Visual merchandising is vital to the success of your retail sales all year, but it is critical during the holidays. Visual merchandising extends beyond simply facing products on the shelf or making sure you have enough products on hand — how and where you place retail is also of the utmost importance.
Here are five tips to maximize your holiday retails sales through visual merchandising.
1. Make your display the focal point
Have your holiday packages or holiday retail display prominently placed in the front window or reception area, and then several small displays throughout your salon. Place your important or popular products at heart-level, not eye-level, to attract the most consumer attention.
2. Use eye-catching props
Use tricks like placing an eye-catching prop in the window with your retail display. Find a totally unrelated item and put it in your display. It serves as a prop and grabs customers’ attention. They ask, “Why is that there?” They are intrigued and it opens a dialogue to educate them about the products on display.
3. Invest in good lighting
When it comes to salon lighting, the retail area can often be improperly lit or entirely overlooked. Consumers are drawn to products that are cleverly displayed and properly illuminated. Adding accent lights to your retail area can draw the customer’s eye and makes the products seem more appealing. Avoid only backlighting a display; this creates a visually interesting display as a whole, but neglects to highlight the product face, leaving them in the shadows. If you want to use an eye-catching backlit display, pair it with direct lighting to adequately showcase your products.
4. Create professional-looking signs
Add a few well-placed, well-worded signs at your displays and around your salon. Make sure they are brief and easy to read. If your customers are mostly seniors, make it easy on them by using larger fonts. Handwritten signs with markers are okay for a child’s lemonade stand, but unless you have a knack for calligraphy or lettering, they tend to look amateurish and should be excluded from a display.
5. Make your products accessible
Many salons and spas place their retail on shelves behind the front desk — this is a big mistake. Retail needs to be where consumers can easily grab the products in order to check out their benefits, ingredients, scents, etc. They can’t be behind a counter or located in an area where consumers can’t handle and touch the products without having to ask an employee to see them.
Studies show retail sales dramatically decrease when products are behind a counter or in a glass case, rather than where buyers can just grab them easily. By making your products accessible to your consumers, a guest waiting for an appointment or waiting to be checked out is more likely to wander over and check out your product offering, increasing the purchase potential or opening a dialogue for a potential sales pitch.
FAQs about Retail during holidays
Q: Why is visual merchandising important during the holidays?
Visual merchandising is crucial during the holiday season as it can significantly impact retail sales. Effectively displaying products, not merely ensuring ample stock, can distinguish your store from others. How and where you display items can captivate customers’ attention, ultimately boosting your sales.
Q: How can I make my holiday retail display more prominent?
You can enhance the prominence of your holiday retail display by placing it in the front window or reception area, supplemented by smaller displays throughout your store. Position important or popular products at heart-level rather than eye-level to lure more customers.
Q: What strategies can be used for displaying themed product bundles?
You can make your themed product bundles stand out by using unique props. Incorporating unrelated items that provoke curiosity can not only seize customers’ attention but also open dialogues that allow you to explain the products on display.
Q: How does lighting affect the visual merchandising of a store?
Lighting plays a significant role in visual merchandising. Properly lit and cleverly displayed products tend to attract consumers. Accent lighting can guide the customer’s eye to products and make them appear more appealing. An effective strategy is to use backlit displays complemented with direct lighting to adequately showcase your items.
Q: What should I keep in mind while designing signs for my retail area?
While designing signs for your retail area, ensure that they are brief, easy to read, and placed strategically. If your audience is predominantly seniors, use larger fonts for their convenience. Avoid using handmade signs unless they are professionally done as they can seem amateurish.
Q: Where should I place my retail products for maximum accessibility?
The best-practice suggests your retail products should be placed where consumers can easily access them, allowing them to examine their benefits, ingredients, scents, and more. Avoid placing items behind desks or counters as it can deter customers and decrease sales.
Q: How can accessibility to products improve retail sales?
If your products are easily accessible, consumers are more likely to explore them while waiting for their appointment or the checkout process. This enhances the product’s visibility, stimulates consumer interest, and opens up opportunities for potential sales pitches.