Presentation, Presentation, Presentation!

By the time a customer has walked through your doors, they have already received several impressions of your store - by word of mouth, your front window display and any advertising you’ve done. The last chance you have to create an impression is by the actual product presentation in the store. It’s worth thinking about the way you do this and taking time to plan what you want your store to convey to customers as they enter and look around.

Will you go for a formal or a more relaxed style? Deciding this very much depends on the products you offer and the type of customers these attract. You’ll either need a professional, tidy layout or something more fun and relaxed. The store should always be a comfortable place to shop, so don’t make your aisles too small or cram too many products in one space, as it’s one way to make your customers abandon the store quickly.

Instead make sure all your products are organised neatly, either stacked or lined up in a orderly fashion. Regularly check your shelves to ensure products don’t become disorganised or messy, as this will give off the wrong impression to your customer. Neatly stacked products will always convey much more than just your stock levels - it says you care about the items you sell and the customer service you offer everyone who walks through your doors.

Make sure you clearly label each product that’s displayed, so people don’t have to ask or search around for a price or details. Nothing is more off-putting or disillusioning to customers than an unmarked item - and most will put the item back rather than asking or bringing it to the till.

Remember, you want your customers to not only come in but to come back to your store, so create a lasting impression that they’ll take away with them, but which will encourage them to come back too.

Using Our High Quality High End Bays!

Versatile high end bay units from Shelving4Shops are great for displaying a whole range of different products. Each unit can be configured to suit your needs, so there’s a few things you need to check before you buy:

• What will you be placing on the shelves?
• How tall are the items?

• Will you need a tilt to the shelves?
• If you need the tilt, what risers will you use - acrylic or wire?

It’s worth taking the time to measure your items to make sure you get the shelf height and depth right for your needs. We have 4 different widths available, so you can choose the right bay for your store. These look great alongside gondola units and sit flush against them to give your store a professional look.

The unit from Shelving4Shops includes 5 coloured Epos Ticket Strips, with a range of different colours for you to choose from, allowing you to tailor your high end bay to match the design and colour scheme of your brand or store.

If you need some help finding the right solutions for your store, feel free to call us or drop into our showroom to see examples of all the units we hold in the range of sizes we stock. We have professional, experienced staff who will be happy to offer advice and talk you through the best options for your store in terms of both layout and value.

Getting Christmas Right

Did you know that an enticing scent encourages “lingering” or “dwell time” by up to 26%? This is just one of the small, finite details that high end retailers pay particular attention to when contemplating how to get the most out of shoppers during the Christmas shopping period. Placing delicious scents, such as cinnamon and orange, that instantly evoke thoughts of Christmas encourage shoppers to slow down and spend more time browsing your products.

Music is also a big influence on a person’s mood, again influencing “dwell time” and therefore how much a person buys. Studies have shown that customers take approximately 17% longer to browse a shop aisle while music with a slower beat (approximately 60 beats per minute) was played, while sales increased by 38%. This means carefully choosing your Christmas music- with no crazy remixes of Jingle Bells or Deck The Halls!

Another concept to consider and utilise is exclusivity. People see things as innately more valuable if an item is exclusive, seeing it as a better way to express their individuality and identity. If you can offer exclusivity, your store stands to gain- and it’s a great way to draw customers in. Exclusive items make a great gift, as people feel better about giving something that isn’t a “common” item. Personal touches make a gift more unique and appealing.

Create the entertainment factor in your store during the Christmas period. As online shopping becomes more and more accessible, people are less inclined to enter a shop- unless they know that they’ll get something “extra” from going in. Offering incentives such as free mulled wine, hot chocolate or even a pop-up Christmas-themed show, willencourage customers through your doors. It will also slow down their browsing, encouraging them again to “linger” over your products, adding valuable purchasing influence.

Setting Up Shop - Where To Start?

Assessing the space where your shop will be created is an exciting moment- the area is brimming with potential and you can have a plethora of ideas… but the empty shell can also be daunting. How do you truly portray your brand, convey the feel of your company and create a store that customers will love coming into?

Here’s a few tips to consider in that crucial early stage!

Tell Your Brand’s Story. Immerse your customers in the foundations of your brand, using vibe and feel, rather than just simply the “look” of the place. Create a multi-layer environment using music, a variety of materials, lighting and even smell to envelope people in your store.

Think Warm And Welcoming. Create a place where customers want to linger - and make sure you tailor this to your target market. It’s a great idea to speak to some in that specific group and see what attributes they find attractive in a store, to better help you design a comfortable space.

Use Lists! Before you add anything or do anything, list exactly what functions you need the space to do. This can then be used as your brief to help you create your floor plan. Keep referring back to this so you don’t get carried away when setting up!

Don’t Go Overboard. Showy details are all very well but they can lead to a quickly decreasing budget! Keep your design focused on a few key pieces which will create more impact and generally looks more tasteful.

Think Outside The Box. Using everyday materials or items on a bigger scale or for something they wouldn’t normally be used for can create a unique and fascinating display. Resourceful design can makes the ordinary truly extraordinary.

Make A Difference With Your Display

Keeping an eye on your store doesn’t have to mean you invest in dozens of costly security cameras to install everywhere - with some clever planning you can design your store to be easy to manage in terms of making sure thieves stay away.

When you plan the layout of your store, think about the aisles. Creating diagonals with the till area at the top means that whoever is serving at the till can see down each and every aisle, offering a clear view of any potential pick pockets. Make sure you also have a clean view of the exit from your till area, so you can spot anyone with a suspiciously stuffed coat or pockets before they make off with your profits.

Another thing to consider at the start of your store planning is the height of shelving. Keeping your shelves below a certain height means you can see over them, again another deterrent to those will less than savoury intentions. Keep the height of your shelves at least shoulder height - people are much less likely to steal if you can make eye contact with them.