Casing the Joint – Utilizing Display Showcases

Let’s talk display cases! Everybody can use these, from convenience stores to clothing boutiques, from restaurants to jewelry stores.

First, let’s explore the big boys: Full Vision Showcases. A couple of options are Showcases with Wood/Melamine laminate surfaces and Metal Frame Cases. Both options are terrific for displaying everything from jewelry to candy to small electronics. All you need to do is decide which option is best for you. The Wood/Melamine Showcase can be matched with a Service Counter, Corner Case and Cash Register Stand to create an attractive and functional wrap-around workspace. This is the best option if you only require one display case but also need storage underneath your counter space. When the Metal Frame Corner Case is matched with one or two Full Vision Cases you will have a wrap around counter with plenty of space to display your merchandise. Both the Wood/Melamine and Metal Cases are available in several color options to suit your decorating and design ideas.

If you need a countertop display case then you may want to consider the 3 Shelf Acrylic Locking Display Case. This locking case is perfect for displaying cell phones, collectibles, game accessories and other small items while keeping them securely under lock and key. The Countertop Glass Display Case is a sleek and elegant option for displaying smaller items such as jewelry and small collectibles. Like the Acrylic case, this lovely glass case also locks and offers an unobstructed 360° view of the items.

Now, a happy medium between a full-size floor case and a countertop case is the 38” Deluxe Half Vision Showcase. This frameless case displays your merchandise with elegance and sophistication. The case features sliding doors in the base to conceal your overstock and also locks. See how fantastic it looks in a happy customer’s boutique!

Retail Merchandising 101

We have a new showroom here at Specialty Stores. The other day I went in to it and took a look around. There is gleaming bamboo floors, a wall color that was pleasing to the eye and a series of suspended black grid panels that hang above the showroom floor and give the space a modern appearance. We have some displays out on the floor and shelving on the walls. The problem is there is nothing displayed on them. There was even a female mannequin hiding naked behind a slatwall display.

The room had very little in terms of styling: it was empty, a blank slate. I could imagine a new store owner in the same situation: what do you do to make your product look nice and attractive to the customer? I imagined myself as a customer coming in though the front door of the showroom, was I impressed? To be honest I was not. The sales floor was crowded, there was nothing that attracted my eye(except the naked mannequin) and on top of it all there was no product on the displays or shelves as I had said before. So to start I rearranged the what was on display, clearing path so that the first thing the customer sees when the enter the showroom is our great looking maple showcase display. I raided the photo studio for clothes to hang on the clothing racks and I put a dress on the mannequin and moved it to where it could be seen by customers. And do you know what happened? The mannequin sold two days later and customer asked what was different in the showroom. And this is just the start and I will keep you updated on my progress.

As retailers you have to be always conscious of what your customer sees when they enter your business: what kind of impression do you want to make? What is the “item” you want to promote and sell? The top retailers spend thousands of dollars on designers to make their stores work and by that I mean sell. As an independent business owners we do not have the money to hire fancy designers, but as long as we keep our attention on the customer experience, we can be just as successful. A store is not just a random conglomeration of merchandise; a store is a sensual experience and by that I mean pleasing to the senses. Use color, such as retail signage, to attract the eye, use risers to create interesting displays, and most important keep your business clean and neat.

Specialty Store Services has thousands of items to help you make your stores work for you. Our phone reps can suggest new merchandising ideas for you new or existing project.