The document discusses visual merchandising, which is defined as the physical presentation of products to appeal to customers visually. It emphasizes the importance of creativity and design skills as well as keeping up with fashion trends. Effective visual merchandising can attract customers into the store and promote sales through window displays, interior design, lighting, use of color, and other elements. Examples are provided of successful window displays from brands like Adidas and Marks & Spencer that clearly communicate their messages and motivate customers.

1. Visual merchandising

2. Visual Merchandising
• Defined:
– The physical presentation of products
• Visual Merchandising is the art of displaying merchandise in a manner that
is appealing to the eyes of the customer.
• Passion for design and creativity are essential to be a good visual
merchandiser. Awareness of happenings in the fashion world is needed in
order to keep up-to-date with the dynamics of the market constantly.
• Creating an attractive product display can draw the customer in, promote a
slow-moving item, announce a sale, or welcome a season. If your store front
is fortunate enough to feature one or more windows, then you have one of
the most proven (and least expensive) forms of advertising at your disposal.
• Its not just about window displays
– Store design, planning, store and department identification, traffic control, store
layout, space/ sales analysis, fixturing, window displays, interior concept/ design, and
display research, signs, POS, sales promotions etc.

3. “Visual presentation has
an advantage over
broadcast and print
advertisements… over
60% of all women get
their clothing ideas from
store displays.”
Martin Pegler (Author of Visual Merchandising and display. 2006)

4. Who uses VM
• Retailers:
– Make merchandising
desirable
– Make merchandise easy to
locate in the store
– Introduce and explain new
products
– Promotes store image
– Entice customers into the
store
– Show merchandise
assortment

5. …‘the eyes of the store’
• Window:
– The window is also know as the eyes to the interior of the store
– Reinforce brand image
– Introduce brand/ product line to new or existing customers
– Strengthen traffic and sales
– Types of windows:
Closed back
• Advantage:
– Less background distractions
• Disadvantage:
– Could appear as a barrier, Intimidating
Open back;
• Advantage:
– Customer can see into the store
• Disadvantage:
– Distraction from store merchandise
– Cant use screens, curtains, banners, plants etc

6. VM design elements
• Colour
– Can immediately create a mood
– Lighting: Should accent focal point, if possible
– Customers entering a store are greatly influenced by the visual information they gather in
the first split second. One simple visual element, such as colour, can catch a shopper's
attention and also greatly affect their mood. In today's ultra competitive market place it is of
paramount importance that retailers understand the basics of visual merchandising.
– A right choice of colours in the display can turn walkers into stoppers and significantly
convert them into customers. It is therefore mandatory to choose the right colour for the right
theme of display.
• Texture
– Surface treatment or feel
– Smooth surfaces appear lighter
– Textured surfaces appear darker
– Can be suggestive:
• Feminine versus masculine

7. • Line
– Vertical:
Strength, height, pride, dignity
– Horizontal: Easy going, restful
– Curved: Grace, charm, feminine
– Diagonal: Action, force, strong
• Balance
– Symmetrical: Formal
– Asymmetrical: Informal/ often more
interesting
• Dominance:
– By colour, size or position
– Attracts the eye first
– Usually the merchandise
• Contrast:
– Show a sharp difference between
objects
– Can use colour or texture

8. • Proportion:
– Relationship of size, scale, or weight
– Baby shoes next to a huge teddy
bear???
– Attracts attention
– Promote and idea or look
• Fragile versus weak
• Rhythm:
– Movement from element to element
– From dominant object to subordinate
object
– Use of line, colour, lighting
– Circular
– Triangle
• Repetition
– Colour, line, shape
– Creates importance and dominance

9. Window examples…

10. Case study....

11. Adidas

12. Adidas
• Clarity of thought : The window display focuses
on the women wear and accessories specially
for the sports.
• Creativity : The tagline being used is quite
motivating for women of this era and would
assure her that anything is possible. The straight
mannequins also suggest forcefulness and
rigidness of the women’s attitude. The colour
used in the background is blue signifying the
cool and sporty look.

13. Adidas
• Effectiveness : The display of upside down
women signifies the freedom and
independency of women which will
motivate them to walk in the store.
• Why did it work : It forces female
customers to ponder what the store holds
for them.

14. Marks & Spencer

15. Marks & Spencer
• Clarity of thought : The window display
clearly shows that the sale season is
going on for the apparels and accessories
offered by the store.
• Creativity : The red color is used to
indicate sale period which can be
discovered from a far distance. Red colour
is psychologically attached to the
customers; it portrays excitement/ impulse
purchase decisions.

16. Marks & Spencer
• Effectiveness : A customer interested would
surely walk-in to avail the discounts as the
display is shouting out for the sale season.
• Why did it work : The entire display used the red
color tints and shades indicating sales period &
also providing an opportunity to avail extra
reduction. The big banners as well as
mannequins wearing similar t-shirts talking
about sale are also very helpful.

17. Research
• Look beyond and read
between the lines…
• What are artists doing?
– Art instillations…
Could this be a source of
inspiration.
– Competitors…
– Trends… Fashion/ Lifestyle

18. Fendi Oasis
Burberry Zara