1. Lesson 4 – Display Priniciples and Guidelines
Visual Merchandising
Lesson 4 – Display Priniciples and Guidelines

2. Topics that we will cover
The purpose of a display
Types of Displays
Exterior
Interior
Creating Displays
Best Practices
Steps in Planning a Display
Evaluating Displays
Colour
The Colour Wheel
Basic Colour Schemes
Colour use in displays

3. What types of displays are there?
Exterior Displays – window
Open
Closed
Semi-closed

4. What types of displays are there?
Interior Displays
Open
Closed
Architectural
Built up

5. Display Principles Displays are creative works of art BUT…
KISS: Keep it simple, stupid!
Some issues with creating elaborate displays:
Expensive
Distracting/Confusing
Detracts from merchandise
What’s the point?
Customers should see the merchandise not the fixtures.

6. Discuss in partners
What is something cheap and easy that was used in a display that you have seen recently?
Eg. Reusing styrofoam from packaging in a display to fill space and as a prop (snow)
Eg. Tourism display board

7. Example

8. What is empathy? Putting yourself in another person’s shoes
Think of someone you recently had a disagreement with, perhaps parents, friend, etc. (no names please!)
Play the devil’s advocate, try to understand why they held the view they did
Share your scenario with a partner, tell them what the basic issue was, how you handled it and how the other person handled it.
What could you have done differently now that you can understand why the other person felt the way they did?

9. What is empathy? Use empathy when planning displays.
Keep in mind that you are creating displays for customers, in their POV, so you must try to see things their way.

10. Effective Displays Guidelines
Prioritize brands, price, style, fit, size or materials
Save time, logical
Save $$$
Accessible
Anticipate customer needs

11. Effective Displays Guidelines
Clear and neat pricing
Stress important product features
Positioned near complimentary products or scrambled
Placed from good (middle) to better (front) to best (back)
Clearance items placed at the very back corner

12. Effective Displays Guidelines - Gondola
Matrixed displays are used - placed in relation to a starting point, usually top left corner
Can be either vertical or horizontal
Grocery stores
Best location eye level
Bulky items are placed in the third best location

13. Effective Display Guidelines
Clothing stores:
Best location top left for small sizes, and lightest fabric
Heavy fabric and large sizes are located at bottom right
Racks are used to hang items, organized horizontally
Ribbon effect – hang XS, S, M, L, XL items from L to R, can be used for colours.

14. 7 Steps in Planning a Display
Purpose? Theme? Location? What merch?
Market Research
Sketch it, use for blueprint or model
List what materials you’ll need
Assemble materials
CONSTRUCT DISPLAY
Evaluate and adjustments

15. Display Evaluation Sheet
Evaluating Displays
Display Evaluation Sheet
Display Location:
Theme:
Factor
Possible score
Score
Comments
1. Power to attract attention 20
2. Selling Power
3. Merchandise Management
4. Technical Excellence 10
5. Cleanliness
6. Timeliness
7. Lighting
Total Score
100

16. Summary Effective displays should save customers time and money.
Empathy must be used in planning displays.
Merchandise can be matrixed either vertically or horizontally.
There are 7 steps in planning displays.
Displays must be evaluated after construction.