When You Need a Merchandising Consultant
Merchandising looks so deceptively easy, nothing to it. How tough can it be to put merchandise on shelves or arrange products by classification?
Thereby lies the crux of the problem. The simplicity that seems so apparent is an illusion that hides a complex group of synergies that must be nurtured constantly. Your store should be viewed as a cube, not as a flat floor plan or some two dimensional shape. The store is a cube and everything in it affects everything else. Wonderful displays and functional stores don't happen by accident; they are the result of careful planning. Would you hire a CPA to take care of a lawsuit or a roofer to fix your plumbing? Then why would you run a store without seeking knowledge on one the most important aspects of your business...Merchandising!
"I've been in this business 15 years. I know how to merchandize." Sound familiar? I've heard that before and while some do know about merchandising, a lot of store owners don't.
If you own a store and have never taken a lesson in Merchandising, you are doing yourself a disservice. Good merchandising can grow your business in double digits and draw customers back to shop. Bad merchandising can chase customers away and turn your store into a ghost town. The sad part is that many storeowners don't realize how difficult their store is to shop. They know where everything is, so they assume the customer should too.
How do I know if I need a Merchandising Consultant?
If you know the answers to all of the following questions, you probably don't need a Merchandising Consultant. If you miss a few, a Consultant might be a good investment.
- What are the two basic types of customer and how do their shopping habits differ?
- Which way do people typically turn when they come into your store and which way do they look?
- How do they feel if you force them to turn the wrong way?
- What is a neutral zone and why do you need one?
- What is the difference between fast traffic and heavy traffic and how do you merchandise for each group?
- How do mirrors affect the way people move through your store?
- How much time do you have to grab a customer's attention as they walk past your store or past a display in the store?
- How many visits to your store does it take for all merchandise except the target item the customer came in for to become invisible in the eyes of the customer?
- How do you keep all your merchandise visible all the time?
- How long should you wait to change a display or a window?
- When should displays look neat and when should they look messy and why?
- What are the six Presentation Principles and how do they affect the friendliness of a display? How do they affect the way customers shop?
- What are the four levels of signage and how do they work?
- Where do you merchandise "Demand" product in your stores and why?
- What is Vista Merchandising? What are the good and bad characteristics of this type of merchandising and when should you use it?
- What is a Product Movement Action Plan and how does it work?
- What is the one and only constant in the world of Merchandising?
Application of the information referred to above will drive sales in your store whether you are a single store or a multi-store operation.
So what would a Merchandising Consultant do for you?
First and foremost, a consultant would be a new set of eyes for your store. He or she would analyze your store from a functional and presentation standpoint and partner with you to develop a game plan to make the store more shopper friendly and more productive though layout and product classification placement. None of this need be an expensive proposition. It could be as simple as just rearranging the store so that it flows more smoothly or developing effective signing to help the customer. If needed, they might show you how to build effective displays. They might advise you on fixtures so that you can maximize the efficiency of space management through correct fixturing. Determine what your needs are, then search for the people who have those skill sets.
Where would I find a Consultant?
Good places to look are on the internet, or if you belong to a Retail Association, they might have someone they recommend. Or, you might talk to associates that you know from trade shows or even the sales people that come to sell you merchandise.
Can smaller stores afford to hire a Consultant?
The answer is a resounding YES! It doesn't have to be expensive. Whatever you pay can be deducted on your taxes as store expense. In fact, if you don't have an in-house display or merchandising team, you would be making a big mistake if you didn't explore working with a consultant.
How do I find the right Consultant?
You interview them much as you would a prospective employee. Bottom line, the right consultant for you is the one you feel the most comfortable with.