Hometown Business: Dynamic Displays

Sharon Stevens and Betty Feather
Department of Textile and Apparel Management

The way you display your merchandise can have an impressive impact on your sales. In a study done by the National Retail Merchants Association, one out of every four sales occurred because of the way the merchandise was displayed.

Presenting your merchandise in such a way that the customer looks at it and then buys it is visual merchandising.

Know the golden rules of visual merchandising:

Know your customer.
Don't damage the merchandise.
Realize your time limitations.
Be willing to learn.
Change your display often.

Five steps to effective displays

Attract attention
You can attract attention to your display by effective use of color, light and shape.
Arouse interest
Your display should have an attention getter -- something that brings the customer over to look further. For example, if you are displaying a pasta machine, display it with pasta coming out of the machine, or with a variety of pasta shapes. Shoppers will stop to look at the display to see how the machine works.
Create desire
Your display should make customers want the product by showing that it is just what they need. The display should demonstrate the qualities of the product, its use and its benefits. Along with the pasta machine, you might show a checked tablecloth, a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine.
Win confidence
Show customers how you can help them put it all together. Display related objects that tell customers you have more than just the pasta machine -- include an Italian cookbook, cooking equipment and table settings.
Motivate the purchase
If the first four steps were done well, the customer should now walk in and buy the product.

Types of displays

Storefront windows

Storefront windows are the ones that people see from the street or shopping mall. Based on what they see in the window, shoppers will decide what kind of merchandise you carry, how expensive it is and what age and type of customers you serve. Let your display in the window create a good first impression.

Interior displays

Like the front window display, your interior displays must make the customer stop and study the merchandise. Your display should be so attractive that it creates a need for the merchandise in it.

This is an excellent way to show seasonal merchandise such as gardening tools and Easter bunnies as well as high-fashion items such as sweaters and scarves. A gift wrap display in a central location may remind shoppers that they need wrapping paper, ribbons and cards.

The type of interior display you will use depends on:

The type of merchandise you sell.
The amount and kind of space you have available.
The size of your display budget.
The skill of the person designing the displays.

There are three major types of interior displays:

Showcases are usually long, glass-encased display centers with two or more tiers and a sliding door on the clerk's side. Customers see showcases from the front as they approach the area and from the top when they are up close. Showcases usually display items that cannot be placed in the window because they are too valuable (watches), too fragile (porcelain), too volatile (perfume), or too small (thimbles). The showcase is usually used to promote one type of merchandise -- jewelry, notions, cosmetics or expensive handbags. The showcase can be located near the area where that merchandise is sold, but it does not have to be.
Found-space displays are placed wherever space is available. This display focuses on a few related products. It can remind the customer of the window display, introduce specific merchandise or present a collection of coordinated pieces that can be sold as a set. In small stores, found-space displays are usually limited to walls and rack tops.
Point-of-purchase displays are located near the cashier. Small racks and shelves are used to show merchandise that is usually small, relatively inexpensive and attractive. Batteries, candy, hair bows, earrings, key chains, magazines and small toys are typical items. While customers are waiting to pay for their merchandise, they look at whatever is around them. This display should entice customers to make impulse purchases.

Fundamentals of display

Understanding the principles of design will help you coordinate the parts of your display. A well-designed display looks unified. Everything in it appears to support the message. Achieving this effect takes planning and the ability to use the design elements: balance, emphasis, harmony, proportion and rhythm.

Balance

When a display has balance, the merchandise is placed so that the weight on each side of the display appears to be even.

Formal balance results when both sides of the display are exactly the same or a mirror image of each other. Formal balance is dignified, restrained, conservative and calm. It is effective in displays of traditional clothing, furnishings and accessories.
Informal balance results when a variety of sizes, colors, shapes and placements are used to create a unified effect. Informal balance is more subtle and imaginative. Its message is of activity, excitement and variety. Informal balance is excellent for trendy, sophisticated audiences. In general, informal balance is more difficult to do effectively.

Use informal balance to give your displays a feeling of action

You can make an arrangement with informal balance by placing:

A small item in the foreground and a larger item in the background so that they appear to be of equal weight.
Two small items on one side and one larger item on the other; side.
A brightly colored (intense) item on one side and a larger, duller item or more items with less color intensity on the other side.

Emphasis

The point in the display that appears to be the most dominant, is the point of emphasis. It is the place where the eye goes first. In a display, the point of emphasis is usually in one of two places: the optical center or the upper, left corner.

When it is placed in or near the optical center of the display (halfway between right and left and slightly above the vertical center), the eye will flow evenly to all sides of the display.

When it is placed in the upper left corner of the display area (viewed from the front), the eye will "read" the area as if it were a page -- across to the right and down.

If the approach to the display is from the side rather than the front, secondary emphasis points on each wing will help bring people to the front.

Create emphasis by using:

Contrasting colors: a red or yellow dress in a display along with several dark dresses.
Contrasting shapes: a round platter or bowl on a rectangular place mat.
Contrasting textures: smooth, shiny silverware on a black, velvet cloth.
An object that is large in relation to the rest of the display items and space: a glue gun in a display of dollhouse furniture.

Harmony

Harmony is combining parts into a pleasing whole. When all the elements of the display work with each other to make a unified statement, with just enough variety to keep it from being boring, the result is harmony. It is achieved through the controlled use of lines, shapes, sizes, textures and ideas.

Line is the most important aspect of harmony in a display. Do you want your merchandise to be associated with calm and dignity? Or, does your merchandise go better with newness and rapid change? Think about the difference in effect between a series of lines all the same size and all going in the same direction and a series of lines of several sizes, going in all directions.
Shape is the visual form of an object. Shapes that are exactly the same create perfect harmony in a display, but be careful that the repetition is not boring.
Size is the physical magnitude, extent, bulk or dimension of something. Consistent sizes create harmony in a display, but too much consistency may be boring.
Texture is related to the sense of touch. The two categories of texture are rough/smooth and bright/dull. When most of the items in a display have the same texture, the result is harmony. Think of a display of fur coats and furry animals walking around them. A combination of textures gives the display contrast. Consider the textures found in a display of a formal table setting with a lace tablecloth, shiny crystal and soft flowers.

In a display, one idea should dominate. All the details should clarify and support that idea.

Give your displays direction by using lines effectively

Lines lead the eye from one place to another through the display. They may be vertical, horizontal, diagonal or curved. When any type of line is repeated, its effect becomes stronger. When different lines are used together, they create contrast. If too many different lines are used, the result is confusion.

A vertical line expresses strength, height, pride, stability, majesty and dignity. It can be rigid, severe, masculine, direct, forceful or precise. The point where the vertical line stops helps to define the height and proportion of the display.

A horizontal line suggests peace and calm, rest, relaxation and repose. Horizontal lines tend to make things look wider and shorter. They can soften the effect of vertical and diagonal lines and relax the feeling of dignity or "uptightness."

Most displays use both vertical and horizontal lines, but the feeling is usually dominated by one or the other.

A diagonal line from upper left to lower right gives a feeling of action, strength and force. It can suggest movement and is very effective in informal display arrangements.

A diagonal line from upper right to lower left gives the feeling of instability. Be careful using this line.

The curved line and the arc give a feeling of grace, charm and flowing movement. Curved lines soften the effect of other lines whether you place the curves horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Proportion

The size relationship of any part of the display to any other is proportion. Think about proportion when you decide how much merchandise to display in a given space, when you look at the size of one piece of merchandise compared to the others, and when you consider the size of props and signs. No one object in a display should seem too large, too heavy or too small in proportion to the other objects.

There are four common ways to divide space to achieve proportion:

A pyramid is a triangle with a broad base and a center peak. Because one of the three lines is always on a diagonal, the triangle shape creates a feeling of movement or depth. This is the easiest shape to work with, although it can sometimes seem stiff and formal.
A step arrangement uses even increases in height within the area. It is less formal than a pyramid. The step arrangement is effective when placed at the side facing the center of attraction. It also works well in combination with the pyramid.
A zig-zag arrangement requires even spacing and precision. It is easily adaptable to wearing apparel because fabrics are so easy to drape. Even in a display of hardware or paint, you can use materials such as yarn, rope and ribbon to lead the eye throughout a zig-zag line.
Repetition of a color, line, shape or form reinforces the idea or motif and gives it emphasis. Use repetition to lead the eye to a certain point in the display. It is especially effective when used with small merchandise items.

Rhythm

The measurement of motion is rhythm. When a display has rhythm, the eye will follow a path through the entire display area until all of it has been seen.

You can achieve rhythm through the use of these design devices:

Repetition of shapes: similar shapes at regular intervals throughout the display.
Progression of sizes: similar shapes in stepped sizes along a visual path.
Continuous line movement: curves leading from one element of the display to the next. Background draping and merchandise that can be draped can help to achieve this effect.
Radiating lines: shapes moving in all directions away from a center.

Color sells

Color is what customers see first. More than anything else, color makes people stop and look. For many customers the color is more important than the size, the style or the price.

How an individual reacts to any specific color depends on that individual's preferences and past experiences. Statements that can be made about color are generalizations. Not everyone will react to any color in the same way.

Some colors generally make the viewer feel warm, expansive, generous and full of good feelings. Red, orange, yellow, rust and peach are usually considered warm colors.

Some colors generally make the viewer feel cool, calm, regal, sophisticated and quiet. Blue, green, violet/purple and blue-green are usually considered cool colors.

When you use color in your display:

Be careful how you use strong and contrasting colors. They may attract attention to the display, but they may detract from the merchandise.
Use a color scheme appropriate to the merchandise. Your colors should reflect the type of atmosphere you want to create. For example, more sophisticated restaurants use soft, muted colors. They want you to relax and take your time with your meal. Fast food restaurants use intense and contrasting colors. They are geared toward people who are in a hurry.
Floors, walls and backgrounds usually should be neutral (white, black, gray, brown) to go with a variety of merchandise.
Lighter colors generally make the space look larger. Darker colors make the space look smaller and more intimate.
Soft tints generally show the merchandise better than deep colors.
More expensive merchandise should be displayed with refined colors and/or the colors currently in fashion.
Warm colors enhance the appearance of the merchandise and appear to push it to the front of the display.
Cool colors appear calm, soothing and balanced. They seem to enlarge the space.

Light up your displays

Effective lighting is vital to selling. People buy your merchandise because they see it. The light on a display should be two to five times stronger than the overall room lighting.

Spot lighting within a display should be two to five times stronger than the display lighting.
General lighting, sometimes called primary or ambient, is the overall lighting for the store. It includes the overall room light, the lights along the aisles, at exits and fire exits, and in the office. General lighting fills the room and shows customers how they look with the merchandise.
Secondary or accent lighting focuses on the merchandise. It includes special lighting for display areas and spotlights and floodlights to brighten the shelves, cases, counters and windows.
Atmosphere lighting creates special effects. Color filters, pinpoint spotlights and black light may be used to create drama and to feature specific displays.

There are two broad categories of lights: incandescent and fluorescent.

Incandescent lighting comes from the familiar, screw-in bulb. It is bright and direct and gives a feeling of warmth. It can be used to create shadows and highlights. Incandescent lights are expensive to use and give off a lot of heat. They are not energy efficient. Therefore, incandescent lights are not recommended for general lighting.
Fluorescent lighting comes from light bulbs that are long tubes. They are used for general store lighting, for large-area displays, and on specialized shelves and showcases. Fluorescent light is much more diffused than incandescent light. Because you cannot aim it at an object to create shadows or contrast, when used alone, it can make everything appear flat, dull and uninteresting. Fluorescent bulbs come in a variety of shades including cool white, daylight, spectrum and chroma. The bulb that you choose has a significant effect on the color of everything under it. Fluorescent bulbs are inexpensive to use, do not give off a lot of heat and generally last a long time -- often a year or more. Your investment in proper lighting will pay off in increased sales.

Always have a supply of extra bulbs for all your lighting fixtures. Check often for burned-out bulbs, and replace them as soon as possible.

When you consider your lighting needs, visit your local lighting retailer. Ask about recent changes in the lighting industry, and look at what happens to color under different types of lighting. A few large lighting retailers have "lighting laboratories" that are set up to show you the dramatic difference that a change in light bulbs can make. They invite you to call them for an appointment. Check the telephone directory for the larger cities near you to determine where these laboratories are available.

In Missouri, lighting laboratories are available in Columbia and St. Louis. Philips and Company (Sixth and Cherry, P.O. Box 978, Columbia, MO 65205, 573-449-3902) and Villa Lighting (4155 Manchester, St. Louis, MO, 800- 727-0225) have in-store laboratories for demonstrating what can be done with lighting.

General store lighting

The color and intensity of light in your store must be appropriate to the type of merchandise you sell.

In a store that sells paint, customers may want to match the paint to upholstery, flooring or paint in another room. The light must allow them to see the true color of the paint.

In a clothing store, however, the light should be softer and warmer to make skin tones attractive and simulate the light in most houses. Be careful that the light is not too warm -- it could distort the color enough to change blue to purple and yellow to orange.

For the overall light within the store, use fluorescent lighting in the color most appropriate for your merchandise. Use incandescent lights, as appropriate, to bring out the merchandise in display areas.

Lights must be kept a safe distance from the merchandise. Most merchandise cannot tolerate direct light and heat from incandescent bulbs. Merchandise placed too close to incandescent light might fade, melt, bum or explode. It may even start a fire.

Adjustable light must be focused on the merchandise. It should not be focused on a wall, ceiling or floor. (Be cautious about damage to the merchandise from heat and light.) Adjustable lights should hit the merchandise at an angle. This reduces glare and gives the most lighting per fixture.

Show window lighting

The lights in open-front store windows should be strong enough to overcome reflections from outside objects. This means there must be more light coming from inside the window than there is hitting the outside.

Direct, incandescent lighting is especially effective on high-style displays. Color filters create drama. Use small, portable spotlights to accent small display areas, information cards and specific items in a display.

Footlights help relieve shadows near the bottom of a display.

Step-by-step displays

Plan the display. The larger the job, the more planning it needs.
Decide what types of merchandise to feature.
Decide who your audience is.
Decide what color scheme, mood and theme to use.
Choose the specific pieces of merchandise to use. Choose pieces that will work together to create one idea. They should help create the mood, go with the color scheme and advance the theme.
The display items should be similar in texture, style and age appeal. They should fill the space, but not crowd it. They should be able to withstand the light and heat or cold without cracking, freezing, fading or melting. (You can sometimes get around this problem by using the package instead of the actual merchandise.)
Work out the design.
Decide on the staging pieces to use (screens, blocks or mannequins, for example).
Select a background to go with the color scheme. Decide on the kind of lights. Choose props that enhance the merchandise.
Decide on the layout or placement of the merchandise. Use the principles of design. Make a sketch of the arrangement.
Assemble the display.
Prepare as much of the display in advance as you can. Start early. Give yourself plenty of time before the store opens. Allow twice as much time as you think it will take.
Remove the old display. Put the merchandise on a cart to be cleaned and/or pressed as needed before it goes back to the sales floor.
Clean the area. Use diluted ammonia on the glass. Remove any pins or strings from floors, ceiling and walls. Vacuum the entire area.
Check for and change any burned-out bulbs. Change lighting if your new display requires it.
Put in background and staging pieces (screens, blocks, mannequins).
Add merchandise and props.
Focus lights.
Prepare a "window sheet." For all the merchandise you used, write down the size, price and the location in the display. Post this sheet inconspicuously near the display, and also distribute it to your sales personnel so that they can answer customer questions about items in the display.

Signs/information cards

How well any sign works depends on how easy it is to read and understand.

Color is very important in sign design. The greater the contrast between the background and the lettering, the easier it will be to see the words on the sign. Black on white or white on black are examples of good contrast.

A combination of any two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green or orange and purple, make the sign almost impossible to read because the colors seem to vibrate. Metallic paints and inks and metallic backgrounds may glare or reflect.

Signs should look professional. They must be clean and unblemished. If you use many signs you may want to invest in a compact printing machine. Techniques for making one-of-a-kind signs include cut-out letters, press-on letters, stencils and calligraphy.

Resources

Bell, Judith A. Silent Selling: The Complete Guide to Fashion Merchandise Presentation. Cincinnati, OH: Signs of the Times Publishing Co., 1988.
Mills, Kenneth H. and Judith E. Paul. Applied Visual Merchandising. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982.
Pegler, Martin M. Store Windows that Sell/Book 3. New York: Fairchild Publications, 1983.
Pegler, Martin M. Visual Merchandising and Display. New York: Fairchild Publications, 1983.
Ralston, Trudy and Foster, Eric. How to Display It: A Practical Guide to Professional Merchandise Display. New York: Art Direction Book Company, 1985.
Wheeler, Alan. Display by Design. New York: Cornwall Books, 1986.

Special thanks to Joann Scrogin, Fashion Department, Columbia College, and Philips and Co., Columbia

MP659, reviewed October 1993