Visual merchandising

Visual merchandising is the activity and profession of developing the floor plans and three-dimensional displays in order to maximize sales.[1]

Both goods or services can be displayed to highlight their features and benefits. The purpose of such visual merchandising is to attract, engage, and motivate the customer towards making a purchase.

Visual merchandising commonly occurs in retail spaces such as retail stores and trade shows.

History

When the giant nineteenth century dry goods establishments like Marshall Field & Co. shifted their business from wholesale to retail, the visual display of goods became necessary to attract the general consumers. The store windows were often used to attractively display the store's merchandise. Over time, the design aesthetic used in window displays moved indoors and became part of the overall interior store design, eventually reducing the use of display windows in many suburban malls.

In the twentieth century, well-known artists such as Salvador Dalí[2] and Andy Warhol [3][4] created window displays.

In the beginning of twenty-first century visual merchandising is forming as a sсience. Nowadays, Visual Merchandising became one of the major tool of business promotion which is widely used to attract customers and increase sales.[5]

Example of Summer indoor display.

Methodology

Techniques

Visual merchandising builds upon or augments the retail design of a store. It is one of the final stages in setting out a store in a way customers find attractive and appealing.

Many elements can be used by visual merchandisers in creating displays including color,[6] lighting, space, product information, sensory inputs (such as smell, touch, and sound), as well as technologies such as digital displays and interactive installations.

As methods of visual merchandising [7] can be used color and style, symmetry and rhythm, face and side presentation etc.[8]

Tools

A floor map helps visual merchandisers to find the best place for garments, color stories of clothes and footwear in the shop.[9] It is a kind of floor plan with merchandise marked.

Forms

Shelving

In order to evaluate the product thoroughly it is necessary to deploy the folded product. Besides, it takes time to expand the A 4 format formed product. In addition, there is a psychological fear among customers to release the product as an indication of breaking the order, especially if there is a paper gasket in the folded product.[10]

POS Display

Window displays

Window displays can communicate style, content, and price.

Display windows may also be used to advertise seasonal sales or inform passers-by of other current promotions.

Food merchandising

Restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. use visual merchandising as a tool to differentiate themselves in a saturated market.

References

  1. ↑ "Visual Merchandiser". The Job Guide. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  2. ↑ "How Much is that Dali in the Window", On This Day in Fashion, Kristine Lloyd, On This Day in Fashion, 16 March 2011, http://onthisdayinfashion.com/?p=12135
  3. ↑ "Andy Warhol, 'Window Display for the Bonwit Teller Department Store', New York, 1960 " Photograph by Mike Kelley, http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kelley-andy-warhol-window-display-for-the-bonwit-teller-deprtment-store-new-york-1960-l02640
  4. ↑ "Andy Warhol" Gagosian Gallery, retrieved 5 December 2013, http://www.gagosian.com/artists/andy-warhol/
  5. ↑ Dmitry Galun. "Visual Merchandising. Psychological Aspects of the Technical Science".
  6. ↑ Dmitry Galun. "The value of the color spot in the clothes visual presentation".
  7. ↑ Galun Dmitry. "Methods of the Clothes Visual Presentation".
  8. ↑ Dmitry Galun. "Color Combinations in the Clothes Visual Merchandising".
  9. ↑ Dmitry Galun. "The entrance areas in the clothes visual merchandising".
  10. ↑ Dmitry Galun. "Shelves in the clothes visual mercandising".

Further reading