Visual merchandising:
Visual merchandising is the act which is done in the retail industry which consists of
businesses putting up displays for customers to see a variety of products in use or on
display. The purpose of visual merchandising is to attract customers to enter the store
and see or try out the functions of the products which are on display. By doing this
Businesses ensure that they have time to be able to produce a display of a high quality
standard because this is the reason in which customers would enter the store. Visual
merchandising is one of th =e major tools which all retailers rely on to attract and bring
attention to the businesses for customers walking by the shop or customers that are
currently inside. The four types of visual merchandising are. 1) store exterior, this is the
format of the items which are on display which customers will see before entering the
shop. This part of the display is one of the most crucial parts of visual merchandising
because it is the first step customers take which could lead up to the business making a
sale. The second part of visual merchandising is 2) store layout, this is the format and
design of the structure of the store which also has a big impact on the consumers and if
they decide to purchase an item or not. This has an effect on consumers because
businesses decide the layout of the store which allows customers to pick certain items
up during their period in which they are shopping. Another form of visual merchandising
is 3) store interior, this is the format of the displays within the store. For example the
space and the strategic planning of the space in the store. The last step of the visual
merchandising is 4) interior display, this is the design of the inside of the store, this can
consist of the business having items such as mannequins and dummies on display
where customers will be able to see how items look and feel whilst on a display.
Product placement:
Product placement is the act of a business gaining exposure for an item through
different forms of advertisement such as through Tv adverts and film features. By doing
this business gains the attention of a company because customers are able to see that
the brand is being promoted through celebrity endorsements which gives the business
positive attention. Some of the types of positioning of the products business do is
placing items to be viewed for customers through windows. This is because customers
often view the items businesses have to offer before entering the store. By doing this
the business can gain a large amount of attention to the business due to the positioning
of the products on display. Another area which is effective during product placement is
near escalators and stairs, this is because whilst customers may be moving up in the
store to purchase different items they can see items which may be on offer or limited to
the season.
Product segmentation:
,Product segmentation is a method which businesses use to group products and target
different target markets. By business taking part in product segmentation they are able
to differentiate the products and target the markets more specifically. Products are also
commonly separated in business through different
methods such as themes. This can consist of the
business separating products into specific areas
which allow the target market to have easier
access to the items which the business is aiming at.
In addition to this businesses also segment their
products due to promotion. This can consist of the
business ensuring that all the items which are
currently on offer or being promoted at the time would be placed together to allow
customers to identify where to look for if they are searching for items which are on
promotion. Lastly, businesses segment their products differently depending on the
season and the event which is taking place in the year. For example during christmas
periods business may introduce different methods of techniques to display their items.
Techniques:
One of the vital techniques of visual
merchandising is coordination. An example of
coordination which businesses use is color
scheme. This can be beneficial for a business
where clothing items are displayed. This is due
to the contrast of colors which the displays
consist of. Another technique of visual
merchandising is style blocks. This is when
items are created and shaped in different
methods with a variety of shapes and colors.
This technique also works well with items
which have complementary products alongside which can also be sold with the item. To
add to the techniques business also uses contrasting colors which works well and
encourages customers to work well with and encourages customers to also buy
additional items to complete a collection or a set. As Well as this it is important that
businesses maintain a repetitive method which is used where small products are
repeated on different shelves using different color schemes. Businesses also use mirror
images such as tabletop displays when items are displayed on each side. Branding
displays can consist of using a variety of products from the same brand. By doing this
customers are encouraged to purchase matching items. Lastly businesses use micro
merchandising to customize their retail which offers to satisfy the needs of the
customers due to selling items which are locally produced.
,Props, fixtures and free standing displays:
Props are items which are used to make physical
displays and placing products in a physical store in
order to make the store look more attractive and
welcoming for the customers to come into the business.
These items are often items which are available to
purchase in the store to allow customers to identify how
items would look like on a physical item before
purchasing to allow them to see how the product will
look like. However sometimes these products are not
available to purchase and are used to be attractive for
customers to improve their customer experience whilst
in the store.
1. Visual merchandising in John Lewis:
An example of a business which uses
visual merchandising is John Lewis.
This is the Uk's leading department
store and offers a variety of products
to their customers. They use different
methods to promote and aim their
products to their customers. By Doing
this John Lewis provides a welcoming
environment to all their customers and
ensures they have a positive
experience whilst in the store. The
business also conducts regular exit
surveys which consists of the business
asking short questions to the customers whilst visiting the store to identify how their
experience was whilst in John Lewis. Figures from the last 3 years show that 92 % of
john lewis customers who come to the store feel welcomed and enjoy their experience.
John Lewis also has a variety of expert stylists who come to the store to give their
opinion on how the business can change and edit the layout of the store to be even
more appealing to the customers. Overall this has been successful for the business and
has allowed them to maintain their reputation as a business which cares and provides
their best for the customers.
, 2. Visual merchandising in Costa coffee :
As one of the world's largest
coffee retailers, Costa coffee
constantly is producing new ideas
in order to attract new customers
into their business. Some of the
way the company does this is by
introducing new items into the
company during festive seasons.
By doing this the business
attracted a larger number of
individuals into the business and
announced that they saw an
increase of 15.5% of sales during
the release of the festive drinks season. In addition to this costa coffee also takes
part in other forms of visual merchandising such as product placement. This is
seen through advertisements which are seen on tv and billboards as well as
displays in stores. Overall this has been successful for Costa coffee and has
given them the opportunity to maintain their position as the market challengers in
the coffee industry.
3. Visual merchandising in B&Q:
B&q has been one of Uk's most
successful hardware stores
which has provided a variety of
hardware items for their
customers for several years.
b&q is known for the layout and
how they ensure that their
customers are easily able to be
directed to their products of
choice. By doing this the
business has seen that they are
able to increase the number of sales due to the fact that customers are able to be
directed to the section of their choice and purchase additional items alongside
their main item. This has been successful for the business and has allowed the
company to carry on being in the top 3 of the market for the hardware industry.
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