Expert advice – How to perfect a window display

 

This is the fundamental question that all retailers face, and as an independent you can be slightly more prudent with your decision.

The High Street at the moment is awash with stores having a 50%/3 for 2/ and one day spectacular events,
Long gone are the days when retailers went into sale just twice in the year: Summer and Boxing Day.
Customers would queue for hours outside to catch the bargains and in those days retailers really did lead the way with the consumers spending.

Today however consumers are flexing their spending muscles and demanding more, the large multiples are sitting on too much stock and are panicking at the publicity in the media around their bad buying decisions.

An independent can react quicker if they have a slow selling product by having a permanent sale area or even by becoming a discount store.

You must be clear with a sale window what is in the sale, if the slogan says: ‘50% off’ the consumer will assume that this is for everything in the store.  If this is not the case it must be shown clearly in the marketing for example:   

• Selected items only
• Those indicated with a red label
• Â£5 off all stock with this label

Top Tips:

1. Clear uncluttered windows, less is more.

2. Do not write on windows with white pens, it looks cheap.

3. Buy sale signs from Morplan or other display stores, homemade signs are tacky.

4. Be selective, do not panic and show all to the customer – Next leads the way in building the sale suspense.

5. Watch the High Street, but remember Sale is another promotion on the calendar and needs to be treated as such.

6. Merchandise the stock daily within the store to be kept fresh.

7. Sale does generate interest as their will always be a bargain customer out there, but you need to be clever with your stock layout, outfit ranges, but price and product.

8. Have a clear deadline when you will finish the sale and keep to it.

9. Inform all your sales staff about the sale, they are your main selling asset to ‘keep those tills ringing’

10. Don’t believe all the hype the media is producing, yes the High Street is in trouble but the independents are trading well, remember small is beautiful!

 

Paula Arkell M.A Retail Consultant