The key to successful retailing is being consistent in your relay merchandising and entrepreneurial in your displays. The power displays is the most important display in your store as it sets the image for the whole store, plus it should be the most profitable square metre of retail space of your whole floor space.
Power spots need to be planned and managed and a few pointers will maximise the return of your investment.
1. Position Your Power Display in the Prime Location
The aim of a power display is to set an image and maximise sales. Therefore position your displays where you know 100% of customers will see 100% of product.
This means your prime position is as customers enter the store. Do not locate the display right at the entrance, as your customer needs to adjust to the environment prior to looking at products. Give the customer about four metres walking and adjustment space prior to building the display.
In small stores you may have to build the display slightly closer to the door.
2. Plan Your Display
The life of your power is based on how often a regular customer enters your store. If customers, on average, come in once a week, then change the display once a week. If it’s once a month change the display once a month.
I know of one retailer who changes the product on the power position three times a week. The store is located at a busy bus stop used by people going to work. He believes this change is justifiable and increases sales.
This means you must plan at least three months ahead what product will go on the power display.
3. One Product Display
As the term suggests, this is a ‘power’ display and therefore I advise you to only use one product on a power display. This will give you the impact you need.
4. Build a Pyramid to Maximise Sales
Pyramids sell more than any other shape and where possible keep to this shape.
Start building the display on a rectangular base of either product or a ‘dummy’ base. Make sure the customer’s eye hits the middle of the display. This will maximise sales.
5. Always Make Sure Your Display has a Sign
A display is not a display without a sign. Make sure the display has a simple sign on it that states what the product is and its price. Other information may also be, relevant (Ref to: How to Write Signs).
6. Give the Impression You have a lot of Product
The retail saying ‘Stack it high and watch it fly’ is used with power displays in mind.
You must make your display look full all the time. If you don’t have a lot of product use dummy boxes at the base or in the centre of the display to make it look larger.
The other key is to never let the display go below half full. The display must go from full to half full to full to half full.
7. The Managers Role
The manager’s role is to plan power displays and ensure displays are built in a safe manner and are safe for the customer to shop. Power displays must be checked every day to ensure they reflect the image of the company.
HOW I SEE MY POWER DISPLAYS CHECKLIST
Needs a lot of Work Needs Some Work Looks Good We Have Got it Right
1. Power displays are clearly visible.
2. Power displays are changed at right intervals.
3. Eye level merchandising is correct.
4. ‘Power’ planning calender is up to date.
5. Signs are correctly written.
6. Power displays have the correct product on display.
7. Display is safe and shoppable.
8. Team Members Role
All team members should keep an ‘eye’ on the power display in the store. They should ensure they are kept full to half full at all times.
They should ensure that a point of sale sign is clearly visible to the customer and that displays are kept clean and tidy at all times.
When a promotion is over, it should be dismantled immediately and replaced with the next promotion. It is critical that all promotions on power displays are topical and fashionable. Remember, they set your store image in the eyes of the customer.
Management Memo
The Russell R. Mueller retail Hardware Research Foundation carried out research in the USA to judge how profitable power displays were in businesses that built them critically. Their research showed that sales increased by 540%.
This figure was achieved by taking a product from a relay merchandise position and placing it in a power position. Note the price stayed the same, only the position changed.
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