Terrific Trading

Merchandising

that Works

a presentation

by Jan Collins

of

Terrific Trading

Jan Collins is a trainer, facilitator and consultant. She develops and delivers programs in leadership, merchandising, selling, handling difficult customers, customer service, management and personal development for retail and many other service organisations.

You can contact Jan at Terrific Trading by phone on 0409114613

Email:

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1

Welcome to this workshop.

We need to make sure this workshop is a worthwhile investment of your time so here are some important points:

The workshop will build on the skills you already have, please share your experiences with your colleagues.

We are specialists in our particular field but you are the experts when it comes to your area and the people you encounter on a daily basis. Your active involvement will ensure the session is relevant for you.

Our style is personal and very practical.

This workshop will be action based but you won't be singled out or embarrassed.

Relax and get ready for a session that is interesting, thought provoking and most of all fun.

CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS

1What are you famous for? What picture is generated in people’s minds when your name is mentioned?

2.Why do customers buy from you rather than the competition?

3. Do you have procedures and systems to help maintain a high standard of presentation? Do you have checklists to keep everyone on track?

4.What does the exterior and entry to your centre look like?

5. Do people have easy access to your centre?

6. What can customers see from the door?

7. Does it make customers curious about the rest of the centre?

1. Is the centre well lit and are displays highlighted?

1. Is your counter and brochure area drawing customers through

the centre?

10. Do customers tend to shop the whole floor or do they miss certain

areas?

11. Are the five traffic flow promoters in the right positions?

1. Can you change the fixtures so that they lead customers into the centre and expose the maximum number of customers to the maximum amount of your merchandise?

13.Where are your hot spots and how are you using them?

14.Is your merchandise easy to find?

15.Is every square metre of your centre earning its living?

16.Do your displays attract, inform and sell?

17.Are your displays built using a pyramid format, and are you using

colour and shape?

18.Are you in control of your shelving?

1. Is your stock positioning maximising sales and profit?

20.Does your merchandise look better than the price tag?

21.Ticketing – are your tickets working hard enough for you?

22.Are your signs customer friendly and do they reinforce your

brand?

1. What is the main reason for particular lines being slow sellers?

1. What can you do about slow moving merchandise?

1. Do you have at least eight buying criteria for the merchandise you intend to buy for your centre?

Action Plan

Image

External FactorsUp to StandardImprovements

Yes/no

Internal FactorsUp to StandardImprovements

Yes/no

Merchandising and the Average Sale

One method you can use to measure the effectiveness of your merchandising is the average sale per customer. Of course there are many other ways of measuring productivity but none is as easy to use. It is calculated by dividing the dollar turnover of the merchandise, by the number of transactions.

What is your current average sale per customer?

What would you like it to be?

Improving your sale per customer

• Suggest add-on items
• Display add-on items effectively
• Merchandise add-on items adjacent to original purchase wherever possible.
• Use the service desk for impulse items.
• Ensure the team’s product knowledge of add-ons is spot on.

In a group develop a plan for increasing your sale per customer by a percentage

Key Elements in Visual Display

The key elements in creating an effective visual display are

• Developing a Theme

• The patterns of display that you decide to use.

Developing Themes

This enhances the overall look of the practice and adds to the atmosphere.It is always wise to centre your visual display plans around a theme, not only does it give your displays more impact ,but it makes them easier to plan.

Patterns of display

The main purpose of a display is to gain a response from the viewers.

Their responses, positive or negative, are significantly influenced by their emotional reaction to what they see. These reactions are in turn influenced by colour, lighting and placement of goods. Balance and focus are two key principles in determining how merchandise is placed; so too are shape and line.

We respond to shapes and lines in specific ways. All things in nature give us particular feelings - the curve of waves, the shape of tall sturdy trees and the ever increasing circles when a stone hits water - all evoke an emotional reaction. Successful display people use these reactions to their advantage.

For example look at the two rectangles below. They are the same size, the only difference being the side they are sitting on.

Which of these gives a feeling of strength, power and energy? Most people feel the upright shape that gives that feeling. Use people’s reactions to shape to your display’s advantage. In this case, when building a display to convey strength and energy, use the upright rectangular shape.

Patterns of Arrangement

Listed below are several typical shapes and the common emotional responses to them. These shapes can either be incorporated into the display design or used as part of the backdrop to enhance the display picture. Remember shape alone will not achieve the desired result… balance and focus must also be considered.

Triangle

• traditionally the strongest shape for display

• conveys a feeling of stability and weight

• lifts the eye towards the apex (the focus)

Pyramid

A three dimensional triangular shape with a broad base that tapers to a point

• easy to construct

• allows mass display

• suitable for most merchandise

Radiation

Elements are spread out like rays from a central point

• dominant feature is the centre (focus)

• can be used in part e.g. a fan shape

Steps

Progressively increasing or decreasing height

• gives a feeling of motion

• moves the eye from one point to another

• maintains interest.

Zig - Zag

Begins at a broad base and zig-tags to the top

• best used in light, open displays

• limit to three major groups

Repetition

Use the same shape aligned in the same manner.

• Can have great impact

• use different colours, different heights to avoid monotony

Overlap

Placement of elements in the display to overlap each other.

unites or joins items in a group

• the eye continues through the whole pattern

• can aid balance

Dominance

One idea or item is given prominence. Achieved by making it larger or stronger in colour.

provides focal point for display

• can balance with a number of smaller items

Other practical factors to consider in display

Neatness

This is usually the poor relation of display . The term covers such vital requirements as careful execution of design, tidy arrangements of articles and groups of articles and cleanliness of the entire contents of the display area. Cleanliness is absolutely necessary. Dust, damaged merchandise, fingerprints on fixtures, display material frayed or worn - all of these constitute serious defects in any display.

It should be so neat that even the critical eye of the expert will be unable to discover the slightest shortcoming.

Sometimes an insignificant defect will detract from your selling message. Always stand back from your display and look it over carefully.

Displays can be time consuming , by using the principles as outlined you can create a display that sells , quickly and easily.

1. Display points must be clean inside and out, top to bottom.

1. Ensure all props are fresh and clean

1. Check to ensure supports for props are concealed.

1. Extension cords must be concealed or run neatly along the wall.

2017 Terrific Trading Pty Ltd Phone: 08 9312 1075