Merchandising Display Policy
Safety first
We believe in looking after your safety and the safety of customers and visitors to our store. Here are some of the important things to remember if you are receiving, unpacking, displaying or storing merchandise.
Tidiness
Follow these guidelines to make sure the merchandise looks great all the time.
Merchandising principles
Follow these guidelines when placing and arranging merchandise for display.
Displaying merchandise
General merchandise
Place new merchandise so that it will be seen by customers. Generally merchandise is noticed when it is placed:
All displays, fixtures and fittings must be placed to allow easy access for all customers. Remember to allow space for access by prams, wheelchairs, and visually impaired persons with and without seeing eye dogs.
All merchandise on display should be appropriate for the image of BigS. Items that are damaged, dirty, or faded should not be on display.
Remove unsuitable items from display immediately and report them to the department supervisor.
Seasonal lines
Seasonal lines should be displayed using the following guidelines.
Mother’s Day/Father’s Day
Set up 30 trading days before event.
Maintain maximum stock levels up to and including the date of event.
Discount next trading day after event.
Remove and store specifically branded products eg Mother’s Day mugs two trading days after the event.
Move generic stock back to relevant department next trading day after event.
Christmas decorations
Set up 55 – 60 days prior to Christmas Day.
Maintain maximum stock levels until close of trading day prior to Christmas Day.
Discount the next trading day after Christmas Day.
Move to a less prominent position in store two trading days after Christmas Day.
Remove display 14 trading days after Christmas Day and store unsold stock.
Easter stock
Set up 55 – 60 days before event.
Maintain maximum stock levels until date of event.
Discount the next trading day after the event.
Move to a less prominent position in store two trading days after event.
Remove display 7 trading days after the event or before use-by date, whichever occurs first, and discard unsold stock.
New season’s fashions
Set up in hot zone 30 trading days prior to season change.
Maintain two of each size on rack for first calendar month of season.
Move to warm zone in second calendar month of season and maintain full price.
Discount in third calendar month of season.
Discount further at season end.
Remove and store unsold stock 7 trading days after season ends.
We believe in looking after your safety and the safety of customers and visitors to our store. Here are some of the important things to remember if you are receiving, unpacking, displaying or storing merchandise.
- Always use correct manual handling techniques.
- Use a safety knife for opening boxes and cartons.
- Cut away from your body when using a safety knife.
- Don’t block entrances, doorways or aisles when unpacking boxes.
- Don’t leave packaging materials cardboard anywhere in the store – remove all packaging materials from the floor and fixtures immediately.
- Cardboard boxes and cartons must be flattened and taken to the recycling depot.
- Non-recyclables are to the placed in the appropriate waste receptacles.
- Check that shelves and fixtures are safe before displaying stock.
Tidiness
Follow these guidelines to make sure the merchandise looks great all the time.
- Clean shelves and merchandise daily.
- Check that merchandise displays are neat once per hour and at the end of the trading day.
- Replace dirty or tattered price and display tickets immediately.
Merchandising principles
Follow these guidelines when placing and arranging merchandise for display.
- Maintain sufficient stock on the shelf. You may need to check fast selling stock frequently.
- Do not stack products on top of each other. This will ensure that products do not fall and can be reached by customers and staff.
- Bring stock to the front of the shelf so that displays look attractive.
- When displaying a product line that has several sizes on shelves, place the smaller products on the top shelves and the larger items on the lower shelves.
- When displaying a product line on hangers arrange merchandise according to its colour and then hang the merchandise on racks from smallest to largest. Depending on the gondola rack used, sizes should go from left to right or front to back, starting the smallest size.
- All products must have a price ticket or barcode.
Displaying merchandise
General merchandise
Place new merchandise so that it will be seen by customers. Generally merchandise is noticed when it is placed:
- where customer traffic flow is greatest
- at the front of each department
- near the point of sale areas.
All displays, fixtures and fittings must be placed to allow easy access for all customers. Remember to allow space for access by prams, wheelchairs, and visually impaired persons with and without seeing eye dogs.
All merchandise on display should be appropriate for the image of BigS. Items that are damaged, dirty, or faded should not be on display.
Remove unsuitable items from display immediately and report them to the department supervisor.
Seasonal lines
Seasonal lines should be displayed using the following guidelines.
Mother’s Day/Father’s Day
Set up 30 trading days before event.
Maintain maximum stock levels up to and including the date of event.
Discount next trading day after event.
Remove and store specifically branded products eg Mother’s Day mugs two trading days after the event.
Move generic stock back to relevant department next trading day after event.
Christmas decorations
Set up 55 – 60 days prior to Christmas Day.
Maintain maximum stock levels until close of trading day prior to Christmas Day.
Discount the next trading day after Christmas Day.
Move to a less prominent position in store two trading days after Christmas Day.
Remove display 14 trading days after Christmas Day and store unsold stock.
Easter stock
Set up 55 – 60 days before event.
Maintain maximum stock levels until date of event.
Discount the next trading day after the event.
Move to a less prominent position in store two trading days after event.
Remove display 7 trading days after the event or before use-by date, whichever occurs first, and discard unsold stock.
New season’s fashions
Set up in hot zone 30 trading days prior to season change.
Maintain two of each size on rack for first calendar month of season.
Move to warm zone in second calendar month of season and maintain full price.
Discount in third calendar month of season.
Discount further at season end.
Remove and store unsold stock 7 trading days after season ends.
Merchandising – General Selling
Introduction
Although they are different from one another, merchandising and marketing both play vital roles in attracting customers into a store.
•Merchandising is about displaying items in the most appealing ways to encourage customers to come in, browse and buy merchandise.
•Marketing and promotion programs use various activities to increase customer awareness, loyalty and support.
The diagram shows how merchandising and marketing activities have to be carefully planned with the customer in mind.
The customer is at the centre of merchandising, marketing and promotion programs. Programs include:
•marketing collateral, eg newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, news items
•electronic advertising, eg radio, TV, internet
•print advertising, eg newspaper, direct mail
•store displays, eg placement, appearance, props used, timing
•store image, eg lighting, colour, signage, merchandise, price
•promotional activities, eg free samples, coupons, contests, special events.
Setting up
Setting up merchandise displays takes time and thought. It's important that the set up phase is done:
•quickly – to minimise the time stock is not on display in the store
•safely – to avoid any injuries or accidents to staff, customers and visitors
•securely – to make sure stock is not left vulnerable to theft or damage before it's displayed.
Tips for unpacking and handling merchandise
•Check the delivered stock against the invoice.
•Check for damaged or dirty stock.
•Sort stock so you know what will be displayed and what will be stored.
•Remember to use safe lifting techniques.
•Dispose of packaging materials in the correct way.
•Make sure stock is kept secure at all times.
•Use appropriate tools for opening packages.
Tips for sorting merchandise
When deciding how to display merchandise, stores may categorise items according to:
•size – this could be done according to garment size, physical shape of stock, etc
•type – either by general categories, eg ladies' fashions, or more specific categories, eg evening wear, casual wear, business wear
•colour – like colours or complementary colours will often be displayed together both to achieve a balanced effect and to create a particular mood
•complete packages – several items might be displayed together to promote an overall look, eg a formal outfit that includes a gown, shoes and accessories
•price – often merchandise will be displayed according to price, eg sale items in a discount basket or fully priced new arrivals in the shop front
•features – high profit and seasonal lines will be displayed differently from best sellers, impulse and basic lines.
Displays, patterns and techniques
Your whole store is really a display because the way it looks sends a particular message to a customer. However, special displays are often used to attract extra attention or to highlight particular areas, events or products.
Here are some common patterns used to create professional looking displays.
•Triangular patterns build the stock and props into a peak to create a balanced and attractive display. This grouping of stock and props can be any triangle shape, ie equilateral, right angle, isosceles or scalene. This is a very common display shape, often used in giftware stores.
•Rectangular patterns are often found in supermarkets and other stores where many items of similar shape are displayed in straight rows, either on shelves or tables.
•A radial pattern follows a circular shape where there is a centrepiece as the focal point and other (often smaller) items surrounding it. This pattern is a good option to use for strengthening the visual impact of small items.
•Group patterns can be used in different ways. Items of the same type may be grouped together, eg a collection of different perfumes. Matching sets of items may also be grouped together, eg a matching bath towel, hand towel, face washer and bath mat so that customers are tempted to buy the whole set rather than individual items.
•Rhythm patterns are also formed in various ways. Rather than taking on a defined shape, they tend to form a flowing pattern. They are often used to display fabrics or as background props to create 'flow'.
•Repetition of items many times can reinforce the image, especially when the items displayed are similar or identical, eg a range of t-shirts in various colours and sizes.
Other techniques
Here are some other common techniques used to get displays noticed by customers.
•Light
Good lighting can draw the eye to particular products. There are many different types of lighting used in the retail industry, eg track lighting, pin spots, parabolic, fluorescent, coloured.
•Colour can create a mood for a display or for the entire store image. Coloured lighting can also be used to contribute to mood or to draw focus.
•Space is used to frame the merchandise in a particular space. Borders, backgrounds, frames and empty space can all help achieve focus.
•Themes display merchandise in a set context. The theme could relate to a season or event, or just be part of an overall display concept. Themes are powerful tools that can help put the customer in the mood for buying or act as reminders to buy. Think about Valentine's Day and the way that retailers use this theme to sell merchandise.
•Props, risers and fixtures are the items used to help show products in the best possible way and can contribute to the theme or balance of the display.
Traffic flow
How you display stock is important, but where you place displays is also very important.
All stores have areas that are 'hot', 'cold' and 'warm' spots. In the retail industry this means the particular areas that get high, medium and low amounts of attention from customers.
Customer traffic flow determines where these hot, warm and cold spots are. Here are some useful points:
•The store entrance is a hot spot that most stores takes advantage of to catch the attention of passing traffic.
•If given a chance most customers turn left after entering a store, therefore the area to the left of the entrance is a hot spot.
•Cold spots are often at the back of a store, or in hidden or hard to get to corners.
•Basic lines, such as bread and newspapers or sale items, are often placed in cold spots to force customers to go there.
•The point of sale area is a hot spot that many retailers take advantage of by displaying impulse items such as lollies or accessories.
•The walkway between the store entrance and the point of sale area is a hot spot.
•Warm spots include those areas around fitting rooms and mirrors.
•Items that complement clothing, such as belts and shoes, are often placed close to fitting rooms so customers have easy access to them when trying on clothes.
•Department stores and supermarkets often arrange fixtures and display racks in a grid pattern to form aisles which direct traffic flow.
•Giftware and fashion stores often use a more free flowing, random arrangement of stock to direct traffic flow.
•The placement of fixtures and display racks should allow easy access to all parts of the store for customers and visitors, eg consider access for prams, wheelchairs and customers with vision impairment.
Traffic flow
Refer to diagram in Retailer 2 shows how traffic flows through a store to create hot, warm and cold spots. The diagram shows traffic flow to be high:
•through entrance of store
•around point of sale area
•around central display rack
•between shelves
These would all be hot spots in which to position displays.
Shelf layout
Position on a shelf is just as important as position in the store.
Look at the most popular places on a shelf. This is called 'retail real estate' because it shows which shelves traditionally have the highest sales figures. Manufacturers compete for the prime shelf positions and often pay for the right to display their goods here – particularly in supermarkets.
The diagram shows sales according to shelf height:
•Top shelf = 9%
•Second shelf = 21%
•Third shelf = 32% (at eye level)
•Fourth shelf = 23%
•Bottom shelf = 15%
Apply
Look at as many and varied retail stores as you can for ideas on how to improve the look of your store.
•List three stores that sell similar types of products to your store.
•List two other stores that have a similar merchandising approach to your store even though they don't sell similar types of products.
•Visit all of these stores.
Introduction
Although they are different from one another, merchandising and marketing both play vital roles in attracting customers into a store.
•Merchandising is about displaying items in the most appealing ways to encourage customers to come in, browse and buy merchandise.
•Marketing and promotion programs use various activities to increase customer awareness, loyalty and support.
The diagram shows how merchandising and marketing activities have to be carefully planned with the customer in mind.
The customer is at the centre of merchandising, marketing and promotion programs. Programs include:
•marketing collateral, eg newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, news items
•electronic advertising, eg radio, TV, internet
•print advertising, eg newspaper, direct mail
•store displays, eg placement, appearance, props used, timing
•store image, eg lighting, colour, signage, merchandise, price
•promotional activities, eg free samples, coupons, contests, special events.
Setting up
Setting up merchandise displays takes time and thought. It's important that the set up phase is done:
•quickly – to minimise the time stock is not on display in the store
•safely – to avoid any injuries or accidents to staff, customers and visitors
•securely – to make sure stock is not left vulnerable to theft or damage before it's displayed.
Tips for unpacking and handling merchandise
•Check the delivered stock against the invoice.
•Check for damaged or dirty stock.
•Sort stock so you know what will be displayed and what will be stored.
•Remember to use safe lifting techniques.
•Dispose of packaging materials in the correct way.
•Make sure stock is kept secure at all times.
•Use appropriate tools for opening packages.
Tips for sorting merchandise
When deciding how to display merchandise, stores may categorise items according to:
•size – this could be done according to garment size, physical shape of stock, etc
•type – either by general categories, eg ladies' fashions, or more specific categories, eg evening wear, casual wear, business wear
•colour – like colours or complementary colours will often be displayed together both to achieve a balanced effect and to create a particular mood
•complete packages – several items might be displayed together to promote an overall look, eg a formal outfit that includes a gown, shoes and accessories
•price – often merchandise will be displayed according to price, eg sale items in a discount basket or fully priced new arrivals in the shop front
•features – high profit and seasonal lines will be displayed differently from best sellers, impulse and basic lines.
Displays, patterns and techniques
Your whole store is really a display because the way it looks sends a particular message to a customer. However, special displays are often used to attract extra attention or to highlight particular areas, events or products.
Here are some common patterns used to create professional looking displays.
•Triangular patterns build the stock and props into a peak to create a balanced and attractive display. This grouping of stock and props can be any triangle shape, ie equilateral, right angle, isosceles or scalene. This is a very common display shape, often used in giftware stores.
•Rectangular patterns are often found in supermarkets and other stores where many items of similar shape are displayed in straight rows, either on shelves or tables.
•A radial pattern follows a circular shape where there is a centrepiece as the focal point and other (often smaller) items surrounding it. This pattern is a good option to use for strengthening the visual impact of small items.
•Group patterns can be used in different ways. Items of the same type may be grouped together, eg a collection of different perfumes. Matching sets of items may also be grouped together, eg a matching bath towel, hand towel, face washer and bath mat so that customers are tempted to buy the whole set rather than individual items.
•Rhythm patterns are also formed in various ways. Rather than taking on a defined shape, they tend to form a flowing pattern. They are often used to display fabrics or as background props to create 'flow'.
•Repetition of items many times can reinforce the image, especially when the items displayed are similar or identical, eg a range of t-shirts in various colours and sizes.
Other techniques
Here are some other common techniques used to get displays noticed by customers.
•Light
Good lighting can draw the eye to particular products. There are many different types of lighting used in the retail industry, eg track lighting, pin spots, parabolic, fluorescent, coloured.
•Colour can create a mood for a display or for the entire store image. Coloured lighting can also be used to contribute to mood or to draw focus.
•Space is used to frame the merchandise in a particular space. Borders, backgrounds, frames and empty space can all help achieve focus.
•Themes display merchandise in a set context. The theme could relate to a season or event, or just be part of an overall display concept. Themes are powerful tools that can help put the customer in the mood for buying or act as reminders to buy. Think about Valentine's Day and the way that retailers use this theme to sell merchandise.
•Props, risers and fixtures are the items used to help show products in the best possible way and can contribute to the theme or balance of the display.
Traffic flow
How you display stock is important, but where you place displays is also very important.
All stores have areas that are 'hot', 'cold' and 'warm' spots. In the retail industry this means the particular areas that get high, medium and low amounts of attention from customers.
Customer traffic flow determines where these hot, warm and cold spots are. Here are some useful points:
•The store entrance is a hot spot that most stores takes advantage of to catch the attention of passing traffic.
•If given a chance most customers turn left after entering a store, therefore the area to the left of the entrance is a hot spot.
•Cold spots are often at the back of a store, or in hidden or hard to get to corners.
•Basic lines, such as bread and newspapers or sale items, are often placed in cold spots to force customers to go there.
•The point of sale area is a hot spot that many retailers take advantage of by displaying impulse items such as lollies or accessories.
•The walkway between the store entrance and the point of sale area is a hot spot.
•Warm spots include those areas around fitting rooms and mirrors.
•Items that complement clothing, such as belts and shoes, are often placed close to fitting rooms so customers have easy access to them when trying on clothes.
•Department stores and supermarkets often arrange fixtures and display racks in a grid pattern to form aisles which direct traffic flow.
•Giftware and fashion stores often use a more free flowing, random arrangement of stock to direct traffic flow.
•The placement of fixtures and display racks should allow easy access to all parts of the store for customers and visitors, eg consider access for prams, wheelchairs and customers with vision impairment.
Traffic flow
Refer to diagram in Retailer 2 shows how traffic flows through a store to create hot, warm and cold spots. The diagram shows traffic flow to be high:
•through entrance of store
•around point of sale area
•around central display rack
•between shelves
These would all be hot spots in which to position displays.
Shelf layout
Position on a shelf is just as important as position in the store.
Look at the most popular places on a shelf. This is called 'retail real estate' because it shows which shelves traditionally have the highest sales figures. Manufacturers compete for the prime shelf positions and often pay for the right to display their goods here – particularly in supermarkets.
The diagram shows sales according to shelf height:
•Top shelf = 9%
•Second shelf = 21%
•Third shelf = 32% (at eye level)
•Fourth shelf = 23%
•Bottom shelf = 15%
Apply
Look at as many and varied retail stores as you can for ideas on how to improve the look of your store.
•List three stores that sell similar types of products to your store.
•List two other stores that have a similar merchandising approach to your store even though they don't sell similar types of products.
•Visit all of these stores.