Creating A Feature Wall In Your Store

Feature walls are called “featured” because they are exactly that – they are the most visible wall that can often be seen from the entrance of a store. This wall has the opportunity to create a strong, dynamic impression on your customers, which is why it’s so important to maximize your feature wall opportunities.

In addition to capturing consumer attention, featured walls have the chance to communicate your store message and overall feel. If you don’t think you have a featured wall already, you likely do – even if you don’t know it or simply are not maximizing it. Some basic retail rules to help create a strong featured wall are below.

1. Create merchandising sections on your wall that easily allow consumers to “shop” and “understand” the purpose of the wall. This purpose includes highlighting product, creating a store brand, capturing a  feeling you want customers to experience and telling a story based on the season or product.

2. Odd numbers, such as 3 or 5 or 7, offer a more balanced merchandising presentation. For example, you could have three large, 12-foot shelves on top of one another versus two. Likewise, grouping products together in three versus two looks better, such as three choices of an apparel top versus just two.

3. Depending on your store space and total merchandising availability, make sure to use your featured wall as the  strongest visual statement in your store.  This does not mean all of your top sellers have to be here, but it should capture customer’s attention upon arrival into your store.

4. Try to have a center, focal spot on your featured wall that balances the entire wall. This center spot could show a large graphic print, a highlighted wall faceout with product, a huge mirror or even your store name in large font. The idea is to create a center point in the middle of your featured wall that draws the consumer in visually.

5. The secondary walls of your store are just as valuable, but their immediate impression to customers walking into your store simply aren’t as strong. Remember that the featured wall is meant to give an immediate statement. All other walls, tables and other merchandising displays should complement the statement you have made here.