Visual merchandising for your retail business

Your store layout can influence how easily customers find products and move around the premises.

Try to use mobile shelving and display units which you can move and easily dismantle, as these will help you to make regular changes and keep your store interesting.

Store entrance

The store entrance often has high footfall, so use it to feature selected products without obstructing access.

Promotional offers near the entrance can confirm that customers have come to the right place. Keep the area clear and uncluttered so people can enter and move around easily.

Place your essential items as far from the entrance as possible. For grocery stores, this could be bread or milk, and for office supply stores, it could be paper and ink cartridges. This is so that customers spend more time in the store, covering as much ground as possible, which hopefully equates to how much money they will spend.

Impactful displays

Use effective displays that suit the products you stock and the space available. You could group similar products, use colour, create symmetrical displays or repeat elements for emphasis.

Place selected high-margin products where customers can see and reach them easily. Make sure important products are also accessible to customers with different mobility and reach needs.

Give customers enough space to move around the store. Use displays and racks to create a clear route and make products easy to find.

Create a focal point

Create a focal point in an area of your store that gets the most traffic and is the most visible. A well-planned area that stands out can increase sales. Make sure customers can easily view the products that you're highlighting and give them a clear call-to-action, for example, 'Buy now'.

It could also be worthwhile to make use of the space between the displayed merchandise and the ceiling. You could use it to provide information about your products or profile a designer or supplier.

Your checkout area and point of sale display should be located at a natural stopping point in the shopping experience. See visual merchandising: point-of-sale displays and price promotions.

Customer experience

Create an atmosphere in your store that mirrors your image. For example, if you want customers to feel they're getting a good promotional deal, stripped down facilities could contribute to their idea of a discount retailer. However, this sort of presentation wouldn't work in an exclusive jewellery store.

In addition, don't worry if your store is on the smaller side - sometimes a smaller space is preferable as it can provide a warmer, more welcoming feel than a larger space in which customers may feel uncomfortable and alone.