3 Visual Merchandising Tips to Improve Your Retail Store

Visuals play a huge role in generating sales in a retail store. No matter how top-notch your products are, your customers won’t enter the store, let alone make a purchase, if your visual merchandising isn’t on point. 

The practice of displaying and organizing products in a retail store is known as visual merchandising. As the aim of visual merchandising is to maximize the sales volume, it is often described as “silent selling.” 

Luxury retailers like Bergdorf Goodman, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Macy’s, and Sak’s Fifth Avenue seem to understand that. That is why they have revamped the visual elements of their stores such that they are cohesive with the identity of the brand. 

With every other brand jumping on the bandwagon, it’s about time you improve the visual merchandising elements of your store. That said, here are a few tips that will help you get started:

#1 Create Cohesion With Color

It doesn’t matter how fantastic products you sell in your retail store. Too many clashing colors in a single display will overwhelm your target audience. When that happens, your prospective customer will walk out of the store. 

If you don’t want that to happen, follow a uniform color palette to create a cohesive visual experience in your retail store. Limiting the use of too many colors will create focal points within the store. Using colors strategically will unify the space and enhance the overall shopping experience of customers. 

When deciding the color palette, take into account your products’ packaging colors. For instance, if the products that your brand sells are packaged in pastel colors, your displays must follow a similar color palette. Avoid using dark colors in your retail store. Instead, opt for bright colors like pink and red because they captivate visitors’ attention. 

The United Colors of Benetton’s store at Printemps in Paris is worth checking out if you’re in need of inspiration to create cohesion with color. In Printemps, Benetton designed a rainbow theater pop-up by sticking to polychromatic color schemes. 

Benetton has used an art piece featuring paint cans on a wall. The piece has been installed such that it appears as if streams of paint are flowing down the wall onto the floor. Besides clothing, the pattern is replicated in seating and jars of sweets. 

#2 Get Creative With Window Displays

The first impression, as the saying goes, is the last impression. Your store’s window is the first point of contact with your potential customers. In a recent survey, window display was revealed to be the most influencing factor when it comes to visiting a store. Around 31.2% of survey respondents revealed that they entered a store because of the window display. 

A dull or dreary window display certainly won’t attract passers-by to your store. Your store’s window display must be well-lit and attractive. Only then will passers-by drop into your retail store. 

Getting creative with window displays is another tactic that will increase foot traffic in your store. You can place key items of your store at eye level on your store’s window display to give passers-by a glimpse of what you sell. Incorporating plants is another way to add depth and character to your display. 

However, if you wish to make a great impression, we advise you to use silicone edge graphics (SEG). Detailed dye-sublimation fabric graphics that are sewn up with a thin silicone strip, gasket, or welt are known as SEG, notes ClassicMODUL.  

SEG is highly versatile. You can add bold and visually striking images and branding messages, incorporate interactive elements, and many more. 

If you can’t spend much on window displays, SEG is worth considering. That’s because it creates a captivating window display without costing much. All you need is SEG extrusions, which is a one-time investment, and high-quality graphics from time to time. No wonder retail displays like Reebok and L.L. Bean use SEG in their stores. 

#3 Create an Instagram Worthy Space

Creating a cohesive visual experience using color or aligning your window displays with the seasons isn’t enough to attract visitors to your retail store. You must do something that will make you stand out from the competition. 

Designing an Instagrammable space in your retail store is an excellent way to attract visitors. As per recent research by Statista, more than two billion people use Instagram– that’s a whopping number. That is why we advise giving one of your store walls a facelift so that visitors are enticed to spend time there. 

To make your space Instagrammable, adorn it with large mirrors, a fun light display, a few accent pieces, or illuminated signs. Such things will inspire customers to capture pictures and share them on Instagram and other social media accounts. Ultimately, this will boost your brand visibility. 

Wrapping Up

There’s no denying that the retail landscape has become more competitive than ever. What worked in the 80s and the 90s won’t yield the same result as it did back then. Giving your retail store a quick makeover has become essential for every business owner. Otherwise, your target audience won’t enter your store, which will affect your company’s bottom line. 

Besides the tips mentioned above, improving lighting, using point-of-purchase or POP displays, and being creative with the storefront design will help you improve your retail store. Remember that visual merchandising is an ongoing process, so keep refreshing it every now and then.