Increasing Retail Sales : Strategic Fashion Buying Through Visual Merchandising

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In the midst of planning your seasonal buying strategy, consideration must be given to the strategic significance of window displays and product placement in stores. The store layout plays a pivotal role in shaping the customer journey and optimizing retail sales. A really good exercise is to visit your competitors stores and analyse the product placement and layout. From the window displays to the front facing fixtures and products used at the store entrance and following where these may be repeated though out the store. Take note of what you see and are presented with – When doing comp shops as a buyer this is a really good way to see what each store is promoting and how they are communicating this to their customers. It’s a great way to get inspirational and ideas that you can apply to your strategy.

The psychology of product placement begins the moment a potential customer looks at your store window. The window displays capture attention from the storefront or street. Having a compelling display is not just for showcasing the latest products but also about communicating with your target customers. The products selected and showcased for display are part of a larger strategy and thought process planned in advance. The display will be relevant for the season, feature upcoming trends, and the specific products you want draw attention to. Products featured in the window can draw customers in specifically with a purchase intent.

Navigating the Customer Journey extends beyond the buying process for fashion buyers; A well-thought-out store layout is your silent sales person, guiding your customers and influencing their decisions. When planning seasonal ranges, your product placement decision must align with the layout to maximize the ?impact in influencing consumer choices. Your customers do not want to embark on a treasure hunt to find their way around your shop floor. There is a reason why the bakery section is placed to the front of a supermarket – the smell of freshly baked croissants and bread is hard to resist !! likewise the positioning of promotional items can attract a customer to have a closer look but make it clear what you are offering.

Some of the key considerations for optimising your products placements are:

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Cross-Merchandising: Group complementary items together to encourage additional purchases, such as pairing accessories with clothing items. When planning you range make sure you are thinking about the tops to bottom sales ratios and make it easy for your customers to mix and match these items easily to create outfits.

Seasonal Transitions: The ?transition between seasonal ranges, can always be a challenge to merchandise. It is important to keep store looking? fresh offering a shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and excited. Again this should be considered at the time of range planning and colour and product selection. It needs to be intentional and not left to chance or hope that the instore visual merchandisers can solve the problem of mis matched ranges

Traffic Flow: Ensure a logical path that effortlessly guides customers through the store, allowing them to explore all the categories and discover new products. Ensure enough space to move freely between fixtures and to allow the products to breathe.

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Hotspots: Identify key within the store for product placement that will drive sales. These spots are usually strategically placed to capture attention. More recently the point of sale area has been designed to grab the attention of customers and drive impulse purchases. In grocery store this is usually for sweets and chocolate while in retail stores this works well for hosiery , accessories or beauty products

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When developing seasonal buying strategies, never underestimate the power of window displays, strategic product placements, and a well-designed floor plan to showcase your products and drive sales. As fashion buyers, these decisions hold the key to optimizing retail sales and creating an memorable customer journey. Use visual merchandising strategically not just to sell products but to create customer friendly sales environment. Your strategic decisions and input ?in window displays, product placements, and store layouts can drive sales, foster brand loyalty, and keep customers engaged and excited.