VISUAL MEANING

Relating to the sense of sight.

MERCHANDISING MEANING
Merchandising is a marketing
practice in which the brand or
image from one product or
service is used to sell another
 VISUAL
MERCHANDISING?
• Coordination of physical elements
in place of business, so that its project the right
image to its customers

• Change a “passive looker into active buyers”

• Responsible for total merchandise

• Overall business image

• Placements of design elements

Contd……..

It is the activity and profession of developing

the floor plans and three dimensional displays
in order to maximize their sales

The display of products which makes them

appealing and attractive

It utilizes displays, colors, lighting ,smells and

sounds
 PURPOSE OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
The purpose is to attract ,engage,
motivate the customers towards making a
purchase

Both goods and services can be displayed to

highlight their features and benefits
 PRINCIPLES OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Make it easier for the customer to
locate the desired category and merchandise

Make it easier to self select

Make it possible to coordinate and accessorize

Educate about the product in an effective and
creative way

Make proper arrangements in such a way to

increase the sale of unsought goods
 IMPORTANCE OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Purposes are to sell products and
promote store image

Should always try to be different,

new, and creative

Change a “passive looker” into an “active buyer”

Enhances brand image

Generates impulse sales

Overall business image

VISUAL MERCHANDISING
SUCCESS FACTORS
 ERRORS TO AVOID IN
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Too much signage
Confusing traffic patterns
Too much propping
Disconnection between exterior
window and store contents
Poor lighting
No point of view
Inconsistency in visual
executions
 OBJECTIVES OF A
GOOD STORE DESIGN
Design should:

be consistent with image and strategy

positively influence consumer
behavior
consider costs versus value
be flexible
recognize the needs of the disabled –
The Americans with Disabilities Act
 OBJECTIVES OF THE
STORE ENVIRONMENT
 Get customers into the store

 Serves a critical role in the store

selection process

 Important criteria include cleanliness, labeled prices,

accurate and pleasant checkout clerks, and well-
stocked shelves

 The store itself makes the most significant and last

impression

 Once they are inside the store, convert them into

customers buying merchandise

 The more merchandise customers are exposed to that

is presented in an orderly manner, the more they tend
to buy
 APPAREL WALL
PRESENTATION
OF THE MERCHANDISE
INCORRECT
Fashion apparel wall presentation. In the
correct example, formal balance is achieved
by creating a mirror image of garment on
both sides of a center line. This does not
occur in the incorrect example
INCORRECT
In this, Informal balance is achieved because
an equal amount of space is filled on either
side of a centre line. This does not occur in
the incorrect example.
MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION
The ways goods are hung,
placed on shelves, or
otherwise made available
to customers

Shoulder-out
Only one side shows

Face-forward
Hanging garment so
full front faces viewer
METHODS OF DISPLAY
Shelving

Hanging

Folding

Pegging

Dumping
SHELVING HANGING

PEGGING
FOLDING DUMPING
Displayed MERCHANDISE
 Should be current
 Represent styles and lines
 Should be well stocked
 In demand
 New (inform customers of what
is available)
 Encourage additional purchases
 Promote current theme
 Look good on display
 ELEMENTS IN
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
 ELEMENTS

STORE STORE MERCHANDISE

FRONT INTERIOR DISPLAY

STORE STORE
LAYOUT SPACE
1. STORE FRONT
The exterior of a business. It includes:
1. Signs
2. Marquee
3. Entrances
4. Window Display
SIGNS
There are four different types of
signs are:
1.Promotional Signs
2.Location signs
3.Institutional signs
4.Informational signs
PROMOTIONAL SIGNS
For off-price events or specials.
LOCATION SIGNS
For direction to specific departments
INSTITUTIONAL SIGNS
Signs for the store policies
INFORMATIONAL SIGNS
For product related benefits/
features/ prices etc.
 MARQUEE
The sign that is used to display the store name
 ENTRANCES
Designed with customer
convenience and store security in
mind.

There are several types of

entrances each portraying a certain
image
TYPES OF ENTRANCES
Revolving – up scale stores

Push-Pull – full service stores often with

fancy handles

Electronic – Self-serve stores, with carts

such as Wal-Mart, Meijer, Kroger.

Climate Controlled – shopping malls.

WINDOW DISPLAYS
The store’s FIRST IMPRESSION with
the customer.

Begin the selling process even before

the customer enters the store.

Suggests the type of merchandise

carried in the store
 TYPES OF WINDOW DISPLAYS
1. Promotional – promote the sale of
one or more items by using special
lighting and /or props.
Skiwear with fake snow for accents
 TYPES OF WINDOW DISPLAYS
2. Institutional – promote store
image rather than specific items.
Designed to build customer good
will, show that the business is
interested in the community
 STORE INTERIOR
Affects the store’s image
Includes items such as:
Floor & wall coverings
Lighting
Colors
Fixtures
It is important to create a relaxing,
comfortable place for customers to
shop
Customers shop longer & are more
relaxed and spend more when they
are not pressed by crowds, delays &
long lines
FLOOR & WALL COVERINGS
LIGHTINGS
Used to direct customer’s attention
to the display and creates mood.

-Use more light for dark colors, less light for light
colors .

-Beam spread; the diameter of the circle of light.

BEAM SPREAD TECHNIQUES

Flood lightning
Spot lightning
Pinpointing
 FLOOD LIGHTING
Ceiling lights to direct lights over an
entire wide display area.
SPOT LIGHTING
Focuses attention on specific areas
or targeted items of merchandise
PINPOINTING
focuses a narrow beam of light on
a specific item
 COLOURS
Color selection
should be perfect.
Help to make
merchandise look more
interesting.
Color schemes help to
create moods.
Capture shoppers
attention.
Example: in Christmas displays only
complementary color scheme i.e. reds and
greens are placed next to each other in setting
as no other scheme can accomplish this
 STORE FIXTURES
To make store’s wall merchandisable, wall usually
covered with a skin that is fitted with vertical columns of
notches.
TYPES OF FIXTURES
 Most common types of
fixtures:
 Stands
Platforms and Elevations
Round rack
Bin
T-Stand
Four way faceout
STANDS
Used in a variety
or assortment
window- from
glass line to the
back of the display
window
PLATFORMS & ELEVATIONS
Platforms or Elevations can be tables and other
pieces of furniture that can be used to raise up a
mannequin, a form or arrangement of merchandise
 ROUND RACKS
Circular racks on which garments are
hung around the entire circumference
 BIN
A rimmed table or bin used to hold sale or special
merchandise on the sales floor, especially in discount
operations; it has no formal arrangement
T-STAND
Freestanding, two-way stand in the shape of
a T, that holds clothes on hangers, sometimes
with one straight Arm and one waterfall
FOUR -WAY STAND
A fixture with four extended arms, that permits
accessibility to hanging merchandise all the way
around
2. STORE LAYOUT
 The way the floor space is
used to facilitate and promote
sales and best serve the
customer
TYPES OF FLOOR SPACE
1. Selling Space
2. Merchandising Space
3. Personnel Space
4. Customer Space
SELLING SPACE
Includes:
Interior displays
Sales demonstration areas
Sales transaction areas
(wrap desk)
 MERCHANDISE SPACE
Allocated to items that are kept
in inventory
Selling floor
Stock room area
 PERSONNEL
Space for SPACE
employees:
break rooms
lockers
restrooms
CUSTOMER SPACE
Comfort and convenience of
customers:
Restaurants
Dressing rooms
Lounges
Restrooms
Recreation area for children
Stores are competing more & more in these
areas

Allocating more dollars and space for

customer convenience than ever before
 Once the floor space has been
allocated, management & visual
personnel spend a lot of time
planning the effective use of the
space.
VISUAL DECISIONS
What product are to go where

Agencies – what products should be next

to each other

Where to put seasonal merchandise such

as coats, swimwear and Christmas items

Traffic patterns
FLOOR LAYOUT
STRAIGHT FLOOR
LAYOUT
(Best
GRIDused
DESIGN)
in retail environments in
which majority of customers shop the
entire store

Can be confusing and frustrating as it

is difficult to see over the fixtures to
other merchandise
STRAIGHT FLOOR
LAYOUT ( GRID DESIGN)
Forcing customers to back of large store
may frustrate and cause them to look
elsewhere

Most familiar examples for

supermarkets and drugstores
DIAGONAL FLOOR LAYOUT
Good store layout for self-service type
retail stores

Offers excellent visibility for cashier

and customers

Movement and traffic flow in the

store is smooth
ANGULAR FLOOR LAYOUT
( CURVING/LOOP –
RACETRACK DESIGN)
Best used for high-end stores

Curves and angles of fixtures and walls

makes for more expensive store design

Soft angles create better traffic flow

throughout the retail store
GEOMETRIC FLOOR
LAYOUT (SPINE DESIGN)

Is a suitable store design for clothing and

apparel shops.

Uses racks and fixtures to create

interesting and out- of- the – ordinary type
of store design without a high cost.
MIXED FLOOR
LAYOUT
(FREE FLOW DESIGN)
Incorporates the straight, diagonal
and angular plans

Helps generates the most functional

store design

Layout moves traffic towards walls

and back of the store
 Storage, Receiving, Marketing

Underwear
Dressing Rooms

Tops
Accessories

Hats and Handbags

Checkout counter
Stockings

Clearance Items

Tops
Pants
Casual Wear

Skirts and Dresses

Feature Feature
Jeans

Open Display Window Open Display Window

3. MERCHANDISE DISPLAYS
They are part of the general store interior

Displays generate 1 out of 4 sales

They enable the customer to make a selection

without personal assistance
KINDS OF DISPLAYS
1. Closed Displays
2. Open Displays
3. Architectural Display
4. Point-of-Purchase
5. Store Decorations
CLOSED DISPLAYS
Look but don’t touch
Require sales person assistance
Expensive or fragile merchandise
Jewellery cases
OPEN DISPLAY
Handle merchandise without a
salesperson

Self-service

Used for most clothing

 ARCHITECTURAL
DISPLAYS
Actual room setting

Furniture
POINT-OF-PURCHASE
Promote impulse buying

Items at the register

Batteries
Candy
Magazines
 STORE
DECORATIONS
 Decorations for holidays such as
Christmas, Halloween and
Valentine’s Day
Interior displays use fixtures
and props to showcase
merchandise

Props are generally

classified as decorative or
functional
PROPS
Objects added that
support the theme
of the display
 TYPES OF PROPS
Functional Props - practical items for holding
merchandise such as mannequins and shirt
forms

Decorative Props -Only purpose is to enhance

merchandise. Items such as trees, tables, cars.

Structural Props -used to support functional

and decorative props and change the physical
makeup of displays. (boxes, rods, stands,
stairways, etc)
FUNCTIONAL PROPS
DECORATIVE PROPS
STRUCTURAL PROPS
IMPORTANCE OF
INTERIOR DISPLAYS
Show the customer what’s new
Show customer how to put together a
total look
A good display helps create multiple sales
Customers want to look like the
display
Customers want you to show them
what to wear
 INTERIOR
OftenDISPLAYS
convey a common theme
through out the store
 Animal prints, patriotic theme
 Used to tell a color story
Contd……..

The large display in a store including the

mannequins & wall displays are usually
set up by visual department

Small table displays and fixture top

displays are usually set up & maintained
by the individual department staff

 It is important to change departmental

displays frequently
INTERIOR DISPLAY LOCATIONS
Should be chosen to maximize
merchandise exposure
Just inside store entrance
At entrances to
departments
Near cash/wrap counter
Next to related items
By elevators and escalators
Open-to-mall areas
WHEN TO CHANGE THE
DISPLAYS?
When new merchandise comes in
Just to change around the pieces of a
group that has been on the floor for
awhile
Gives the group a new look
The same customers walk through
your department every week – you
want it to look fresh

You want to give them a reason to

buy
 WHAT TO USE FOR
SUCCESSFUL DISPLAYS?
Mannequins
Alternatives to mannequins
Fixtures
Props
 TYPES OF
MANNEQUINS
Realistic
Semi realistic
Abstract
Semi-abstract
Headless
REALISTIC
MANNEQUIN
Resembles the
everyday person
rather than a movie
star.
SEMI REALISTIC

Is like realistic
mannequin,
But its makeup is
more Decorative
& stylized.
ABSTRACT
Is concerned with creating an overall effect
rather than reproducing natural lines and
proportions. Features such as elbows, fingernails
are rarely indicated.
SEMI ABSTRACT
Is more stylized than
the semi-realistic
mannequin and its
feature may be
painted or suggested
rather than defined.
HEADLESS:
Has a full-size or Semi-
realistic body with
Arms and legs but no
Head. It offers no
personality or image.
 ALTERNATIVES TO
MANNEQUINS
Three quarter forms
Articulated artist’s figures
Dress forms and suit forms
Drapers
Hangers
Lay down techniques
Pin up techniques
Flying techniques
THREE-QUARTER
FORMS:

Representation of a
part of the Human
anatomy, such as the
Torso, the bust or the
area from Shoulder
to waist or from hips
to ankles.
ARTICULATED ARTIST’S FIGURES
based on small wooden miniatures used by
artists and designers to get correct
proportions and poses for figure drawing
when live model is not available
DRESS FORMS AND SUIT FORMS
INFLATABLES

Are life-sized “balloons”

That stimulate parts of
The human anatomy.
Most resembles the
Lower half of the body &
is used to show jeans &
pants.
DRAPER
Was a simple,
uncomplicated
and often
underused
alternative to
mannequin
HANGERS
Simple hanger can be an
alternative to the mannequin.
Hangers can either be hung by
invisible wire from a ceiling grid
or it can be hung from a look that
extends from a wall or panel.
PINUP TECHNIQUES
Makes use of a panel, wall
Or some vertical surface onto which a Garment can be
pinned, shaped & Dimensional zed.
LAY-DOWN TECHNIQUE
Involves the folding, pleating and placement of garment next
To garment or accessories next to featured garment.
FLYING TECHNIQUES
merchandise is pulled, Stretched or pulled
the garment into abstract Shapes that
present an angular and crisp presentation.
ATMOSPHERICS
The design of an environment via:
visual communications
lighting
color
sound
scent
To stimulate customers’ perceptual and
emotional responses and ultimately
influence their purchase behavior
 VISUAL
COMMUNICATIONS
Name, logo and retail identity

Institutional signage

Directional, departmental and category

signage

Point-of-Sale (POS) Signage

Lifestyle Graphics
CONTD…..

Coordinate signs and graphics

with store’s image
Inform the customer
Use signs and graphics as props
Keep signs and graphics fresh
Limit sign copy
Use appropriate typefaces on signs
Create theatrical effects
SOUND AND SCENT
Sound
Music viewed as valuable marketing tool
Often customized to customer demographics - AIE
(http://www.aeimusic.com)
Can use volume and tempo for crowd control

Scent
Smell has a large impact on our emotions
Victoria Secret, The Magic Kingdom, The Knot Shop
Can be administered through time release
atomizers or via fragrance-soaked pellets placed on
light fixtures
CASE STUDY
Adidas
 Adidas

• Effectiveness : The display of upside down

women signifies the freedom and
independency of women which will motivate
them to walk in the store.

• Why did it work : It forces female customers

to ponder what the store holds for them.
Marks & Spencer
 Marks & Spencer

• Clarity of thought : The window display clearly

shows that the sale season is going on for the
apparels and accessories offered by the store.

• Creativity : The red color is used to indicate sale

period which can be discovered from a far
distance. Red colour is psychologically attached to
the customers; it portrays excitement/ impulse
purchase decisions
• Effectiveness : A customer interested would surely
walk-in to avail the discounts as the display is
shouting out for the sale season.

• Why did it work : The entire display used the red

color tints and shades indicating sales period & also
providing an opportunity to avail extra reduction. The
big banners as well as mannequins wearing similar
t-shirts talking about sale are also very helpful
 CONCLUSION

Visual merchandising is first and foremost

strategic activity.
Put your best-selling merchandise in your best-
selling space.
If you only do one thing with your store, make it
professional.
The storefront, tell the right story about what kind
of merchandise is available
Invest proper signage to take your store to the
next level.
 BIBLOGRAPHY
www.textilescommittee.nic.in
www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.visualstore.com
www.slideshare.com
Fashion: from concept to consumer
1999- frings, gini stephen
Visual merchandising and display fifth
edition – martin
 ANY
QUESTIONS?
Hamstech offers Certificate
Course in Styling & Visual
Merchandising
 Contact for more details
Hamstech Institute of Fashion & Interior Design
II, III & IV Floor, R.K. Plaza, Punjagutta 'X' Road, Punjagutta,
Hyderabad - 82 India
Phone :+91-40-66684994, +91-40-66684995
eMail : info@hamstech.com
www.hamstech.com