Ankorstart have partnered with Sarah Manning at VMC to offer our retailers support and advice with Visual Merchandising & Window Dressing. Sarah has written these top 10 tips for applying effective Visual Merchandising throughout your store.

1. the visual merchandising principles

My top recommendation to my retailers and students is to obtain an understanding of how to apply the four Visual Merchandising principles, which include the presentation methods Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, Repetition and Alternation. These principles can be applied to your window space, in store Visual Merchandising and to E-Commerce Retail. These principles are my “toolbox” to assisting me with my own Visual Merchandising work! Some retailers may choose to work with a specific principle which would be best suited to their brand style but have in mind that all four principles can be used with any type of merchandise.

Symmetrical – A pyramid, creating a mirror image and balance either side. Top of the pyramid to be positioned at the eyeline level of your customer.

Asymmetrical – A half pyramid graduating either towards the left or right. When using within a window, ensure the graduation takes your customers eye towards the store entrance.

Repetition – The use of odd numbers, groups of 3 being most popular, creating a central focal point. Repeating a consistent pattern.

Alternation – An alternating pattern which assists our customers eyes flow through the composition with ease

2. the window dressing principles

Use the principles, Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, Repetition and Alternation for window dressing and creating displays. However, when applying these principles to product merchandising consider using Symmetrical, Repetition and Alternation only. The Asymmetric principle is not effective within product merchandising due to this being a display method – where merchandise feels too over dressed for the customer to feel comfortable with shopping from a space where this principle has been applied.

3. the eyeline level

When creating your shop window display, consider your customer profile and brand style to create a strong, consistent message for the customer. The average turnaround time scale of a store window is 4-8 weeks, this helps to create regular newness for your customer.

Remember to create impactful eyeline level height within your window, the principles of Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pyramids will help you to achieve this. The top of your pyramid should reach the eyeline of your customer whilst they are passing by your window, this location is referred to as a “focal point.” Your focal point should feature a brand, product, or message which you would like to highlight to your customer first, this is your priority location within your window, a location where your customer will focus upon first.

4. the use of colors

Consider the use of colour within your window. Colours which connect us back to nature or have a positive mood boasting quality have become popular over the past couple of years. I would recommend looking at trend forecasting companies; WGSN and Trend Bible for colour trends and pantone references of the season. I feel using a colour palate of three key colours and using them consistently throughout the display composition always seems to create a stronger impact.

5. connecting your physical and digital window

Connect your physical store window to your digital channels by applying a vinyl QR code on the window front. This will assist with connecting both physical and digital channels and also offer the possibility of 24/7 purchases. Your E-Commerce homepage header banner should act like your digital shop window, so mirror the same campaigns and messages which you are highlighting within your store window within your header banner and social posts.

6. the hot spot

Create a connection to your window campaign by creating a hot spot space at the front of your shopfloor. Your hot spot should be the first location that customers see as they come into your store, most retailers position their hotspots within the central area at the front of their stores.

The hot spot space should mirror the campaign highlighted within your window. Ensure the same range of merchandise is displayed within this area, you can also include any props, signage and POS which are also used within the window to connect the two spaces. Your hot spot should be changed in line with any window changes.

7. wall and table merchandising

It is important that your customers can shop your merchandise with ease and gain inspiration through link selling. My tip to presenting merchandise on a wall bay or table fixture is to consider the Symmetrical layout.

For a wall bay use a variety of equipment; shelving, front hanging bars and side hanging bars and install this creating a Symmetrical template. When creating a Symmetrical formation, it assists our customers to look at a space with ease and for their eye to focus upon the merchandise more effectively when shopping.

For table merchandising, consider creating a pyramid shape, which involves creating central height. This should bring the middle area of the table up to the customers eyeline level. As example, height can be created by using a mannequin bust form, platforms, or wooden crates.

Increase your possibilities of link selling by merchandising associated product lines together, this also helps to create customer inspiration whilst they shop and helps to create ideas of how customers can put or use those products together within an outfit or within their home.

8. the back areas

It can often be a challenge to encourage your customers to shop within the back areas of your shopfloor space! You may have noticed that many retailers position their popular product lines towards the back areas of their store, this would include product lines that they know most of their customers always come into purchase. You will also see service areas located within the back of the store too, these could include changing rooms, click and collect/ customer services and hospitality spaces. Therefore, consider which product lines or departments will draw your customers to the typically quiet back spaces?

Within the front areas of your shopfloor, you should feature your hot spot and new collections, these are product lines that you would like to prioritise highlighting to your customer, but they are not product lines that customers have necessarily come into store to buy.

9. conducting a customer flow exercise

I was introduced to the concept of Customer Flow exercises whilst working within the Visual Merchandising team at Selfridges and I have used this customer mapping exercise within my own work ever since. A customer flow exercise is an extremely helpful exercise to assist with understanding the customer flow within your shopfloor space, it also helps us to re-evaluate where the opportunities are for us to improve upon our store layout and product locations.

The exercise involves us mapping on the customer activity onto a bird’s eye floor plan. I would recommend mapping on the journeys of five customers on your map, using a different coloured pen for each customer. Create a key to mark on the areas where your customers have paused to look at the merchandise and those areas where you saw a product picked up to purchase. Once you have marked on their journeys within your store floorplan, you will notice a pattern. Review your store plan to evaluate if all areas of your shopfloor are being accessed by your customers?

10. the importance of a peaceful ambience

Creating a peaceful ambience in your store has never been more important and we have seen retailers adjusting the ambience within their stores over the past couple of years, which has helped to encourage customers to come back to our high streets to shop. It is important to create a safe space for your customer, somewhere that they will want to spend more time browsing. We have seen a key trend in reconnecting to nature, using more natural colour tones, natural textures, and natural lighting to create a more calming and inviting environment.

Creating a multi-sensory experience for the customer has also been seen across our retailers, where they are not just creating a shopping experience but also a sensory experience for their customers. We have seen an introduction of an increase of hospitality experiences, craft, and mindfulness classes as well as Pop Up Shop retail concepts making their way into stores to combine with the customer’s shopping experience.

These are my current top 10 principles which I discuss on my courses & workshops and apply practically within my retailers’ stores.

Need more tips on running your shop? Check out more articles below:

Finding the perfect property for your store is a significant business decision, as it will be the real-world face of your brand. Whether you’re setting up your first brick-and-mortar store, or expanding, there are certain considerations you need to be clued up on when undertaking your search.

Take a look at the 5 key points to consider and how the team at The Completely Group can assist with their various different services.

Summary: 

• Establish your budget and consider the costs
• Choose your ideal location
• Determine how much space you need
• Evaluate your lease
• Take your time

Establish your budget and consider the costs 

Before looking into potential properties, establish how much you can afford. Budgeting should be a key aspect of your business plan.

Be conservative with your budget, as there will likely be additional unexpected costs that crop up when running your store, and it is better to be prepared for this.

The primary expense will be rent, and whilst it is impossible to predict the exact price before finding a suitable property, looking at the average price in your preferred area will give you a good idea. Currently, London is the most expensive place in the UK to set up a shop, with other major cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds also in the top ten.

It is also important to factor in rent reviews when budgeting long-term, which are typically carried out every 3-5 years. Prices can increase and decrease over time, depending on a multitude of factors, but prepare for your rent to increase just in case.

Business rates are another cost to factor into your budget. This is a tax on non-domestic properties, that are calculated using the property’s rateable value (i.e., their estimated value on the open market). Check whether your business is eligible for small business rate relief – a significant discount for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or less.

Other hidden costs to consider include:

• Deposit
• Agency fees
• Decoration, repairs, and ongoing maintenance
• Building insurance
• Service charges

Choose your ideal location 

Deciding on a location for your store early on is essential, as this will enable you to estimate your budget accurately and narrow down your search results. Consider your target demographic, competitors, transport links and local amenities.There are various ways you can find a property: 

Join Completely Retail at one of their Marketplace events and connect with over 1,600 retail property professionals from across the UK, that have available opportunities and are on hand to have meetings with throughout the day to answer any direct questions, with no obligation.

Next event: 25th April 2023

Location: Old Billingsgate Market, London
More information: https://www.crmarketplace.com/events/london/
Register for your free retailer pass: Completely Retail Marketplace – April 2023

Or browse the vast catalogue of over 14,000 available retail properties at www.completelyretail.co.uk

Determine how much space you need

Whilst it is vital to ensure you have sufficient space, both on the sales floor and in the stock area, you do not want to be paying for surplus space.

Tip: If you are unsure how much space you will need, and have an idea of your sales goals, you can use this formula to estimate the required size of your sales floor:

Gross Sales Volume ÷ Sales per Square Foot = Size of Selling Space

In addition to the sales floor, consider what other rooms you will need to accommodate, such as offices, employee spaces or fitting rooms.

If the goal of your store is to increase brand awareness and e-commerce sales, you could consider reducing your space requirements by creating a showroom experience. Instead of displaying vast amounts of stock on the sales floor, customers would have the opportunity to browse your best sellers and purchase goods online via in-store tablets.

Evaluate your lease 

Once you have narrowed down your search using your budget, location and size, you should have a short list of available properties that would suit your business. So, what next?

Upon viewing and selecting your ideal retail property, it is crucial to understand what type of lease is being offered, and what clauses it involves, as your lease type will determine which costs you and your landlord are responsible for respectively.

In many cases, you may be offered a Full Repairing and Insuring Lease (FRI), which means you are liable for all repairs to the property. In this instance, ensure the property is in good condition before signing anything.

If concerned or unsure, commission a structural survey to double-check everything. This will likely incur an additional cost of approximately £1000, which will be worth it if it saves you money in the long run. If the survey reveals structural issues, make sure the landlord agrees to fix these or exclude them from your liability.

Alternatively, you may be offered an Internal Repairing Lease, whereby the landlord is responsible for structural and external repairs. These sometimes come with a service charge (e.g., in shopping centre units), which you would have to pay on a monthly or quarterly basis, so factor this into your budget if you are considering a property with this lease type.

Within these two main lease types, you as the tenant may or may not also be responsible for a variety of additional costs such as utilities, property tax and building insurance. Understanding your lease before signing is vital, so consult a property lawyer for a professional review if you are unsure about anything.

Rather than signing a lease for 3+ years, you may be considering a short-term lease or licence agreement to experiment with physical retail or test a new product or location with a pop-up store. 

The team at Completely Retail Marketplace hosts a competition whereby you can win a popup space for up to 1 month! It is a great way to trial a physical store, with minimal cost. 

Find out more here

Take your time 

Whilst this list is by no means exhaustive, it has hopefully given you a good idea of the types of factors to consider when searching for retail property.

Choosing a property for your business is not an easy decision and not one to be taken lightly, but with sufficient planning time and knowing which questions to ask, you should be able to close an excellent deal and set up a shop in a property that meets all your requirements.

For more info contact the Completely team at info@completelyevents.com 

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