Customers head into your store to check out what you have — and it’s that presentation, many retailers say, that will determine whether or not the money that’s in their pocket will turn into the money that’s in yours.
A spot check of outdoor retailers shows that with all of the challenges of the last couple of years, merchandising has become more of a priority.
Chad Scheinerman, owner of Today’s Patio in Phoenix, said that the key to effective merchandising is pulling in all the elements to help a customer see an outdoor room that’s not there — yet.
“We have always tried to merchandise by putting the whole ‘story’ together, i.e., coordinating pillows, rugs and accessories,” Scheinerman said. “This is not necessarily different than others, but we believe we need to give the customer a visualization of what it could look like in their yard/home.”
The way the sales floor is put together, Scheinerman said, is a retailer’s main job.
“Merchandising is always important,” he said. “Generally, people don’t want to shop in a store that isn’t clean and that isn’t well put together. They are coming to you for ideas and inspiration. It’s our job to deliver that … and in turn, it will generate sales. “
Scheinerman said that you should hire someone experienced to help with merchandising if you don’t have the eye or know-how for it.
“It’s always a good idea to get inspiration from others,” he said. “I tend to look at national chains and see what they are doing to get ideas.”
Justin Aulakh, president of Classic Patio in California, said his store has streamlined the process.
“We have made a lot more special deals and furniture sets,” Aulakh says. “In general, we want to provide the simplest experience for people that walk in our stores. Clearly seeing the price of a furniture set and the amount of money you can save with the current sale is the most important thing.”
Aulakh agreed that merchandising is important today.
“The attention span of consumers has tended to decrease over time and most people need something to ‘catch their eye’ before they become interested in it,” he said. “Sometimes, what catches their eye is the arrangement of the furniture, or the color, or the style, or the sale, or a combination of the above. Good merchandising directly leads to more sales.”
Aulakh also says that storefronts need to be changed out frequently.
“Keeping a storefront ‘attractive’ is very important — even small things like decorative table centerpieces or matching throw pillows can make a big difference,” he said. “It’s OK to play around with different configurations as well. The worst thing a storefront can be is boring, (with) difficult-to-find pricing.”
Kristine Schultz, store president and chief executive officer of Patios Plus in Rancho Mirage, California, said when it comes to merchandising, she aims for both consistency and variety.
“We’ve always been consistent in our merchandising and floor display,” Schultz said. “We take a lot of pride in keeping our showroom fresh with both new accessories and new furniture. We also move things around every month, so nothing seems stale.”
Schultz says that merchandising has always had an effect on foot traffic.
“Merchandising has always been important and it is why so many people visit our store to see our showroom displays and new vignettes,” she said.
Any advice?
“Take time to visit other stores, not necessarily patio, and see their displays,” Schultz said. “Go to stores in your area like Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn and see how they set their floor and accessorize. That will give you a better idea of what is possible.”
