Australia Post Business Lounge | Be Inspired, Learn & Connect ...

Did you know that the average customer views a merchandise display for just two seconds? Debra Templar explains how you can use merchandising to draw in customers and increase sales.

1. What merchandising mistakes do small businesses commonly make?

The most common mistake is not doing enough merchandising, including no ticketing, no naming or just not big enough. A little bit of tinsel at Christmas time doesn?t sell ? it has to look generous. The opposite is also true: some stores have too many signs and tickets and too many discounts and specials. It?s important to get a balance.

2. What are some key elements to consider with window displays?

Windows are the eyes into the business. You need to change displays every two weeks, otherwise you become invisible to the shoppers who walk past your store regularly. Some businesses make the mistake of blocking the whole window so people can?t see into the store. New customers are basing their decision to enter the store on what they can see from outside. If they can?t see what?s inside, they are less likely to go in.

In summer, check your window display daily from outside, for fading and dust. Put prices on products in the window ? not to do this (common culprits are jewellery stores) is old-style retail. I can look up your products or similar ones online. If your prices are a secret, I?m not coming in.

3. How do you create good flow in a store?

First, you need to understand how people move around your store. Keep a piece of paper at the counter. When a customer comes in, follow them around the store with your eyes and doodle the path
they take. Do this with each customer that comes in and patterns
will start to emerge.

For example, customers try to avoid the counter, so if your counter
is on the left of the entrance, you?ll probably notice that customers
turn right as they come in.

4. How should you merchandise your hot spots?

Hot spots are the places everyone goes to in a store. Put stock
there that you want to sell, but don?t put your best sellers there
? they?ll sell anyway.

5. How do you identify cold spots and what can you do
to make them work better?

Cold spots are the areas customers avoid. Since you?re paying rent
on every square metre, you want them to work well for you, too. Use bright colours, lighting, a moving display (like a waving Santa)
and / or a really strong special or sale to attract customers.
Again, don?t put your best seller in a cold spot ? you?ll just diminish
its sales.

6. How should you use your counter / checkout space?

Make sure that if customers have to line up at the counter, there?s enough space that they won?t bump into displays or shelves.
You might even want a cordon and a sign ?Line up here?.
You should never have to say ?Who?s next??. Customers get irritated that you haven?t noticed them or been paying attention to the queue.

To avoid congestion, make sure there are no products close to the counter that require a lot of consideration before purchase, such as ones with lots of directions or ingredients, where you want to stand back and read the pack.

Try to limit yourself to three ?P.S.? products on the counter because you need space. Consider who your customers are. If you?re selling
to women, most of them need to put their handbags down on the counter, so they can get their purse out.

7. What are your tips for Christmas merchandising?

It?s important to get into the spirit of the festive season. Christmas events ? a special launch or late shopping night ? really work.

Consider what feel and colours you want ? traditional, trendy, classic, fashionable? If your Christmas decorations are dusty and scruffy, throw them away and get some new ones. If you don?t have much floor space to spare, hang decorations from the ceiling. Don?t forget about using music to complement your Christmas theme and get some fresh music (no Bing Crosby?s White Christmas on a stinking-hot day in Australia, please!) ? there are new Christmas albums out each year.

8. When can you put up Christmas displays and signage and when should you take them down?

In Australia, consumer brains click into Christmas once the Melbourne Cup is over. Get your decorations up in November, perhaps adding the Christmas-themed music from the start of December.

Christmas signage and merchandising must be down and fresh stock must be in from 27 December onwards, so that people who received gift cards for Christmas have something new to buy.

9. Are there any ?merchandising? tips online stores can use?

Your website is just like another window into your store. Make it easy to get onto your site and navigate it.

Check how your shopping cart works ? don?t make a customer start again if they don?t complete the transaction immediately.

For Christmas, give serious consideration to adding Christmas graphics and specials, plus offering gift cards and vouchers.

Useful tools and resources

• Retail consultancy The Templar Group offers service and sales audits and training to retailers.
• Expert source: Speaker, coach and author Debra Templar uses her extensive sales and retail experience to help businesses do better business. She has written a number of books, including Jingle Bells Christmas Sells with Georganne Bender and Rich Kizer ($29.95rrp hard copy or $24.95rrp e-book), Can I help you? Retail Selling Skills ($35.00rrp e-book), Silent Selling ? Visual Display & Merchandising ($35.00rrp e-book) and Showtime! Retail Customer Service (free e-book), all available on The Templar Group e-books page.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and the interviewees, and not of Australia Post.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Source: http://businesslounge.net.au/2012/11/how-merchandising-can-attract-and-engage-customers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-merchandising-can-attract-and-engage-customers

zerg rush david wilson playstation all stars battle royale kim zolciak kim zolciak travis pastrana quinton coples