Thursday, January 28, 2010

Retail Displays: Getting the Most Bang for your Buck

Retail store owners are definitely interested in saving money. Whether the economy is down or not, the retail industry is always going through waves of selling a lot or not selling at all. There are certain seasons when we can expect things to be busy or things to stand still. Whatever the case, time or season, saving money on the things that you can’t avoid buying is always a good thing. Use these tips to help save money on retail space, retail merchandising, and effective advertising.

1) Make your advertising efforts more effective by sending out the right messages to the right people. Clearly define your target audience and stick to things that will only target them. Use mannequins and signage in your store windows to communicate what you offer and who you are offering it to. An effective window display will lure target audience members inside while encouraging others to stay away. You will save a lot of time and money if you are selective about who you market to.

2) Consider quality when you buy larger retail displays, like garment racks and counter displays. You can find good prices on some of these and you may be tempted to buy them. Before you do, check the quality. You may even decide to talk to other retailers about where they buy their retail displays. Check out their racks and see if they have sharp edges, shotty welding, or rickety casters. If you buy something that is not of a high quality, it may not last you very long. Even worse, it could be a liability, costing you more than you ever imagined.

3) After you’ve settled on a brand that you believe sells quality products, shop around for prices. Sometimes you can buy used items from stores that are going out of business. You can also save money by going directly to the manufacturer to purchase your retail displays. Ask about guarantees, return policies, payment plans, bulk rates, and shipping discounts. There are a number of ways to get quality products at reduced rates.

4) Another way to save money on retail displays is to bypass buying a lot of garment racks and go straight to a merchandising system. Slatwall is an excellent option for a few different reasons. One, it is inexpensive. Two, it can help you to attractively and effectively display a multitude of items all at once. Three, it is so versatile that you can always change it up, helping your store to stay ahead of the game.

Use these options to stock your store. Remember that slatwall and slatwall panels are considered the most inexpensive, quality way to save space an make your retail displays interesting.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the Vice President of S & L Store Fixtures, a leading online resource for retail displays, including mannequins, dress mannequin forms, female mannequins, slatwall and slatwall panels. For more information, please visit http://www.slstoredisplays.com.

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