After working in the retail industry for 15+ years, I have personally run into my own unique set of opportunities and common misses in the Visual Merchandising world. Here are those opportunities and misses, and how I believe you should take advantage of them if I was in your shoes!
Read MoreIn Visual Merchandising, there are two types of presentation styles that speak to the wants and needs of customers: Lifestyle and Commodity-Driven Merchandising. In this blog post, we’ll dive into details about the benefits of each presentation style so you can understand why they matter in your annual sales and marketing plan, and how they can improve your customers’ overall shopping experience.
Read MoreWhen some people hear the words “visual merchandising,” they usually get confused or flustered. They may know it's an important retail term, but not sure exactly what it is, how to do it well, or where to even start. Let’s start here!
Read MoreIs it really worth thinking about creative visual merchandising in these areas, if the retail component is not the bulk of the business?
It's true that most of the retail businesses out there don't have a large visual merchandising component. But if you're one of those businesses, it doesn't mean that you can't benefit from thinking about creative visual merchandising.
Read MoreIt is that time of the year again! We are entering the season of goodwill, and we all feel like spreading it. Whether you do it for commercial, social or even environmental reasons, local markets seem like an obvious choice for spreading the holiday spirit, especially if you are a small business owner. In Toronto we are also lucky enough to have a number of small markets that pop up in our neighborhoods in December.
So, how can vendors make the most of each market’s potential in terms of creative visual merchandising and event design?
Read MoreTrade Shows provide plenty of opportunities for business owners to grow their brand- but only if they know how to use these opportunities. It's not enough to have a booth with your company name on it - you need to engage prospective customers, make them want more of what you offer and make them love your brand before they go back home. Trade Shows are also an excellent opportunity for brands to gain valuable feedback from participants on new items/services.
Read More… adding decorative props is one of the last phases of creating your holiday set-up. Consider it the cherry on top. To strategize your visual merchandising set-ups for Holiday 2022 in a way that will really make an impact on your holiday sales, let’s start from the very beginning, which is always the ORGANIZATION.
Read MoreVisual merchandising is a retail necessity that is often absorbed into regular staff responsibilities in small businesses, who don’t have the budget nor the need to hire a merchandiser full-time. What this often means is that it is not quite given the full focus, or it is being handled by someone who is inexperienced and lacking the proper VM knowledge.
Read MoreThis is the fight between what is practical (and safe) in a domestic setting vs. how you would love to stage something for the sake of presentation. Keep in mind: in a store, the visuals should tie into boosting sales. In a domestic setting, since this does not apply, it’s more about romancing the setting for your own visual pleasure.
Read MoreSo if VM ID is in reference to a Visual Merchandising identity, what does that mean exactly? Similar to how a logo is the label of a brand image, the visual merchandising is also a part of its culture. Whether there are multiple locations that need a common thread or a single store needs to reinforce its brand image, visual merchandising impacts the customer’s perception of how established the brand is, how shoppable the store is, the value of the products, and its supports of its operational needs.
Read MoreWe are starting to see an end to the quiet period for some, and we all need to think about how we will need to adapt for new consumer behaviours and needs. What could this mean for Visual Merchandising? Well, considering VM is meant to be communicating a message, there are several messages that are imperative to communicate to customers as they start coming back into our spaces. Many of these messages are true for online marketing as well:
Read MoreToo many are ignoring the significance of "experiential retail" because it sounds overwhelming to them. It doesn't need to be what you think.
The three most common terms you’ve probably hearing in the retail world are:
Read MoreAs we (or you - as retail owners) are deeply in the busiest time of year, it's important to take full advantage to benefit the rest of the year! Don't forget to stop, observe, think, document and learn all that you can!
Read the list below for what to capture during this time.
What should the “Holiday Season” look like? How do we romance and charm without offending anyone? Sometimes trying too hard to cater to everyone results in catering to no one.
Read MoreAs we have proudly been working on design projects for the Toronto Christmas Market and the One of a Kind Show, booth design is on the very top of our minds during this time of year!
What is our thinking process when designing these spaces? It really depends on whether there is an existing design or we are starting from scratch! Here are the factors we consider:
In a world where many of us suffer from F.O.M.O. (Fear of Missing Out), retailers can certainly use this to their advantage by capitalizing on the love for the temporary through the pop-up experience.
Read MoreWe’ve been advising everyone to plan the Visual Merchandising of a space for the LAZIEST customer, we should be strategizing for the BUSIEST customer. Because the busy customers are the ones who are actually open to purchasing, but truly put the impact of your retail presentations to the test. Here’s why and how:
Read MorePlanning month-to-month and even week-to-week in retail is certainly understandable. And that’s because we must be reactive to sales results and consumer shopping behaviours. However, it is important to also be proactive, which is where the ANNUAL FOCUS CALENDAR comes into play.
Read MoreHow do our clients go about their visual merchandising actions in between our touch points with them? Although this is a part of our 1-on-1 training sessions, here are the steps to ensure you are making maximum productivity of your own time spent merchandising:
Read MoreIn case you missed the webinars on these two VM topics presented for CanGift's audience, here they are, ready for your viewing convenience!
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