Why Retail Graphics Are Essential for Visual Merchandising
Retail stores face a constant battle: grabbing the fleeting 8-second attention span of passing customers. Not only that, but with only 20% of the UK population still choosing to shop in person, the pressure is on to secure those vital in-store sales.
So, how do you draw in footfall? Since the 19th century, visual merchandising has been a necessity for retailers to make a store look good and attract customers. A lot of work goes into these retail displays, and when done right, you create an inspirational space that turns browsers into buyers.
In this blog, we discuss how to apply retail graphics and displays for your next store campaign.
Visual merchandising is the practice of making a store – and its products – attract customer attention. Everything from your floor plan to window displays can impact a customer’s behaviour.
Visual merchandisers concentrate on a store’s interior and exterior design to entice passersby. To do this, they:
Retailers who prioritise these visuals not only make their stores look better but also increase their sales and market share.
The high street is fiercely competitive, and one way to stand out is through a window display. These displays give people a peek into what you have to offer, whether that be a new collection or a huge sale. Window graphics, along with lightboxes and other props, will ensure your display outshines others.
Remember, window displays are your first touch point. So, create a story or theme that connects with your customers and encourages them in-store. Swaine, the luxury goods brand, is a great example of using a themed window display to draw crowds during the busy holiday season.
Effective lighting helps spotlight products or areas of your store that you want customers to visit. LED lightboxes can display offers, promotional imagery and other retail graphics that help increase impulse purchases.
Lightboxes offer excellent accent lighting, which can be mounted on the ceiling or wall to highlight a specific product or collection. With Leach’s lightbox displays, you can add magnetic shelves to allow for different merchandising techniques (e.g., hero and pyramid merchandising).
Wall-mounted lightboxes also prove essential at the point of sale, where customers need that little extra push. Decorative lighting, such as LED neon signage, can be a great option to evoke nostalgia when shopping in-store.
Your interiors need to guide and inspire customers from the moment they enter. While your window graphics attract them, your interiors must keep them around. Wall coverings, whether permanent wallpapers or temporary displays, help reinforce your brand while adding colour in areas that need attention.
Floor graphics and directional signage are also enticing visual cues that encourage customers to browse for longer and, ultimately, head to the point of sale.
At Leach, we work alongside visual merchandisers and design agencies to create retail displays that draw customers in and bring them back for more.
Whether you’re updating a pop-up store or an entire chain, we’re here to transform your space. Get in touch today to get started.
