Course Code: BRL–012
Course Title: Visual Merchandising & Store Management
Assignment Code: BRL–12/TMA/2014-15
Coverage: All Blocks
Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions
(A) Short Type Questions
1. Discuss the essential features of visual merchandising? Also explain the prerequisites while planning for visual merchandising.
Solution:
Visual merchandising is about presenting your retail space in a way that maximises your sales. Strategically presenting your products in your retail space helps you to create a unique identity for your business. You can set yourself apart from your competition by making your retail space warm, friendly and approachable.
Retail displays can help your business to achieve sales because these visual elements make a good first impression on your potential customers. Retail displays are an element of your branding. If customers like the way your store looks and your products are made to look appealing through window, shelf and stock displays, they are likely to spend more time and money at your business.
Window displays
Create themes for window displays that reflect your store’s style and personality. Use your window display to make a statement about your business – for example, to say you are elegant, sophisticated, edgy or contemporary. You should:
be topical and seasonal
use props, images, signage and products to convey an idea and message that will help your customers connect with your products
change your window displays regularly – make sure products in your display are easy to find inside the store but not necessarily at the front, where your customers will need to look no further
When you change your window display theme, remember to change your store’s interior theme to match.
Shelf displays
Plan how you will use your shelf displays to feature your products, and how much shelf space each product will get. You should:
be careful not to clutter your products
place a striking or appealing product in plain view of your entrance
capitalise on spaces at the end of shelves
place your popular or targeted products between eye level and knee level
place your most profitable items at eye level
Place products for children at children’s eye levels.
Stock displays
Group related stock items together, and use your premium spaces – for example the ends of your aisles – to feature profitable products. You should:
group similar products together to encourage add-on sales – for example, place crockery with cutlery
group different but related products together to help make companion sales – for example, include all components of a bathroom in a bathroom display
change your product displays regularly and keep them clean and well ordered
Feature a few product items, including product blurb and fliers, at your point-of-sale space.
Store Interior
After general placement of merchandise is established, visual merchandising is decided.
Selection of floor and wall coverings, lighting, colors, store fixtures
EX: Supermarkets vs. Specialty stores
Colors
Bright colors vs. pastels
Fixtures
What kind??
Permanent or movable
What about walls??
What image do you want to project?
Wal-Mart vs. Specialty shop
Store aisles
Width…different widths create different images
Merchandise
Size, variety, and quality of the merchandise
Brand names vs. Generic
Interior Displays
Displays generate ONE out of every FOUR sales!!
If done well…customers make a selection without assistance!
Five types
Closed displays
Open displays
Architectural displays
Point-of-purchase displays
Store decorations
Architectural displays
Model rooms
Store decorations
Seasonal or holiday displays
Open displays
Allow customers to handle the merchandise
Closed displays
See but don’t touch!
Point-of-Purchase displays
Impulse buying!
2. What is meant by store ambience? Explain in detail the elements to be taken care while finalizing a store ambience.
Solution:-
Today when our country is orienting by imbibing the globalization trends, there are lot of things that are changing. One key to successful in this changing
era is INNOVATION. This is no different for ORGANIZED RETAILING. The shopping experience of the customer, which is considered the most important aspect for the success of a retail store, is completely dependent on INNOVATION. The idea is simple – Enhance the customer satisfaction, to add value to the entire SHOPPING EXPERIENCE.
The three elements which complete the SHOPPING
EXPERIENCES are:
1. Merchandise
2. Customer support
3. Store Ambience
The store atmosphere more commonly known as store ambience plays a very vital role in enhancing CUSTOMER’S SHOPPING EXPERIENCE. It supplements the other two elements mentioned above. People like to be in good atmosphere, which in retail is the STORE AMBIENCE. The store ambience is an environment that is created by visual communications, lighting, music, colors etc., to generate a stimulus among the customer’s perceptions & emotions that will affect their purchasing behavior. The store atmosphere is about HAVING A LOOK AND AN ENVIRONMENT that suits the target market & invites consumer for purchase. The Indian consumers generally shop from markets and areas which are tacky, filthy, stinking. They buy goods at bargained prices. But this trend is changing. Instead of moving into weekly haats, melas, mandis or any other traditional form of retail, consumers prefer walking into an air conditioned store to buy the products. Not only had this, but clean & tidy stores, high speed escalators, scented environment, arresting displays draw their attention making it more comfortable and fun to shop.
Today the stores have become hotspots of entertainment for a major chunk of the population i.e., the YOUTH. The consumer expectation for modern retailing environment is accelerating at a very fast pace. In order to create an unparalleled experience with the retail store understanding the customer preferences is of prime importance. The store ambience is to be designed to make shopping easy and also give a comfortable feeling. It enhances the shopping experience by assisting the shoppers what they want from an assortment of products in the store. To create a favorable mindset of the consumer towards the store image and store position it is important to have an ambience that has the potential to make the shopping pleasurable by forgetting the bitterness of heavy prices to be paid for expensive products in the stores. With the growing trend of modernization, architects are designing stimulating storefronts and interiors that create an impression of distinctiveness. It helps satisfying the customers and to create a warm welcoming feeling which will certainly enhance a customer’s mood and improve the chances of turning a single sale into a long term relationship. It is incredible to make a sale but it is so much more profitable to keep the customer satisfied thus making developing customer loyalty. Store ambience also assists in enhancing the brand value of the various products. It helps to increase consumer footfalls and provokes them for repeated purchases. It is
possible to attract the customers using the right mix of elements of store ambience. It is very simple- a poor ambience negatively affects the representation of the product. A good ambience is also required to facilitate the browsing process for products, which need to be touched & felt before being chosen like clothes. Store ambience acts as a promotion tool used to communicate the store’s image. An attractive store ambience is just like ‘an icing with cherries on the cake’. A striking store ambience draws the attention of the customer & enables him to take purchase decision within shortest possible time, and thus enhancing the selling process. The shoppers which comprise mostly of the youth desire a comfortable store, so that they can stay for longer on each visit. Shoppers would tend to buy at a leisurely pace in such stores. In many cases, these stores are also utilized for spending waiting or spare time or meeting up with friends. The store ambience is responsible to create a difference between a forgetful transaction and a memorable retail experience.
3. What do you mean by mannequins? Discuss its different types in detail.
Solution:-
Mannequin
A life-Size full or partial representation of the human body used for the doing or displaying clothes; a Dummy
A jointed model of the human body used by artists, especially to demonstrate the arrangement of drapery. Also called lay figure.
A person employed to wear clothing to be photographed or to be displayed before customers, buyers, etc. e.g. a clothes model.
Importance of using Mannequins
• Mannequins -the most popular presentation tools and store’s most valuable assets
• Designed to express an individual’s personality and attitude
• Built in a variety of human forms, they can trig customer’s imaginations, causing them to visualize themselves wearing the merchandise.
• Can be completely accessorized to provide a total look
• can be used singly in or in group, store used them in group to strength specific fashion statement.
• It is a “silent salesperson”, speaking the clearest fashion message.
Use of Mannequins
• Mannequins can and should be used in
(1) Theme areas
(2) Main aisle presentation,
(3) Window displays
(4) Entrances.
• Wherever mannequins are used, they should be the segment of the population they are meant to represent
Types of Mannequins
1) Realistic Mannequins
• More natural, more true to more animated. and more identifiable as the people who the stores.
• Well made up and proportioned to wear a particular size, and well positioned to show off a certain group or style or merchandise
2) Semi- Realistic Mannequins
• Mannequins proportioned & sculpted like realistic mannequins, but with makeup that is neither natural nor realistic, but more decorative or stylized
• The hair may be part of the sculpture. It may not be changed replaced or restyled.
3) Abstract Mannequins
• Represent the ultimate in style and decoration – used to create an overall effect without natural lines and proportions
• The feature and specific details like fingernails elbows, musculature are rarely sculpted.
• Frequently finished in white or black, or sprayed in a color to match an interior design scheme or a specific color promotion.
• Less expensive to maintain as hairstyle and make-up do not change.
4) Headless Mannequins
• A headless Mannequins has a full size or semi realistic body with arms and legs but no head
• it may be standing/sitting or reclining but offers no personality or image
• works well in a window where height is a problem.
• since there is no head markup or wig this type of form is considerably cheaper then realistic mannequin.
4. What do you mean by balance? Explain the different types of balance while planning to display the merchandise in a store.
Solution:-
5. Discuss various types of retail formats with suitable examples
Solution:-
The retail format is the store ‘package’ that the retailer presents to the shopper. A format is defined as a type of retail mix, used by a set of retailers1. Store Formats are formats based on the physical store where the vendor interacts with the customer2. It is the mix of variables that retailers use to develop their business strategies and constitute the mix as assortment, price, transactional convenience and experience3.
Therefore each retailer needs to evaluate the enablers and deterrents in the retail marketplace. This primarily involves identifying the key drivers of growth, the shoppers’ profile and shopper expectations .It also means evaluating the nature of competition and challenges in the market place. Then the retailer decides the elements of the retail mix to satisfy the target markets’ needs more effectively than its competitors. The choice of retail mix elements will enable it to decide the type of format or structure of business.
The following kinds of retail formats are found in India:
Mom-and-pop stores: These are generally family-owned businesses catering to small sections of society. They are small, individually run and handled retail outlets.
Category killers: Small specialty stores have expanded to offer a range of categories. They have widened their vision in terms of the number of categories. They are called category killers as they specialize in their fields, such as electronics (Best Buy) and sporting goods (Sport Authority).
Department stores: These are the general merchandise retailers offering various kinds of quality products and services.
These do not offer full service category products and some carry a selective product line. K Raheja’s Shoppers Stop is a good example of department stores. Other examples are Lifestyle and Westside. These stores have further categories, such as home and décor, clothing, groceries, toys, etc.
Malls: These are the largest form of retail formats. They provide an ideal shopping experience by providing a mix of all kinds of products and services, food and entertainment under one roof. Examples are Sahara Mall, TDI Mall in Delhi.
Specialty Stores: The retail chains, which deal in specific categories and provide deep assortment in them are specialty stores. Examples are RPG’s Music World, Mumbai’s bookstore Crossword, etc.
Discount stores: These are the stores or factory outlets that provide discount on the MRP items. They focus on mass selling and reaching economies of scale or selling the stock left after the season is over.
Hypermarkets/ Supermarkets: These are generally large self-service outlets, offering a variety of categories with deep assortments. These stores contribute 30% of all food and grocery organized retail sales. Example: Big Bazaar.
Convenience stores: They are comparatively smaller stores located near residential areas. They are open for an extended period of the day and have a limited variety of stock and convenience products. Prices are slightly higher due to the convenience given to the customers.
E-tailers: These are retailers that provide online facility of buying and selling products and services via Internet. They provide a picture and description of the product. A lot of such retailers are booming in the industry, as this method provides convenience and a wide variety for customer. But it does not provide a feel of the product and is sometimes not authentic. Examples are Amazon.com, Ebay.com, etc.
Vending: This kind of retailing is making incursions into the industry. Smaller products such as beverages, snacks are some the items that can be bought through vending machines. At present, it is not very common in India.
6. Discuss the salient features of display approach for apparels.
Solution:-
In today’s competitive business of apparel export, characterisation of quality is an important and indispensable aspect. Global standards in apparel are driven, benchmarked by the major buyers and ultimately product-oriented. Tolerances in the degree of product proficiency cannot be ignored since too slack standards may allow excessively inferior merchandise to pass through, whilst, standard which are too rigid may result in acceptable merchandise being unnecessarily rejected. Thus, quality evaluation of garments as per international standard norms is essential for export. This is not only to ensure a quality product but also to endorse the product safety, prevent recalls, reduce returns, minimise customer complaints and promote repeat sales. It is well known that testing protocols are the summaries of applicable requirements which cover all facets of performance, evaluating safety and quality as well as labelled claims. Due to ever increasing fashion trend, different fibre, construction, style, colour and finish dominate the apparel world to cater the requirements of various categories of customers. But, unfortunately, no single universal characterization protocol is available in the garment trade. Testing protocol changes depending on the fibre and fabric type, weight, style, finish, accessories, country of export and, above all, the intended end use of the product. It is also vital to bear in mind that all standards and regulations encapsulated in the protocol have one or both of the following aims: safety and quality. While related more to general consumer satisfaction, safety is an important concern as products not meeting regulations can jeopardise the health of the purchaser. Thus, characterisation of apparels which are earmarked for export is essential to satisfy both regulation and requirement.
Testing Protocols For Apparel And Related Accessories
Development of a test method depends on simplicity, reproducibility, applicability, cost to perform and time required. The protocol in an apparel testing is a summary of requirements performance, safety, quality and labelled claims. Different parameters are involved in the sub-division of different test protocols. Merchandise category governs such type of characterisation. While some properties are common for different protocols, additional inputs are essential to properly designate the character of apparel. Requirements of different characters vary depending upon the country wherein export is designated. The matrix of different protocols for apparel and accessories is discussed below.
Essential elements in Protocols
Label Verification:
- Country of origin – Fibre content
- Care Labelling - Registration (RN) number
- Size - Copyright verification
- Stuffed articles label (Canada)
Identification tests:
- Fibre analysis - Yarn size
- Fabric count - Fabric weight
- Fabric construction
Washability:
- Dimensional stability
- Appearance in laundering (includes: self-staining, torque, skew, trim/seam durability, trim/garment compatibility, puckering, raspy hand, pill/fuzz etc.)
7. What do you understand by display approaches for Home Fashion?
Solution:-
(B) Essay Type Questions
8. What are the main categories of in store merchandise presentation for fashion apparel? Discuss any two categories in details.
Solution:-
Visual merchandising today is not only limited to floor and window display; it is not only limited to Fashion industry. Visual Merchandising covers all the necessity to capture the attention of the customers by all means from the facade of the store to the location of each product inside the store – may it be a department or specialty store.
To capture attention, awaken the senses, provide the customers a wonderful buying experience, which will bring them back to the store for the next time and become a loyal customer, and make more sales are the major concern of an effective visual merchandising.
No one wants to have boring product display; every visual merchandiser wants to have interesting shop window and indoor display to capture not just the attention of the customers, but their entire senses.
One of the retail elements that greatly affects you visual merchandising effort is the store environment.
According to Dunne and Lusch (2005), store environment is an important element in retailing given that 70% of the purchase was an impulse buying or unplanned purchases.
No one wants to have boring product display; every visual merchandiser wants to have interesting shop window and indoor display to capture not just the attention of the customers, but their entire senses.
One of the retail elements that greatly affects you visual merchandising effort is the store environment.
According to Dunne and Lusch (2005), store environment is an important element in retailing given that 70% of the purchase was an impulse buying or unplanned purchases.
Fashion apparel Techniques
Crumpling
If you know how to crumple a sheet of paper then this would be easy for you. It is as simple as crumpling a piece of paper while covering the parts in your display areas that you want to hide.
Draping
This is to cover, dress, or hang with or as if with cloth in loose folds – the most popular technique for cloth styling. I am sure that you always see curtains and drapes around you, in the bedroom, hotels, restaurants and offices; you can do similar with your window display using any kind of textile.
Dropping
This is to stick one end of a long cloth at the ceiling and letting the other end to drop. It is nicer to look at if you will combine it with Christmas lights or lit with a spot light. While draping uses loose folds, dropping do not.
Table Skirting
There are many styles of skirting a table; you find thousands of examples in the internet and libraries.
Twisting and braiding
The cloth will look like rope when you twist it and braid the two or three different colors.
9. What do you mean by white goods? Explain the display approach and presentation of white goods in a retail store.
Solution:-
White goods are household items of two distinctly different groups. Household linens are most commonly referred to as white goods, but this term can also refer to major household appliances, such as the stove and refrigerator, which are often factory-finished in white enamel. It is common to refer to all household linens as white goods, hence the ever-popular department store “white sale.”
Linens
Many people are familiar with department store white sales. These sales are given this name because they place their inventory of white goods such as sheets, towels, bedspreads, pillowcases and other linens on sale. This type of goods encompasses nearly every common household item made of fabric. Originally, these items were made of white cotton or linen fabric. Although modern white sales do not limit their repertoire of goods to those that are white, the name has stuck.
Appliances
White goods also can be the household appliances that accomplish everyday housekeeping tasks, whether active or passive. This type of goods typically includes all the large, typically electrical appliances in the home. A refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer and dishwasher can all be called white goods. Other appliances such as hot water heaters and air conditioners also are included in this category. The proper and environmentally friendly disposal of these appliances is sometimes called white goods recycling.
Usage by Region
The different uses of the term can vary from one place to another. In the United Kingdom, for example, the more common usage is in reference to household appliances. In the United States, however, it is more often used to refer to linens. In other countries, either usage might be more common — or the term might not be used at all.
Similar Expressions
There are several similar expressions for other types of goods. Small household appliances, such as microwaves, toasters, blenders and coffeemakers, are sometimes referred to as brown goods. Pieces of large equipment used in construction or manufacturing are sometimes called yellow goods. The term “gray goods” is used to describe either the unfinished material that is used to make white goods or branded goods that are sold by someone who is not authorized to sell them in that area — a derivation of the term “black market.” Products that are environmentally friendly might be referred to as green goods.