WHY VISUAL MERCHANDISING MATTERS
EB’s monthly take on looks and trends that will build business and your image
Editor: Stephanie K. De Long
JANUARY 2015 |
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Welcome to EB’s first issue of the LOOK. If this newsletter whets your appetite for more, join us at “Visual Merchandising Problems &
Solutions” (course 32B4) at Vision Expo East. Award-winning retail merchandising gurus Travis Reed and Professor Eric Feigenbaum will share their expertise
in this hands-on, EB-hosted class.
TALK TO US Whether you’ll be in New York or not, we’d like to hear from you. Send us pix of problem areas, solutions you’re proud of, or questions you have about visual merchandising. We’d welcome the opportunity to hear your thoughts and chat with you via Facebook, email, or phone (Steph De Long, 215-872-7909). |
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| TIPS & TRICKS | ||
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A few timeless DO’s and DON'T’s from customer service and merchandising expert Bob Phibbs (www.retaildoc.com):
DO… 1. Vary display heights to add interest. 2. Find a totally unrelated item and put it in your display to grab attention. 3. Change your main display every TWO weeks. 4. Create a grid to identify where displays should go (not necessarily where they are!). DON’T… 1. Put up a sign that says, “Do not touch.” You might as well put one up that says, “Do not buy.” 2. Never place displays lower than 24” from the floor. They won’t be noticed. 3. Don't do ALL your displays by color or category. Mix it up or the mind gets used to it and moves on. 4. Customers respond to things they want, so don’t just display the cheaper version of a product. While it fills the need, a “fancier” one is what they might desire. |
 Images: Visual Effects |
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| HOW I... | |
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Chet Steinmetz, OD, owner of Visual Effects, had a vision. After 25 years in a Chicago shopping center, he moved literally around the corner into the
vibrant Lincoln Park neighborhood.
• DREAM. “Moving to a cozy, tree-lined street with eateries and high-end, privately owned shops was my dream.” • REPURPOSING. “Our plan was to make the place familiar but new and updated. We took cabinets, fixtures, and lights. Everything, such as woodwork that got new veneer, was reused or repurposed.” • SAVINGS. “Because I didn't need to replace things like furniture and the cable frame display system, As a result, I saved big time.” • LIGHTING. “It is a mix of track, feature, and cans—all LED combo 2700/3000K. Our biggest expense was electrical work. We went crazy with lighting, but it was worth every penny.” • WINDOW. “Foot traffic by the front window is tremendous. That is why I'm here. The street is alive, and the world literally walks by my door.” |
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SILHOUETTE SOLUTIONS “Research has shown that optimal visual merchandising in a branded environment influences a consumer’s buying habits, considerably. The relationship between a clean, well-organized display of product, communication, and sales is clear. Merchandising is essential to help increase sell-through, and in future issues of The LOOK, we’ll helpshow you how.” — Kristen McLaughlin, Silhouette Optical, Ltd. |
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EXPERT ADVICE Q: How do I decide how much I need to change in order to upgrade my look?A: As a first step, exit the office with staff and re-enter as though you’ve never seen the space. What is most appealing, what is most bothersome? Make a list and prioritize. Reinvention can be done in many ways, so begin by deciding which option is best for you: MINOR FACE LIFT: These include cosmetic changes such as paint color, new marketing images, brighter light bulbs, new guest seating. PARTIAL REMODEL: A section or multiple areas are gutted and rebuilt to new specs—new flooring, lighting, fixtures, and displays, for example. TOTAL GUT REHAB: This means wiping out existing space and starting over. This is often done in stages.
—Travis J. Reed, |
| COMING NEXT MONTH: |
