2007 Retail Display Awards - November 2007
How a product is displayed often plays a major role in whether or not it is sold. For that reason, in this issue we are proud to feature the first annual Retail Display Contest Awards. This year’s contest was sponsored by Harbor Industries.
Recent flooring research indicates that 60% of purchase decisions are made at the shelf, when the customer is inspecting the product in person. Many stores have increased their sales dramatically simply by adding visual impact in this area. Creating an effective display is both art and science and offers a wonderful chance for retailers to show off their vision of how customers’ homes can improve with their products.
Retailers from across the country were invited to submit photos of their most effective floor displays. The winning entries in our first contest went beyond the orderly presentation of product and, instead, told a story, inspired romance, or created an environment in the customer’s imagination. In some way, they acknowledged that buying flooring, like other fashion-oriented products, is largely an emotional decision. The winning displays put flooring in some kind of context, which these days, the judges said, is a must. But basic factors like lighting, placement and pleasing products help create impact.
“There’s only a certain amount of benefit from presenting a wall of color,” said one of our judges. “The consumer is thinking about her walls, her curtains, her dog.”
Another judge said, “From a visual standpoint, I’m drawn to anything that shows spirit, tries to get me excited and is less about SKUs.”
One judge used the example of shopping at Crate & Barrel, where customers are buying a concept and there’s a story behind the product.
The judges also added that it can be difficult to judge a display based on its appearance alone because so much depends on how it’s used by the salespeople.
In general, the judges said, flooring, especially carpet, is an extremely challenging category to display compared to other products, and while the industry has make great strides in recent years, so much more can be done.
Copyright 2007 Floor Focus