2-2 Blog: Store Fixtures and Visual Merchandising

How a product is displayed relates directly to how well it will sell.

Are the products just thrown out on a table? Most likely, people are going to walk right past it if that is the case. It is not ascetically pleasing to the eye; therefore, it will not catch the consumer's eye. Elaborate displays may seem silly but are entirely necessary to capture the attention of the consumer to create a purchase. Not only does it matter how you set the product out, but it also matters what store fixtures you use and how you use them.

Let's go over a few store fixtures and how to use them with visual merchandising.

Store Fixtures

Hangers:

Clothe hangers are exactly what you think that would be - hangers hold the clothes to display. However, they tend to look and be a bit fancier than the clothes hangers that you have hanging up in your closet. Depending on your store type and your target market, you are going to want to use your hangers differently. For instance, a more higher-end store - think boutique - will only have hanger items on one display - as seen below:

This type of display with hangers gives a more luxurious feel, as well as causes the consumer to think there is less product than there actually is; in turn, causing FOMO (fear of missing out) to make an impulsive purchase

Other average stores - think department stores or Walmart - are going to have many hangers up on one display to show their product. This also keeps the shelf full and prevents them from having to constantly refill the hanger with another shirt each time one is purchased. For example:

This type of display is simply more practical for actually holding products. It is still visually appealing when in order of size and colors, but just not as visually appealing as the other method that gives the luxurious feel.

Showcases:

Another store fixture used for display and merchandising are showcases. These are a practical way to display expensive products without the risk of theft. These are products that you want the consumer to be able to see up close, but not close enough to steal. They are locked up in the glass case and taken out by consumer request to view - while being supervised by a sales employee. An example would be the ones you see in jewelry stores like so:

Slatwall:

Slatwall displays are displays that products can be openly hung on for customers to grab directly from. This can be items like shirts, jeans, shoes, skirts, less expensive jewelry, and so on. For example:

Mannequins:

Possibly the best way to show the consumer how the item of clothing would look off the rack. Let's be honest, clothes can look WAY different on the hanger than they do on a body. For this reason, you would want to give the consumer a visualization of how the item of clothing would possibly look on them. As well as this, mannequins can be used to create a scene for the theme of the store or the department. A great example of this would be how Old Navy creates family scenes with mannequins that fit the season - spring, summer, winter, or fall. For example:

Creating The Display

These store fixtures are just a few of the MANY when it comes to visual merchandising. Which ones you use and how you use them depend on a variety of things - the business type, the market, the product, the theme, the season, the intent, and so on. These are all things you want to keep in mind when creating your display. My biggest recommendation is do NOT use display structures and types based just on look. You MUST MUST MUST keep in mind your business, consumers, and products. It would be senseless for Walmart to have their five-dollar shirts in a locked showcase. Similarly, it would be senseless for Walmart to only hand up several of on tops on a hanger at a time. They have a bigger volume of customers come in purchasing these items; therefore, they need to keep a higher volume of product out. Make sure your display is both visually appealing and sensible. 

Be creative with how you use these display structures - especially within your window displays. Break the rules a bit when necessary.

For instance, here is a whimsical way that Dolce Gabbana used hangers for their window display:

Be creative with your display. Do something out of the ordinary to make the consumer stop, look, and want to come outside when it comes to your window display. When it comes to your inside displays, be a bit more practical when displaying the actual product that needs to be sold. Fun displays inside that draw the consumer in can be used around the product, for instance, the mannequins set up next to the product: