Introduction

The concept of Visual Merchandising (VM) perhaps, dates back to the time when human beings started selling products. Each vendor or trader wanted to make his goods appear more attractive to the customer to enable a quick purchase. Examples of visual merchandising abound even in the traditional sector, with even the vegetable vendor arranging the vegetables in a manner in which all are not only visible, but the best ones receive the maximum visibility.

Various academics have defied visual merchandising. Buttle has alluded visual merchandising to as the 'silent salesman'. McGoldrick suggests that visual merchandising is: 'One of the visible elements of positioning strategy'. Alternately, visual merchandising can be defined as the orderly, systematic, logical and intelligent way of putting stock on the floor. It has several aspects that involves store windows and floor displays, signs, space design, fixtures and hardware, props and mannequins. As retailing becomes increasingly complex, creating the right atmosphere in the store and presenting the merchandise in the right manner becomes even more important.

Visual Merchandising (VM) technically, can be defined as the art of persuasion through presentation, which puts the merchandise in focus. It educates the customers, creates desire and finally augments the selling process. Thus, the roles that VM plays can be listed as below: 

1. The primary purpose is to enable sales of the products/services sold by the retailer.

2. To inform and educate the consumer about the product/services in the store.

3. To enable ease of shopping for the consumer, by informing about colours, sizes, prices, and the basic location of the product.

4. Creating and enhancing the store's image.

Visual merchandising is governed by the common principles of design, balance, emphasis, proportion, rhythm and harmony. It works on attracting the attention of the customer, creating an interest for the product/service and creating a desire to own the product and then, initiate the decision to make the purchase.

The role of a Visual Merchandiser largely depends on the type of retail organisation, and the importance accorded to the role of visual merchandising. Visual merchandisers must be aware of the store's layout in intimate detail. Some organisations have two levels of visual merchandising positions: one is responsible for the overall look and colour flow of displays, and the other is responsible for maintaining window and other displays on a day-to-day basis.

Displays are usually planned two to four weeks in advance, to co-ordinate with special promotions and advertising campaigns. If a visual merchandiser is working exclusively for a large organisation or chain, signage and prop packages are generally provided. Retail Snapshot 17. 3 focuses on the role of a Visual Merchandiser at Selfridges & Co.

Tools Used for Visual Merchandising

All the elements of the store can play a role when it comes to creating a visual impact on the consumer. Apart from using the product/s to make a visual impact on the consumer, some of the commonly used ones are:

• Colours & Textures

• Fixtures and merchandise presentation

• Signages

• Windows

• Props

• Lighting

• Mannequins

Two of the main tools, viz, colours and mannequins are covered in this section.

Colours & Textures

Colour increases brand recognition by up to 80 per cent. Colour improves readership as much as 40 percent. Colour accelerates learning from 55 to 78 percent. Colour increases comprehension by 73 percent. Colour advertisements are read up to 42 per cent more than similar ones in black and white. Colour can be up to 85 per cent of the reason people decide to buy.

In the 1920's, Itten, who is affiliated with the German Bauhaus movement, developed the colour star that included 12 colours, which include 3 Primary Colours, 3 Secondary Colours and 6 Tertiary Colours.

Texture deals with the look and feel of materials. Visual texture is the result of light refracted from any surface. Tactile texture can be rough, smooth, thick, thin, sandy, soft, hard, warty, coarse, fine, regular or irregular. The combination of visual and tactile texture provides a definite interpretation of all items and materials encountered.

Mannequins

The word Mannequin, comes from the Dutch word manneken, literally meaning 'little man'. Mannequin is the French form. Mannequins are typically used in a retail store environment to display the merchandise. There are many types of mannequins available, the most common type is the life-size mannequin. These mannequins are the same size as a real person and have arms, legs, hands, feet, and a head. Most of them can be posed in different positions to give them a more lifelike look. Mannequins can look like males, females or children. Other mannequins consist of only a torso on a stand.

The Planogram

A planogram a tool used by the retailer that helps determine the location of merchandise within a department. It is a diagram that visually communicates how merchandise and props physically fit onto a store fixture or window to allow for proper visibility and price point options. A planogram is created after taking into account factors like product sales, the movement of the products within the product category and the space required for various products. They usually list the exact number of square feet used for various products and the exact number of products to be displayed in a particular area.

For a retailer who has a number of stores spread over various locations, a planogram is a good way of communicating how displays are to be done. This allows consistency in presentation across locations. When products are presented in the same manner across locations, the customer feels familiar and comfortable at each location. This helps to build brand loyalty and customer trust. Diagram below illustrates a Planogram

Methods of Display

Retailers, while displaying their products, may adopt various methods. The chief among them are:

1. Colour Dominance

This is the simplest and the most direct method of presenting merchandise. In such a display, merchandise is primarily displayed by colour. Within the colour display, the products may be displayed by size and style.

2. Co-ordinated Presentation

Many a times, it is effective to present merchandise in a co-ordinated manner. Presentation by coordination may be done for garments, and it can also be done for home fashions, bed & bath linens and even kitchen requisites.

3. Presentation by Price

In such a display, the inexpensive, bargain or sale merchandise is displayed first. The volume of the product and the saving is dominant.

Merchandise can be displayed on shelves - horizontally and vertically. Vertical Merchandising is believed to encourage purchase as the products are displayed in the line of vision. As mentined above, colour can also be used to attract attention and the vertical use of colour is called Color Ribboning, which is always a better choice over Colour Blocking, the horizontal use of colour. 

While displaying similar items in various sizes, it is advisable to place the small size of the product on the left, and the larger size on the right. As most customers are right handed, they tend to unconsciously reach for the item closest to their right hand. Visual Curve Merchandising involves the use of slanted shelves to increase the customer's strike zone the amount of product the customer sees in just one glance. 

Common Errors in Creating the Display

Many errors made in display can be easily avoided. Some of the most common errors include the following:

Clutter

Too much of merchandise in one place always creates a cluttered look and may actually turn a person away from the merchandise rather than attract him.

Lack of an Underlying Theme

The display created is often not linked to the message that the retailer wants to convey to the customer. The consumer should be able to understand the concept presented by looking at the display in a few seconds.

Too Many Props

There is no specific rule that stipulates the number of props appearing in a display. However, the error of over propping a display can be more serious than using too few props. The type and number of props are dependent on the merchandise.

Dirty floors

Unclean floors reflect the attitude on the part of the store management and implies a basic disregard for the customer.

Poor Lighting

The over use or under use of lighting can take away from the overall look of the store and the merchandise.

Awareness and importance of design is fast increasing in Indian retail. Eventually, retail design will help business compete and create an image in a crowded marketplace. In India, some retailers are gradually waking up to this truth.