We have a new showroom here at Specialty Stores. The other day I went in to it and took a look around. There is gleaming bamboo floors, a wall color that was pleasing to the eye and a series of suspended black grid panels that hang above the showroom floor and give the space a modern appearance. We have some displays out on the floor and shelving on the walls. The problem is there is nothing displayed on them. There was even a female mannequin hiding naked behind a slatwall display.

The room had very little in terms of styling: it was empty, a blank slate. I could imagine a new store owner in the same situation: what do you do to make your product look nice and attractive to the customer? I imagined myself as a customer coming in though the front door of the showroom, was I impressed? To be honest I was not. The sales floor was crowded, there was nothing that attracted my eye(except the naked mannequin) and on top of it all there was no product on the displays or shelves as I had said before. So to start I rearranged the what was on display, clearing path so that the first thing the customer sees when the enter the showroom is our great looking maple showcase display. I raided the photo studio for clothes to hang on the clothing racks and I put a dress on the mannequin and moved it to where it could be seen by customers. And do you know what happened? The mannequin sold two days later and customer asked what was different in the showroom. And this is just the start and I will keep you updated on my progress.

As retailers you have to be always conscious of what your customer sees when they enter your business: what kind of impression do you want to make? What is the “item” you want to promote and sell? The top retailers spend thousands of dollars on designers to make their stores work and by that I mean sell. As an independent business owners we do not have the money to hire fancy designers, but as long as we keep our attention on the customer experience, we can be just as successful. A store is not just a random conglomeration of merchandise; a store is a sensual experience and by that I mean pleasing to the senses. Use color, such as retail signage, to attract the eye, use risers to create interesting displays, and most important keep your business clean and neat.

Specialty Store Services has thousands of items to help you make your stores work for you. Our phone reps can suggest new merchandising ideas for you new or existing project.