Retail Planning & Best Practices

3 Ways Custom Retail Fixtures Can Boost Sales

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

“We get confused a bit about what retail is. It is really just buying things, putting them on a floor and selling them.” -Gerry Harvey, Australian furniture retailer
These days, as retailers are asked to do more with less, it’s hard to determine what’s important to invest in and what is not. Which products should you sell? How many store fixtures should you purchase? What kind? The questions can become overwhelming. In the quote above, Harvey cuts through the chaos and simplifies a retailer’s job to its simplest function: SELL. All your actions should be supporting your ultimate goal of selling more merchandise.
One of the key ways to achieve that goal is to use the right store fixture to display your products. Generic fixtures can work just fine, but sometimes, the situation calls for more. Sometimes you need a superhero to come in and save the day—a secret weapon like custom store fixtures.
Custom fixtures have more flexibility than generic ones, and can sell your products more effectively. Putting your merchandise on the floor with style can do wonders for your margins. Here are three ways that custom retail fixtures can boost store sales and drive profits:
1.      Make Fixtures More Shoppable
When you customize a fixture to fit with your stores’ unique space and feel, you give your store an extra edge. Rather than sticking your merchandise on a basic, plain fixture, you’re putting it on a fixture that has character and style. A well-made, stylish fixture appeals to customers more, making them more likely to notice your merchandise and buy. Custom fixtures that truly fit the atmosphere of your store showcase your products and provide a customer experience that draws people back.
2.      Increase Branding
Custom fixtures allow stores to increase their brand presence and give customers an exceptional experience. From signage and POP displays to garment racks and gondolas, you can design a look that fits the colors, logo, message, and values of your brand. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination. For example, one of our athletic apparel customers really wanted a unique, branded look for their store to stand out from their competitors. Custom fixtures gave them the ability to design mesh and metal fixtures that made their products stand out. When customers now enter the store, they are immediately in a branded atmosphere that they’ll remember—and buy from.
3.      Showcase a Unique Product

Another major advantage of custom retail fixtures is their design flexibility. The color, shape, and size can be designed to uniquely fit a special product. Sometime a product needs more than a stock display or shelf. Having a well-made fixture that accentuates your product will add to its appeal and encourage customers to buy. Approach it from the viewpoint of a customer. Which product are you more likely to buy—a watch that’s sitting on a plain, white shelf, or a watch nestled on a velvet square inside a gleaming glass case?

Impact of Store Layouts

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

A store’s layout has a huge impact on its performance. It is important to constantly evaluate how the layout is working and how fixtures work as a whole. The layout of a store should welcome customers in with attractive displays arranged in a cohesive design. I will discuss ways to draw shoppers into you store with attractive displays further below, as well as how to evaluate floor space performance. In addition I will discuss ways to improve the shopping experience, making it easier and more shopper-friendly.

DRAW SHOPPERS IN

Use your fixtures to create eye-catching displays in store windows and at the front of your store. These displays are important to initially grabbing shoppers’ attention. Often the customer experience begins the minute a shopper sees your store—even before he or she walks in. Do not be afraid to use creative and innovative tactics when displaying your merchandise. A great way to find new ideas and spark creativity is by browsing through magazines, photography blogs, or Pinterest. One of the first steps to developing a window or front display is to know your customer base. Are your customer targets young, trendy people in their twenties? Are they middle-aged moms with kids? Or are they retired but still active couples? Tailor your fixtures and displays to your typical shoppers’ interests and experiences. Sean Reed, the CEO of Fashion Media, urges retailers to not underestimate the power of a window display. “Window displays are important in retail stores throughout the world extending from high streets to the mall environment. They are the shop front to consumers and influence the consumer’s decision on whether to enter the store or not,” he says. Another point to keep in mind is never obscuring a shopper’s view. Arrange products and fixtures in a way so they can still see to back of store. This helps entice them to walk through the entire store.

EVALUATE FLOOR SPACE PERFORMANCE 

How does the performance of your fixtures measure up as a whole? Your store has a limited amount of space; that is why maximizing each square foot is so important. An excellent way to measure your floor space’s productivity is by looking at each of the following factors:

  • Store margin contribution
  • Sales per square foot Net profit (store)
  • Average transaction
  • Items per ticket Conversion rate / traffic

Another way to measure the productivity of your floor is to look at sales per square foot. Simply divide your store’s total sales by the square footage of selling area in your store. Keep in mind that store selling area does not include cash register or checkout space, supply or storage rooms, window areas, and dressing rooms (unless it contains a mirror).

EASY SHOPPING 

Using space effectively does not mean crowding your fixtures together. While it may seem tempting to place as many products together as possible, shoppers need to have enough room to move easily throughout the store. For example, in a clothing store, there should be a clear pathway between all the clothing racks and displays on the floors. If your store offers shoppers carts, make sure a cart can fit down each pathway. Making products easy to find and get to is an important part of creating a good customer experience. You will not regret using an extra square inch or two.

Download our new whitepaper on how to maximize the profitability of your store fixture and displays. Click here.

Are you taking advantage of slow days?

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

Can we really find the good in a slow day? I would have to say yes. While this cannot be ideal everyday, sometimes slow days bring a welcome moment of extra time for planning, inventory and cleaning. As retailers we want our business to be the best that it can, so why not use the time wisely and take that time to take actions to insure that it is.
If you have been in business for a while you will likely know what time of year, month or day will be slow.  If this is not the case you can probably judge based on the demographic and consumer trends.  For example, if you are open on a Sunday’s in a neighborhood full of families you may not get a lot of foot traffic because of children activities. A retailer may want to plan for some retail chores that have been put on the back burner.  Here is a look at what retailers need to be doing, yet never seem to find the time for:
  1. General Cleaning– dusting, vacuuming, bathrooms, floors
  2. Inventory Management – reorganizing, tracking, management, replenishment, and placing orders
  3. Office Management – filing, billing, payments, banking
  4. Employee Management – scheduling, reviews, new hires, training
  5. Social Media – posting, tweeting, responding to others, blogging
  6. Website Management– product management, e-commerce support, updating copy, scheduling updates
  7. Product Reviews- learning about new products for your store, gaining information on competitive products.
  8. Competitive Analysis- learning about other like retailers, challenging yourself to do better.  
  9. Profit Makers – researching and implementing new ways to bring revenue into your store. 
As a retailer it is always a good idea to keep a list handy of things that need to be done but never have to time- just like a Honey Do list.  Having a list will help keep you on task and get the most out of your free time.  It may also be a great time to use your part- time employees to help fill the space in the store and have some action going on. But remember, the input from your part-time employees may not always be as intense as your own but there is always plenty for them to do.  As most retailers know, there is always something to do in the store, so being bored or playing on Facebook isn’t the answer. 

Customization is a Great Way to Advertise your Business

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

Have you ever walked down the street and you see someone wearing a shirt that you like? You think to yourself where did they buy it, then you notice a bag with a logo and store name on it and you google the store. This is the best advertising you can get  without it costing you a lot of money. Customizing retail bags can help reinforce your brand name and give the air of professionalism to your business. In a competitive marketplace there are hundreds of companies that are competing to get customers into their business.  A retail business wants to grab attention from any avenue, which is why Custom Imprinted Bags have become the rage.  A Custom imprinted bag is considered a walking billboard and a practical and low costing branding strategy.
At Specialty Store Services we have many different products to advertise your store.
An Eco Friendly Store may want give away Custom Imprinted Reusable Shopping Bags with the name and logo printed on it. For another option we carry Custom Imprinted Plastic Bags in many sizes  with either single or double sided printing.  And lastly if you have bags that you currently purchased we can have them imprinted in no time with a Large Custom Imprinted Labels that can be printed with your logo and store name.  If you don’t have a logo Specialty Store Services can create one for you at an additional cost.

Just remember that when your customers are buying products from your store you must always supply them in a bag so there is no reason you shouldn’t use bags to your advantage and gain some exposure as well as some new customers.

Is your Store Ready for the Summer?

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Are you ready for the Summer?  At Specialty Store Services we have many seasonal items to help bring in the customers.  This Memorial Day Weekend be festive and draw attention with Red, White and Blue or American Flag Pennants. During those hot days of summer there is always a need for ice. We have everything you need to start selling ice. We have the Ice Bagging System as well as Ice Bags. And what a better way to promote it but with Ice Posters for your windows. We also carry posters and banners for all the Holidays of Summer- Memorial Day, Fathers Day and Fourth of July.
In the Chicagoland Area- Come by our Showroom on Thursday or Friday for a Memorial Day Giveaway.  For every $100 or more you spend  we are giving away a free item.

EAS Systems: RF vs. AM

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Shoplifting is a problem faced by all retailers but, according to experts, shoplifting theft can be reduced by 60% when using a reliable Electronic Article Surveillance system (EAS). The two most widely used EAS systems are Radio Frequency (RF) and Acousto-magnetic (AM). The question most business owners ask is “Which security system should I use in my store?”

 

I took this question, and several others, to Julie Mitchell, Merchandising Manager at Specialty Store Services and all-around knowledgeable and helpful person.
Just how do the RF and AM systems work?
The RF system works like this: a label or small hard tag – basically a miniature, disposable electronic circuit and antenna – is attached to a product and responds to a specific frequency emitted by a transmitter antenna, usually one pedestal of an entry/exit gate. The response from the label is then picked up by an adjacent receiver antenna. This processes the label response signal and will trigger an alarm when it matches specific criteria. The most popular RF is 8.2MHz.
With the AM system, a transmitter creates a surveillance area where hard tags and soft labels are detected. The transmitter sends a radio frequency signal in pulses, which energize the tag in the surveillance zone. When the pulse ends, the tag responds, emitting a single frequency signal. While the transmitter is off between pulses, the tag signal is detected by a receiver. If the correct criteria is met, an alarm occurs.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the RF and AM systems?
The RF system is the most widely used system in the United States. The tags and labels are getting increasingly smaller which is beneficial from a visual standpoint. The RF system is not as sensitive as the AM system but it is also less expensive, which makes it an economical choice for small and mid-level retail stores. However, the tags and labels are slightly more expensive than AM tags and labels.
The AM system was the first EAS system in the market and is used in most large high-end retail stores and other large retail, hardware, appliance and discount stores. The AM system is very sensitive which means that there are sometimes false alarms. AM tags work well when they are close to metal and so the AM system works well in stores that use metal shopping carts.
Loop tag for sunglasses, purses and shoes

What type of security tags or labels are available?

 

Both security systems use hard security tagsand soft security labels specific to each system, available deactivatable and non-deactivatable. Soft labels are ideal for use with books, media, and any merchandise with a hard, flat surface. Hard tags are perfect for use with clothing. Hard tags are also available as blister pack tags for pegged items, loop tags for sunglasses and shoes, box wrap alarms and loop bottle tags for wine and liquor bottles.
How are security tags and labels deactivated?
Both systems require that the labels or tags be pressed against or waved over a deactivator pad, depending on the system and deactivator being used. Non-deactivatable hard tags must be removed by the store clerk at checkout; however, deactivable hard tags are also available.
To disarm the RF tag, a radio frequency pulse blasts the tag and burns out the diode so the tag does not emit a signal and trigger the alarm. When the AM tag is demagnetized, it is deactivated. When the AM tag is magnetized, it is activated.
Please visit the Specialty Stores Services website to learn more about RF and AM security systems offered. Do you have questions? Please call the helpful Sales Representatives at 800-999-0771.

 

Shopping Basket Placement in Retail Stores

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

Shopping Baskets are an excellent customer convenience. I am always pleased when I enter a store and find those handy shopping baskets right near the door. But I’m overjoyed when I also find them elsewhere in the store, right when I need one, since my trip to purchase one item in particular always turns into a shopping extravaganza. The question is: where else should shopping baskets be located?

Well, the answer depends on your particular business and store layout. A great way to figure out where to place shopping baskets is to conduct an experiment with different colored baskets.

For instance, place red baskets near the front door, green baskets near a fast moving product, yellow near high profit margin items and so on. Throughout the day, keep track of what color baskets are being brought up to the sales counter. If you are not getting many yellow baskets back then try moving those to another location. By testing various locations and counting the basket colors when they return to the register, your customers will tell you where they prefer the shopping baskets. Shopping baskets are available in standard and jumbo sizes and can be purchased in all one color or in a rainbow assortment.

Something else to keep in mind is whether to offer customers rolling shopping baskets in addition to the handled shopping baskets. Rolling shopping baskets are ideal for stores frequented by older shoppers and for heavier merchandise. The stackable roller baskets feature carry handles and a long handle for pulling the basket. Two swivel and two rigid casters make the roller baskets easy to maneuver.

Remember, having shopping baskets available throughout the store will encourage impulse shopping since it is easier just to pop another item into the basket rather than juggle it with other items. Trust me, I know.

For more information on shopping baskets and 1000’s of other items, please visit the Specialty Store Services website at http://www.specialtystoreservices.com .

Specialty Store Services Introduces More Retail Anti-theft Devices

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According to an annual survey conducted by the University of Florida, retailers lost more than $37 billion to theft in 2010. With $12 billion lost due to shoplifting and $16.2 billion to employee theft, Specialty Store Services is aware of the great need for effective retail anti-theft devices. Clothes are popular items to shoplift or use and return so the Shark Tag Garment Security Tag and Cable Coat Security Lock are necessary retail anti-theft products for any store selling popular brand or high-end clothing and accessories.Apart from outright shoplifting, retailers are subject to a form of loss due to “wardrobers”. The Shark Tag Garment Security Tag is an economical anti-theft product that prevents wardrobers from purchasing, wearing and returning the used garments for a full refund. The highly visible red Garment Tag attaches easily to the front of any garment, making it impossible for anyone to wear the garment without the tag being seen by all. The customer simply removes the tag at home with household scissors before wearing the garment; the tag cannot be replaced on the garment after removing without evidence of tampering. The Shark Tag is ideal for use with dresses, special occasion garments, prom dresses, menswear, formal wear, lingerie and coats.

The Cable Coat Security Lock is an effective retail anti-theft device ideal for safeguarding leather jackets, fur coats, winter coats, team sports apparel and other expensive articles of clothing. The Cable Coat Lock easily mounts directly to garment rack and can also be mounted to the wall, if preferred. The Cable Coat Lock housing is constructed of heavy-gauge steel and features a hinged door and unique construction that prevents cables from popping out when the box is opened. The key cannot be removed from lock while in the unlocked position, preventing thieves from taking the key for future use if the sales clerk becomes distracted while the lock is open. Easy load/unload cable system holds 60 standard 8’ long cables, keeping a large amount of merchandise secure all at once.

Specialty Store Services is dedicated to helping retailers grow their businesses and protect their investment. In addition to the above anti-theft devices, Specialty Store Services also offers a variety of video security systems, simulated cameras and security tags systems.

Gumball Machines are Good Profit Makers

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Profit makers, also known simply as gumball machines, truly do live up to their names. The machines pay for themselves, last for years and will keep on generating profit as long as they are stocked with gum, candy or toys. And believe me, these treats aren’t tempting to just kids!Most of us are used to seeing profit makers near the doorways of supermarkets, big box stores and Laundromats but what’s to stop people from employing them in any place of business? I recall being in an office environment – I think it may have been an insurance office – and thrilled that I was able to munch on peanut M&Ms from a bulk vend machine while my growling stomach and I waited for the agent. Retail stores or businesses leery of having sticky gum and melty chocolate near the merchandise or furniture can offer customers some refreshing Polar Mints or Sour Sweet Candy in bulk vend machines instead. Peckish customers = profit.

Yes, I said profit. For instance, the net profit on one carton of 1” gumballs vended at 25 cents each is $182.55 (not including tax and shipping). The cost of a single gumball machine with stand is $99.98. So, that first carton of gumballs will pay for the machine and net you a profit of $82.57. Not too shabby. Machines can vend 1″ gumballs/capsules or 2″ gumballs/capsules or bulk vend candies but if you’d like to offer a combination of product, simply combine different machines on a double, triple or quad stand. Imagine the profits generated by multiple profit maker machines!

As implied above, gumball machines aren’t just for gumballs. In addition to 1” and ½” gumballs, these profit makers can also vend 1” and 2” capsules with toys (which I cannot pass up!), 1” and 2” bounce balls (which my cats cannot live without so I’m always hitting those machines) or bulk candy like M&Ms, Skittles, Mike & Ike and other small vend candies. If vending gumballs, why not offer customers the chance to win a small prize by mixing in some gumballs imprinted with “winner”? People love a contest and will certainly try multiple times to win. The winner can claim their prize before popping the gumball in their mouth.

Gumball machines can be fun in addition to profitable. Take the Giant Spiral Gumball Machine, for instance. This 54” high attention-getter holds up to 1,000 gumballs and releases the gumballs down a long winding ramp, which kids just love to watch. But why just watch when you can play? The Pinball Gumball Machine is a fun interactive game with real pinball flippers and is played with gumballs instead of a metal ball. Players have the chance to win up to 3 gumballs and even when they lose, they win; the gumballs are dispensed at the end of the game!

So, really, there is something for everyone when it comes to profit makers; the customers get treats and toys while the merchant makes a profit. Win-win!

Ambient Scent: Shop and Smell the Flowers

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Do you smell what I smell? More importantly, do you smell what your customers smell? And just what do they smell, anyway? Research shows that a nice-smelling store may encourage people to linger and purchase. Are your customers lingering or sniffing and heading out the door?In one study, Eric Spangenberg, a consumer psychologist and dean of the College of Business and Economics at Washington State University in Pullman, and his colleagues carried out an experiment in a local retail clothing store. They discovered that when “feminine scents”, like vanilla, were used, sales of women’s clothes doubled; as did men’s clothes when scents like rose maroc were diffused.

It’s called “ambient scent” and it is everywhere. Katy Perry’s “California Dreams” tour incorporated the scent of cotton candy into her concerts for a fun smell-o-vision effect. Goodwill stores in Wisconsin and Illinois are infusing their stores with the scent of orange and honeysuckle to encourage customers to linger and buy. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather smell oranges and honeysuckle than dusty clothes or even cleaning supplies. This ambient scent business is on the rise so much so that there are entire companies, such as Prolitec, devoted to helping businesses boost sales through smell.

How it works is like this: of the five senses, smell is thought to be most closely linked to emotion because the brain’s olfactory bulb, which detects odors, fast-tracks signals to the limbic system, which links emotion to memories. Simplified: scents = emotions. Scent branding is when a scent is associated with a certain product or store and when that scent is smelled, it evokes the pleasurable memory associated with that product or store. For instance, there is a store where I like to shop and it always has the scent of raw silk in it. Whenever I am out and happen to smell raw silk, I immediately think of that retail store and the clothes that I love from that store.

So take out your sniffer and take a whiff of your store. What do you smell? Since you are there almost every day you may have gotten used to what your store smells like and possibly cannot detect anything significant. Bring in a few people who aren’t in your store very often and ask what they smell and what emotions or feelings the scent of your store evokes. Take their input and go from there. What scent do you want associated with your store? Just keep in mind that some people are hypersensitive to strong scents and may have a negative reaction, such as headaches, so don’t overpower everyone with the ambient scent. A little ambient scent can go a long way.