Visual merchandising is an important retail strategy that maximizes a product’s aesthetics with the goal of growing and maximising sales. A visual merchandiser is an integral part of a brand’s look, feel, and culture. When done correctly, visual merchandising will increase brand awareness while also growing brand loyalty. The most important role is to attract customers into the store and close the sale, which is entirely dependent on the appearance of your retail show.

The most important reason to engage and inspire your customers is to motivate them to purchase more of your items, which will boost your revenue, margins, and return on space. This phase of interaction starts even before they enter your shop.

Visual merchandising meaning

The art of showing merchandise in a retail store to increase sales and draw consumer interest is known as visual merchandising. The presentation of products is done in such a way that their features and attributes are highlighted. All that consumers see inside and outside of a retail store for example, stacks of merchandise, decorations, the layout of rooms, and sign boards  is referred to as visual merchandising. Visual merchandising is used by retailers to draw consumers and encourage them to spend money in their stores. Visual merchandising encompasses all that is displayed in a retail store, as well as the store’s overall atmosphere.

The visual merchandising process begins on the store’s exterior and finishes on the store’s interior. Visual merchandising is so critical in today’s competitive environment that business owners spend thousands of dollars decorating and designing their stores to make them look better than their competitors’ stores.

Retailers can’t resist decorating their stores and showcasing their products in one theme. Visual merchandising is a never-ending process. Retailers are expected to change their appearance depending on the occasion. For example, they use festive decorations during the holiday season to make their customers feel happy. People shop the most during the holiday season. They prefer to shop for products in stores that make them happy and merry, rather than in stores that are dull and boring. As a result, stores change their shop decorations depending on the occasion.

As a result, visual merchandising is a costly task that is often one of the most appealing in marketing.

Main Objectives of Visual Merchandising

• The first and most important goal of visual merchandising is to increase sales by advertising products and services in such a way that their attributes and characteristics can be seen.
• To entice passers-by to visit the store
• To make customers feel good by being in your shop by creating a beautiful and optimistic ambiance.
• To improve the store’s visual appearance and sell goods by creating a beautiful environment.
• Customers should be entertained and their shopping experience should feel more like a game than a task.
• Customers should be informed about the products and services available in the shop.
• To gain a competitive edge over other retail stores in the region.

Benefits of Visual Merchandising

• Reflects the company’s image – A well-designed visual merchandising show complements the company’s overall brand. A franchise corporation, for example, would want all of its franchisees to have the same advertising displays. It provides a sense of identity and brand continuity to a company.
• Engages customers – A friendly and appealing shop provides a strong first impression. It invites customers to visit the store and can assist them in selecting the best product for their needs. Customers would be more likely to return for future visits if they have a good shopping experience thanks to visual merchandising
• Increase sales – When done correctly, visual merchandising will boost sales by leading customers to the items they want or need. It can also assist them in discovering new goods and services. A well-dressed mannequin can persuade anyone to look for an outfit and accessories they weren’t looking for in the first place.

Various Components

Visual merchandising performance is determined by a number of factors, including the store’s appearance, which involves anything from:

• Lighting, packaging, and signage
• Presentation and uniform
• Ticketing and point-of-sale materials
• Colors, shapes, and textures come in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures.

As these components are combined to showcase a brand, the consumer experience is enhanced, resulting in a positive buying experience and increased sales.

Brand Loyalty

Customers must be able to experience your brand through the visual elements you select to surround and improve your product in order to maintain brand loyalty.If you’re trying to market a beauty product to a younger generation, for example, you could use vivid, colorful displays with bold signs and edgy models. A cosmetic brand aimed at a mature audience, on the other hand, could opt for pastels, script writing, and soft imagery. By incorporating these unique tactics into the brand, not only will the demographic be drawn in, but the consumer will also be exposed to the brand experience. Building brand loyalty will increase the probability of a consumer buying from you again in the future.

Stop Being Overwhelmed

It’s convenient for many visual merchandisers to become enamored with the new product possibilities and to be continually widening their range and options. If you give your customers too much, you risk complicating your business and putting yourself in the position of having too much inventory. It’s crucial to strike the right balance between the number of goods available; too little option will turn consumers away, while too many will confuse them.

Analyze your market room to find out how many items you will put on sale at any given time. Any product you stock will cost you money; if it hasn’t earned the right to be there or isn’t tied to the purchase of a high margin line, get rid of it to make room for goods that will make you money.

Themes or Topics

Implementing subject matters and trends into displays is a perfect way for brands to improve their visual merchandising. A theme tells a story that makes the customers want to buy. A new product launch is usually accompanied by such themes. With new colors, formats, fonts, graphics, and architecture, the brand will reinvent itself. Color coordination, product grouping, and individual motifs are all examples of theme concepts. When it comes to themes, there are no hard and fast rules, but it’s a good idea to think about the shop, the season, a new product, the brand’s overall look and feel, and how the theme will complement any other in-store promotions.

Marketing

It’s important to maintain continuity in all of your marketing materials when promoting your brand. This is also known as the personality or voice of your brand. You must communicate the look, sound, and completeness of your brand using all available marketing elements. All channels, including in-store displays, blogs, and any other third-party websites and advertising, must provide clear visual merchandising. This ensures consumer brand loyalty and ensures that the brand can deliver, as well as enhancing the emotional bond a customer has with your brand.

Buying with Confidence

When choosing signage for your shop, make sure it’s straightforward and succinct. Your customer would be confused whether there are so many signals or not enough. Keep it easy and compatible with the rest of your store’s branding. Products must be delivered in such a way that the consumer understands precisely what they do and how they can benefit from them.

Getting Certified

If you are interested in visual merchandising or want to master this aspect for the growth of your company, you should pursue education or certification from a reputable institution. JD Institute Of Fashion Technology is one of the best institutes for visual merchandising courses like diploma in visual merchandising ( with subjects like signages, fixtures, elements of design, window design, etc)  and other industry-based courses so that its students can stand out from the crowd by being prepared for the real world ahead of time through a foreign exchange program or learning from industry experts etc. JD Institute shares a vision of having the best facilities, cutting-edge technology, and a resource library, among other things, so that no external obstacle can prevent students from achieving their goals or standing shoulder to shoulder with the industry’s leaders.

JD Institute has received several awards for their excellent contribution to education and record breaking placement of 99% with their students working for top companies like Tommy Hilfiger, Sabyasachi, PepperFry, etc and making a mark in the industry such as Maheka Mirpuri, Rocky S and Shane Peacock to name a few for example- the times power icon award, international glory award, leaders in education award and several others. The candidates are selected through GAT or general aptitude test which is crafted carefully for the institute to test out the creative or artistic skills of the candidate followed by a personal interview. The nature of the test is more on the qualitative side as the candidates are given an opportunity to use their problem solving and creative thinking skills. Your journey to success is waiting for you, enroll now!