On a scale of 1 to 10, how important of a role do you think the fitting room plays in a customer’s decision to purchase? 2? 3? Well, think again.

“It’s not visible, so I don’t know how many retailers realize that’s where the sale’s made,” says Robin Kramer, founder of New York based Kramer Design Group. “The best-spent money for a retailer is in the fitting room.” Many decisions about purchasing are made in the dressing room so you need to make that room as accommodating, functional and comfortable as possible. So, let’s think about what you can do to make sure that your fitting room really speaks to your customers and that the words it’s speaking are “Yes, buy that! It looks great!”

Size up your space. Customers are more likely to have a good experience when the fitting rooms are an adequate size and they don’t feel cramped. If your clients travel in groups, say moms with kids, you want to make sure that the room is big enough to accommodate a stroller and has the space for mom to bring the kids in with her. Larger fitting rooms with ample space outside the rooms for the peanut gallery or entourage create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, encouraging people to stay a while to try on more clothing, thus stimulating sales. Make sure you have a seating area for those accompanying the shoppers; a comfortable, happy companion is less likely to badger the shopper into leaving quickly.

Hanging around. Hooks! Very Important! It is imperative that customers have enough hooks on which to hang everything they bring into the fitting room and also to separate the “yes”, “maybe” and “oh-my-gosh-no!” clothing. Utilize several wall mounted faceouts or J-hooks for plenty of hanging space.

Horizontal space. We’ve all been to dressing rooms that haven’t had a shelf on which to place a purse, sunglasses or pins from the clothing. Frustrating, right? Especially where there just aren’t enough hooks to spare for hanging the purse. A shelf in the fitting room is greatly appreciated, as is a small stool on which to lay clothing without hangers. I especially like to have a seat while trying on clothes to test the look and fit of the clothing while seated.

Lights and mirrors. Obtain even light distribution by having a light fixture over each fitting room rather than one big light for the entire area. “If you just have overhead lighting, it causes shadows,” says Kramer. “Have a mix of incandescent and fluorescent so you have a nice warm glow, not cold lighting.” Harsh lighting is unforgiving and makes me run for the hills so I am more likely to frequent a store with more complimentary lighting. Also important is the size of the mirror. The customers need to be able to see themselves from head to toe so mirrors that end at hip level aren’t helpful. Would you purchase an outfit if you couldn’t see how it looked from top to bottom?

Slatwall to the rescue. Slatwall is a great option for a fitting room. It’s available in several attractive colors to complement any décor including cherry, maple, black, white, grey and almond. Ready to paint slatwall can be painted any color you choose and gives the dressing room a distinct personality. Simply install a vertical 8’H x 4’W slatwall panel on one wall as an attractive and functional focal point then hang different slatwall accessories to accommodate the shoppers. Choose from faceouts and hangrails for clothing and acrylic shelves for customers’ purses. Acrylic sign holders for slatwall are also idea to inform your captive audience about sales, events and store policies.

Chime in. You can’t be everywhere at once so keep an ear on the fitting room even when you’re not near by. A motion activated door chime is ideal for letting you know when customers enter and exit the fitting rooms so you can walk over to be on hand and offer assistance. Also, shoplifters may be hesitant to steal if they know that you are aware of their whereabouts. Using a curtain instead of a panel door? Sew bells to top of the curtain for quick, do-it-yourself door chimes.

Keep it clean. No one wants to stand barefoot on a nasty carpet or dirty floor so make sure the floor in your dressing room is kept clean, clean, clean! I cannot wait to get out of a dirty dressing room so believe me when I say that a dirty dressing room can kill a sale. I remember in particular trying to see what an outfit looked like in a mirror full of little, smudgy handprints. I’ve not been back to that store. Icky.

Odds n Ends. The fitting room should be an extension of your store so it should have a similar color scheme and theme. Art work and attractive wall colors make the fitting room a more inviting and pleasant space, somewhere a customer feels comfortable and not in a mad rush to leave. Employ doors with space at the bottom so parents can keep an eye on children when they are in the fitting room alone. If your store can’t spare the space for a spacious fitting room, don’t fret. Just make sure that the fitting room you do have is very clean, in good repair and has plenty of hooks and a full length mirror.

When all is said and done, is your fitting room a space in which you’d want to spend time? If not, what can you do to make your fitting room a perfect 10? I’d love to hear your ideas!

People feel comfortable working in an environment in which they can make suggestions or alert management to potential or existing problems without fear of repercussions. A wall mounted drop box is a great way to allow employees the opportunity to express concerns or suggestions, anonymous or not, while feeling secure that coworkers won’t have access to their notes.

This drop box is also great for use in anti-bullying programs at schools, childcare facilities or after school programs. Children need to let those in authority know if they are being bullied, threatened or frightened in some way or if they feel a friend or peer needs help. This drop box is a way for the children to make their concerns known without having to work up the courage it can take to approach an authority figure, which can be intimidating. This is also a good way for children to alert adults without having to visit the office and be fearful of their peers seeing them and finding out about it. The drop box is locked with a key so there is no fear that others will open the box to read the personal notes.

Simply mount the box in an easily accessible but relatively private area where a person can swoop in, drop in their note and be on their way. This drop box is a great investment that will be rewarded with peace of mind and happier workers or children.

Few things are more frustrating than having people steal merchandise right out from under your nose. That’s your livelihood they’re messing with! Keep reading to find out how you can stop these thieves in their tracks.

Sales staff – the first line of defense. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: approach customers, look them in the eye and offer a sincere greeting and smile. Making eye contact while greeting customers decreases the rate of shoplifting incidents because potential shoplifters know that you are really aware of them. A casual “Hi, how are ya?” called from across the store lets a potential shoplifter know that they are just in the sales’s staff peripheral vision and not really an object of interest so they will be more likely to act boldly.

Smile, you’re on camera…sort of. Security systems are fantastic theft deterrents but even if your current budget cannot cover the cost of a system, there is no need to forgo the security of cameras. Simulated cameras have come a long way; many of them now look, move and light up like real security cameras! The Motion Detection Simulated Camera, complete with mock cable wires and red LED light, rotates when the motion sensor is triggered giving a constant watchful impression, all for under $20. There are many different styles of simulated security cameras to choose from including the metal encased indoor/outdoor camera or indoor simulated dome camera which has a red LED light that lights up when motion activated for less than $10. Give the impression of real security cameras at a fraction of the cost!

Rearrange your floorplan. Place your more expensive or popular items closer to the counter where sales staff can keep an eye on things. Move your displays around to eliminate blind spots which are areas that security cameras or sales staff cannot clearly see. If moving fixtures is not an option then you might want to think about getting a few security mirrors so you can keep an eye on those nooks and crannies. Also, it’s a good idea to employ lower displays, no taller than shoulder height, so you can see clear across the store at all times.

Give me a sign. Policy signs stating that shoplifters will be prosecuted will garner some attention. Post your signs prominently, especially near fitting rooms and exits, and then follow through so shoplifters know that you mean business.

Get schooled. If you’re not up to speed on shoplifting techniques then you won’t know what to look for. Look up websites that describe popular shoplifting techniques, learn about these techniques and share them with your staff so you all know how to identify possibly thievery in progress. For example, I learned that a shoplifter will carry a loosely closed umbrella over their arm and drop small but valuable items into the gaping top of the umbrella. Tricky! I found several websites that can tell you what to look for so check them out.

More looky, less touchy. To keep popular hanging items secure you will want to use locking hooks for slatwall, pegboard or slatgrid. These nifty hook are locked onto the display itself and also have a lock on the end of the hook to keep items from being swept off the hook and into thieving hands. A simple magnetic lock key allows staff to unlock the hooks in seconds. If you’ve already got peg hooks in use then you’ll want to use peg hook locks. Just snap the peg hook lock to the end of your peg hook to keep items secure and unlock with the magnetic lock key. Quick and easy!

I hope that these suggestions keep more merchandise available on your sale floor and not walking unpaid for out the door.

Now, let’s not forget the sturdy steel shopping carts which are perfect for grocery stores, pet supply stores, convenience stores…and any kind of store you can think of! The mini shopping cart with double baskets and the single basket mini shopping cart are compact, easy to maneuver and are great for those smaller stores with narrow aisles. Also good for narrow aisles is the mini grocery shopping cart. The mini grocery shopping cart measures 17 1/4″W x 35 1/2″H x 29″L and the carts nest, saving on storage space when not in use. If your customers need a bit more room for their purchases, try a larger shopping cart. The standard size shopping cart measures 20 1/4″W x 37 1/2″H x 36″L and also nests with the other standard shopping carts. Both the mini and standard shopping carts are made of easy to clean, sturdy steel and include child seats complete with safety belts.