Retail merchandising: tips and advice

[Zooks]

Evening Geeks

This might seem like an odd question but I hope there are some geeks good with their visual merchandising out there!

I have a fair few retail items and dont sell as much as I would like. I use the products on myself and on clients and have testers available. They are all attractively displayed in my windows. My main question is do most of you price products up so that the prices are displayed? Or do you leave it to them to ask?

I would say the majority of my products are reasonably price, especially for my area, but I don't sell. as much as Id like to.

Does any one have any great tips? Do you do offers such as buy such and such get 10% off?

Any advice would be much appreciated. I am not a natural sales person unfirtunately.

 

[jujojones]

Get your testers out, take them to clients, get them to feel it, smell it and tell them the benefits.
I have prices on show- imo it is daunting for clients to go and ask - they have no idea of its in there price range and would rather save the embarrasment them.go and ask!
How well do you know your products? It's far easier to sell products you know inside and out, and you know your selling the right product to the right client! If your with a major brand they usually offer refresher days that can help you get back on track and offer new ideas for creative selling!

I retail to most clients, at least one product, and I believe it is because I have a good consultation, let my clients feel product and I know them well so I know I'm retailing something they need! You need to remember that clients come to you for professional advice, if you don't sell them quality products they will just go and buy an olde rubbish from the chemist !! Ha ha!!

It really depends on type of product, but be creative.in showing clients - got a hand cream you need to sell? Get your tester Give a free hand massage while yelling them just how wonderful it is!

 

[Zooks]

Thankyou for your response

I used to always use Hand cream with my basic shellac app but stopped as I added an intermediate Shellac mani to include exfo and moisturise but maybe I should start doing it again as I never egt to use the hand cream these days! The they get to try it.

Im a one woman band and tend to have treatments back to back so dont have too much time between clients to chat about products. I mostly try to do it during the treatment.

I could do witha refresher on my facial products, they do not fly off the shelves unfortunately even though Im pretty passionate about them.

That was brill advice

Any more ideas?

An open evening perhaps?

 

[jujojones]

How about having a facial analyis event (obv need a pretty name for it). Have 30 min slots for a analysis facial (cleanse tone exfoliate) have a good consultation, and recommend products (try and get a woodslamp to - expensive but fantastic tool for facials ) . Have tickets for say £10 but redeemable against products .. gives the evening value and they feel like they are getting a big discount! Ask your supplier for samples to give away with any purchase they make.

On quiet days I do a mini make up.lesson for a 5er, clients love a bargain but get shown our fab make up and it almost sells it self!


I'm usually back to back to, but it can literally take two mins to show a new product. Near the end of a facial when they are waking back up I always explain what creams I'm putting on etc (not on a pushy way I'm.not a hard seller, I just know they get better value from their treatment when using a good routine at home!) If u retail spf you should easily be able to retail to every facial client if you can remember the benefits etc!!

 

[~Louise~]

Well I only work with make up but when I'm applying the various products during an application I talk a little about why I chose this foundation/shadow/blush etc, because the colour compliments them, hides pores, lifts their eyes etc & go into all about the product, where it came from, who created it, what famous MUAs use it & what celebrities use it. I always get people commenting that I really know my stuff & you can tell make up is my passion. If they don't buy there and then they will be back to buy.

Also after applying make up you could say "Now all you have to do is top up your lipstick..." & usually they buy

Hope that helps xox

 

[Tomme]

If you are displaying in a window but selling from another area in the shop then keep the products minimal. Eg, a set of 3 shelves at 1 m wide, have 2 products on the right together and one on the left, no more, alternate on each shelf until you reach the floor and put a diagonal line of a single type of product from the 2 products on the shelf above.
Yes price everything. Pre made price labels can be expensive so try acrylics like below, print out the product name, and price (maybe a picture and description too) and put it next to the product. In my experience prices are always to the right of the item when looking from the front, if you have 2 together put the product on the left price next to the items and the one on the right next to the other price.

The Picture is set in a 1 meter space (outlined by phone chargers, that's a good basic template that worked when I moves to a different shop and doubled revenue as its not cluttered and won't confuse a customer, the prices are folded paper as an idea, you could use cards or the acrylics in the next picture) xoxo

*from 2 years as visual merchandiser experience*

 

[Zooks]

Thankyou Geeks, this is all really helpful.

Had the massage candle lit today and a client commented on it so I popped som on her hand to try and hey presto she loved it and bought one.

I will also get making up some labels with prices on and get them on my products.

Thinking of setting up a pre christmas party too with the possibility of seling vouchers etc for Chrismas

 

[Zooks]

Just about to put all of this into practice so thought I'd give this a quick bump.

Do you hand write you price labels? Or type them up?

Do you think it makes a difference? I get a bit OCD so think printed would look more professional but hand written more bespoke?!

 

[Tomme]

You can print in a handwriting font. Printing looks a lot more professional as the lines are alway perfect, the size is uniform, all slants and bold sections are uniform. I would keep the price in a basic font, but name/ description can be done in a handwriting font that's still easy to read.
If you have your logo available try shrinking that down to fit in the top or bottom corner of the label too, or if its a long logo put it along the entire top or bottom, will give a bit of brand awareness to the salon. Xoxo

 

[Zooks]

Fabulous thankyou Tomme.

Do you have these professionally printed? I take it they would be on card?

 

[crazybek]

Wwe have shelf tags on our units that say

"Im not a secret ask your hairdresser about me"

Sounds odd maybe and theyre small but not too small that clients dont see them.

They look and nearly always ask.

Also as said above when im applying product 99% of the time my clients will ask what it is im using so opens up the conversation more.
Good luck x

 

[Zooks]

That sounds interesting, I personally think prices would be better, perhaps with this underneath?

I try to incorporate most of my products but cant always use them all.

 

[Tomme]

Fabulous thankyou Tomme.

Do you have these professionally printed? I take it they would be on card?

I'm mobile so don't have a display, while I was a visual merchandiser the cards were professionally printed, originally on card and we had little plastic blocks that held them, them moved on to plastic self supporting stands.
I'd use some strong card that can go through the printer (staff at staples will help with this) make sure to cut it slightly bigger along the bottom so you have a stand and maybe invest in a guillotine to get perfect edges.

I like the idea of "I'm not a secret" cards, if the prices are on card 5cm square the I'm not a secret would look good at 10cm tall 5cm wide.

You could alway alter the saying to "I'm the best kept secret" or similar and put it next to a product on promotion/discount or just choose one a week/ month to promote, remember to have it on the desk or as a large collection in the window if doing it as a must have monthly item xoxo

 

[WaxGirl]

Love the ideas!!!

Where can I buy those plastic merchandising little stands that you put your own info into like the picture above?

and... any suggestions for me ...I have limited space... but one wall where I am thinking of displaying some products

the shelving/display wouldnt be able to sit out that much ...afraid of people bumping heads and easy to clean...any ideas?

 

[topaz1]

I have used a company called 3D displays they make all sorts of acrylic display equipment for signs jewellery etc. I am sure they have a website if you type it in google!