Five Extra Special Touches That Help Make Products Sell
So you have the shop and you have the stock. But how do you get those products moving off the shelves?
Sometimes shoppers need a little persuasion to part with their hard-earned cash, especially in the current climate. Use these extra touches to persuade your customers to treat themselves to something special.
Shop fittings
The most important element (besides stock) of a brick-and-mortar shop is the fittings. Customers don’t want to buy luxury goods from shabby surroundings or from a blank, bland white room. Fitting out a shop successfully is all down to the unexpected touches — hanging bath products from taps instead of standard hooks, for example. Make sure your displays beg for customer interaction — is your packaging attractive and nice to touch? Does your furniture match the theme of the shop? And if not, is there a way to make it work? A coat of paint can alter the whole feel of a place.
Make sure the sound is appropriate. Are you listening to the radio? Classical music? The sound of the sea? Don’t forget that anything too repetitious is going to drive your customers — and your staff — crazy.
Make sure the shop smells nice and isn’t too overwhelming; for scented products such as candles or perfumes, ensure that the shop scent is neutral to allow sampling. Bear in mind that your packaging should allow the scent to pass through it — large organza bags are a perfect wrapping for anything scented as they encase the product attractively but allow perfumes to pass through.
Lighting
After thinking about the sounds and smells of your shop, think about the lighting — have you lit your shop to really display your products to their best ability? Should you be investing in some new lighting? For a temporary solution, battery powered LED lights provide great highlighting over a small area, perhaps around a new product. Ideally all of your products should be well lit to allow your customers to take a closer look, and preferably with the sort of packaging that reacts well to lighting rather than causing glare. Organza is perfect for this as light plays attractively on its surface whilst allowing customers to look inside.
Seasonal Displays
A dynamic display is an interesting display. You should be changing your shop window display several times a year to reflect both the seasons and the new products you have coming in. Don’t forget to repeat products from your display near the till so that customers find it easy to buy them.
If you have a display inside a glass case, allow space to display the items properly. Customers can’t pick up items and examine them if they are in a glass case, so they will want to have a close look to appreciate them properly. If possible, keep your glass cases near the till so that they are easy to open quickly.
Don’t forget to add the extra garnishes to make them special. Perhaps, if you package your products in organza bags, change the colour of the bag to reflect the season?
Atmosphere
Hand in hand with displays there is also the need to maintain a comfortable atmosphere. We want customers to take a while browsing and pick up things they didn’t necessarily set out to buy. They are also more likely to buy if your staff seem comfortable, so make sure the shop isn’t too hot or too cold and your staff have places to sit.
It is handy to have little products by the till for the customers to look at if there is a queue — if they have access to attractive low-price items they are more likely to buy them on a whim. It’s good to think about the psychology of pricing as well — ending a price with £.99 makes something seem cheaper, so expensive items should be in full pounds to highlight their quality.
Packaging
Packaging is, as previously mentioned, very important. Don’t forget that in the case of presents, if your branded packaging is attractive or interesting, the customer is more likely to leave the present packaged with your branding when they give it. Paper bags may be cheap, but they will go straight in the bin!
Branded organza bags are a very attractive way to package small and large luxury gifts, allowing the gift to be seen whilst still containing it in an attractive manner. They are flexible, affordable and add an extra touch of luxury to an already desirable present.
These are just a few things that can add your selling power. Ultimately, of course, you know what is best for your business, but why not try something new?
