Proper merchandise display significantly increases sales opportunities. Visual merchandising techniques teach how to make the most of available space: from the pyramid to the rule of three, the expert's tips for developing sales.
By Andrea Mongilardi
May 07, 2012
In modern commerce, one of the key indicators is yield per square meter. This is a clear sign of the importance of thinking of one's premises as a space to be studied carefully to find the best solutions for displaying products for sale. Because the difference between a random, or worse, messy and confusing display and one that follows the criteria and rules of visual merchandising at the end of the year is measured in the order of tens of thousands of euros.
"Visual merchandising," explains Giacomo Pini, owner of Gp Studios, "is nothing more than the movement of merchandise toward the customer. The external one involves the storefront, which should be made as attractive as possible to entice the customer to enter. The internal one involves the display of products at the point of sale and significantly influences impulse sales." Fior of studies-in the U.S., visual merchandising is a technique that has been used for more than 30 years in all major retail spaces-demonstrate that some display methods are more effective than others.
Proven techniques
"For storefronts," Pini explains, "the first rule to follow is display by vertical lines: putting products vertically, for example, creating pyramids, increases sales compared to a horizontal display. Another important rule is the rule of three: the ideal is to display products in groups of three, possibly repeated next to each other. And this also applies to the display cases inside the premises, from cans to brioche cases." The rule of three applies even more so in the use of color: "Just go to Zara or Abercrombie
& Fitch to learn it: a row of orange sweaters, a green one, a red one and then orange, green and red again." Why not do the same with cans, pastries or candy? Still on the subject of candy, Pini suggests another couple of "tricks of the trade": "The first rule is to create as neat a display as possible, taking care to put all the packages in the same direction, with the brand name turned toward the customer. To increase effectiveness, as an alternative to the rule of three you can display all products in the same color and one different color. The customer's eye will be much more stimulated and intrigued in this case."
Organized spaces
Signs with promotions can help develop sales: "Here the main rules to follow are two," Pini explains, "the first is to place them in the areas where the decision takes place, not in the consumer areas. It is useless to put 'No Smoking' where the customer's eye falls: it is a wasted opportunity. The second rule is to possibly change them throughout the day so as to put a communication related to the moment of consumption." Of the series: useless to advertise special coffees at aperitif time."
Special thanks to journalist Andrea Mongilardi and the editorial staff of Bargiornale for permission to publish.
