Most shop windows are designed to suit the theme or the style of the shop and regularly change during the different seasons. Shop windows don’t necessarily have to be attractive or pretty because these things are not the main aspect that intrigues a customer to enter the shop. The most effective shop windows are the ones that are interesting, unique and make the customer interested in what the shop is selling.

Recently, I went to take a look at different shop windows along one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets, Oxford Street. Oxford Street attracts a number of customers each day and this is due to its variety of shops catering to people with all different price ranges and styles. There are a wide variety of shop windows along the street, some more appealing than others; yet all effective in attracting customers.

The theme of summer was prevalent among the shops that catered mainly to females. These shop windows were bright and colourful and showcased the ‘most-have’ clothes and accessories for the summer. These included sunglasses, light dresses and skirts, breezy tops, spacious trousers, and stylish sandals. If the mannequins  did not look trendy in the clothes then customer would most likely not want to buy the clothes for fear that it won’t look good on them either.

The Top Shop, shop window was one that I found quite interesting because I liked the bright colours that were used and the way that they positioned the mannequins to make them seem more life like and have a personality. However, it was the paint that they put around the mannequins eyes that appealed to me because it was unusual and unique and eye-catching. Although this was something that I liked and attracted me to the shops, for others it could have been something that they didn’t like because it was quite extravagant and flamboyant and therefore made them not want to enter the shop.

If a shop window goes over the top or looks too cluttered it can deter customers; however, if you’re shop window is too bare or even empty then customers won’t see what you have to offer. It is important to get the right balance. The Zara shop on Oxford Street, which is one of the popular high street fashion stores, decided that for this season they would not have anything in their shop window and would instead promote that they are on sales by having a sales sign in the shop window instead. I felt that just telling me you are on sales was not enough to interest me in going into the shop as there was nothing in the shop window for me to see what sort of clothes they would be selling.

Overall, the shop window is an effective way of getting people into a shop as it lets the clothes and the style do the talking. Although it’s hard to design a shop front to suit everybody’s taste, it’s important that it showcases the best in the shop and makes people want to come in and see what else they have to offer.

                               
By Demi Dabor-Alloh