Page 9 - Griffin Gazette Issue 1 - 2018

Today’s retail

analysts and store

design teams

continuously

pursue new looks

and stronger store

penetration models

in all segments display. Consumers were literally awed fixtures share some common elements
in style, color and functionality. National
by the size of the plant-protection
of retailing. department and the staggering number retailers don’t display 20-25 standalone
displays in their stores for this reason.
of product choices. It took extra support
staff stationed in the aisle to make Designs are consistent and repetitious.
the sale!
Grocery shopping is an experience in
Today, those staff members are mostly defining the senses; take notice of how
Track shopper satisfaction gone. Inventory levels and triplicate they compete for consumer footsteps.
Social media has taught us valuable selections have thankfully disappeared. They attack your senses from the time
lessons in how quickly word can spread,
both favorably and unfavorably. It’s the What’s emerged is a tighter, more you enter the store’s gateway. Lighting
“voice” of retailing, believe it or not. focused effort on selling. Streamlining changes are shown by installation of
our chemistry with more general-use accent lighting against perimeter displays
The Nielsen Company is the leading products (and fewer of them) reduces or new LED strip lighting inside display
validator of television audience capture confusion and option paralysis for or fixture cabinets. Products are staged
and composition. Their research has our customers. and aligned to make a more complete
the ear (and wallet) of many advertisers Simplifying our approach comes with shopping experience. Many components
wanting to slot commercials at optimal some retailer rewards, too. It’s much are assembled together to show the
times to get the greatest return. Are we easier to work with a larger single vendor finished products, too! I compare it to
any different? The look and mood of a ladies shopping for the entire outfit: dress,
good shopping environment is critical for for product display purposes, advertising, shoes, purse, outer garment and jewelry.
reaching our sales potential. ordering and product knowledge. Our It whispers to the consumer and says,
industry put the “special” in specialty “Buy me.”
JD Power and Gartner, Inc., are agencies products. We created products for
that measure a vendor’s performance and everything until we ran out of space on Every year, we have new products in our
value to the consumer. Marketing surveys the shelf. Confusion was king back in expanding world of plant genetics, pottery
take into account how consumers use the 1980s. However, an amazing statistic and professional soils. Plan to show and
their cell phones for reporting purposes. emerged when we reduced selections: sell your best combinations together to
With a decade of comments and product It increased sales and focus on what spark customers’ imaginations and get
evaluations coming from Facebook, remained. It also reduced inventory them excited about what’s possible in and
Twitter and various chat apps, this and increased efficiency for reordering around their homes.
feedback is used to define and refine purposes. A win-win! Prioritize positive experiences
the shopping experience. It’s firmly Merchandising mechanics In today’s retail environment, nothing can
entrenched in our daily lives. Everything is
judged and rated. How and where we merchandise goes replace good customer service. Positive
a long way toward sales success. How customer experiences can take many
In a recent article from Business Insider, we drive our customers to the point of forms, some of which are unspoken such
Kroger is experimenting in prototype decision takes some planning. Retailers as store cleanliness, adequate staffing on
displays using strategic RFID shelf talkers today open aisles to see better and limit busy days and opening extra registers to
on end caps to suggest products to obstructions to increase sightlines. lessen the wait at checkout. Clear and
consumers as they pass by. The product Installations of new “transition” flooring in easy-to-see directional signage, and staff
message is sent to the Kroger mobile app. a contrasting color or texture is common uniforms that make your employees easy
They’re still gathering data on the initiative, in renovated retail settings. Doing so to identify are other great examples.
but preliminary results are promising.
Kroger is expected to expand these defines and differentiates spaces, Even the simplest form of retail selling,
into additional stores due to upticks in and facilitates exploration. Colored showing an accurate selling price on or
perimeter walls separate categories
with the products, contributes to a positive
product sales.
and departments to help trigger the in-store experience. Agree or not, today’s
Simplify and scale consumer’s in-store destination quickly. brick-and-mortar continues to exist
Back in the day, garden centers because of the consumer experience.
purchased a huge array of chemicals to Display fixtures are offered in colors Plan on it for the right reasons, not only to
besides white or beige. Standalone
sell on an enormous wall or multi-gondola survive, but to thrive.