What is Visual Merchandising?

Visual Merchandising is a practice that supports retailers in presenting their retail space in the best possible way to maximise sales.

Visual Merchandising does not stop at great looking window displays, it is more than this. From your in-store layout and product merchandising, to housekeeping, lighting, music, price tickets, posters and graphics, window display and props, right through to the colour you paint your walls and the fixtures you sell from, all of these elements and how you visually organise these elements and how often you rotate these elements within your retail space is Visual Merchandising.

Visual Merchandising is a technique that is applied and practised in any retailing environment. Whether you're an up-market fashion chain or the local hardware store, it doesn't matter what you sell, if you have a retail space, and open your doors for trade, you are conducting "Visual Merchandising" on some level.

The practice of Visual Merchandising requires creativity, inspiration, logic and organisation. It has been quoted on numerous occasions as being a mix of art and science, but know this:

• When a retailing environment makes “visual sense”, a customer will be naturally attracted to the space, enticed to come in, convinced to stay and shop and, most importantly, wants to buy!

This is what Visual Merchandising does. Now, isn’t that the position every retailer wants to be in?

Why Do Visual Merchandising?

Simple; to develop, maintain and increase sales.

Depending on the retailing environment, the nature and style of visual merchandising required will vary from one retailer to the next. What does not vary is the underlying reason as to why we embark on VM; the objective is always to develop, maintain and increase sales within your retailing space.

At AUSVM we service a range of clients, all with differing Visual Merchandising needs; we share key reasons 'why' these retailers conduct regular Visual Merchandising programs within their stores;

Independent Retailers; often operating without the big marketing budgets to generate foot traffic into store, this retailing group faces the challenge of convincing customers 'to come on in and shop with us' on very limited resources. By adopting a Visual Merchandising program, Independent Retailers have the opportunity to 'pack a punch' through strong, eye catching, individual window displays, giving customers a reason to enter their stores and shop. Adding to this, by conducting Visual Merchandising activities on a regular basis, the product offer is kept fresh, inviting and in constant rotation. This is extremely important, many Independent Retailers suffer from what we term 'set & forget'. They set their store up for the season, place product onto the shelf, trade away, and in some cases 'forget' to move things for a period of three months or more! This creates a stale, boring store and without a doubt will lose you sales. Through regular VM activities you will be challenged with rotating product around your store, merchandising to compliment key retail promotional events (i.e. Mothers Day, Christmas etc.), and strategically marking down product and moving it on when necessary.... So, not only does visual merchandising keep your store looking good, but also organised and in control of 'what it is you sell' and 'how you sell' to your customer.

National Retail Chains

As a National Retail Chain, customers expect a certain standard from your brand, that is typically unique and reinforces your brand values. From your website, loyalty campaigns, point of sale material through to the products and services you sell, it includes your staff, right down to how you treat your windows and in store selling space; customers expect a consistent brand experience. This is why they shop with you. Visual Merchandising enables Retail Chains to 'visually' play out their brand strategy on the shop floor. Each and every Retail Chain should and must have their 'own and unique' VM identity that visually aligns with their 'own and unique' brand strategy.

VM to a Retail Chain is known to be literally one of the last steps of the selling process. Product is sourced, purchased, delivered, marketing campaigns executed; staff are developed and trained - leaving the Visual Merchandising to ensure that the customers in store experience aligns with brand standards and expectations. And when done well VM will always assist and encourage customer purchase, remember we use VM to develop, maintain and increase sales. And make no mistake the VM competition within this group is fierce. From one brand to the next we are always checking to see what it is our competition is selling and how good their stores look, as a Retail Chain you can't afford not to have a VM strategy and program in place.

Shopping Centres

This retail group call on 'VM' to speak to both their internal & external customers. The first group being their external customers, these are actual customers that shop the centre and the second group are internal customers. These are the retailers! Shopping Centres face the everyday challenge of 'visually speaking' to both sets of customers. Centres are constantly assessing every aspect of their rather giant retailing space. From door counts, to in centre sale and promotions, to merchandising and display points, activating the customer within a centre and ensuring that customer is moving around the centre, is critical in satisfying the demands and needs of their internal customers... The retailers! The general ambience of a shopping centre environment, including music, lighting, smells, sounds, cleanliness and general appearance, must all work together to inspire and convince the customer to stay and shop - at the same time, each and every retailer must ensure that VM is executed to a level that keeps the customer interested, entertained and inspired to shop from one store to the next. A Shopping Centres visual merchandising culture is complicated and interrelated; many must come to the party to ensure success. Although when done well, your centre can be the comfortable and welcoming environment that so many aspire to be. To become a shopping destination of choice, VM principles are key because …. When a retailing environment makes "visual sense", a customer will be naturally attracted to the space, enticed to come in, convinced to stay and shop and, most importantly, wants to buy!