Retail Lab: The Importance of Visual Merchandising
Shopping is visual, and in this week’s Retail Lab, I dive in to how the importance of getting your visual merchandising strategy right goes beyond the window display.
The modern retail landscape is crowded and competitive. With so many brands to choose from and so many similar products on sale, customers are overwhelmed and frustrated as they search for community and connection. One of the best ways brands and retailers can delight customers is still one of the oldest and truest strategies of retail: visual merchandising.
Shopping is a visual activity and it’s an active past time, and customers love to be dazzled. Just look at the excitement around the New York and London Christmas store windows where brands invest millions in the perfect display, or the Vitrines de Nöel in Paris that attract visitors from the world over.
But top tier visual merchandising isn’t just a key consideration for large stores, and it isn’t just a meaningless display in a window; it’s about taking the opportunity to put your best foot forward and entice customers through store layout, storytelling and signage, as well as adverts and marketing campaigns.
Any time you launch a product online or open your store could be the first time a consumer interacts with your brand and it’s a huge messaging opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.
What is visual merchandising?
It’s the art of strategically arranging products in a retail space, whether that’s online or in store, to drive footfall and sales and increase customer satisfaction.
These days, it goes well beyond a window display and includes a website, point of sale signage, in-store photos, signs and labels, store and fitting room layout, and seasonal displays.
Visuals matter and every customer touchpoint should be seen as an opportunity to increase satisfaction.
Why does Visual Merchandising Matter?
Shopping is a visual activity; we seek out products that we connect to, so it’s important that our attention is drawn to the best of what a brand or retailer has to offer.
First impressions matter because it attracts customers and retains their attention, which is the biggest currency in retail;
It gives retailers the chance to strategically highlight the products they want to sell;
Products should be seen at their best, and only the brand or retailer can do that in their own space;
Ease creates a desire to buy and customers want to be shown the best of what a brand or retailer has to offer;
A well planned and executed retail strategy increases online traffic and footfall;
Done right, it also helps with building brand identity through storytelling and forging a connection with the customer;
It guides customers to what is on trend v the essentials they need;
It shows that a retailers care about details, adding value to their offer and giving them a competitive edge;
It creates repeat customers because who doesn’t like to come back to a beautiful space?
The biggest benefit of a sound visual merchandising strategy?
It can create genuine connection, supercharge discovery, and boost sales.
A quick look at the best stores tells us that investment in physical retail spaces is more important than ever if brands want to connect with customers.
On Running does a fabulous job in their stores of educating the customer on the technicalities of running shoes.
Ralph Lauren’s cozy stores tell the brand’s legacy story through the fixtures, fittings, lighting and window displays, bringing the customer in to the world and immediately making them feel at home.
United Colours of Benetton present their brand story through colourful displays, open floor store layouts and windows that showcase the products they are known for.
📌 Takeaway: In all of these examples, brands and retailers are helping customers discover their best products and show them how they fit in to their lives.
Let’s wrap things up
Visual Merchanding should form a key part of any retail strategy; it can provide a window not only on to the products, but also shine a light on the brand ethos and build trust and community.
These elements are critical and with so much competition and so many products, well done visuals can cut through the noise and leave a lasting impression on consumers.