Blog

  1. Mastering Retail Elegance - Need a Hand?

    In the realm of retail, presentation is paramount. From the moment a customer steps into a store or browses an online catalog, the visual appeal of products plays a pivotal role in capturing attention and driving sales. When it comes to jewelry and fashion accessories, the importance of effective display cannot be overstated. Enter the unsung hero of retail promotion: the hand display.

    Hand displays, often overlooked yet incredibly effective, serve as silent partners in the art of showcasing accessories. Standing at the intersection of form and function, these displays are meticulously designed to accentuate the beauty and allure of every piece they hold. Whether crafted from sleek plastic or elegant wood, their clean-lined design serves as the perfect canvas for highlighting the intricate details of jewelry and accessories.

    One of the key advantages of hand displays lies in their ability to create a lifelike presentation. Modeled after the human hand, they lend a sense

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  2. Mastering the Art: The Psychology Behind Effective Visual Merchandising

    The psychology of visual merchandising delves into the intricate ways in which consumers perceive and interact with retail environments. To optimize sales and enhance customer experience, retailers must carefully consider various psychological principles when designing their visual displays. Here are the top five considerations:

    (1) Attention Grabbing: Shoppers are bombarded with stimuli, so it's crucial to create displays that capture attention immediately. Bold colors, contrasting elements, and unique arrangements can draw customers in and encourage exploration.

    (2) Visual Hierarchy: Human eyes naturally gravitate towards certain focal points. Visual merchandisers use this knowledge to guide customers through the store and highlight key products. Placing high-margin items at eye level and using directional cues such as arrows or pathways can influence purchasing decisions.

    (3) Emotional Appeal: Consumers often make purchasing decisions

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  3. Standout Visual Merchandising Trends for 2024

    Visual merchandising is a crucial aspect of retail display that has evolved over the years, and the trends for 2024 are expected to be dynamic and innovative. As we look ahead to 2024, several key visual merchandising trends are poised to shape the retail landscape:

    1. Immersive Experiences: In 2024, visual merchandising will focus on creating immersive experiences for customers. Retailers will use technology such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to provide interactive and engaging displays. These immersive experiences will transport customers into a different world, making the shopping experience more memorable.

    2. Sustainable Displays: With a growing emphasis on sustainability, visual merchandising in 2024 will prioritize eco-friendly and sustainable displays. Retailers will use recycled and upcycled materials, as well as energy-efficient lighting to create

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  4. How to Optimize Your Retail Floor Layout

    Wondering how to optimize your store's layout? The truth is, there is no secret to perfecting store layout. Rather, the right layout for your store will depend on a number of different factors, including the type of goods you stock and the kind of shopping experience you are trying to create. However, there are a few options you should keep in mind. Let's take a look.

    The Grid Floorplan

    In the grid floor plan, fixtures and displays run parallel to the walls, making use of every possible inch of space, including the corners. The major advantage of the grid floorplan is that is an excellent way to maximize use of both floor space and wall space. It's also easy for retailers to categorize goods by type and stock shelves accordingly, creating different sections that are easy for customers to navigate and find what they are looking for. This can create an intuitive, hassle-free shopping experience, enabling customers to grab what they need and go. Moreover,

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  5. L Brands, the Owner of Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, Saw a Boost from Stimulus Spending

    According to L Brands, the company directly saw the benefits of Americans receiving the recent stimulus check. L Brands owns both Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret.

    Improved Figures

    The announcement came when L Brands increased its first-quarter guidance in late March. The original guidance had included expected earnings of 55 to 65 cents per share. After this adjustment, the company expected the earnings to be between 85 cents and $1 per share.

    According to L Brands, the change in guidance came from its improved sales. According to the company, these sales were part of unusual shifts in the spending patterns of customers.

    L Brands cautioned that this guidance change will not necessarily happen again and that the future of retail is still very uncertain.

    The Reasons for the Changes

    L Brands credited several factors with its improved sales and the changes to customer spending patterns.

    The

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  6. Williams Sonoma Saw a Surge in Online Sales - Now It's Refocusing Its Efforts on In-store Sales

    In the last year, Williams Sonoma saw a surge in its online sales. Despite this, the company has plans to refocus its efforts to bring back in-store sales.

    Important Figures

    To put the figures from the 2020 fiscal year in perspective, Williams Sonoma had an increase of 45% in online sales. By contrast, in-person sales dropped 24%. Overall, the company saw its best growth in a year in nearly two decades.

    Those percentages combine with fourth-quarter figures that were better than had been expected. The unexpected figures led to the company reaching new highs on the stock market. On the day in question, March 18, it rose 18.46% and closed the market at $161.57.

    The most recent quarter ended on January 31, and that quarter featured $2.3 billion of revenue. This was the third quarter in a row of year-over-year growth. The quarter before those saw a dip due to the pandemic lockdowns.

    What the CEO Says

    The information

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  7. Anthropologie's First Purely Digital Catalog Is Now on Pinterest

    The world is becoming increasingly digital, and Anthropologie is embracing that trend. While many retailers, including this one, have offered both digital and printed catalogs for a while, Anthropologie just released its first purely digital catalog.

    The Catalog Features on Pinterest

    Most digital catalogs today are just images that are nearly identical to those in the printed catalogs. By going purely digital with this catalog, Anthropologie innovated and created new features that will make the catalog even more useful to shoppers.

    The catalog appears on Pinterest and takes advantage of the features built into the photo-sharing platform. It provides shoppers with an immersive and interactive experience instead of the typical browsing one.

    As shoppers browse the catalog, they can pin the items that catch their eye. This lets them create a digital pinboard that shows all of the products that they want to buy now or in the future. This essentially

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  8. Target Released Mondo Llama, a New Private Label for Crafting

    Target has been slowly expanding its private-label lineup, and the latest addition is Mondo Llama, a crafting label. This marks the first private label for crafting from the retailer in a decade.

    The Mondo Llama Product Line

    The product line for Mondo Llama features nearly 400 products related to arts and crafts. Some of the items are drawing kits, canvases, and paint sets. The product line is highly inclusive, as its crayons, paints, and markers feature a skin tone pallet with 24 shades.

    Those in the know say that the brand’s products are designed for people and families with hobbies, not professional crafters. The majority of the products cost less than $25.

    Availability of the New Products

    You can find the new products in stores or online and at same-day fulfillment centers. Target expects to have most of the items readily available on March 28 or sooner.

    Taking Advantage of the Crafting Boom

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  9. Loft Is Facing Backlash for Its Decision to Stop Selling Plus Sizes

    Apparel retailer Loft recently announced that it would be phasing out its plus-size offerings. This comes despite a trend towards inclusivity in the fashion industry. Unsurprisingly, the announcement was met with a great deal of backlash, including on social media.

    The Changes

    By the time fall arrives, Loft will only be offering clothing in sizes 00 to 18 or XXS to XXL.

    The Backlash

    Much of the backlash towards Loft’s decision to phase out its plus-size clothing came via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Many critics pointed out that by limiting the sizing options, many American women will no longer be able to shop at the store.

    What the Company Says

    The brand repeated the same statement across platforms, including on Twitter. The statement said that the changes are because of “ongoing business challenges,” and it is a “difficult decision.” The brand also “apologize[d] for any disappointment.”

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  10. WHP Global Now Owns Toys R Us and Plans to Open Stores Again

    When Toys R Us filed its Chapter 11 bankruptcy in fall 2017, many long-time customers were surprised, and the once commonplace stores started to disappear from shopping centers quickly. Now, the brand is under new ownership, and stores will start to open again soon.

    New Ownership

    WHP Global now has a controlling interest in Tru Kids. Tru Kids is the parent company of both Toys R Us and the related retailer Babies R Us, along with Geoffrey the Giraffe. Tru Kids had bought those brands and their intellectual property in September 2017 after the bankruptcy filings. What

    WHP Global Says

    WHP Global’s chief executive officer and chairman, Yehuda Shmidman, says that the company is “in the brand business.” He pointed to the credibility, trust, and love associated with the Toys R Us brand. Given the popularity of toys in the last year and the current “blank canvas” of the United States, WHP Global decided it would be wise to take

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