Visual merchandising is an often-overlooked part of food service, and it is a true difference maker in the sales of refrigerated items. Visuals help you sell products by creating a desire for them, creating customer loyalty through consistency, and encouraging multi-item purchases within display groups.
When done correctly, visual merchandising can convert browsers into buyers, improve the look of your store by keeping your commercial refrigerators stocked, and creates a more enhanced shopping experience.
Here are a few ways to improve your visual merchandising to create an enhanced experience for your customers.
Don’t Cram
Overcrowding your shelf can lead to a cluttered, messy experience for the consumer. Try giving each product space independently from other items. Doing this makes each product feel valuable to the customers, and in turn, worth their time.
Customers don’t enjoy getting lost in a cluttered blob of products. They are more likely to give thoughtful attention to a space with many different items that look important. Take the time to turn your labels out, coordinate by color, and make your space feel significant to the customer.
Cross-Merchandising Pays
Place similar and combinable items together to encourage your customers to buy a meal rather than just one snack. This thoughtful placement coaxes a sale through sheer convenience. Put chips next to sandwiches, donuts near coffee, or fruit next to yogurt, to persuade people to leave your store with more than one product in hand.
Light the Way
People respond to lighting in a space more than any other visual aspect. Lighting can affect the mood your store invokes. Be thoughtful in your lighting choice and consider how it affects the space.
For product displays, use a combination of natural light and artificial lighting to guide the shopper’s eyes across a display. Use spotlights to highlight certain products and help move people through your space with intention. Encourage the customer to take the path you want them to take.
Pique Interest Early
The moment a customer walks into your establishment you have an opportunity to create a desire for your products. Put your high priority items near the entrance to pique customers’ curiosity.
Use varying display heights and colors to effectively use your high-value space for multiple products. The first impression a customer gets after walking through the door can make or break a sale.
Stay detail oriented, think of your customers first, and be thoughtful with your displays. Find opportunities to create demand through your visual merchandising and propel your business to the next level.
If your business needs help in visual merchandising, a commercial refrigerator is a great start. At Imbera, we are pioneering sleek design and outstanding function to help our clients improve their merchandising capabilities. Contact us at 678-504-6835, and we’ll match you with the right equipment for your specific needs.
