Merchandising: How Not To Sell Anything

Even though I am in stores, for work, almost every day, I don't consider myself an expert on retail marketing. I know some stuff and I think I know a little bit more than a regular consumer. I know I know more than some of the folks who actually work in the stores. However, before I became a merchandiser, I didn't know a lot of the things I get to share with you here.

We all have heard that time is money. But also, space is money too. Mass merchandisers (like Walmart, KMart, Target) use several formulas to project their profits. One of those formulas is cost per area. This is the amount of sales they make in a particular aisle, shelf or endcap. They know how much product they need to sell in that one area to meet projected profits.

Here is an example of NOT doing this...

There are 2 completely empty displays. And the far right one is practically empty, as well. Too empty to be taking up profitable shelf space. This is not what a retail store should allow. This is a high-traffic store and this is the new product shelf and every hour this store is open, they are losing out on a huge opportunity to sell=make money. And, this is why companies will hire merchandisers, such as myself, to go into stores and assure that their product is out on the floor and visible.

This display gets a lot of kudos...

This is at Payless Shoes. They have a cosmetic line and their target audience is mid-teens to early twenties. I like that the price is front and center. And the shelf is stocked. Oh, and another plus, I think $5 is a great price for nail sticker polishes.

Companies pay a store extra, and I mean a LOT, to have their product in key/high traffic areas. And the companies expect them to look nice, have a variety of the items easily accessible, and full.

In a nutshell, that's my job description.

Then, I find things like this. Boy, I bet there is someone who is saying 'That isn't how we do things, blah, blah, blah.' Well, as a customer, I thought it was cute. And, this is a young girl's jewelry store. Things are supposed to be light-hearted...

And I saw this which not only gave me a chuckle but, was also putting smiles on everyone else. And, that was his purpose...

These are just a few things about retail merchandising that I have learned along the way. I hope you find it interesting. Let me know and I can share more.

Have a rich and light-hearted day!