Group.  As a 30 year veteran of the retail industry he has operated hundreds of retail locations, launched his own retail businesses, and managed retail channels on behalf of Fortune 50 companies.  Retail Advocacy group offers consulting services for retailers and also offers retail training programs through its Retail Training Services subsidiary.   You can learn more about instructor-led, e-learning, and other training solutions for retailers at www.retailertrainingservices.com.