1. SFLSOP205A Display and Merchandise Floristry Products
Elements and Principles of Display

2. Elements and Principles of Display
The Elements and Principles of Display should be used for both artistic and practical creativity to sell goods and services, an image and ideas of a flower shop. They should be used as guidelines to ensure effective visual merchandising. An understanding of the Elements and Principles of Display is necessary for the retail florist to ensure that the presentation of merchandise is satisfying to customers and that it produces sales.

3. What are the Elements and Principles of Display?
Elements of Display:
Merchandise
Colour
Motion
Fixtures and Props
Signs and Price Tags
Principles of Display:
Balance
Emphasis
Space
Depth
Viewpoint
Scale and Proportion
Rhythm
Unity
Theme

4. The Elements of Display
Display elements are the components used in the process of assembling window and in-store displays. They can be mixed into many combinations to create the desired effect or communicate a theme.
Merchandise
This is the most important element in a display. All other display elements are used to support the merchandise which is promoted for sale.

5. Elements of Display
Displaying selected merchandise properly will ensure a sale, provided the message is clear, understood and well received by the customer. It should make a statement with great impact. Merchandise displayed should target the local market where the shop is located. The way in which your merchandise is displayed depends on the types of products featured. The actual placement of display components usually follows one of four patterns:

6. Elements of Display
Pyramid Arrangement – this is commonly used to provide consistent spacing among objects and may be used with many types of merchandise. They are easy to create and help give an effective use of space. Step Arrangement – Merchandise of varying sizes can be displayed from smallest to largest. This creates a stair step pattern which is easy for the eye to follow and is often used to sell products rather than showcase creativity.

7. Elements of Display
Zigzag Arrangement – leads the eye back and forth, up and down a display. It creates an interesting and continuous line for the eye to follow. This creates a less monotonous display than a pyramid or stepped arrangement. Often pedestools or stands are used to create differences in height. Fan Arrangement – uses radiation to display merchandise that appears to emerge from a central point. Usually the tip of the fan or point of radiation is where the focal area or key item of merchandise is positioned.

8. Elements of Display Colour
Much like in floral design colour is of significant importance in display. It can set the tone or mood and create an atmosphere that enhances the shop.
Colour can be a very powerful selling tool as people are very colour conscious.
When using colour follow a few basic rules and you will achieve effective displays;
Use strong constrast and loud colour with care
Choose colour schemes which enhance and complement the merchandise on display

9. Elements of Display Motion
Use advancing and receding colours correctly
Apply colour harmonies in displays, especially when displaying flowers
Motion
This is an interesting and effective element of display that can attract the passing customer and hold their attention.
Battery or electrically generated mechanisms can assist in creating movement as can the use of fans to generate the movement of ribbons and balloons etc.

10. Elements of Display Fixtures and Props
Effective use of lighting can also create movement within a display without the need to have any merchandise physically moving.
Implied motion can also be used effectively to give the feeling of movement in a fixed or stagnant display i.e. leaves suspended appearing to be falling.
Fixtures and Props
Fixtures are necessary to extend the display options in a retail flower shop. They can be bought or purpose built and are available in a wide variety of sizes shapes and configurations.

11. Elements of Display
The type of fixtures needed varies, depending on the shops requirements and may be changed to suit the shops needs. Some of the types of fixtures used in floral retailers are; shelving (made from various materials, both wall mounted and free standing), island display units, step stands, card stands, ribbon racks, refrigerated displays (two door drink fridge, island display fridge) and lighting. Props help create themes and assist displays in making statements. They can create a mood or feeling in the

12. Elements of Display Signs and Price Tags
display but should never overpower the merchandise being sold.
Props and accessories are varied and can be sourced from many suppliers. They can be purchased, leased, borrowed or built. Almost anything can be used as a prop.
Signs and Price Tags
These are important elements of display as they communicate messages and provide information to customers.

13. Elements of Display
Signs and price tags should be brief and direct to convey the message clearly. They are a great tool to describe a products features, benefits and price. All products on sale should be priced clearly. Hand written or printed signs and price tags can be used but must be neat and readable from a distance. They can be purchased or made by the floral retailer.

14. The Principles of Display
The Principles of Display and the underlying guidelines or rules that should be followed to create visual displays that are pleasing to the eye. These Principles of Display differ from Principles of Floral Design as they are important individually but are also inter-dependant i.e. to create an effective display the Principles must be used together. When one component of a display is weak other display principles can be affected.

15. Principles of Display Balance
Balance is the distribution of weight in the display whether actual or visual between two side of an entity.
There are two types of balance in display:
Symmetrical Balance – which is formal and creates a picture of stability. If you were to draw an imaginary line down the centre of the display all components would reflect each other in size, shape, colour and placement. It appeals to customers in an orderly manner and should contain and control eye movement within the borders of the display area.

16. Principles of Display
Asymmetrical Balance – in a display is informal and is interesting and pleasing to the viewer. It is achieved by placing a variety of different merchandise in dominant positions and irregular patterns. Balance is achieved through proportional relationship of the components. Asymmetrical Balance gives the florist more freedom to create artistic expression and be innovative when arranging the visual merchandise display.

17. Principles of Display Emphasis
Creates an impact area in the display, similar to the focal area in a floral display. Items that shock or surprise viewers are effective focal point.
Emphasis is used to attract attention and create interest in surrounding merchandise. Displays may have one or more areas of emphasis. A single large item or a mass of small items are often used to create a focal point.

18. Principles of Display
Space Space is important to ensure props, fixtures and merchandise do not become a confused mass. The focal point in a display should have space around it to capture attention. Using simplicity i.e. using only two or three types of product in a display, ensures adequate spacing and results in a neat, organised appearance. Depth Depth is related to space and is especially useful in window display. Merchandise in a window needs to be placed both forward and back to prevent the display from appearing flat.

19. Principles of Display Scale and Proportion
Scale is the size relationship of a display and it’s components to their surroundings. The size of a window or display space will determine the scale required for a display within.
Proportion is the relationship between the sizes and shapes of the display components and should be pleasing to view.
Proportion is the effective combining of objects of different shapes and sizes providing variety and unity

20. Principles of Display
Rhythm Rhythm as a principle of display consists of merchandise being used to guide the eye throughout the created display. It is a continuous visual line that flows through the display. Eye movement is guided in one or more directions by using one or more of the following aspects: Repetition – the use of similar shapes, line, products or themes placed at regular intervals that the eye will flow across and connect together as one unit. Progression of Sizes – uses similar shapes or objects of merchandise either increasing or decreasing along a visual path.

21. Principles of Display
Continuous Line Movement – merchandise or other products placed at regulare intervals in curved or zig zag lines to provide a continous path for the eye to connect all objects and dance about the display following the rhythm of the line. Radiation – Movement of display material outward from a central or focal point in the display Harmony Harmony is the pleasing and unified agreement of all display components. This is achieved when the fixtures, props and merchandise in a display are all similar in appearance and feeling.