In retail, first impressions are everything.
If your displays don’t spark customers’ interest within a few seconds, they’ll walk right through your store and out the door.
On the other hand, eye-catching, well-designed displays encourage them to explore each of your aisles, interact with your products, and leave with full shopping bags.
In this blog, we’ll explore six best practices and retail display ideas to help you attract customers and earn more sales. Plus, we’ll share specific display tips and tricks for retailers like grocery stores, convenience stores, boutiques, and hardware stores.
The Impact of Retail Displays
Let’s start with the basics: Why do your retail displays matter?
Offering the right selection at the right price isn’t enough for retail success — you need to convince customers that they want and need products from your store.
For example, picture your local grocery store’s ice cream aisle and the nearby display of sprinkles, syrups, and other toppings. You probably wouldn’t purchase these toppings on their own, but displaying them next to your favorite ice cream flavor makes them more appealing.
Let’s look at a few other reasons to focus on your store’s displays:
- Increase foot traffic: Your signage and window displays have the power to bring new shoppers through your door. If they like what they see, they’ll stop in, look around, and hopefully make a purchase.
- Encourage impulse purchases: The right display can make a product irresistible, which is why displays often motivate impulse purchases at the entrance and checkout counter.
- Build your brand image: Disorganized displays drive customers away, but neat, aesthetically pleasing ones make them see your store as professional and trustworthy.
- Boost customer satisfaction: Great displays make it easier for customers to browse your store and find exactly what they’re looking for, preventing frustration and creating a more convenient shopping experience.
In short, well-designed displays drive customer satisfaction and revenue. Now, let’s explore six retail display ideas to try in your store.
1. Place High-Margin Items at Eye Level
“Eye level is buy level.”
This retail recommendation is as catchy as it is true.
Customers will naturally notice products at eye level first, so display your top-priority products at around 5 feet above the floor.
You can use this eye-level placement to showcase your most popular or most profitable items. For example, your grocery store’s chip aisle could highlight the most popular brand — or you could encourage customers to purchase your private label brand to earn a higher margin on each chip sale.
2. Use Signage Strategically
Signage also impacts your customers’ shopping decisions.
First, let’s talk about your store’s exterior. Clear, attractive signage makes it easier for customers to find your store and learn what you have to offer.
For example, if you own a boutique, you might swap your outdoor signage seasonally to encourage passersby to come in. Get creative! Consider using cheeky lines like “Beat the heat with this summer’s hottest styles” or “Brrrr… Come warm up and explore our new arrivals.”
You can also use signage inside your store to spotlight specific products and drive sales. Consider labeling your bestsellers as “customer favorites” or even “employee picks.”
Here’s the best part: Your signage doesn’t have to be expensive. Chalkboards and colorful handwritten signs are affordable, effective, and authentic.
3. Create Interactive Displays
The best retail displays engage all of your customers’ senses, not just their sight.
When shoppers touch and interact with products, they can visualize taking them home and using them — increasing the likelihood of a purchase.
Let’s look at a few examples of interactive retail display ideas:
- Sample stations: Want to increase your snack sales? Give customers an opportunity to taste your bestsellers or new arrivals. Make sure to set up your sampling station near the product to encourage impulse buys.
- “Try me” labels: Add “try me” labels to products like candles, perfumes, or cosmetics to give shoppers the chance to interact with the products without the risk of inventory damage or breakage.
- Unboxing: If you sell tools or electronics, consider unboxing a few of your most popular products to let customers see its actual size, feel its weight, and make a more informed purchase decision.
Your employees play a key role in guiding customers toward these interactive displays, so equip them with the right training — especially if they’re serving food or educating shoppers about tools.
Cross-selling is an essential retail strategy for bigger sales — and the right displays can help.
Display related product categories near each other to encourage customers to add more items to their carts. For example, during the fall months, you might create a s’mores display in your grocery store featuring marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers, and even unrelated camping supplies like firestarters, granola bars, and more.
This cross-selling approach doesn’t just work for grocery stores. Boutiques can display handbags and wallets together, hardware stores can display tool bags and belts right beside hand tools, and convenience stores can display grab-and-go snacks next to their drink coolers.
Pro tip: Take this cross-selling approach to the next level by upgrading your signage. Add small, visually-appealing signs near related items to encourage customers to “Add a drink,” “Make it a meal,” or “Don’t forget the essentials!”
5. Keep Displays Neat and Organized
Putting these retail display ideas into action isn’t a one-and-done project — you need to maintain them, too.
Show your employees how each display should look, and ensure restocking and zoning are part of their responsibilities for each shift.
To keep customers engaged, you should regularly refresh your displays to highlight new products. We recommend updating your displays and signage at least once per season.
6. Drive Impulse Purchases
Did you know that 36% of retail purchases are unplanned? This means that customers are letting your displays guide their buying decisions.
Impulse purchases usually happen near your checkout counter. As customers are waiting in line, they pass the time by exploring your displays near the cash wrap. Here are a few products to include on these shelves:
- Single-serving snacks
- Candy and gum
- Phone chargers
- Small toys
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer
These items are small — but impulse buys can make a significant impact on your bottom line.
Retail Displays: Industry-Specific Ideas
Now that you understand the basics of creating excellent retail displays, let’s take a closer look at how different types of stores can use these ideas.
Grocery Stores
If you run a grocery store, you should focus your energy and budget on endcaps and cross-selling opportunities.
Regularly update each of your store’s endcaps to highlight a new product, seasonal favorite, or bestseller. For example, you can display new and trending snack flavors, can’t-miss pumpkin or peppermint treats, or your customers’ go-to boxed meals.
Cross-selling is also key for high grocery store revenue. Pair shelf-stable items like pasta and sauce or bread and peanut butter together, and sell single-serving drinks and grab-and-go snacks next to your deli counter.
Convenience Stores
In the convenience world, impulse purchases are king.
The moment customers walk through the door, your displays should entice them to purchase flavorful snacks, exciting drink flavors, and grab-and-go items like chargers, gum, or candy.
Put these impulse items right at eye level, and display your bestsellers near the cash register to encourage customers to grab them while waiting in line.
Boutiques
As a boutique owner, interactive and seasonally-inspired displays are your best bets.
First, make sure it’s easy for customers to reach out and touch each of your items. Avoid overcrowding your racks to make sure they can reach out and touch the softness of a sweater or inspect the seams on a pair of pants.
Consider displaying accessories like bags, scarves, and sunglasses on a table near a mirror for quick try-ons.
Update all of your displays to coordinate with the seasons. Use themed decor like fall garlands, seashells, miniature holiday trees, or floral displays to decorate your window and in-store displays.
Hardware Stores
Hardware store displays should inspire and enable customers to complete their next home project.
First, let’s talk inspiration. Each season, create a new display to showcase a home improvement project — whether it’s hanging outdoor holiday decorations, refreshing a bathroom, or starting a garden. These inspirational displays should include all the tools and equipment customers need.
Signage is also essential for easy hardware store browsing. Customers don’t want to search for hours to find all the tools and parts they need, so your store’s overhead and on-aisle signage should make it a breeze.
Take Your Retail Store to the Next Level
The right retail display ideas are only one ingredient for small business success — it also takes the right tools.
Specifically, you need a point of sale (POS) system with robust inventory management, marketing, and sales reporting features. Finding the right solution for your store’s unique needs is tough, but we’re here to help.
Comcash is our top POS pick for all types of retailers, and it includes all the tools you need to sell in store and online, manage complex inventory, keep checkout lines short, and attract and retain customers. Plus, you’ll enjoy 24/7 support from a team of experts who truly understand your business.
Give Comcash (or one of our other industry-leading solutions) a try by scheduling your live, personalized demo today.
by Cort Ouzts
