It's not just about the clothes you wear—it's about how you look and feel in them. Visual merchandising could be the first interaction of the customer with the store. The customer looking through the window display, could come in the store, look around, and might buy something. When it comes to first impressions, nothing can beat visual merchandising. Here's how we look at it and use it to get the most out of it.
WE SEE IT, WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BUY IT
We connect quickly through visual stimulus. That’s evolution’s fault. Looks (visual stimulus) are the primary connecting factor. What is true in people is true in products. People are likely to buy what they can readily connect with and what they readily connect with is what they see. Simply because we are hardwired to desire things we hear or see. Also, we as humans tend to process visual information more quickly than verbal information. We are also able to make snap judgments. The faster the process, the faster the sale. Retail visual merchandising is all about appealing to the senses and color plays a major part. 88% of the sale happen because of color alone.
USE ELEMENTARY PSYCHOLOGY
VM techniques are highly influenced by psychology and human behavior. It’s just that the said human behavior is easier to decipher. The hard part is nailing the right combination to get the desired effect. Not the same effect every time since different people are motivated by different things. Where VM comes in is making those psychological pulls harder to resist.
Using contrast, shape, size color can tremendously alter the perception of the customer. It simply influences how people feel, act, and interact in a space. Meaning, that it affects how we see things and how they make us feel. We often associate certain colors and styles with emotions. Red is often associated with love, danger, and passion, depending on where and how they are used in space. We associate yellow with happiness and orange with excitement. If you want to go for something that gives the feeling of happiness, then you might choose yellow.
SELL THE FEELING, NOT THE PRODUCT
Having a piece of clothing on a mannequin, providing a space to click pictures so you can experience the product firsthand. Virtual Reality uses that very technique to me customers experience apparels that increase chances of sales. The goal is to make them feel, that they have made the right choice when they walk out of the store with their brand-new purchase.
At the end of the day. Clothing is just clothing. But that’s not why it is brought. Just like how food is not just to stay alive. It’s that statement of being that the brand’s virtual merchandising needs to manifest when its product engages the customer.
APPEAL TO THE SENSES
Our aim is clear. We know what to do. We know what our customers think. Now the question is of how. How do we engage the customer? How do we make sure that when they come in contact with the brand through the product? The impression stays with them. The answer is as simple as it is harder to execute.
As retail consulting services providers, we see it a surefire way to make virtual merchandising effective is to give the customer a harmonized sensory experience. When visual merchandising come together using the right graphics, displays, etc. The purpose of these elements is to evoke emotions.
All in all, it is all about the mix of emotion, perception, and momentum. When a customer buys from you the impact of the visual merchandising for the next sale decreases as social proof becomes a bigger factor. However, it does not negate its importance. When your brand reaches momentum, is the point where you need to explore and experiment with new trends to push your brand to new heights through visual merchandising.