Selecting Display Fixtures
Display fixtures can vary widely depending on the store in question. Most large businesses use formal, austere displays with muted colors and an emphasis on space and functionality. There is no need to create a visually pleasing atmosphere for a customer who has come to purchase everyday household items; rather, such an effect may distract the customer from finding the desired merchandise, especially if the store has a large stock. For smaller businesses, particularly those selling gift items and objects of art, a more creative display scheme may be desired. Well-chosen furniture can crate a dignified, soothing environment. In the cases of antique shops and other stores, the furniture itself can be merchandise as well—a particularly efficient means of utilizing space.
Types of Display Fixtures
Display fixtures are usually categorized as moveable or fixed, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Fixed displays, such as aisles of shelves and heavy racks, are obviously preferable for warehouse-like stores in which the sale has already been made and the chief priority is maintaining the flow of customers. Here, familiarity is preferable, even at the price of drabness. On the other hand, small moveable fixtures can prevent the store's image from becoming too staid -- this is particularly true in stores that frequently vary their merchandise and rely on a small cadre of loyal customers; a fresh, rotating store layout can be an excellent way to spur sales. A curious psychological quirk of many customers is that they will often perceive an old object that has been moved recently as being newly exciting. Moveable fixtures take advantage of this tendency.
Arranging Displays
Displays should be thoughtfully arranged and make good use of interior space. Cases or racks with unusual, expensive, or experimental merchandise should be kept in a central location that attracts a fair amount of customer traffic; more reliable “standby” merchandise can be kept in the wings. In general, it is better to keep display fixtures in the interior of the store, as customers tend to resist browsing along the outer walls. Fixtures should also be kept thematically sorted, with similar items displayed in groups. Lastly, special attention should be paid to the appearance and contents of window displays, which are very often the best hook a small business has for attracting potential buyers.
