In this five-week series, retail strategists and instructors at
RCI’s Merchandising Boot Camp, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, of KIZER & BENDER, share
important areas of your retail space that can either set your business up for
sales success or failure. As the last part of this series, we’re sharing how
slowing shoppers down can increase sales.
In a previous post, we learned about the “decompression
zone,” which is the space within a five-foot radius of the entrance. Just
beyond this space, front and center on your sales floor, is where you should
position your “speed bump” displays. Speed bumps are used to slow customers
down and refocus them on shopping. These displays can also be used to set the
stage for what shoppers can expect to see while browsing the rest of the store.
Use a single, small table or cluster a few together for a bigger
impact. Add product from different departments to create fun-to-shop, “I have
to have that!” displays. Change your speed bumps once a week, whether they need
it or not. Remember, this display is a BIG part of your store’s
ambiance.
Overall, it is important to keep your sales floor fresh. Get a
blank calendar and preplan your merchandising moves. Check your 10-second
impression daily, again, change your speed bumps at least once a week, tweak
your lake-front
property frequently and change your window displays on a monthly basis.
Refresh your entire sales floor at least once every quarter, making changes to
customer flow as necessary. And have fun!
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