Merchandising Know-How: GlobalShop – The Show of Shows

(Dec 12, 2005) -- Every visual merchandiser should attend the GlobalShop trade show at least once, and preferably every couple of years. The 2006 show will be in Orlando, Florida, March 26-28. GlobalShop can be a bit confusing because it actually combines six specialty shows. Here's some background info on each show to help you make the most of your time. Read Full Story...

(Nov 30, 2005) -- As you know, it's hard to find books about merchandising. You can't go to your local bookstore and just come across them. Amazon has more than 40 books on visual merchandising and store design, but it's hard to know which ones are going to be the most helpful. So, here are some of the books that have proven most helpful to me along with two new ones I recommend. Read Full Story...

(Oct 17, 2005) -- You say color. I say colour. You don't need to care how it's spelled, because if you love color and want to stay up on the latest trends, there's a website for you! On Colourlovers.com, people can post colors or palettes they like, vote on their favorites and send notes to other color lovers. Read Full Story...

(Oct 3, 2005) -- Because there never seems to be enough space, it takes careful planning to ensure you carry enough merchandise to "make your numbers." You should start by taking a fixture inventory. Read Full Story...

(Sep 6, 2005) -- One of the most persistent problems facing retailers is sunlight fading products in front display windows and the accompanying heat that pushes up the costs of store cooling. Read Full Story...

(Jul 11, 2005) -- If you think sidewalk sales are hokey, think again. They can be very successful, even fun, and may surprise you with what they can return for your store. Read Full Story...

(Jun 27, 2005) -- Displays are the "windows" of a store. Each one is there to highlight merchandise and promote sell-though. Don't make the mistake of thinking of them as simply another task to get done. Put some thinking, planning and design into them and they will become a valuable business asset. And when creating your displays, remember AIDA -- attention, interest, desire and action. Read Full Story...

(Jun 20, 2005) -- There's an easy way to judge the effectiveness of your store's displays -- use AIDA. It's not the famous opera with its story of love, revenge and sacrifice -- although some visual merchandisers may see some commonalities. AIDA is an acronym for attention, interest, desire and action. Call attention to the display to create interest, desire and action. That's what good displays are designed to do. Read Full Story...

(Jun 6, 2005) -- In my last two columns, I've shared with you the things I found at this year's GlobalShop held in Las Vegas. While much of what is displayed at the show isn't useful for the independent retailer, anyone could walk away with plenty of good ideas to spruce up their store. Now's the time to step out of your box and try some new display and fixturing methods -- things you might think are too mainstream for an outdoor store, but really aren't. Read Full Story...

(May 16, 2005) -- If you read the previous MerchandisingHUB article, "Merchandising Know-How: Going Global, As In GlobalShop," you know that I'm reviewing fixtures, props and good ideas I found at this year's GlobalShop trade show in Las Vegas. Read Full Story...

(May 2, 2005) -- For the last two years, the annual GlobalShop trade show has been staged in the Sands Convention Center. It’s a show that you may want to consider attending, as it's a good source for lighting, props, fixturing, signage and top-rate seminars. I was fortunate to walk the three-day show with an outdoor retailer and see what interested him and what he thought he could use in his stores. In the next few issues of Merchandising Know How, I’ll list some “finds” I think could prove useful in your stores. Let’s start with the following: Read Full Story...

(Apr 15, 2005) -- Let's talk tables -- table merchandising that is. The next time you're in a Nordstrom or specialty men's shop notice how tables are utilized to show T-shirts, folded dress shirts, shoes, ties and accessories. There's a reason retailers like to use tables. Read Full Story...

(Apr 1, 2005) -- Picture this. It's Monday and you've just received shipments of spring merchandise. You stand in the backroom checking it in and wondering where you are going to place it on the floor. Sound familiar? Read Full Story...

(Mar 11, 2005) -- When creating a new display, you need to pay attention to the balance of products in the display, the dominance of certain elements and the rhythm or flow of the product positioning. In addition, it's necessary to formulate a color plan. Read Full Story...

(Feb 25, 2005) -- Every so often it's a good idea to walk through the front door of your store and take a visual inventory. Too often, we get so absorbed in the everyday tasks of ordering, accounting, restocking, pricing, etc., that we lose sight of how our stores appear to our customers. If you're reading this and own a store, do a walk-through with one or two of your employees to get their perceptions of what needs to be changed, updated, deleted or left alone. Read Full Story...

(Oct 21, 2004) -- Color is a complex subject and one that takes serious study. We don't have the room or the necessity to study it in depth in this column but, because color is the first thing that attracts customers to a rack or display, we need to be reminded how to effectively merchandise with it. An understanding of color will drive sales. Read Full Story...

(Sep 27, 2004) -- This spring Horny Toad challenged its retail accounts to an artistic and creative display contest, and 24 stores stepped up and utilized display spaces of all sizes to show Horny Toad product. The first-place winner was Trailblazer in New Haven, Conn. Runner-ups included Doug's Sports in Hood River, Ore.; Champlain Surplus in Champlain, Ill.; and Ski Rack in Burlington, Vt. Read Full Story...

(Jul 19, 2004) -- When attending visual merchandising shows like GlobalShop, I’m always looking for those fixtures, props and unique materials that are apropos for outdoor retailers. It can’t be things that are too over the top, too expensive or too “department store-ish.” At the last GlobalShop in Las Vegas Sharon Leicham was pleased to find the following visual merchandising tools that she thought outdoor retailers would find helpful. Read Full Story...

(May 10, 2004) -- As a child, I loved going to the toy store to see what new storybook dolls had arrived. Now, as an adult and a merchandiser, I love going to the GlobalShop trade show to check out the new fixtures, props, lighting and gadgets. Read Full Story...

(Apr 20, 2004) -- The hills may be alive with the sound of music, but is your store musically enhanced? The right music can make customers linger longer in your store, increasing your odds that they'll make a purchase. But it's also true that if a store plays the wrong music for its customers, they may boogie on out. Read Full Story...

(Jan 9, 2004) -- With the holiday season behind us, it's time to start thinking about rejuvenating your store for new spring merchandise. Read Full Story...

(Nov 17, 2003) -- I've always urged retailers to look for unique gift-type items to sell as impulse add-ons, especially during the holidays. Friend and outdoor retailer, Lisa Hollenbeck of the Alpine Shop in Saint Louis, Mo., passed on a great holiday gift idea. She recently met a local artisan who sells handmade papers under the name Cast Paper Art. Ho hum, you say? Well, there's nothing ho hum about this company's products. Read Full Story...

(Oct 31, 2003) -- Besides the fighting in Iraq and the President's environmental policies, two things have really bothered me lately. The first is not being able to find what I'm looking for in a store because of sloppy maintenance. Read Full Story...

(Oct 9, 2003) -- Let's talk about tents -- table tents, that is. They're the three-sided, tent-shaped signs you often see on tables in restaurants advertising the daily specials, and they're perfect to use as signage in your store during the upcoming holidays. Read Full Story...

(Sep 2, 2003) -- The recent Outdoor Retailer trade show was busy, energetic, fun and, best of all, full of interesting displays. With all you had to do at the show, you probably didn't have time to look for merchandising ideas, so as your eye on the floor, I picked a few of the best displays at this year's show which you can easily adapt to your store. Read Full Story...

(Aug 21, 2003) -- Love it or hate it, Christmas will be here before you know it and it's never too early to start planning. Now is the time to search for those exclusive products that will delight your customers, appeal to their impulses and set you apart from your competition. Read Full Story...

(Jul 21, 2003) -- More often than not accessory displays are a mishmash, with accessories finding their way into nooks and crannies all over the store. With summer sales winding down and fall sales yet to start, re-merchandising accessories into "boutiques" or special areas of their own makes sales sense. After all, there are margins to be made with accessories. Read Full Story...

(Jul 7, 2003) -- A recent article in Time magazine (July 2003) states, "Too many retailers undervalue the checkout, which is their last best chance to make a good impression." Hallelujah! When a mainstream publication like Time talks about checkout, you know it's an issue that needs addressing. Read Full Story...

(Jun 8, 2003) -- You've heard it said that color attracts. It's an accepted fact when dealing with apparel, and often when selling items like bags, tents and packs. Retailers need to be just as observant about color and how it is represented in their stores. Read Full Story...

(May 19, 2003) -- The physical differences between men and women influence where we place products and position fixtures. You’ve probably heard a million times to “put your merchandise at eye-level.” But at whose eye-level? Read Full Story...

(May 5, 2003) -- This isn't an article about Zen, meditation or group yoga. It's about that all-important fixture used to present apparel -- the four-way. Should your memory need jogging, the four-way is a chrome or wood rack with four arms facing four different directions. Almost everyone uses four-ways, but they often use them incorrectly. Read Full Story...

(Apr 14, 2003) -- There’s a movement afoot to protest the inhumane conditions under which store mannequins have to work. Meanwhile for those of you who use mannequins and find them hard to dress here are some tips I gleaned from a website out of New Zealand... Read Full Story...

(Mar 31, 2003) -- Like the television show of the same name, every outdoor store needs to rearrange it’s clothing periodically and no time of year is more important than the period between January sales and the arrival of new spring merchandise. Read Full Story...

(Mar 7, 2003) -- Have you ever noticed how much more valuable objects seem when they are under glass? Think about the exhibits you've seen in museums or galleries where artifacts are placed on covered bases and encased in glass boxes. Read Full Story...

(Feb 20, 2003) -- Trade Show Ideas You can Use: Every so often retailers need a kick in the pants or a whack on the head to get them to take a fresh look at their stores and make some changes. Read Full Story...

(Jan 31, 2003) -- It’s easy for me to tell you that there are good merchandising ideas everywhere. But when it comes right down to it, you may look at a display window or trade show exhibit and not see the good idea to be found there. So I thought I’d show you some ideas I’ve found and suggest ways to use them. Read Full Story...

(Jan 17, 2003) -- One of the most important, but often-abused events of the retail calendar is the after-Christmas sale. Love it or hate it, in-store sales continue to provide the motivation for many consumers to become customers and for retailers to reduce inventories and generate additional sales. Read Full Story...

Macpac, Senior Clothing Designer -- Listed Jan 12, 2006
Sr. Product Manager - Dunham Outdoor Performance -- Listed Jan 12, 2006
Executive Director - Trade Association of Paddlesports (TAPS) -- Listed Jan 12, 2006
Key Account Manager -- ExOfficio -- Listed Jan 10, 2006
Product Designer -- Stearns Inc. -- Listed Jan 10, 2006

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