Visual Merchandising is a new term in the retail sector. Imagine strolling along a commercial area, and you are drawn towards a window display of handbags in a flagship store. The display is so visually appealing that you end up buying a bag or two. Such is the power of Visual Merchandising – the art of displaying products in a visually appealing and desirable way.

Visual Merchandising is synonymous with retail displays, where the primary goal is to attract shoppers and increase sales. Knowing the types and uses of retail displays will help you draw customers to your store and encourage them to buy your products.

Types of Retail Displays That Boost Your Sales Revenue

A retail display plays a vital role in making your visual merchandising strategy a success. A retail display unit in a physical retail space is often the first point of contact between your store and the shopper. Fortunately, there is an abundance of retail display options to choose from. The trick, however, is to know what they are and how each type can serve its purpose.

Generally, retail displays are divided into three categories:

  1. Standalone POP displays
  2. Store shelving displays
  3. Clothing and furniture displays

Let’s explore each type in detail.

Standalone POP displays

POP or Point of Purchase displays often take centre stage in large stores. They are placed in a prominent place away from the traditional displays. Since their presence and placement play a huge role in the store’s visual merchandising strategy, they are carefully designed to make an impact. Here are the most common examples of POP displays you may have seen in retail outlets in your city.

1. Gondola displays

Made with steel frames and pegboards, these are standalone shelving units with adjustable shelves. Gondolas occupy large, open areas in the store and are often stacked with attractive products to grab the shopper’s attention.

2. Dump bins

Want to stock individually packaged products like candies, small stationery items, and trinkets? A dump bin is a large bin which is an ideal model to display small products that provoke impulse buys.

3. Freestanding displays

Similar to dump bins and standalone shelves, freestanding displays can also be interacted with from 360 degrees. These displays have shelves and hooks to store larger products in a more organised manner than dump bins.

4. Window displays

Window displays, also known as window dressings, are popular in all brick and mortar stores. As the name implies, they are used to attractively display products in the windows of retail shops, provoking passersby to purchase them.

5. Countertop displays

Nowadays, you can see countertop displays on checkout counters in most retail outlets and supermarkets. Made of wood, metal, cardboard, or plastic, these displays hold small chocolates, pens, and cosmetic items to encourage last-minute purchases.

6. Banner stands

A banner stand is a standalone sign that brands can place throughout the store to showcase their products or promote a sale.

7. Display cases

Retail display cases are standalone cases covered with glass or clear plastic on all sides to encase products like gold or imitation jewellery. Brands can get personalised display cases to exhibit their unique products in a non-traditional fashion.

Apart from display units, retail stores are now heavily investing in shelving or racking units to stock and display merchandise. Let’s check out the details.

Retail Shelving: The Right Solution For Retail Storage & Display

Retail shelving is the stark opposite of retail displays, which are mostly standalone units. Retail shelving features include:

  • Sturdy and solidly constructed with freestanding steel brackets
  • Adjustable shelves designed with a high load-bearing capacity
  • Single or double-sided shelving to organise the shop floor
  • Shelves, hooks, and baskets that allow neat and visible product display
  • Equipped to categorise the merchandise and easily replenish the stock

It is easy to understand why retail shelving is popular amongst big box stores, grocery outlets and supermarkets. Once fixed, they remain sturdy for a lifetime and display various goods of various shapes, sizes, and weights. And that’s not all. Retail shelving is also the first choice of high-end boutiques of all sizes.

Some of the best examples of retail shelving are:

  • Isle displays

Isle displays are like small islands occupying centre spaces or aisle spaces in large stores. Since they are freestanding, they are accessible from all sides. Some isle displays are designed to rotate for better convenience.

  • On-shelf displays

On-shelf displays are product presentations on the store shelf to showcase new products or highlight information about offers and discounts. Shops used these displays to emphasise a promotion or categorise an assortment.

  • Endcap displays

As the name indicates, they are the shelves fitted to the end of a two-sided retail shelf. These shelves encourage the shopper to pause and inspect the products while moving from one shelf to another.

  • Shelf talkers

These uniquely named shelves are also called “hang tags”. You may have noticed them as promotional signage sticking out at perpendicular angles to aisle shelves.

  • Header cards

Header cards display the various brands, especially if there are similar items on a shelf. They are usually fixed on the shelf tag next to the product’s price.

  • Clip strips

Ideal for cross-merchandising, clip strips are long, vertically hanging strips with hooks for displaying small products.

  • Glorifiers

Glorifiers are small plastic or glass boxes designed to showcase an item or product like jewellery pieces, watches, art objects, perfumes, etc. It is a unique shelf to display one or two items of prominence.

Clothing & Furniture Product Displays

Product displays created for clothes and furniture are distinctly different from grocery store merchandising. These displays are of three types:

  • Garment racks

To accommodate the retail space, garment racks nowadays are available in circular shapes, multiple levels, and shelves.

  • Display tables

Display tables can effectively showcase items grouped to create an outfit along with accessories. You can also display products that can be purchased together as a set, like a dress with matching footwear and handbags.

  • Mannequins

Mannequins have served as visual product representations for years. They’ve adorned both big and small shops alike for ages. Even today, mannequins are still in business, promoting add-on purchases and impulse buys.

So, there you have it- an endless list of display units to exhibit your merchandise with pride. When you are investing in retail displays, always remember to buy them according to your:

  • Product type
  • Customers
  • Creativity

We leave you with a few retail display best practices to refine your visual merchandising strategies.

5 Retail Display Best Practices For Visual Merchandising

1. Use retail displays to deliver a story and help draw customers to new products.
2. Use creative signage to draw the attention of customers and window shoppers.
3. Gain more exposure with endcaps, entryway displays, and freestanding displays.
4. Display small products on table displays and clip strips to highlight them.
5. Use header cards and shelf talkers to enhance your product’s shelf presence.

The trick is to use your retail displays to create a profoundly impactful visual merchandising strategy that will be a crowd puller. You should also choose products that are durable, effective, functional, and attractive. At Donracks, the top rack manufacturer in Coimbatore, you get to choose from an entire array of retail displays. Our products are manufactured with the finest materials and sold at cost-effective prices. Let’s talk business and make Donracks a prominent name in your visual merchandising strategies.

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