Mara Birsa 2329974 Unit 16 - Visual Merchandising Assignment 1, Task 1
Assignment 1: Visual
Merchandising display
techniques
Introduction
This report will contain key information and analysis about the impact of visual
merchandising and display techniques in two contrasting businesses: Flannels and Tesco. I
am going to investigate the visual merchandising and display techniques used in different
retailers. Additionally, I will bring explanations about how legal and safety regulations
affects the visual merchandising. Moreover, I will analyse the display techniques used in two
different businesses and evaluate how these techniques and visual merchandising have
impact over the success of the businesses.
Visual Merchandising and display techniques
Visual Merchandising refers to the method in which a business promotes its products and
services by displaying them in the most interesting and enjoyable way in order to attract the
attention of the customers and to persuade them to buy the product, using images, colours,
lights etc.
One of display techniques of visual merchandising is product placement which refers at
the place where the products are put (windows; at entrance; front end; high traffic aisles;
aisle ends; near lifts, escalators or stairs; complementary merchandise placement).
Windows – products displayed in the shop window attract customers to enter the
store. The windows are used mainly by clothing, toys and furniture stores.
At entrance – it has the role to impulse buying, being seasonal products like
Christmas decorations in December.
Front end – Products put at the front end attract the attention of customers and
impulse buying in grocery stores, department stores.
High traffic aisles – The products are placed on the most circulating aisles to increase
the chances of being seen and bought by as many customers as possible.
Aisle ends – This product placement is most used in supermarket in order to attract
attention. There can be new items or products on sale.
Near lifts/escalators/stairs – The seasonal or on-offer products are placed near
escalators/lifts/stairs in order to be seen by a large number of customers.
1
, Mara Birsa 2329974 Unit 16 - Visual Merchandising Assignment 1, Task 1
Complementary merchandise placement – This product placement is useful for
products worth buying together (e.g. shampoo next to hair dye)
Product segmentation is other display techniques used in visual merchandising and is
about how the products are divided depends on similar features (by season, event, theme,
promotion).
By season – the products are grouped according to the season in which it is most
appropriate to be purchased (spring, summer, autumn, winter).
By event – Products that are sold in relation to certain events (Christmas, Halloween,
Easter, Valentine’s Day, World Cup etc.)
By theme – Products that belong to the same category and can be bought together
(e.g. casual clothes; work clothes; ski equipment etc.)
By promotion – Certain products bought together will be taken at a special offer.
Furthermore, display techniques used by businesses in order to attract customers’
attention are: focal points; branding and signage; choosing a story/theme; triangular
formulation; repetition; coordination; using mirrors, contrasting and complementary
colours; mass display; micro merchandising. Also, they can use props (busts, mannequins,
furniture, forms, product demonstration), free-standing displays (islands, stacks) and
fixtures (gondolas, garment rails, shelves, platforms, counters etc.).
As part of my investigation about visual merchandising and display techniques, I have
chosen two contrasting businesses: a department store – Flannels and a supermarket –
Tesco.
Flannels is a clothing retailer founded in 1976 in London, than sells clothes, accessories and
footwear from several famous brands such as: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga, Dolce Gabbana etc.
The company owns 45 stores in the UK. Flannels is aware of the importance of visual merchandising
in attracting customers and increasing sales so they use a wide range of display techniques. As
product placement, Flannels uses windows, at entrance and complementary merchandise placement
in order to arouse customers; interest and curiosity. Moreover, the products are grouped by season
(clothes and footwear for spring, summer, autumn and winter) and by theme (casual clothes or
elegant clothes). Techniques like focal points, branding, triangular formulation, complementary and
contrasting colours are also used efficiently by Flannels. The company uses mannequins, garment
rails, shelves, platform, islands, showcases etc.
Tesco is a supermarket chain founded in 1919 in Hackney, London. Being a multinational retailer,
Tesco has 7,005 shops (2020) in five countries (United Kingdom, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic
and Ireland). In the United Kingdom, Tesco is market leader among grocery stores. Tesco uses
different display methods in order to convince customers to buy products and to increase sales and
profit. Tesco uses as product placement: at entrance, front end, aisle ends, near stairs/escalators,
complementary merchandise placement and high traffic aisles. As product segmentation, Tesco
divided the product by event, season, promotion and theme. Other display techniques Tesco has
are: branding, mass display, signage, triangular formulation, coordination. Also, Tesco uses shelves,
counters, platforms etc.
2
Assignment 1: Visual
Merchandising display
techniques
Introduction
This report will contain key information and analysis about the impact of visual
merchandising and display techniques in two contrasting businesses: Flannels and Tesco. I
am going to investigate the visual merchandising and display techniques used in different
retailers. Additionally, I will bring explanations about how legal and safety regulations
affects the visual merchandising. Moreover, I will analyse the display techniques used in two
different businesses and evaluate how these techniques and visual merchandising have
impact over the success of the businesses.
Visual Merchandising and display techniques
Visual Merchandising refers to the method in which a business promotes its products and
services by displaying them in the most interesting and enjoyable way in order to attract the
attention of the customers and to persuade them to buy the product, using images, colours,
lights etc.
One of display techniques of visual merchandising is product placement which refers at
the place where the products are put (windows; at entrance; front end; high traffic aisles;
aisle ends; near lifts, escalators or stairs; complementary merchandise placement).
Windows – products displayed in the shop window attract customers to enter the
store. The windows are used mainly by clothing, toys and furniture stores.
At entrance – it has the role to impulse buying, being seasonal products like
Christmas decorations in December.
Front end – Products put at the front end attract the attention of customers and
impulse buying in grocery stores, department stores.
High traffic aisles – The products are placed on the most circulating aisles to increase
the chances of being seen and bought by as many customers as possible.
Aisle ends – This product placement is most used in supermarket in order to attract
attention. There can be new items or products on sale.
Near lifts/escalators/stairs – The seasonal or on-offer products are placed near
escalators/lifts/stairs in order to be seen by a large number of customers.
1
, Mara Birsa 2329974 Unit 16 - Visual Merchandising Assignment 1, Task 1
Complementary merchandise placement – This product placement is useful for
products worth buying together (e.g. shampoo next to hair dye)
Product segmentation is other display techniques used in visual merchandising and is
about how the products are divided depends on similar features (by season, event, theme,
promotion).
By season – the products are grouped according to the season in which it is most
appropriate to be purchased (spring, summer, autumn, winter).
By event – Products that are sold in relation to certain events (Christmas, Halloween,
Easter, Valentine’s Day, World Cup etc.)
By theme – Products that belong to the same category and can be bought together
(e.g. casual clothes; work clothes; ski equipment etc.)
By promotion – Certain products bought together will be taken at a special offer.
Furthermore, display techniques used by businesses in order to attract customers’
attention are: focal points; branding and signage; choosing a story/theme; triangular
formulation; repetition; coordination; using mirrors, contrasting and complementary
colours; mass display; micro merchandising. Also, they can use props (busts, mannequins,
furniture, forms, product demonstration), free-standing displays (islands, stacks) and
fixtures (gondolas, garment rails, shelves, platforms, counters etc.).
As part of my investigation about visual merchandising and display techniques, I have
chosen two contrasting businesses: a department store – Flannels and a supermarket –
Tesco.
Flannels is a clothing retailer founded in 1976 in London, than sells clothes, accessories and
footwear from several famous brands such as: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga, Dolce Gabbana etc.
The company owns 45 stores in the UK. Flannels is aware of the importance of visual merchandising
in attracting customers and increasing sales so they use a wide range of display techniques. As
product placement, Flannels uses windows, at entrance and complementary merchandise placement
in order to arouse customers; interest and curiosity. Moreover, the products are grouped by season
(clothes and footwear for spring, summer, autumn and winter) and by theme (casual clothes or
elegant clothes). Techniques like focal points, branding, triangular formulation, complementary and
contrasting colours are also used efficiently by Flannels. The company uses mannequins, garment
rails, shelves, platform, islands, showcases etc.
Tesco is a supermarket chain founded in 1919 in Hackney, London. Being a multinational retailer,
Tesco has 7,005 shops (2020) in five countries (United Kingdom, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic
and Ireland). In the United Kingdom, Tesco is market leader among grocery stores. Tesco uses
different display methods in order to convince customers to buy products and to increase sales and
profit. Tesco uses as product placement: at entrance, front end, aisle ends, near stairs/escalators,
complementary merchandise placement and high traffic aisles. As product segmentation, Tesco
divided the product by event, season, promotion and theme. Other display techniques Tesco has
are: branding, mass display, signage, triangular formulation, coordination. Also, Tesco uses shelves,
counters, platforms etc.
2
