Did you know 90% of the information received by the brain is visual?
In this fast pacing world, people would rarely remember the generic text on a display, but are most likely to remember how eye-catching the store was or how well the products were arranged on aisles. Visual Merchandising has time and again proven how it can contribute to a successful retail store. Hence, it’s only imperative to keep up with times and implement the latest Visual Merchandising trends to the retail businesses.
Here Are the Top VM Trends You Need to Aware Of
1. Phygital merchandising
Phygital is a concept which is a combination of physical and digital merchandising strategy which helps engage the customers. It helps in creating a holistic experience for customers by not only involving physical elements but also introducing digital concepts.
Usually e-commerce businesses focus only on digital strategies but physical stores can make use of phygital extensively.
2. Experiential merchandising
The retail industry is breaking the ground and is focusing efforts on experiential marketing. It all starts from when the customer enters the store and interacts through various touch points. The store experience at these points should leave an everlasting impression and hence the ideas around building incredible customer experiences are being implemented. Instead of shoving products down the customer’s throat and trying too hard to sell, retailers are trying their best to charm the customers by giving customers an immersive experience. Clearly, it is not only about look and feel but also about tingling all the human senses.
3. Stores within stores
Although having a store within a store isn’t a new trend in Visual Merchandising, it does wonders in current times as well. This is one of the strategies which has usually always worked and attracts a huge number of customers and converts to sales as well.
A retailer can set up a display store within a store if he wants to promote a new line of products or focus on selling seasonal products to improve its sales. This concept is bound to attract more customers and thus increases the probability of bumping up the sales.
4. Information equipped Visual Merchandising
It is widely known that 80% of people do their research online before shopping.
In today’s times, customers have become informed and thus their buying decisions are also well researched. People are interested in learning and knowing more about the products before they make up their minds to buy them.
Retailers are trying to provide them this information across the different transaction points through the store staff as well as at the point of purchase in the store. Here are a few ways retailers are handing out information to the customers:
- Store staff are equipped with extensive knowledge about the products so that they can clear customers’ doubts and help them in making a decision.
- At the POS during billing, suggesting complementary products is a good idea.
- Interactive display of styling tips or usage tips in the store can help customers envision the product being used in their lives.
5. Instagramable displays in store
Social media is talk of every town right now. On an average, people are spending over 2 hours scrolling through social media everyday. That’s why it’s crucial to have a VM strategy around instagrammable displays, wherein people are encouraged to click pictures, make videos and share those on their social media handles.
It can add to word of mouth marketing of the retail stores and increase the probability of new customers visiting the store and also helps in building a brand image for the business.
6. Sustainable merchandising
Sustainability is a burning topic in all industries and retail businesses are going out of their way to be sustainable. Consumers as well are inclining towards businesses which are sustainable. Research tells that over 51% of shoppers aged between 16 and 34 are more likely to buy from a retailer that has made efforts to be sustainable over the one that has not.
7. Interactive visual display
One of the growing trends in Visual Merchandising is the addition of interactive displays and videos. From a virtual try-on to engaging visual experiences, interactive displays help address buyer’s doubts and queries regarding the products. Incorporating tools like an online video collage maker can enhance these visual experiences further. Thus, a lot of retail businesses are investing in making store experiences interactive for their customers.
8. Pop-ups
Small pop ups or concept stores are emerging around the world. These are a great way to get people excited about the store leading to a walk in and probably conversion to sales. The pop ups can be about a variety of things like new collections, new product lines or maybe just spreading awareness about the brand to the target consumers.
Some details should be kept in mind while designing pop ups like they should be structured and in line with the brand image. These should be placed in high traffic areas and shouldn’t hamper how people move inside the store.
Retail is a massive industry and there are many different ways to market stores.
Information in the store, experiential merchandising, Instagramable displays, pop-ups, or even just creative displays can help retailers connect with customers on a more personal level by keeping them inquisitive and encouraging them to come back. With the advent of technology, there are tools like Wooqer’s Visual Merchandising Implementation app which can make implementing all the above listed VM trends very efficient and bumps up the sales manifolds.
If any retailer is looking to design a VM strategy, the above highlighted trends can make a huge impact on his business. One has to make sure to take these factors into account so that most immersive, experiential and personalized Visual Merchandising can take place.
