Visual merchandizing

Meaning and definition: Visual merchandising is presenting or displaying products in a way

that makes them visually appealing and desirable. Things like themed window displays, dressed
mannequins, the arrangement of running shoes on a wall, and fresh fruits organized by color are
all examples of visual merchandising.

Visual merchandising is a profession that involves displaying merchandise and décor in a store in
a way that elicits a positive image of the store, gets customers' attention and entices them to buy.

Visual merchandising refers to anything that can be seen by the customer inside and outside a
store, including displays, decorations, signs and layout of space. The overall purpose of visual
merchandising is to get customers to come into the store and spend money. Visual
merchandising includes how merchandise is presented as well as the store's total atmosphere.

Visual merchandising is the use of attractive displays and floor plans to increase customer numbers
and sales volumes.

Need and significance of visual merchandising

 To inspire shoppers
 First impressions count
 Display
 Marketing
 Increase in sales
 Increase foot traffic
 Attract attention

 Brand Loyalty: Improving the customer experience in retail stores with the use of visual
components can lead to greater sales and more customer satisfaction. Suppose you are
promoting a beauty product. Enticing the younger generation to purchase your products,
through the placement of banners and beautiful product displays, will help generate awareness
and brand recognition.
 To increase profitability and revenue

Challenges of visual merchandising

 Limited Display Space: Small stores often struggle to find the space for effective visual
merchandising. The key here is not to overstock your store.

 Lack of Flexibility: In small retail spaces especially, there can be limited flexibility to
rearrange items and implement an innovative visual merchandising strategy.
 Budget Constraints: Smaller retailers often don’t have the same budget as major players
when it comes to developing and executing a visual merchandising strategy. But the good
news is you don’t need a huge budget to be successful at visual merchandising. Knowledge
about your target consumer and tailored displays that will pique their interest will go much
further toward retail success than dropping huge sums to create elaborate in-store displays.

 Conflicting interests

 Risk of security

 Zoning

 Lighting

 Supplier want – Competing suppliers want their products displayed in the most popular
position inside the store. Large items require a considerable amount of storage space as well
as demands good circulation storage space which allows customer view from all angles. It is
difficult to create flexibility alongside big products these as furniture, electric machines and
home improvement tools.

How to overcome challenges of VM?

 Make effective use of a planogram to address the challenge of constant new product flow
into the market.

 Study your target market very well to determine their product preference.

 Group products according to make, model and size to enable easy display.

 Ensure high value products are given priority in the display process.

 Create an illusion of display with less products that appear to be a lot.

 Display less amount of each product especially slow moving products to ensure you
display the maximum amount of product possible.

Image mix

1. Merchandize
2. Fixtures
3. Employees
4. Sound
 5. Visual
6.

Planogram: A planogram is a visual merchandising tool. Planograms are detailed drawings of

your store layout with special attention on product placement. for example, a planogram will
show you exactly where specific products are placed. The information in a planogram is
thorough; it’ll demonstrate the exact shelf an item is kept.

A planogram is a visual diagram, or drawing, that provides details on the placement of every
product in a retail store.

A planogram is a diagram that shows how and where specific retail products should be placed
on retail shelves or displays in order to increase customer purchases.

These schematics not only present a flow chart for the particular merchandise departments within
a store layout but also show which aisle and on what shelf an item is located. A planogram
should also illustrate how many facings are allocated for each SKU.

Use of planogram:

 Product Placement: Retailers refer to planograms to determine shelf heights and the number of
facings products have. Shelf heights partly depend on the size of products, but they're also
adjusted to keep items within reach of shoppers.

 Product Suppliers: Product suppliers use planograms to show the amount of space they want
retailers to allocate to various brands based on product popularity and sales. Planograms also
are drawn up to present new ideas for product displays.

 Buying Habits: Consumers make several of their buying decisions while they're shopping, and
an effective planogram can influence several of those decisions, according to "Retail
Merchandiser" magazine. For example, a shopper who can't find a favorite brand at a store may
purchase a similar product that’s a better value instead of forgoing a purchase, because good
planograms place competing products near each other in a product display.

Benefits of planogram:

 Maximize sales
 Maximize space

Principles of design
 1. Rhythm
2. Balance
3. Proportion
4. Variety
5. Unity: for example united by color
6. Emphasis: focused to one point
7. Repetition
8. Contrast

Lighting

Lighting is a powerful tool that sets the mood of the store, and can be used to draw attention to
highlighted products. There are four main types of lighting that are used in a retail setting:
Ambient, Task, Accent and Decorative.

Why is lighting important for retail stores?

 Attracts and invites customers into the environment.

 Guides customers through the store.
 Draws their attention to specific products and allows for a better examination and
appreciation.
 Creates an atmosphere that helps customers relax, get comfortable or excited.
 Affects moods, behaviors(people tend to follow bright paths, brightness focuses attention
and aids orientation) and buying habits.
 Increases the chances of a sale.

Types of lighting

Ambient lighting: Ambient lighting refers to the store’s main lighting. You need to ensure
your customers have enough light to feel comfortable in the store. Too dim and the store looks
dingy, making it difficult to read product labels and making customers uncomfortable. On the
other hand, if the lighting is too bright it is also uncomfortable for customers. How many
lights, and how bright they are, will depend on the size of your space. A large, warehouse style
space with high ceilings will require lots of powerful lights since they will be hung fairly high
up and need to illuminate a large area. A small store will require dimmer, less powerful lights
in order to achieve the same level of lighting.

Accent lighting: Accent lighting: Accent lighting is lighting that can be used to highlight
specific areas in order to draw customer attention to specific products and give customers the
 sense that these products are important and noteworthy. Accent lighting is an excellent way to
highlight seasonal products and to highlight specific products on shelves or in display nooks.
Accent lighting is also very effective in window displays since they visually emphasize your
products and help bring people into your store. Accent lighting draws the eye to the elements
that you want your customers to notice, like displays and featured items. This technique is
common in luxury stores.

Task lighting: Task lighting refers to lights that are focused on areas of the store that require
more light, such as the tills and the changing rooms. Customers need more light in the
changing room so they can accurately assess the fit and look of the items they are trying on.
Your cashiers need extra light so they can better see their tills and do their jobs more
effectively. Task lighting is also useful for highlighting your store’s sign and the entrance area
so that customers can clearly read your store’s name and are welcomed into the store.

Decorative lighting: Decorative lighting is all about visual appeal and much less focused on
illumination. Light fixtures play a huge role in this lighting as they need to be beautiful and
decorative. Decorative lighting can also be used to invoke nostalgic feelings, such as using a
string of small white lights in a winter holiday display to invoke childhood memories in
customers.

Window lighting: it should attract passers to enter the store

By effectively combining these four different types of lighting you can make your store more
effective at drawing customers in and enticing them to purchase items from your store.

Atmospherics of store

Atmosphere is the general aura or impression that store makes on customers based on a
combination of factors, including layout and design, lighting, fixtures, sounds and smells. Retail
atmospherics is the manipulation or intentional use of these elements to attract customers and
induce buying activity.

 Color Schemes: Colors have psychological influence on buyers. In some cases, retailers use
consistent color schemes simply to convey brand image and to remain consistent. In a bed
department of a furniture store, blue or pink coloring can help customers imagine sleeping or
connect the retailer's beds with sleep.
 Lighting: Lighting is one of the more commonly manipulated atmospherics. Many retailers
simply maintain brightly lit stores because research suggests that it makes customers happier and
more upbeat, which induces higher volumes of buying. Other retailers choose lighting to fit the
store brand.

 Sounds/ Music:

 Smells/ scents (‫ )عطرها‬In some situations, retailers simply use pleasant aromas to attract and
retain customer interest.

 Temperature

Customer safety in retail store

 Visual Merchandising Hazards: Falling merchandise is a common cause of injury in retail store
settings. It is essential to properly fasten fixtures securely to your walls. Make sure your
mannequins are adequately supported by tightening the support rods at the base plate.

 Floors: It is essential for retail stores to keep their floor surface dry to decrease the chances of a
customer becoming injured. Slip and fall accidents are the most common accident in a retail store
setting. You can reduce the amount of dirt and water tracked into your store by using floor mats.

 Traffic Control: Special events and promotions are a part of every retail establishment. It is
critical to the success of your store to properly manage large crowds during these kinds of
activities.

 Don’t block fire extinguishers or sprinklers.

 Training: Another technique that is essential for stores wanting to promote safety is their use
of training. Employees are given information on using and cleaning hazardous materials, first
aid and how to do their work in the most efficient and safe manner.
 Air Quality: Retail stores often may be located inside other buildings such as malls, with no
windows to open in case the store needs to be aired out. Without proper ventilation, the air in a
retail store may begin to collect mold, fungus, bacteria or specific vapors from products used. To
keep air quality safe in your retail store, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
recommends installing a mechanical system that cycles in fresh outdoor air and circulates it
throughout your store, both in the main floor area and in any back rooms. If a mechanical air
system is already in place, check to see that it is functioning properly and hire a professional to
fix it in case it stops working.

 Natural Disasters: Where your retail store is located can determine what safety measures you
may need to take in case a natural disaster occurs. For example, if you are in a region where
earthquakes are common, you may take special precautions by not stacking inventory high above
your customers' heads where it can fall with earth movement.

 Crime: Whether you've experienced shoplifting or other types of crime in your store, or if
similar crimes have happened at nearby retail stores, the safety of your customers and employees
may be in peril if a crime can occur on your premises. Be prepared to nip crime in the bud by
taking measures that may include installing a security alarm system, setting up surveillance
cameras in different parts of your store and hiring a security guard who can monitor your store
during business hours.

 Lighting: Low lighting may create the ambiance you are looking for in your retail store, but it
can lead to more accidents or crime. Poor lighting may make it easier for shoplifters to steal
goods without being clearly seen. Customers or employees also may have problems seeing
objects on the floor and could trip and fall as a result. Always keep good lighting on throughout
your store's front end and in stock rooms.

Mannequins

A mannequin is a human-like figure that's usually used to display clothing in a store.

Mannequins are often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, windowdressers and
others especially to display or fit clothing.

Points to be considered while choosing a Mannequin

 Make sure the mannequin is not too heavy.

 The shape and size of the mannequin must be according to your target market.
 The mannequins must not act as an object of obstacle.
  It should never be kept at the entrance or the exit door as it blocks the way of the
potential buyers.
 The clothes should look properly fitted on the mannequin. Avoid using unnecessary pins.
 Carefully select what you want your mannequin to wear.
 Change the position of the mannequins frequently.
 The mannequins should not be dirty or have unwanted stains.
 The clothes on the mannequins should be according to the season and changed at regular
intervals to avoid monotony.

The 3 Most Common Types of Mannequins

 Realistic Mannequins: They are called realistic, natural or life like for a very specific
reason, that being that this type of mannequin depicts a human face and body most
accurately. Also the fiberglass skin resembles that of a human being. It is tailored only for a
specific size, the make-up on them is in general permanent and the wigs are perfectly
styled.

These mannequins are used mostly in high-end retail stores and of course come in
both female and male versions.

Abstract Mannequins

This type of mannequin is highly appreciated due to its minimalist design. Abstract
mannequins are the contemporary pieces of art displayed in retail stores all over the world. In
general, features such as muscles, fingernails, some facial characteristics, elbows and so on,
are not sculpted, the end result being a modern fiberglass sculpture.

Headless Mannequins

Headless mannequins are perfect for stores that have a limited height of the ceiling. They are
crafted from fiberglass and come in different shapes, sizes, poses, colors and finishes but all
are beautifully crafted. The neck is generally long and cut straight and their fiberglass
construct ensures durability over long periods of time. They can be used to showcase any
type of clothing because they don’t express any emotion and of course represent both
genders.

Mannequin Styles By Audience

Pregnant Mannequins

Mommy shoppers need a special kind of attention, so it is clear that if your store sells
maternity clothing items then you should showcase them on pregnant mannequins. These
types of mannequins are high quality and always show great emotion, namely love for their
mannequin babies. Help mothers-to-be by showing them how good your clothes will look on
them and rest assured that they will thank you properly, by spending money in your store.

Children and Teen Mannequins: Parents have a hard time thinking of how a clothing item
will look on their children so help them out with our high quality child mannequins. They
come in all “ages” for both genders and even unisex, they also have numerous positions
(baby mannequins come in crawl, sitting or standing positions) and have angelic faces.

Sport Mannequins

Other types:

Standalone Mannequin Parts

Neck pieces: Mannequin necklace displays stands are perfect for jewelry stores because they
represent the upper part of the torso.

Hands & arms:

Mannequin hands and arms are used to display rings and bracelets or other types of jewelry,
gloves, and they can also be used by nail artists to exercise their craft. Mannequin display
hands and arms come in various lengths and are made from various materials such as plastic,
wood, high density foam and so on.

Legs:

These mannequin legs are generally used to display stockings because they begin from the
mid-thigh area and continue down to the foot. It doesn’t matter what kind of stocking you
sell, leg mannequins can showcase any type of stocking and socks.

Calf:
Calf mannequin are used to display leg bracelets or anklets, high heels and boots.

Foot:

Foot mannequins are those that begin from the ankle and continue down. They can be flat to
help showcase or designed to fit into high heels. Also they can be made from a wide variety
of materials, can come in multiple colors and with various designs.

Display Mannequins

Display mannequins can mean a lot of things, as it includes a wide selection of some of the
best mannequin types out there, being used pretty much in all windows displays, from the the
small corner store to the high end retail stores or in rather unusual places