What is the appearance of your store telling your customers? Are smudges on the door and front windows yelling “Hi! We’re messy and unprofessional”? Is your clean floor stating “My owner cares enough to vacuum me”? Is there clutter on your cash wrap or register counter saying “We’re so disorganized”? Your store may be speaking volumes without you knowing it! Let’s put on our retail merchandising hats and figure out what your store may be saying.Take a few minutes to look at your store from a customer’s perspective from the beginning to the end of their visit. The entrance is your first chance to impress the customer. When you walk in the door are the glass and the handle sparkling clean or are they a hotbed of germs? Is there a clean floor mat just inside the doorway to keep dirt and water off your floor? To ensure you are presenting a professional image from the get-go, take a peek in your windows to make sure there are no burnt out bulbs or any dust bunnies lurking in your window display or on the sills. Think about what pleases you when you first walk into a store, or even before you walk into the store.

After surveying the entryway, take a stroll around the store. Are your shelves and racks stocked and organized? Make sure that your items are priced and that sale signs are attractive, legible and prominently displayed. If you have fitting rooms, are the mirrors and floors clean? Are there ample hooks for customers to hang their selections in the fitting rooms?

Let’s go check out. The check out counter should not be where old notes and broken pens go to die, nor is it the place to keep potato chips while you nibble throughout the day. You want to convey a professional and clean environment, the image that you and your store are reliable and responsible, so make sure the counter is not cluttered, dirty or chipped. A good cleaner can wipe up any dirt, spilled drinks or icky tape residue. Information for staff reference should be out of the customer’s line of vision, ideally in a binder or behind the counter. However, some things you may want your customers to see are information about your upcoming promotions and return/exchange policies. This should be one of the few places in the store where your signage can be more detailed than “sale” signs. Take advantage of your captive audience and let them know what else you have to offer!

So, are you satisfied with what your store is telling people? If so, well done! If not, don’t be discouraged. Every day brings a new learning experience and now is your chance to make some positive changes! Retail merchandising and presentation can be a challenge but if approached creatively, cleverly and with enthusiasm, it can also be very profitable and rewarding.