Retail Merchandising Trends for December 2014

The increasingly competitive consumer packaged goods environment in Canada has led to many stores taking significantly important steps in an attempt to distinguish themselves from their competitors. This has resulted in some exciting new retail merchandising trends that seem to be incredibly effective. With the holiday season right around the corner, what better time is there to employ some of these strategies to increase sales during what is arguably the most important time of the year?

Retail Merchandising Trends for December 2014:

1.      Less is more. A few years ago the trend seemed to be that busy was beneficial, but that seems to have changed dramatically. Now simplicity reigns supreme and retailers across the country are going for a far more minimalist approach. This doesn’t mean fewer displays though, it means displays that just don’t have too much going on. A strong focus or a central theme that is easy to understand with just a quick glance, as well as one that attracts attention at the same time, is a great way to influence buying behaviour.

2.      Eco-Friendly. The holidays can be a major downer when it comes to being eco-friendly, but that doesn’t mean that shoppers forget about the environment – so neither should you! Highlighting, as much as possible, your concern for the environment through your visual merchandising can garner huge support and therefore brand loyalty.

3.      Appeal to the senses. A one-dimensional display just doesn’t garner the attention it used to. Instead, get digital, and create an interactive experience that customers will remember. Use colour to draw on feelings of sentimentality. Touch screen displays that get customers thinking about various products can work wonders.

4.      Getting social. We all know how important it is to illicit a response both inside and outside your store, and social media has become an incredibly effective way to do this. A great trend for December 2014: create your own trend. Start a Twitter frenzy with a hashtag that gets people talking. Stimulate a buzz by marketing you promotions on all of your social networks.

5.      Recognize generational differences. One of the biggest retail merchandising trends, and not just for December, is recognizing and using generational differences in your merchandising strategy.

Which if these, or other, retail merchandising trends are you using this holiday season?

For more about retail merchandising trends for December 2014, or to get one started in time for this holiday season, please call Storesupport Canada today at 905.847.6513.

Black Friday Boom? Canadian Retail Trends

It used to be the norm to hear about Black Friday and associate it exclusively with the U.S. However, this trend has changed recently and Canadians are taking to stores during this busy season and seriously altering typical Canadian retail trends.

 

Check out this recent article from the Toronto Star: http://ow.ly/DwDNG. According to the article, November is the new December in Canadian retail: “Over the last couple years, Canadian retailers have been offering more and more late November discounts in an effort to reduce the flow of Canadians’ spending money south of the border on Black Friday sales that traditionally kick off the U.S. holiday spending season. While many Canadians are still attracted to the Black Friday spectacle, similar discounting at Canadian retailers has proven extremely popular.”

Additionally, Canadian retail trends have seen November sales grow from 8.2% of full-year sales a decade ago to 8.7% for 2013. And even though December remains the most important month sales-wise, this importance is declining: December accounted for 9.3 percent of annual sales in 2013 compared to more than 10 percent a decade ago.

So what does this mean for you? Well, most importantly, are you taking advantage of Black Friday as a way to increase sales and ramp up customer loyalty? If you are not, you should be. But you can’t just offer discounts and hope for the best. Things like sufficient people support to ensure high levels of customer service as well as highly attractive and attention-grabbing merchandising are considerations to take seriously.

For more about Canadian retail trends and how to take advantage of what is going on in the Canadian marketspace please contact Storesupport today by calling 905.847.6513.

From Browser to Buyer: Retail Displays that Grab Your Customer’s Attention

It is common knowledge that the amount of time you have to grab a consumer’s attention in-store is very minimal. Making your retail displays work for you takes more than just attracting attention – it also means keeping their attention – which can be incredibly difficult.

Check out this great infographic from Business 2 Community: http://www.business2community.com/infographics/increasing-retail-sales-store-display-mobile-0794001.  The information contained within it may shock you! However, it may also make you re-think your retail display strategy!

 

-        6 seconds: The time it takes for a consumer to switch to a competitor when they can’t find their usual brand on the shelf.

-        76%: The in-store decision rate (or the total of unplanned and brand-switch purchases).

-        13%: The percentage of time customers spend looking at in-store displays.

-        3 minutes: The maximum amount of time customers will spend waiting in line before becoming aggravated by the wait.

-        90%: The percentage of shoppers who use their smartphone for pre-shopping activities.

Retail displays are a huge factor when it comes to influencing buying behaviour – so they have to be well thought-out and planned.

Whether you are a retailer or a brand at retail, don’t leave your retail displays to chance. Let Storesupport help you execute your retail display strategy, one that takes note of these findings and secures real results. Call us today at 905.847.6513.