Our five-pronged approach focuses on your individual strengths to develop your unique qualities towards making you an exemplary pi- designer.
Omer Fayaz
07/04/2023
share
Table of contents
The first known instance of visual merchandising as we know it today occurred in the late 19th century when the department store Liberty & Co. in London used creative window displays to promote its products. This marked the beginning of a new era in which retailers began to use visual displays as an important tool for attracting customers and increasing sales.
Over the next several decades, visual merchandising continued to evolve and expand, with retailers experimenting with new and innovative ways of displaying products and different modes of visual merchandising. In the 1920s and 1930s, for example, retailers began to use mannequins to display clothing and accessories, allowing customers to see how the products would look on a human. In the 1950s and 1960s, the advent of mass-produced goods and the rise of chain stores led to a new emphasis on in-store displays.
Today, visual merchandising is an essential aspect of modern retailing and includes a wide range of techniques and tools, each serving a unique purpose and contributing to the overall retail experience. Some of the different forms of visual merchandising include:
Window Displays: Window displays are the first impression that customers have of a store, and play a critical role in creating an attractive and appealing environment that entices customers to enter the store. A well-designed window display should be updated regularly to highlight seasonal merchandise and be eye-catching, creative, and reflective of the store's brand image.
In-store Displays: In-store displays are used to create a cohesive and appealing shopping experience for customers, guiding them through the store and highlighting specific products or categories. These displays can be simple or elaborate, depending on the retailer's goals and the types of products being sold.
Floor Planning: Floor planning, also known as layout, involves the arrangement of products in the store to maximise the use of space and create a visually appealing environment. Floor planning is an important aspect of visual merchandising, as it helps to create a clear path for customers to follow as they navigate the store, and ensures that products are placed in the most effective locations to increase sales.
POP Displays: POP, or point-of-purchase displays, as the name suggests are positioned near the point of purchase, such as at the checkout counter or near the exit. They are typically used to promote impulse purchases or to highlight specific products.
Props: This type of visual merchandising involves the use of props and decorations to enhance the visual appeal of the store and create a themed environment. Props can range from simple displays of flowers or greenery to elaborate sets that immerse the customer in a specific theme or atmosphere.
Lifestyle Displays: Lifestyle displays are designed to create an immersive shopping experience for customers by showcasing products in a particular setting or context. This can be especially helpful for customers who are considering large or expensive purchases, as it helps to provide a sense of context and make the products feel more tangible and real.
Seasonal Displays: Seasonal displays are created to reflect a specific season, holiday, or event. These displays can be found in store windows, in-store displays, or even in outdoor areas, and are typically used to promote products that are relevant to the current season or holiday.
Thematic Displays: Thematic displays are created around a specific theme or concept, such as a particular style or trend. For example, a clothing retailer might create a display showcasing the latest fashion trends, or a furniture retailer might create a display featuring furniture in a specific style, such as minimalist or industrial.
Mannequin Displays: These feature mannequins dressed in clothing or accessories to showcase a particular look or style. For example, a clothing retailer might use mannequin displays to show customers how an outfit might look when worn, or to showcase a particular style or trend.
In addition to the various types of visual merchandising described above, retailers also make use of other elements such as:
Signage: Signage is a key component of visual merchandising, providing customers with information about the store, its products, and promotions. Signage should be clear, easy to read, and strategically placed throughout the store to guide customers and draw attention to specific products or displays.
Lighting: Lighting is a powerful tool in visual merchandising, as it can greatly impact the overall look and feel of the store. The right lighting can highlight specific products, evoke emotions, create mood and ambience, and ultimately set the mood for the shopping experience.
Flooring and Wall Treatments: The flooring and wall treatments in a store can also greatly impact the customer experience and the overall look and feel of the space. Retailers should choose flooring and wall treatments that are durable, easy to maintain, and complement the store's overall design and aesthetic.
Scale: The size and scale of displays, as well as the size and arrangement of products, can greatly impact the overall look and feel of a display. Retailers should consider the size and scale of products and displays, and arrange them in a visually appealing way that makes sense for the products being sold.
Music and Sound: The soundtrack of a store can significantly impact the customer experience, creating an atmosphere that is inviting, calming, or energetic, depending on the desired effect. Retailers should choose music and sound that is appropriate for their target audience and fits with the store's brand and messaging.
Scent: The sense of smell can have a powerful impact on the customer experience, and can be used to create a memorable and appealing shopping environment. Retailers can use scent to reinforce the store's brand or to create a themed or seasonal display.
A store's overall brand image should be reflected in its visual merchandising strategy. The use of colours, graphics, and displays should be consistent with the store's brand identity and messaging. For example, a store that sells environmentally friendly products might use earth tones and natural materials in its visual displays, while a store that sells fun, playful products might use bright colours and whimsical graphics. Additionally, retailers can use technology to enhance their visual merchandising efforts, such as digital displays or augmented reality displays; these displays are often used in conjunction with other forms of visual merchandising to create a comprehensive and immersive shopping experience. With the rise of e-commerce, brick-and-mortar stores need to differentiate themselves from online shopping experiences and visual merchandising is one way to do this.
Visual merchandising is a field that involves creating and arranging displays to promote and sell products in retail stores, boutiques, and other retail spaces. Over the years, creative fields such as this have seen many takers and aspirants are seeing it among the promising career options in the creative domain. Responding to the growing sentiment and rapid upsurge in demand for skilled professionals, universities across the globe have started to offer niche courses in the domain. There are several career options in visual merchandising, some of which are listed under:
Visual Merchandiser: A visual merchandiser is responsible for creating visually appealing displays, window displays, and in-store layouts to attract customers and increase sales. A visual merchandiser is one who envisions the store's outlook in congruence with the store offerings and brand image. Display Designer: A display designer is responsible for designing and creating displays for store windows, in-store displays, and trade shows. The process starts with preparing concept drawings and sketches of display ideas and then selecting the right products and other materials.
Retail Planner: A retail planner is responsible for creating a merchandising plan for a retail store, including selecting products, determining product placement, and creating displays. A retail planner works closely with display designers and often leads the process for the development and implementation of visual merchandising plans, especially for seasonal changes and promotional events.
Visual Display Manager: A visual display manager is responsible for overseeing the visual display department, managing a team of visual merchandisers, and ensuring that displays are consistently visually appealing and meet company standards.
Event Planner: An event planner creates visually appealing displays and event environments, such as trade shows, product launches, and fashion events. These are sought-after professionals for fashion weeks, exhibitions and other shows.
Fashion Stylist: A fashion stylist looks after the creative aspect of designing outfits and displays, often for photo shoots, fashion shows, and retail stores.
These are just a few of the many career options available in visual merchandising. Many of these careers require creativity, an eye for design, and a good understanding of retail trends and consumer behaviour apart from academic knowledge of the subject.
In conclusion, visual merchandising is a multifaceted discipline that has come a long way since its inception in the late 19th century, but its importance has only continued to grow as retailers seek to differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract customers in an increasingly competitive retail environment. For an effective visual merchandising experience, it is important for retailers to have a thorough understanding of their target audience and to tailor their displays and promotions accordingly. This can involve conducting market research, analysing customer demographics and purchasing habits, and understanding the competitive landscape.
Whether it's through a stunning window display or a thoughtfully crafted in-store display, the goal of visual merchandising remains the same: to create a memorable shopping experience that drives sales and increases brand recognition.
Did you know that we spend about 90% of our time indoors! We use the built environment, especially interior spaces,…
We live in a hyperlinked, hyper-connected world! Whatsapp, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Youtube, Google, have become verbs that represent “things we…
The moment one hears the word fashion, one immediately visualises, beautiful clothes, bags, accessories, interesting prints, embroidery and colours, glamour,…
In the first of our series of interactions with you, the aspiring Communication Design student, I think it is important…
The digital age has allowed photography to boom like never before. It’s a massive, commercial industry which is growing explosively…