Page 69 - DMGT552_VISUAL_MERCHANDISING

Visual Merchandising

Notes Good store design creates the vital difference in today’s competitive marketplace. Successful
companies use design as a powerful tool in their marketing strategy by making better products
and building a strong retail identity. Design creates a better environment at the workplace and
projects the organisational image. Good design offers many benefits – a vastly improved quality;
a defined statement of identity; an optimising of resources.
Visual merchandising is offered to the customers through exterior and interior presentation
each should be coordinated with each other using the stores theme.

In this unit, we will focus on store exteriors and store interiors. We will also focus on AIDCS (All
I do can sell).

4.1 Role of Atmospherics in Retail Strategy

Retail Atmospherics is a term used to describe the manipulation of elements such as colour,
light levels, sound, scents and design within your store to influence the buying habits of your
customers. Atmospheric changes to a stores environment will influence the customers mood or
feeling for that retailer. Atmospherics are the physical characteristics and surrounding influence
of a retail store that is used to create an image in order to attract customers. There are many ways
in which retailers can try to enhance the appeal of their stores by stimulating the senses. Creating
an aura or an atmosphere in a store can include the use of different aromas, sounds, colours,
lighting, textures and temperatures. Some examples of elements that can be used for atmospheric
purposes are listed below:
 Aromas: Bread, coffee, chocolate, floral, pine (for Christmas).
 Sounds: Popular music, classical music, ‘mood’ music, voice (announcements, shop radio).
 Colours: Neutrals such as black, grey, white; natural materials, warm colours (reds, oranges,
pinks, yellows); cool colours (blues, pale greens, white) and earthy colours (browns,
greens, oranges).

 Lighting: Cool lighting (blue, bright), warm lighting (orange, yellow, pink, subdued),
spotlights (to pick out and highlight), ambient (genera: lighting), sculptural light (in
alcoves, behind panels and so on), illuminated panelling and signage, neon.

 Texture: Shiny and smooth (chrome, gilt, marble), metallic (brushed galvanised, embossed),
textile (carpet, fabric, fur, sacking), wood (polished, raw, smooth, knotted), stone/brick.

 Walls as Retail selling tools: Retail atmospherics are the little steps that retail companies
should take to make the purchasing experience easier, and more pleasant, on the customers.
Retail atmospherics are steps that will usually increase sales and profits with little effort on the
part of the retailer. Along with heat, air, and lighting, there are other aspects of a store’s utilities
that add to the customer’s experience when talking about retail atmospherics. If you notice,
larger stores have both bathrooms and drinking fountains. Any store in which you are expected
to spend a lot of time, such as Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath and Beyond all have these
types of facilities for your use. In some cases, large stores might actually be forced to close if
their bathrooms have to be shut down.

Notes In most cases, the cost of these steps are minimal next to the amount of extra money
that is made with them, and the amount of money that would be lost without taking the
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