This week’s post is a must read for candy retailers looking for a merchandising refresh as holiday shopping and festivities begin to pick up speed. Past RCI President Adele Malley and founder of Malley’s School of Merchandising shares expert merchandising quick tips designed to sell more product and maximize your retail space.
- Go up, use the air. Make each column of boxes higher than ever before, however, do not display every collection in columns—it is boring.
- Break up displays by arranging the boxes differently. Plan for low stacks; vertical boxes sloping next to each other; boxes leaning against the high stacks of the same kind and size; put a strong twist on boxes.
- Place gift bags in a stand or container to give them more stability.
- Arrange boxes, around or off-center, from a sample box or picture.
- Present a jumble of smaller, same content boxes in a massive bowl with low sides. The bowl will add depth, dimensions, and the juxtaposition of round versus boxes adds fun and eye interest.
- Intermix different size boxes, for example, half-pound boxes with one-pound boxes, to prevent needing a dedicated space for each.
- If displayed items have the dual purpose of showing and selling, make a run of the look by using two or three boxes as backing for the two or three leaning small boxes placed in front. The expanse will tempt the eye; it will be attractive and very sellable. In front of those boxes, if room, slope boxes on each other for easy selecting.
- Breakup expanses of horizontal views to interest the eye and increase storage and display space. Go up!
- Use shelving to get additional vertical height. One deep shelf will help and can be effective in a short section.
- Create bump-outs to help relieve the eye and create drama. Create a simple, custom display table by cutting a wooden board into a quarter of a half-circle and attach table legs.
- Use cake stands to create elevation in displays. Display a box sample sitting on one or two actual wrapped boxes. The tabletop below surrounds with boxes.
Recreate this look: Give boxes in a column a slight twist and make them easier to pick up. Decide how to use the display. Copy the setup as shown; stretch out the whole presentation or take ideas from it. The round frame, being a different shape, calls attention to itself and brings softness in contrast to the hard box edges.
If you are used to nice and neat stacks of product and clean rows, these tips may seem counterintuitive to you. Adele explained during a Candy Clinic presentation on merchandising that sometimes techniques that look too neat and orderly can actually deter interested buyers, because they don’t want to disrupt the display. Adele recommends giving boxes a “strong twist” makes them easier to pick up and more inviting to shoppers.
We
love that most of these quick tips could be easily incorporated into your
retail display today. You could start by incorporating one tip at a time and easily
have a totally refreshed retail space in no time at all! Consider devoting some
time to watching customers shop your refreshed displays. Involve your staff, by
asking their opinions of the changes and to make note of customer behaviors to
observe their effectiveness. We’d love to hear what tips you’ve incorporated
into your retail space and how well they’ve worked for you on Facebook, by
sharing and tagging us @retailconfectioners.
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