The goal of merchandising is to make things as easy as possible for people to shop. It may seem like common sense, but there is a science to merchandising. A poor or confusing layout will frustrate customers and drive away sales even if they like what is in your store. This article covers some of the basic rules of merchandising.

What is displayed at front 15 ft semi-circle visible from the entrance of your store is the most important. This is how shoppers will determine if they are even interested in entering your store. Here is where you want to place your newest and top selling products. Great store or window displays will grab shopper's attention and draw in customers. Keep these fresh and change out displays every couple of weeks; more frequently during peak holiday shopping periods. Generally items displayed on tables and walls sell the quickest. Display hangers on walls are the best way to show off new products because they are most visible. Build interior walls to increase prime display space and create sections of similar products or styles.

Space racks so people can move about your store without feeling crowded. Give people enough room to sort through racks comfortably. Usually 4-6ft is adequate. Racks themselves should be less than 5ft tall. Use all the same type of clothes hangers and have them hanging in the same direction. Invest in nice clothes hangers suitable to yours stores environment. Colorful plastic hangers for casual clothes, fashionable wooden hangers for men's suits, or satin hangers with ladies evening wear or lingerie are just a few examples clothes hanger pairings. Do not clutter store racks with many different items.

Put sales tags in the same place as much as possible. This allows people to easily identify an items pricing and size. Needle tag clothes through seams to avoid damaging them. Cycle your inventory around the store every couple of weeks. This keeps your store looking fresh and helps you identify hot and a stale products. Hold sales to blow out those items that are not moving as well as seasonal inventory. Do not make the mistake of trying to hold on to inventory for next season.

If you have an especially large store and the budget for it you may want to higher a professional merchandiser get you on track, but following these rules is the easiest way to increase sales. Once you have a basic layout you will be able to adapt it to your changing needs.

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Comments (2)

• People are more interested to buy anything from a place where it is displayed well and where the salesmen are courteous enough to welcome them. Posted by Manasee Gangwani | 27 Nov, 2008

• Well, what you have said is applicable to big shopping stores but merchandising is equally important for small and medium category outlets also. I remember, I was in Wipro Consumer Care, juz fresh from my MI, out in the highly competitive market, having no practical knowledge about sales n marketing or even merchandising, so I used to watch all the field force of other companies very carefully. The guys from P&G, were the ones from whom I learnt the real tacts of merchandising. They always ensured that each time they visited an outlet, they wiped their products with care, checked the exp. date, then displayed them in the front rack at a visible level. Even the posters and banners they put up were always at eye contact of the customer. I was so impressed by their feat that I inculcated the same practice and ensured my team did the same. Over the years the products changed for me from soaps, talcum powders, to cigarettes and then to sim cards n handsets, but the practice still remains. This gesture has one more advantage, it leaves the retailer with a feeling about how concerned you are with your brands n products n so he similarly gives you the same kind of respect. Posted by Sandeep Mukherjee | 25 Jan, 2010