An Introduction to Store Fixtures

By Jimmy Sturo

Everybody is familiar with the old retail chant, “Location, location, location!” It speaks volumes about making the right decisions from the start to make your retail establishment a success. Once you’ve decided what it is your store is offering to the general public, the next step you’ll take is finding the right location. Once you’ve found it, the next step is to decide how to dress up your establishment; you’ll need to decide what retail store fixtures will properly display your product. At this stage another invaluable cliché applies, “Presentation is everything!”

It’s true that how you present your products for sale is as important as the location, the timing of your venture and the pricing of your merchandise. On one hand, you wouldn’t display expensive wares in cheap, shoddy or dirty store display fixtures. An appearance that turns people off the minute they walk into your store isn’t going to help sales and, in fact, it will probably hurt them. On the other hand, you don’t want your display choices to completely overwhelm the merchandise. Dazzling displays that distract from the sales appeal of your merchandise won’t help business either.

In order to maximize your sales potential you need to decide what look and feel of the store will appeal to your target customer. Remember, no sale is complete until the customer leaves the store satisfied with his purchase, and a crucial part of that process is the way in which your products are displayed. There are many choices to make. It can be helpful to visit other stores selling similar merchandise even if your product is so unique that you have to travel to another city to find them. Even if you are selling an invention of your own that doesn’t exist anywhere else, it will still fall into a category of stores that you should investigate before setting up shop. Art stores have one look, plumbing supply stores another and clothing boutiques still another. Even if your investigation helps you decide which display perspectives don’t work for you, that knowledge can save you time and money in the long run.

 

 

Products for sale need to be displayed in a manner which best presents them in the customers’ eyes. For example, clothing needs to be folded on shelves, hung from racks or displayed on mannequins. Books need to be displayed in shelves, spinning racks and organized bins. Videos need shelving and racks to properly display titles. All products lend themselves to some form of acceptable display. Even if you are an innovative decorator and you want your display to be revolutionary, you’ll still need some variation on the display techniques that are already being used to distinguish your product from all the others.

The single most popular starting place for displaying wares in most retail stores is known as the slatwall panel. Slatwall panels have been universally accepted as the most versatile presentation system on the market today. Made of medium-density fiberboard, slatwall panels easily adapt to your retail display needs and require minimum maintenance. When used in conjunction with Lucite or metal accessories, a slatwall can effectively be used to present any product including clothing, giftware, ceramics, books, jewelry, house wares and much more.

Available in a variety of colors and finishes, you can create a unique look for your store in a short time by selecting the slatwall that’s right for you. One choice would be to use the all white, modern look for a retail appearance that’s open, clean and high-tech. Choosing a darker, wood-grain look would evoke a quieter, more formal ambiance. The choice is yours and with slatwall panels and accompanying accessories you can create the look you think will best showcase your merchandise.

A second display technique involves the use of Gridwall panels. Unlike slatwall panels, gridwall panels can be used as either self-standing or wall-mounted display units. Gridwalls are a lightweight, durable fixture, constructed of quarter-inch-thick wire and finished in baked-on, semi-gloss lacquer for a professional look. With the proper accessories, gridwalls can function as lightweight shelving or hanging displays as long as the products displayed on them are not too heavy. Use your imagination and you’ll find gridwall panels may do the job for you.