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Visual Merchandising

Introduction: Visual Merchandising is the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially
by their presentation in retail outlets.(New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1999, Oxford
University Press).

It is the art of presentation, which puts the merchandise in focus.It educates the
customers,creates desire and finally augments the selling process. It includes combining
product, environment, and space into a stimulating and engaging display to encourage the
sale of a product or service.

Concept of Visual Merchandising

 It is referred to as Point-Of Purchase (POP) Display

 It involves everything the customers see both exterior and interior, that creates positive
image of a business and results in attention, interest, desire and action on the part of
the customer
 It is the art of implementing effective design ideas to increase store traffic andsales
volume.
 It is often referred to as the silent salesperson

Purposes of Visual Merchandising:

 Informing and Educating customers about the product or service

 Adding value to the atmosphere of the store
 Making it easier for the shopper to self-select
 Acting as a significant promotional tool
 Drawing attention of the customer to enable him to take purchase decisions within
shortest interval of time and thus augmenting the selling process
 To communicate with the target customers much more easily
 To attract customers during festivals and occasions
 Offering a distinct identity to a retail store vis-à-vis the competition
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Types of Visual Merchandising

 Exterior Presentation
 Interior Presentation
 Store Layouts

Exterior Presentations
1. Exterior Signs:  It functions as a silent salesperson. It gives information to the customers
about the format and type of a store. It can offer a conservative, progressive, premium
or discount image to customers.

2. Walks and Entry: It provides a view of both

the exterior as well as the interiors of
the store. Walks and entry should be so
designed that there is sufficient space for
customers to have a hassle free movement

3. 3. Landscaping: It is the
beautification of the exterior
part of any organized retail format. It
assumes supreme significance when it
comes to malls. The key to good
landscaping is simplicity. Aesthetically designed garbage bins, well designed benches,
and creatively illuminated fountain are some examples of good landscaping
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4. Windows Display: It should be simple yet attractive with appropriate color and lighting.
It should focus on the best selling products and should carry a distinct theme. Window
displays have been found to promote sales, highlight seasonal changes, and announce
the arrival of new products apart from showcasing the best selling merchandise.

Interior Presentations

1. Signage's: It provides basic and significant information to customers. Key words like
Prices, Discounts, & Free are often found on a signage.

2. Themes: It adds to the aesthetics of product displays within a store with changing
season, festivals to make shopping fun-filled.

3. Props:  Found inside a store to highlight the merchandise and add to the visual impact
of a store on customer

4. Colors: Contributes to the customers impression of display as well as stores overall

appearance
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5. Lighting: Helps to guiding the attention of customers to the merchandise on display

Store Layout

Store design & Layout tells a customer what the store is all about.‡The exterior look of
the store draws a customer to the store. It is the first impression that a customer
has of the store. It is a function of the location of the store site, which is a combination
of various factors like the site itself, facilities like parking and the ease of access.
Store interiors are a function of the fixtures, flooring ceiling, lighting & signages used
with in store to create the look.

Types of Store Layout:

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1. STRAIGHT FLOOR PLAN

2. DIAGONAL FLOOR PLAN

3. ANGULAR FLOOR PLAN

4. GEOMETRIC FLOOR PLAN

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5. MIXED FLOOR PLAN

CONCLUSION

Visual Merchandising

-Make your competencies visible - All activities appropriate to

-Make strategic relevant products stimulate additional sale

best

visible

-Increase the level of

consumer awareness
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Visual Merchandising
To provide consumers efficient information and
emotional loaded pictures which support
customer pleasure and shopping activity