Outside a boutique, you can see mannequins dressed in summer wear; bikinis, board shorts and open shirts, and maxi dresses. As you entered the boutique, racks of clothes welcomed you. Some pedestals have bust mannequins wearing sun hats and sunglasses. These things you see are visual merchandising displays.

The primary purpose of visual merchandising displays is to expose the shop’s products to the customer. You can see them in the market, where fruit vendors display their freshest fruits, and in supermarkets, where merchandisers arrange their products on the shelves.

Visual merchandising displaysdo not merely expose your products. They make them desirable, interesting, and attractive. And sometimes, retailers forget these factors when fixing their visual merchandising displays.

5 Common Mistakes Retailers Make On Their Visual Merchandising Displays

If you think that retail interior design in Singapore is the most important part of preparing a physical store, you are wrong. Visual merchandising displays are equally vital in presenting the brand and its products.

Here are the common mistakes retailers make in visual merchandising:

MISTAKE #1: Too many displays!

Have you ever visited a thrift shop where tons of clothes hang on multiple racks? The piles are so thick you can’t even pull out a shirt without removing it from its hanger.

Or maybe you have visited a garage sale where you have to dig into boxes to find another man’s treasures.

The purpose ofvisual merchandising displays indeed is to expose the products to the customers, but some retailers overdo this by having overflowing displays!

Firstly, customers perceive overflowing displays as cluttered and unorganised, putting them off.

Secondly, the customers cannot see what you want them to see, contrasting the purpose ofvisual merchandising displays! If you want your audience to notice those leather thigh-high boots, then don’t display your red thigh-high boots or other shoes that may outshine your hottest products.

Thirdly, most customers have no patience in looking all through your stuff. Busy and tired customers don’t bother to dig into boxes or look into the racks one by one.

MISTAKE #2: Hiding your products

Do you know why retail stores in malls have wide entrances, glass walls and windows, and mannequins overlooking the windows? Because as much as possible, they want their products to be seen from the outside of the store.

The visual merchandising displaysand the products themselves convince the shoppers to enter the store and check them out.

The worst part is that retailers are unaware that they are hiding their products. Retailers hide their products in three ways.

The first is leaving the products in the stockroom. When all your displayed products have been bought, replenish the shelves with the stocks. Otherwise, your customer would assume that the item has been sold out.

The second is not organising your products. It is vital to arrange your items and put all related merchandise together. For example, customers would not search for crackers in the bathroom supplies aisle. They will look for them in the snacks aisle. Putting crackers in the bathroom supplies aisle is hiding them from the customers.

The third is not putting signages. Signages make it easier for your consumers to navigate the store and find what they like. You can ask your festive decoration company in Singapore to make legible and helpful signages.

MISTAKE #3: Stagnant displays

Retail stores and shops routinely change their visual merchandising displays. If the summer season is approaching, they will display summer clothes. During the Christmas season, you would start seeing items ideal as gifts.

But it is not enough to change your visual merchandising displays based on the seasons alone. You have to analyse the engagement and conversion of your displays.

For example, if you notice that your shop has not seen an influx of customers for the last two weeks, it may mean that your visual merchandising displaysare not good enough to attract customers.

Another thing to consider is the freshness of your items. If the customer had checked out your displays last month, they would not bother to check them out again. They are only interested in new products.

MISTAKE #4: Dirty store

Retailers often put general housekeeping last on their list. Unbeknownst to them, cleanliness matters, especially for those who sell food products.

General housekeeping starts from the outside of the store. People will not attempt to enter the store if there is a pile of dumps next to its door. Water blotches and mud splashes on the window make your window displays useless. Fading signages, peeling paint, and busted lights outside the store make your shop unattractive.

Inside the store, dustyvisual merchandising displays, dirty floors, a leaky ceiling, and a coffee-stained checkout counter put off customers.

Another thing to worry about is customers messing with your products. They would unfold the clothes and never fold them back or return an item on the wrong aisle. Never wait for the closing time to rearrange these items.

MISTAKE #5: Underutilisation of the checkout area

The checkout area plays a crucial role in the retail interior design in Singapore. But retailers underutilised checkout areas other than using them to process sale transactions.

There are three ways retailers can utilise their checkout area.

Firstly, make them visible. If you own a large store, it is better to make it visible. It is inconvenient for the customer to wander around thevisual merchandising displays to find the cashier area. Putting signages that would lead them to the counter is helpful.

Secondly, double your checkout area. If you are a large store that accommodates many customers, you might as well establish another checkout area. That way, you can serve twice as many customers at a time. Long queues discourage customers from buying, too.

Lastly, put small items in the checkout area. This way, you are utilising impulse sales. These products are usually small and cheap; items customers throw on the counter by an impulse to add to their other items. It could be candies, earrings, lighters, and lip balms.

Takeaway

You don’t have to hire a museum exhibition design company to make your store appealing. Sometimes, keeping your displays organised and fresh and your store clean is enough to attract customers.

Dezign Format

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