Whether you are a new store or have been around for twenty years, there is always something to be learned about creating effective window displays. Below are a few ideas that are not your typical tips for creating exciting window displays.

1. Work with your vendors. It’s likely vendors that sell into your store want nothing more than you do – which is to sell, sell, sell. Pitch them the opportunity of having a whole window dedicated to their product. No sooner than you pitch this they will be on board. The catch? Let them participate in creating a great display. Ask for vendor signage that really makes an impact, have them offer products for display purposes only, introduce creative additions to the display that helps spotlight their unique goods. Together you are bound to bring a window display more alive than on your own. Your budget and your (lack of) time will thank you.
2. Work with others from your community. And don’t be afraid to think outside the box! An interior designer could create a window display for you using your store product. In exchange, you could promote this “featured” window and highlight his or her contact details. Working with charities or other good will organizations to highlight their work combined with your store product is also a great way to gain customer attention while also bring light to great cause and great product. Local artists are also great contributors for window displays.
3. Make frequent changes. If your window display has started to collect dust, it’s long overdue for a change. To keep your window displays looking fresh and constantly grabbing new attention for passerbyers, change it often. Every two weeks or so is ideal. At the minimum, once month. That’s only 12 times a year out of 365 days. You can do this, promise. It may sound intimidating for both time and creative resources, but your business needs this to help it really stand out.
4. Use lighting as a focal feature. It’s amazing what a great spotlight on even a so-so product can do. Consider how your product looks in shadows or lack of them. Your goal should be to use lighting to optimize your products visibility.
5. Have a window contest. Open up the chance for young designers or merchandisers to display your window. Get your local media involved and make a big to-do about it. Not only will this generate a buzz for your business, you will gain a (hopefully fabulous) window display for free. Creating this around a holiday can add extra appeal, but it could just be any time of the year. Be creative and have fun with it!

Finally, remember to keep the energy of your store and its products vibrant. People who already shop with you should still enjoy the merchandising of your store, and those you have yet to gain as customers should be drawn to your store by your displays and product combined.

Have ideas on window displays you want to share? Please comment below! Thank you.

[tweetmeme]To begin, you should understand what double merchandising is and why it matters. Double merchandising is when you display a product in more than one specific place in your store. An example would be having a specific product on a shelve display as well as on a focal island in the middle of your store. The purpose of double exposing is to gain increased attention to the product with the goal of selling it as soon as possible. Wait a minute.. isn’t selling everything as soon as possible the goal for your store? Yes – of course it is. But by displaying this specific product in multiple locations, you increase your chance of doing this. Unfortunately, stores don’t have room to do this withe every product – nor is it suggested.

What Products Are Worth Double Exposure?

When deciding what products to double expose, you want to consider what your overall inventory looks like. If there is a  product that hasn’t sold well and yet you bought heavily into it, this would be the perfect candidate to double expose since you have the inventory to support it. Likewise, if you have a product that has sold great and you don’t have a lot of inventory to support it, this would be the perfect candidate to not consider for double exposing. Aside from excess inventory and hot products, often there are products that are seasonal or on sale and need to be pushed out fast as a result. Both of these reasons support double exposing.

How Do You Double Expose Effectively?

Every store has a unique layout, therefore it’s impossible to give a black and white example on how to effectively double expose products. But the main point to understand when showcasing products at various locations in your store is to consider how your customers move through your store. Typically customers start by heading to their right when they walk into a store. The right space from the door front is a “hot spot” in retail real estate, therefore a great spot to display your target product. From there, a customer will gravitate towards the middle and ultimately the left walls of the store. Your middle display options, such as a center island, is another ideal spot to merchandise this product. Don’t let the word “double” mislead you. You can continue to use this product beyond two places… so go ahead and find a home for it in a third and possible fourth spot. If size appropriate, you may even want to have it by the cash wrap area. This is great area that customers linger while checking out and the perfect time for employees to strike up a conversation about this specific product.

Beyond actual display placement, you should consider what other products you will merchandise your target item with. Since you will have it in multiple locations, go ahead and mix up how you display it. A frame could be merchandised with other frames or in the middle of general home furnishing assortment or with vases or decorative bowls. You get the idea.The goal in doing this is that your customer will see it in a new light each time he or she views your target item – offering him or her more ideas of how it would be right for them.

Finally, keep it real. If you bought a bomb product, even double exposing it won’t always do the trick in selling it – but it can help. Be realistic about your display options and actual sell thru. If you  aren’t reaching the numbers you anticipate, move on to new ways to merchandise and move  product. After all, effectively merchandising anything means constantly updating your merchandising displays to keep things fresh. I know, I know… it’s tiring just to think about. But there’s  no time to waste – get to it!

[tweetmeme]1. Seeing Double. Whether you have a hot item you know will sell or you are looking to push some goods that haven’t been moving, double – or even triple -  merchandising your products can help make an impact on your customer’s impression of that product. Don’t get double exposed happy, though. Not everything deserves more space than their single product display. Pick and choose what will best suit your store and constantly re-evaluate this.

2. Speaking Through Words. Store signage is a must, but on plain white paper? No, no and NO! Too often the “easy” approach is used to get things done – such as make a sign for a recently arrived item in a store – but in the case of signage, take your time. Use card-stock that doesn’t bend too easily. Use a color that stands out from the rest of your decor. And use a nice sign holder to showcase whatever it is your sign says. Professionally printed signs are even better, but on a whim there is no reason you can’t do this yourself. It’s a great way to save costs, as well, but compromising style is not an option here.

3. Keeping It Eye Level. The reality is not everyone is tall. For that matter, not everyone is short. Just because you are one or the other and merchandise your store accordingly doesn’t mean this will accommodate your broad consumer audience. Instead, focus on a variety of eye levels that comfortably engage most heights. If products are displayed within eye level, consumers are more likely to reach out and touch those products. The next step would be for them to buy those products, so don’t overlook this step. If you have merchandising opportunities that are too high or too low to be considered eye level, use the double exposing method (Point 1) to ensure it won’t get missed.

4. Staying Clean. Yes, I said it. Clean. Not dirty. No one likes to admit it, but too often dusting, vacuuming and all the other not-so-fun responsibilities of running a store get dismissed. Hire a cleaning service or do it yourself. No exceptions. Customers don’t respond well to dusty shelves and even worse, dusty products. Stay on top of this one.

5. Incorporating Change. Change will be different for each unique store, but for the most part you want to consider change in how often you merchandise your store. It’s so important to get window displays fresh and in store displays new, as well. While it may seem like a lot of work to get them in tip-top shape, it’s not over after that. A good merchandising plan keeps store windows rotating every 2 to 4 weeks and in store displays on a weekly basis. With that said, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get started!

1. Keep it simple. You don’t have to be extravagant in your merchandising techniques for your product to stand out. The key is to merchandise your product without cluttering your space, therefore allowing your product to be visible and easy to shop. In addition, your merchandising strategies should stimulate the eye so that customers are enticed by what you are offering.

2. Avoid tight spaces.Whether you have shelves, cabinet space, racks or hang-bars, make sure your product is not so crammed that customers hesitate to touch and ultimately pick up / try on something. Giving them comfortable access to the product allows for them to be more comfortable shopping in your store. If they think a frame will fall over while trying to reach for a different product displayed behind it, they may not reach for it and therefore may not buy it.

3. Encourage touch. Customers respond to many reasons that ultimately make them want to buy something. Touching something and then enjoying that something is among the top reasons impulse buys are made. Selling items that aren’t a need? This is especially important since your customers may not need anything in your store – they have to want it. Make them want it more with signage that encourages to try something on, test a product out or offer a way in which they can experience the item for sale. Making it accessible for them to touch – eye level – also helps. If your clothes or accessories, make sure to have many accessible mirrors, as well.

4. Move it around. Merchandising may not be your thing, but don’t let that keep you from re-merchandising your store often. Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly rotations are common practices for stores to follow. Depending on the product, your store and your customer should determine what your merchandising rotation should be, however in general you should re-merchandise display windows and displays areas weekly or bi-weekly, prime real estate (front of store, great visible and accessible areas, etc.) weekly and everything else every two weeks or so.

5. Staples are okay. Have something that your customers come to you for often and you want to make a permanent home for these items? That’s okay. Use the space around it to introduce new / other items to these customers.

Remember, you are not a big box retailer. The strategies you see in these types of stores may not work for you, such as leaving a main window display the same for one month. You are a smaller store with different responsibilities as a result. Lean on neighborhood chambers, local support and store friends to see what works for them and how their merchandising ideas may help your store. Finally, don’t be afraid to try news ways to merchandise your store that you may not be familiar with or have used in the past. You may find these changes help enhance not only your store, but your sales.