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Visual merchandising, or visual presentation, is the art of

implementing effective design ideas to increase store traffic and sales volume.

This area includes store layout and dcor, merchandise presentation, and

displays. The main goal of visual merchandising is to please the senses of theconsumer as they enter and move about the store, which will ultimately,

hopefully, lead to a sale and a positive promotion of store image. It provides

customers with visual information regarding products that are currently

available for sale and new trends. VM uses season based displays to introduce

new arrivals to customers, and thus increase conversions through a planned

and systematic approach by displaying stocks available. Visual merchandising

is a team effort involving management, including the fashion director and the

marketing director; store planners; merchandise managers and buyers; the

visual merchandising director, designers and staff; the sign shop; and theindividual department managers and sales associates. Visual merchandising

can also help to show customers how merchandise can be worn and

accessorized. Recently visual merchandising has gained in importance as a

quick and cost effective way to revamp retail stores. A close sister to visual

merchandising is "retail experience". "Customer experience" looks at the

same issues around product presentation but from the customer perspective,

rather than the retailer perspective. Visual presentation has an advantage

over broadcast and print advertisementsover 60% of all women get their

clothing ideas from store displays.The fashion industry is always changing at

a rapid pace, therefore it is imperative that visual merchandisers are

creative and open to trying new and different ideas. Ongoing planning

is a necessity.

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WHAT IS VISUAL MERCHANDISING?

Visual merchandising, until recently called simply

merchandising, is the activity of promoting the sale

of good especially by

their presentation in

retail outlets. This

includes combining

product, environment,

and space into a

stimulating and engaging

display to encourage the sale of a product or service.

It has become an important element in retailing that

is a team effort involving senior management,

architects, merchandising managers, buyers, the

visual merchandising director, designers, and staff.

Visual merchandising starts with the store building

itself. The management decides on the store design

to reflect the products the store is going to sell and

how to create a warm, friendly, and approachable

atmosphere for its potential customers.

Educating the customers about the

product/service in an effective andcreative way.

Establishing a creative medium to

present merchandise in 3D

environment, thereby enabling long

lasting impact and recall value.

Setting the company apart in an

exclusive position.

Establishing linkage betweenfashion , product design and

marketing by keeping the product in

prime focus.

Combining the creative, technical

and operational aspects of a product

and the business.

Drawing the attention of the

customer to enable him to take

purchase decision within shortest

possible time, and thus augmenting the

selling process.

1. Sell by showing and promoting.

2. Create an emotional connect betweenthe viewer and the display.

3. Encourage the shopper to enter the store.

4. Get the customer to pause and shop

the selling floor.

5. Establish, promote, and enhance the

Stores visual image.

6. Entertain

customers and

enhance their

shopping experience.

7. Introduce and explain new products.

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:

STORE LOCATION:

Is very important in relation to its

potential customers. Demographic research is done to

determine the best location.

Factors involved

1) Area population forecast.

2) Description of households by

income.

3) Median age of market-area

residents.

4) Information about the

competition.

:

Store architects have to create an

environment that is conducive to both retail

operations and customers shopping needs.

They consider the exterior design, major

entrances, the relationship of the building

to the mall or surrounding stores, interior

layout and space planning.An effective

store design can in many cases bring about

much more sales than a substantial

expenditure on an advertisement campaign

In addition, department relationships,

aisle space and traffic patterns are

considered to make the departments and

merchandise accessible and to help

customers find what they want easily.

GRID LAYOUT:

Easy to locate merchandise

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Does not encourage customers to

explore store

Limited site lines to merchandise

Allows more merchandise to be

displayed

Cost efficient

RACE TRACK LAYOUT:

Draws customers around the store.

Provide different site lines and

encourage exploration, impulse

buying

Used in department stores

FREE-FORM LAYOUT:

Fixtures and aisles arranged

asymmetrically

o Pleasant relaxing ambiance doesnt

come cheap small store experience

o Inefficient use of space

o More susceptible to shoplifting

salespeople can not view adjacent

spaces.

Used in specialty stores and upscale

department stores.

EXAMPLE

OF

BOUTIQUE

The stores image must appeal to

target customers. The image makers are:

an identifiable store name, a powerful

visual trademark, an unmistakable

storefront, an inviting entrance and a

consistent and compelling store look andhook.

To attract mature customers:

Warm and comfortable atmosphere

has to be achieved with wood paneling,

comfortable seating, painting and

furnitures.

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To attract teens:

Graphics, humor, music,

rotating laser lights, media

walls and music videos areessential.

Profitability of merchandise

Customer Buying considerations

Impulse products near front

Demand/Destination areas off

the beaten path

Physical characteristics of product.

Complementary products should be

adjacent

Sales rate

More units of faster selling

merchandise need to be

displayed

The store is divided into

departments and/or designer

or brand shops by fashion

category or life-style.

PRIMARY LOCATIONSHighly trafficked areas

Store entrances

Near checkout counter

Highly visible areas

End aisle

Displays

SECONDARY LOCATIONS

Destination departments containing

merchandise such as swimsuits,lingerie, or

coats that customers seek because they areneeded,can be in secondary locations.

RENOVATIONS:

It is the way to

reposition a store,

generate new

traffic and

broaden the customer base without the

expense of building a new store.

SSSSEASONAL VISUAL MERCHADISINGEASONAL VISUAL MERCHADISINGEASONAL VISUAL MERCHADISINGEASONAL VISUAL MERCHADISING:

Seasonal merchandising themes are

planned up to a year advance in

conjunction with the seasons, other store

promotions, and arrivals of new

merchandise. Planning a theme gives a

focus to visual merchandising and aconsistent look throughout the store.

The visual merchandising budget includes

the cost of new mannequins, props, special

effects and no. of people and hours needed

to create and maintain the windows and

interior displays.

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A window display is also a "visiting card"

for the store. Windows are the most

important factor within the store/shop front

as they can communicate style, content, and

price point. They can be seductive and

exciting, based on emotional stimulus, or

price-based.A window is a total

environment; a complete statement on its

own. It is also the most secure form of

presentation because merchandise in thewindows is protected. Windows are usually

the most dramatic of the stores visual

statements. They can be humorous or

theoretical. To attract attention windows

may feature animation, video art, lights,

holograms or other special effects.

Interior displays may take the form of

image or life-style presentations or single

items, shown on a form or stand. The props

and backgrounds are chosen to compliment

the featured merchandise. Sports wear is

usually shown in groups, whereas evening

wear may be shown individually. By

showing total wardrobing concepts,

including accessories,

displays help both

to educate and to entice the customer.

The elements used to show or enhance the

clothes on display include mannequins and

other forms, vitrines, fixtures, ladders,

poles, columns, platforms, tables or other

furniture,boxes,paintings and other wall

decorations,fabrics,banners,posters,counter

cards, lighting effects, accessories and other

props.

LIGHTING EFFECTS:

Effective lighting is a key in the sale of

merchandise in helping to create that

favorable first impression of the merchandise

and its surroundings. Good lighting can guide

the customer's eyes, reveal the color and cut of

the merchandise, show he styling and tailoring

details and emphasize the good qualities of the

outfit, helping the merchandise to be pre-sold

to customer.

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MANNEQUINS:

Mannequins are the most widely usedprops for Visual Merchandising in fashion.

Mannequins change with fashion trends

and are made in the image of the current

ideal of beauty. For elegant fashion,

perfectly coiffed, traditional life like

mannequins are preferred. To save money

unpainted mannequin alternatives are

used. Today, one can choose from various

types like abstract, articulated, custom,

ethnic, headless or junior, to name just afew.

SIGNAGE:

Signage is the "silent salesperson" for the

retailer and must reflect the correct brand

image.

There are various types of signage. Forexample:

promotional signage which informs

the customer about off price events

or schemes;

location signage which directs the

buyer to specific departments or

merchandise;

institutional signage which givesinformation on store policies,

charitable events etc., and

informational signage provides

product related information like

special features, benefits, sizes, price

etc

FIXTURES:

a) Assortments may be displayed on

wall racks, rounders (circular

racks), four-way or star fixtures

(with four arms), or T-shaped stands

(with two arms), I-beams (straight

bars) or collection fixtures (with

folded merchandise on shelves on one

side and hanging clothes on the

other).

b) Assortment displays must permit

customers to see an entire range of

colors or styles in each size. To avoid

visual monotony, the fixtures are

usually mixed.

c) Although wall fixtures utilize space

well and rounders shows off a color

story, they are not the most desirable

means of display because the

customer is confronted with nothing

but sleeves (or sides of garment).

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d) On frontal projection fixtures, such

as the four ways or the T-stand, the

garments face outward so that the

customer can see the fronts.

Fixtures are becoming more

sophisticated and many stores are also

creating their own custom fixtures to fit in

better with overall store design.

FOLDING AND STACKING:

Space saving way to display

merchandise.

Store standards dictate

placement of shelves or

tables and how the

merchandise should be

folded and grouped.

Retailers have found that

merchandise on tables sells better

because it is more accessible.

Examples: folded & stacked garments

Standards manuals list exact

specifications for all display

form,fixtures and props.

Quarterly adenda update the

standards as new ideas are

implemented.

Visual merchandising artists set up

the presentations and then sales

associates are trained to maintainthese standards in each department.

PRESENTATION PACKAGES:

The corporate or central visual

merchandising office may also create

presentation packages for branch stores sothat the entire group or chain will have the

same lock. Large presentation-packages,

including floor Plano grams and

photographs, are prepared at the flagships

store and sent to other units. Flexibility

allows customizing of packages for seasonal

differences in various regions.

VM GUIDELINES

These guidelines discuss in detail

how the store is set up ranging from

what type of fixtures to use in each

area, use of store logo to distance of

shelves from each other and many

more.

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These guidelines are based on a

Visual Plan. The visual plan is an

actual photograph, a hand drawn

illustration or graphic presentation

of a display. It is also known as aplan-o-gram.

A Plano gram allows planning of the

arrangement of merchandise on a

given fixture configuration to

support sales through proper

placement of merchandise by Style,

Option, Size, Price points, etc. It also

enables the chain of chairs to have

the same merchandise displayed in a

coherent and similar manner across

all the stores.

CLOTHING PLANOGRAM

The main purpose is to support ease

of applicability to the merchandiser

while also increasing selection &

enhancing the merchandise display

in a neat and organized manner.

Many stores are using

teleconferencing to show

actual visualpresentations to other

stores in their chain so

that local display artists

will be able to make all the

presentations look the same. They also use

virtual computer mockups to share visual

concepts with colleagues across the country

via intranet.

Unlike the western countries, where VM

receives highest priority in commercial

planning of a product, the Indian industry

understands and practice of the concept of

VM is inadequate. The textile industry will

have to compete purely on the competitive

edge of the products and VM will be a

helpful tool in projecting the uniqueness of

the products and thereby increasing themarket access and sales. It is high time that

the Indian textile and clothing industry,

therefore, understands and adopts the

scientific and professional system of VM

rather than the traditional practices of

display of products and communication.

Visual merchandising (VM) is a

stores primary point of contact

between product and customer. It

displays and presents the product in

such a manner that it convinces the

customer of its value proposition and

buy-a-ability. This art-for-commerce

needs to be treated as long term

investment for a store.

BY

A.D.P.SWETHA S.SARANYA

APPAREL TECH

ANNA UNIV

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