CHAPTER 10

VISUAL MERCHANDISING

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Understand the contribution that visual merchandising (VM) makes to RPM process by presenting the product to its best advantage Explore the scope of VM within a variety of retail contexts Understand the supporting role VM plays within a positioning strategy Appreciate how VM and store design work together to create a stimulating environment Understand how creativity in VM and display can enhance product appeal

THE SCOPE OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

makes the market place innovative, exciting and stimulating by creating product-led stories supported by merchandising solutions (Corsie, 2003:1)
choice

of fixtures method of product presentation construction of displays (including window) choice of layout use of point of sale/purchase material

VISUAL MERCHANDISING SYSTEMS

Helping to forge stronger links between product range planning, space allocation and product presentation Store personnel can gain access to product range plans as they are being built by buyers and merchandisers Finalised plans of photographic quality can be communicated through retailer Help fashion retailers to inform store personnel of product linkages

RESPONSIBITY FOR VM

Varies in retail organisation

Visual

merchandising Corporate communications Promotions Brand management / marketing

Boundary between paid-for and unpaidfor in-store images is blurred Ambient media and VM blend together in the retail environment

VM SUPPORTS A RETAIL POSITIOINING STRATEGY

Visual Merchandising
communicates differentiates strengthens

the retail brand

A centralised approach
promotes

a strong national / international identity allows for integrated corporate communication themes and messages

A localised approach
allows

a retailer to adapt to local market preferences, competition and local themes

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS

Gondolas Round fixtures Fourways Shelving Rails Bins, Baskets and Tables

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS

Largely dependent on
store

layout merchandise cost

Fixturing
can

be customised should be co-ordinated in families should complement not compete with product often have integral lighting needs flexibility

PRODUCT PRESENTATION
Vertically stacked Horizontally stacked Hanging on hangers or hooks Hanging on card / bubble packed Presentation themes:

colour
price product

feature e.g. size, technical complexity

Dedicated fixturing for brands or categories

LAYOUT
Influenced by product assortment (depth and width) Constrained by size and structure of store Determined by fixturing Objective: to move customers to every area of store Trend towards more spacious and airy layouts

THE GRID LAYOUT

Checkouts

Shelving Rails Shelv -ing Four Way Round Four Way

THE FREE-FORM LAYOUT

Rails

Round Shelving

Rails

Four Way

Four Way

Rails

STORE LAYOUT, DISPLAYS AND SPACE ALLOCATION

Concerns product adjacencies and flow Must provide customer logic VM can encourage

trading

up multiple complementary purchases impulse purchases

Manipulation of the customer or providing a retail service?

DISPLAY OBJECTIVES
Present product attractively to customer Create visual impact using product, fittings, display props and lighting Reinforce retailer as a customer focused organisation Attract customer to quieter areas of store Promote merchandise to increase sales

TYPES OF DISPLAY

On-shelf displays, open to customer Off-shelf / feature displays:

themed classification dominance lifestyle promotional (tonnage) colour co-ordinated using body forms

Window displays

backed open Interactive`