Chapter 5

Visual Merchandising
&
Displays
Faiza
1

Retail Image
Retail

Image?

Significance
Positioning

of Retail Image

and Retail Image

The Elements of a Retail Image

In 3 Seconds

A shopper should be able to determine a

stores

Name
Line of trade
Claim to fame
Price position
Personality

Atmosphere
The

psychological feeling a customer

gets when visiting a retailer
Store retailer (brick and mortar format):
atmosphere refers to stores physical
characteristics that project an image and
draw customers
Nonstore retailer: atmosphere refers to
the physical characteristics of catalogs,
vending machines, Web sites, social
media etc.
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Visual Merchandising
Proactive, integrated
atmospherics approach to create
a certain look, properly display
products, stimulate shopping
behavior, and enhance physical
behavior

What VM does?

Enhances the Shopping experience

Is a Communication Tool

Supplements creation of right environment

Helps customer make buying decisions

The Elements of Atmosphere

Exterior Planning
Storefront

(structural alternatives)

Signage
Marquee
Store

entrances
Display windows
Exterior building height
Surrounding stores and area
Parking facilities
9

Store Entrances
How

many entrances are needed?

What type of entrance is best?
How should the walkway be
designed?
Does it create shoppers interest?

10

General Interior

Flooring
Colors
Lighting
Scents
Sounds
Store fixtures
Wall textures
Temperature
Aisle space
Dressing facilities

In-store transportation
(elevator, escalator,
stairs)
Dead areas
Personnel
Merchandise
Price levels
Displays
Technology
Store cleanliness
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Allocation of Floor Space

Selling

space
Merchandise space
Personnel space
Customer space

12

Approaches for Determining Space

Needs

Model Stock Approach

Determines floor
space necessary to
carry and display a
proper merchandise
assortment

Sales-Productivity
Ratio
Assigns floor space
on the basis of
sales or profit per
foot

13

Interior (Point-of-Purchase)
Displays - Basis
Assortment

display
Theme-setting display
Ensemble display (cross merchandising)
Rack / Case display
Off Shelf display
Cut case / Dump bin
Self supporting stacks / pallets

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Shop Displays
Window displays (Exclusive windows,
Open windows)
Live Displays
Marquee Displays
Freestanding / Island Displays (Gondola
setting)
Counter displays
Brand Corners
End Cap / Power Aisle Displays
Cascade / Waterfall Displays

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Making the Shopping Experience

More Pleasant

16

The Shopping Carts Role in an

Enhanced Shopping Experience

17

Direct Marketing replaced by online

and social mediums

18

Challenges
Clicks

vs. footfalls generated

Transformation

into buying from

among the clicks

Online

Presence and Issues

Online

Store and Issues

19

Online Store Considerations

Advantages
Unlimited space to present
product assortments,
displays, and information
Can be customized to the
individual customer
Can be modified frequently
Can promote crossmerchandising and impulse
purchasing
Enables a shopper to enter
and exit an online store in
a matter of minutes

Disadvantages
Can be irrelevant to
masses
Can be slow for less
internet savvy shoppers
Can be too complex
Cannot display threedimensional aspects of
products well
Requires constant updating
Authenticity and Credibility
issues
More likely to be exited
without purchase
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Advantages

Cyber space
No boundaries
Wider spectrum of customers
Easy Market penetration
Strong Feedback system

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Characteristics

Online Store Front

Visual Density
Online Merchandising
Online Pricing

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Pitfalls of e-tailing

No ambiance
No emotional experience
Intangible merchandise
Security issues
Impersonal Customer Service

23

Retail MIS
Point of Sale Technology
Supply Chain Management
Customer Relationship Management
HRIS
MIS (Exception reports, Interactive
Reports, Ad-hoc Reports)
Electronic Data Interchange facility (EDI)
Concept of ERP systems

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Technology reformed / rejuvenated

Retailing Processes

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