Most every retailer has started decorating for the winter holidays, or at least will choose to do so after Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, all retailers should understand the importance of changing the “look” of their outlet on a regular basis, whether it is a display, a window, or how customers will walk the floor.
Why might you want to change or rearrange product placement or how customers must walk to get to key departments or merchandise? The reason is simple – if you keep products displayed in the same location or do not rotate merchandise in key sales areas it is likely that repeat customers, who are accustomed to purchasing one or two items and then leave the premises, will never notice items other than what is on their list. By moving “anchor goods” (items that customers purchase often and “draw” consumers to visit the retailer) to other locations, or mixing seasonal goods in with more commonly stocked items (so that customers looking for holiday decorations will notice other products) customers will certainly notice items that they may not have considered or may not even have realized were stocked and sold.
Aside from rotating merchandise, another way to periodically change the look of a display, or draw attention to a particular area, is to set up temporary and portable backdrops that complement product placed in front. One way to achieve the goal of easily and cost effectively changing a backdrop is to hang fabric. The numbers of colors and textures available, as well as being relatively easy to store, provide a realistic solution for retailers who may not have a large floor space and are limited in how they can rearrange merchandise.
Now, how often should you rearrange or change the look of your outlet? It is suggested that retailers change some component of their window or floor display, or other design element, at least once a month; however, if your average customer visits more frequently than consider changing and rearranging more often. Again, it is in not necessary to completely rotate and/or redesign the entire retail space at this frequency, rather find something that you can change easily and that customers will notice.
