http://www.bin-store.com/blog

When is the last time that you changed your visual merchandising layout or switched out the products in your retail display shelving units? Yesterday? A week ago? A month ago? Last season? Last year?

Running a retail store is a complex job, one which requires a lot of different tasks everyday. Amid all those other responsibilities, it is easy to let important visual merchandising techniques fall by the wayside. You tell yourself, “Oh, I will get around to changing these displays tomorrow.” But then tomorrow becomes the next day and the next.

You already probably know that customers become bored if they see the exact same layout and displays every time they come into your shop. They want to see something fresh, something that entices them to explore. And exploring is exactly what you want them to do, because exploration leads to discovery, and discovery leads to purchases.

At the same time, you might very well know a store owner who changes retail displays every day. This is obviously very tedious, requires a lot of manpower, and chews up a lot of time. That store owner might tell you repeatedly you are doing it wrong, but you cannot help the nagging suspicion that they are doing it wrong too.

So how often should you change your retail product display cases, stands, and stock? The reality is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer for every store, but you should be striving for some sense of balance.

It is true that buyers like to see variety when they come into your shop. But it is also true that shoppers like to be able to find their way around. If everything is different every time they come in, they will feel disoriented, confused, and overwhelmed—not curious and compelled to walk around. Instead they will want to escape to a more familiar environment—perhaps the store down the street. Remember, while shoppers do walk in to browse, a lot of buyers also come in to get what they need and go.

So what is the best answer here? I recommend that you come up with something based on the specific needs of your buyers. Here are some considerations:

• Consider your niche and why buyers come into your store to shop. If you sell hardware, moving items around a lot is a bad idea; people are here to get what they need more than to browse. If you sell clothing or home décor on the other hand, browsing is more common, so moving and changing displays more often or dramatically makes sense.

• Ask yourself what your staff can handle. If you only have a handful of busy employees, re-dressing mannequins every day is going to be a major drain on resources, and it just is not necessary.

• Get to know your customers. Do they have a spirit of adventure? A lot of time to explore? Or do they prefer routine?

Experiment with changing your layouts and stock on a regular basis. See what customers respond to, and adjust your merchandising schedule accordingly. Strike a balance that works for your staff and your buyers, and you will boost your sales!