VISUAL

MERCHANDISING
VISUAL MEANING
Relating to the sense of sight.

MERCHANDISING MEANING
Merchandising is a marketing
practice in which the brand or
image from one product or
service is used to sell another
 VISUAL
MERCHANDISING
?
Coordination of physical elements in place of
business, so that its project the right image to
its customers

Change a “passive looker into active buyers”

Responsible for total merchandise

Overall business image

Placements of design elements

Contd……..

It is the activity and profession of developing

the floor plans and three dimensional
displays in order to maximize their sales

The display of products which makes them

appealing and attractive

It utilizes displays, colors, lighting ,smells

and sounds
 PURPOSE
OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
The purpose is to attract ,engage,
motivate the customers towards
making a purchase

Both goods and services can be

displayed to highlight their features
and benefits
 PRINCIPLES
OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Make it easier for the customer to locate
the desired category and merchandise
Make it easier to self select
Make it possible to coordinate and
accessorize
Educate about the product in an effective
and creative way
Make proper arrangements in such a way to
increase the sale of unsought goods
 IMPORTANCE
OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Purposes are to sell products and promote
store image
Should always try to be different, new, and
creative
Change a “passive looker” into an “active
buyer”
Enhances brand image
Generates impulse sales
Overall business image
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
SUCCESS FACTORS
 ERRORS TO AVOID IN
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Too much signage
Confusing traffic patterns
Too much propping
Disconnection between exterior
window and store contents
Poor lighting
No point of view
Inconsistency in visual executions
 OBJECTIVES
OF A
GOOD STORE DESIGN
Design should:

be consistent with image and strategy

positively influence consumer behavior
consider costs versus value
be flexible
recognize the needs of the disabled –
The Americans with Disabilities Act
 OBJECTIVES OF THE
STORE ENVIRONMENT
 Get customers into the store (store image)

 Serves a critical role in the store selection process

 Important criteria include cleanliness, labeled prices,

accurate and pleasant checkout clerks, and well-stocked
shelves

 The store itself makes the most significant and last

impression

 Once they are inside the store, convert them into

customers buying merchandise (space productivity)

 The more merchandise customers are exposed to that is

presented in an orderly manner, the more they tend to
buy
APPAREL WALL PRESENTATION
OF THE
MERCHANDISE
INCORRECT
Fashion apparel wall presentation.
In the correct example, formal balance is
achieved by creating a mirror image of
garment on both sides of a center line. This
does not occur in the incorrect example
INCORRECT
In this, Informal balance is achieved
because an equal amount of space is filled
on either side of a centre line.
This does not occur in the incorrect
example.
MERCHANDISE
PRESENTATION
The ways goods are
hung, placed on
shelves, or otherwise
made available to
customers
Shoulder-out
Only one side shows
Face-forward
Hanging garment so
full front faces viewer
METHODS
OF
DISPLAY
Shelving
Hanging
folding
Pegging
Dumping
SHELVING HANGING

PEGGING

FOLDING DUMPING
DISPLAYED MERCHANDISE
 Should be current
 Represent styles and lines
 Should be well stocked
 In demand
 New (inform customers of
what is available)
 Encourage additional
purchases
 Promote current theme
 Look good on display
 ELEMENTS IN
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
 ELEMENTS

STORE STORE MERCHANDISE

FRONT INTERIOR DISPLAY

STORE STORE
LAYOUT SPACE
 1. STORE FRONT
The exterior of a business.
It includes:
1. Signs
2. Marquee
3. Entrances
4. Window Display
 SIGNS

There are four different types of

signs are:
1.Promotional Signs
2.Location signs
3.Institutional signs
4.Informational signs
PROMOTIONAL SIGNS
For off-price events or specials.
 LOCATION SIGNS

For direction to specific departments

 INSTITUTIONAL SIGNS

Signs for the store policies

INFORMATIONAL SIGNS
For product related benefits/
features/ prices etc.
 MARQUEE

The sign that is used to display the store name

 ENTRANCES
Designed with customer
convenience and store security in
mind.

There are several types of

entrances each portraying a certain
image
 TYPES OF ENTRANCES
Revolving – up scale stores

Push-Pull – full service stores often with fancy

handles

Electronic – Self-serve stores, with carts such

as Wal-Mart, Meijer, Kroger.

Climate Controlled – shopping malls.

 WINDOW DISPLAYS
The store’s FIRST IMPRESSION with the
customer.

Begin the selling process even before the

customer enters the store.

Suggests the type of merchandise carried

in the store
TYPES OF WINDOW DISPLAYS
1. Promotional – promote the sale of one or
more items by using special lighting and
/or props.
Skiwear with fake snow for accents

2. Institutional – promote store image rather

than specific items.
Designed to build customer good will,
show that the business is interested in the
community
 STORE INTERIOR
Affects the store’s image
Includes items such as:
Floor & wall coverings
Lighting
Colors
Fixtures
It is important to create a relaxing,
comfortable place for customers to shop

Customers shop longer & are more relaxed

and spend more when they are not pressed
by crowds, delays & long lines
FLOOR AND WALL COVERINGS
LIGHTINGS
Used to direct customer’s attention to the display
and creates mood.

-Use more light for dark colors, less light for light
colors .

-Beam spread; the diameter of the circle of light.

BEAM SPREAD TECHNIQUES

Flood lightning
Spot lightning
Pinpointing
 FLOOD LIGHTING

Ceiling lights to direct lights over an entire

wide display area.
SPOT LIGHTING
focuses attention on specific areas or
targeted items of merchandise
PINPOINTING
focuses a narrow beam of light on a
specific item
 COLORS
Color selection should
be perfect.
Help to make
merchandise look
more interesting.
Color schemes help to
create moods.
Capture shoppers
attention.
Example; in Christmas displays only
complementary color scheme i.e. reds and greens
are placed next to each other in setting as no other
scheme can accomplish this
 STORE FIXTURES
To make store’s wall merchandisable, wall usually
covered with a skin that is fitted with vertical
columns of notches.
TYPES OF FIXTURES
 Most common types
of fixtures:
 Stands
Platforms and
Elevations
Round rack
Bin
T-Stand
Four way faceout
 STANDS
Used in a variety
or assortment
window- from
glass line to the
back of the display
window
PLATFORMS AND ELEVATIONS
Platforms or Elevations can be tables and other
pieces of furniture that can be used to raise up a
mannequin, a form or arrangement of
merchandise
 ROUND RACKS
Circular racks on which garments are hung
around the entire circumference
 BIN
A rimmed table or bin used to hold sale or special
merchandise on the sales floor, especially in
discount operations; it has no formal arrangement
 T-STAND
Freestanding, two-way stand in the shape of a T,
that holds clothes on hangers, sometimes with one
straight Arm and one waterfall
 FOUR -WAY STAND
A fixture with four extended arms, that permits
accessibility to hanging merchandise all the way
around
 2. STORE LAYOUT
 The way the floor space is used
to facilitate and promote sales and
best serve the customer
TYPES OF FLOOR SPACE
1. Selling Space
2. Merchandising Space
3. Personnel Space
4. Customer Space
 SELLING SPACE

Includes:
Interior displays
Sales demonstration areas
Sales transaction areas
(wrap desk)
 MERCHANDISE SPACE

Allocated to items that are kept in

inventory
Selling floor
Stock room area
 PERSONNEL SPACE
Space for employees:
break rooms
lockers
restrooms
 CUSTOMER SPACE
Comfort and convenience of customers:
Restaurants
Dressing rooms
Lounges
Restrooms
Recreation area for children
Stores are competing more & more in these
areas

Allocating more dollars and space for customer

convenience than ever before
 Once the floor space has been
allocated, management & visual
personnel spend a lot of time
planning the effective use of the
space.
 VISUAL DECISIONS
What product are to go where

Agencies – what products should be next

to each other

Where to put seasonal merchandise such

as coats, swimwear and Christmas items

Traffic patterns
FLOOR LAYOUT
 STRAIGHT FLOOR LAYOUT
( GRID DESIGN)
Best used in retail environments in which majority of
customers shop the entire store

Can be confusing and frustrating as it is difficult to

see over the fixtures to other merchandise

Forcing customers to back of large store may

frustrate and cause them to look elsewhere

Most familiar examples for supermarkets and

drugstores
 DIAGONAL FLOOR LAYOUT

Good store layout for self-service type retail

stores

Offers excellent visibility for cashier and

customers

Movement and traffic flow in the store is

smooth
ANGULAR FLOOR LAYOUT
( CURVING/LOOP –RACETRACK DESIGN)

Best used for high-end stores

Curves and angles of fixtures and walls

makes for more expensive store design

Soft angles create better traffic flow

throughout the retail store
 GEOMETRIC FLOOR LAYOUT
(SPINE DESIGN)

Is a suitable store design for clothing

and apparel shops.

Uses racks and fixtures to create

interesting and out- of- the – ordinary
type of store design without a high cost.
MIXED FLOOR LAYOUT
(FREE FLOW DESIGN)

Incorporates the straight, diagonal

and angular plans

Helps generates the most functional

store design

Layout moves traffic towards walls

and back of the store
 Storage, Receiving, Marketing

Underwear
Dressing Rooms

Tops
Accessories

Hats and Handbags

Checkout counter
Stockings

Clearance Items

Tops
Pants
Casual Wear

Skirts and Dresses

Feature Feature
Jeans

Open Display Window Open Display Window

 3. MERCHANDISE DISPLAYS
They are part of the general store
interior

Displays generate 1 out of 4 sales

They enable the customer to make a

selection without personal assistance
 KINDS OF DISPLAYS

1. Closed Displays
2. Open Displays
3. Architectural Display
4. Point-of-Purchase
5. Store Decorations
 CLOSED DISPLAYS

Look but don’t touch

Require sales person assistance

Expensive or fragile merchandise

Jewellery cases
 OPEN DISPLAY

Handle merchandise without a

salesperson
Self-service
Used for most clothing
 ARCHITECTURAL DISPLAYS

Actual room setting

Furniture
 POINT-OF-PURCHASE

Promote impulse buying

Items at the register

Batteries
Candy
Magazines
 STORE DECORATIONS
 Decorations for holidays
such as Christmas, Halloween
and Valentine’s Day
Interior displays use fixtures and
props to showcase merchandise

Props are generally classified as

decorative or functional
 PROPS
Objects added that support
the theme of the display
 TYPES OF PROPS
Functional Props - practical items for holding
merchandise such as mannequins and shirt
forms

Decorative Props -Only purpose is to enhance

merchandise. Items such as trees, tables, cars.

Structural Props -used to support functional

and decorative props and change the physical
makeup of displays. (boxes, rods, stands,
stairways, etc)
FUNCTIONAL PROPS
DECORATIVE PROPS
STRUCTURAL PROPS
 IMPORTANCE OF
INTERIOR DISPLAYS
Show the customer what’s new
Show customer how to put together a total
look
A good display helps create multiple sales
Customers want to look like the display
Customers want you to show them what to
wear
 INTERIOR DISPLAYS

Often convey a common theme

through out the store
Animal prints, patriotic theme
Used to tell a color story
The large display in a store including the
mannequins & wall displays are usually
set up by visual department

Small table displays and fixture top

displays are usually set up & maintained
by the individual department staff
 It is important to change
departmental displays
frequently
INTERIOR DISPLAY LOCATIONS
Should be chosen to
maximize merchandise
exposure
Just inside store entrance
At entrances to
departments
Near cash/wrap counter
Next to related items
By elevators and
escalators
Open-to-mall areas
WHEN TO CHANGE THE
DISPLAYS?
When new merchandise comes in
Just to change around the pieces of a
group that has been on the floor for
awhile
Gives the group a new look
The same customers walk
through your department
every week – you want it to
look fresh
You want to give them a
reason to buy
 WHAT TO USE FOR
SUCCESSFUL DISPLAYS?
Mannequins
Alternatives to mannequins
Fixtures
Props
 TYPES OF MANNEQUINS

Realistic
Semi realistic
Abstract
Semi-abstract
Headless
REALISTIC
MANNEQUIN

Resembles the
everyday person
rather than a
movie star.
SEMI
REALISTIC

Is like realistic
mannequin,
But its makeup
is more
Decorative and
stylized.
ABSTRACT
Is concerned with creating an overall effect rather
than reproducing natural lines and proportions.
Features such as elbows, fingernails are rarely
indicated.
SEMI ABSTRACT
Is more stylized
than the
semi-realistic
mannequin and its
feature may be
painted or
suggested rather
than defined.
HEADLESS:
Has a full-size or
Semi-realistic body
with Arms and legs
but no Head.
It offers no
personality or
image.
ALTERNATIVES TO MANNEQUINS
Three quarter forms
Articulated artist’s figures
Dress forms and suit forms
Drapers
Hangers
Lay down techniques
Pin up techniques
Flying techniques
THREE-QUARTER
FORMS:

Representation of a
part of the Human
anatomy, such as the
Torso, the bust or the
area from Shoulder
to waist or from hips
to ankles.
ARTICULATED ARTIST’S FIGURES
based on small wooden miniatures used by
artists and designers to get correct proportions
and poses for figure drawing when live model is
not available
DRESS FORMS AND SUIT FORMS
INFLATABLES

Are life-sized
“balloons”
That stimulate
parts of The
human anatomy.
Most resembles the
Lower half of the
body And is used to
show jeans and
pants.
DRAPER
Was a simple,
uncomplicated
and often
underused
alternative to
mannequin
HANGERS
Simple hanger can be an
alternative to the
mannequin. Hangers can
either be hung by invisible
wire from a ceiling grid or
it can be hung from a look
that extends from a wall
or panel.
PINUP TECHNIQUES
Makes use of a panel, wall Or some vertical
surface onto which a Garment can be
pinned, shaped and Dimensional zed.
LAY-DOWN TECHNIQUE
Involves the folding, pleating and placement of
garment next to garment or accessories next to
featured garment.
FLYING TECHNIQUES
merchandise is pulled, Stretched or pulled the
garment into abstract Shapes that present an
angular and crisp presentation.
 ATMOSPHERICS
The design of an environment via:
visual communications
lighting
color
sound
scent
To stimulate customers’ perceptual and emotional
responses and ultimately influence their purchase
behavior
 VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

Name, logo and retail identity

Institutional signage

Directional, departmental and category signage

Point-of-Sale (POS) Signage

Lifestyle Graphics
CONTD…..

Coordinate signs and graphics with store’s

image
Inform the customer
Use signs and graphics as props
Keep signs and graphics fresh
Limit sign copy
Use appropriate typefaces on signs
Create theatrical effects
 SOUND AND SCENT
Sound
Music viewed as valuable marketing tool
Often customized to customer demographics - AIE
(http://www.aeimusic.com)
Can use volume and tempo for crowd control

Scent
Smell has a large impact on our emotions
Victoria Secret, The Magic Kingdom, The Knot Shop
Can be administered through time release atomizers or
via fragrance-soaked pellets placed on light fixtures
CASE STUDY
Adidas
 Adidas
• Effectiveness : The display of upside down
women signifies the freedom and
independency of women which will motivate
them to walk in the store.

• Why did it work : It forces female customers to

ponder what the store holds for them.
Marks & Spencer
 Marks & Spencer
• Clarity of thought : The window display clearly
shows that the sale season is going on for the
apparels and accessories offered by the store.

• Creativity : The red color is used to indicate

sale period which can be discovered from a far
distance. Red colour is psychologically
attached to the customers; it portrays
excitement/ impulse purchase decisions
• Effectiveness : A customer interested would
surely walk-in to avail the discounts as the
display is shouting out for the sale season.

• Why did it work : The entire display used the

red color tints and shades indicating sales
period & also providing an opportunity to avail
extra reduction. The big banners as well as
mannequins wearing similar t-shirts talking
about sale are also very helpful
 CONCLUSION
Visual merchandising is first and foremost
strategic activity.
Put your best-selling merchandise in your best-
selling space.
If you only do one thing with your store, make
it professional.
The storefront, tell the right story about what
kind of merchandise is available
Invest proper signage to take your store to the
next level.
 BIBLOGRAPHY
www.textilescommittee.nic.in
www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.visualstore.com
www.slideshare.com
Fashion: from concept to consumer 1999- frings, gini
stephen
Visual merchandising and display fifth edition – martin
 ANY
QUESTIONS?
SUBMITTED BY:
JASPREET kAUR
L-2010-HSC-09-BFD