Visual Merchandising Archives

March 23, 2020May 2, 2023

2 Display Arrangements You NEED To Check Out

Before a customer even sets foot in your store, the first things they see are your window displays. These displays need to reflect your business, but sometimes a theme can get stale. I (like many others in the Jewelry Biz) love to explore options I may not have considered previously. Specifically, I enjoy putting an amazing signature look together. Achieving this signature style does not have to cost a fortune. In fact, IÔÇÖve crunched the numbers here for you and offer some exciting options for your next display and packaging arrangement.

Black Leatherette With a Coordinating Box

I am in LOVE with the modern style I see sprouting up in my shops and local restaurants. Less is becoming more in this ever evolving fashionista driven world. What better way to make a statement with the sleek and humble black leatherette line? This collection offered by Gems On Display can be found HERE.

To make a cohesive display arrangement, itÔÇÖs best to have a dimensional depth to your window displays. I personally recommend the 189-2L (BK).

This display is such a statement piece. The gentle curves and fantastic base are SO characteristic to the modern style. This display should be a SPECIAL display for a SPECIAL piece. The quality is felt in the hand on this display as well, VERY well put together. Overall, itÔÇÖs a remarkable display.

Necklaces usually pair with a set of earrings, bracelets and more. For the front of the arrangement, I recommend the 210-A, 218-2AL (BK), and the 252-3 (BK).

These displays have a pleasant and tasteful height variance. Gorgeous overall, and easy on the pocket book. An arrangement like this only costs around $60.

The arrangement doesnÔÇÖt end there though. How will your customers take home their new statement pieces? Fortunately, Gems On Display offers a WIDE variety of jewelry boxes. I would recommend either the Classic Model Series, which is a simple leatherette box. ItÔÇÖs a timeless classic. These boxes just DONÔÇÖT go out of style. If you want something a little more versatile though, a cotton-filled box is a great route to go as well. Both box styles have the option of custom printing, which adds that finishing touch to the entire arrangement.

Overall, the modern display style is a great route to explore for someone who wants a timeless feel.

Linen Displays, Wooden Displays, and Kraft Boxes

Summer-time fun-time. Who hasnÔÇÖt heard that in the jewelry making industry? I like to pair my summer time jewelry themes with cream colors or a natural wooden display. Gems On DisplaysÔÇÖ natural wood displays compliment the linen displays perfectly. To create a physically appealing display arrangement, I start with larger more statement displays either in the back or at the shoulder of the set. The PERFECT displays for this are: 101024 N, 101006 N, and the 181N LE.

With these 3 displays you can easily accent your statement pieces. The natural color of the wood and linen displays pair perfectly with tans, teals, sea foam, cyans, dark reds, and nearly every beach color scheme.

As far as your front-most display arrangements, I really love keeping with that color theme. If I am displaying bracelets or earrings, there are a couple of options to explore from there. You can easily display earrings with a simple t-bar earring stand (ED-2401N-LE) and if I have any bracelets, I like to reiterate the wooden organic theme with another wooden bracelet ramp (383554 N).

Overall, this is an arrangement that you can tuck away for the season, and then re-use for the next summer-time season easily. These displays are sturdy as well as fashionable. As long as they are stored in a cool-dry environment, the materials stand the test of time very well, and overall are very easy to rework into a new display arrangement. For example, the wooden themed displays are not limited to a summer time theme. These wooden displays pair well with the white leatherette collection. With an arrangement like that, you can easily build a winter wonderland themed display arrangement that really turns head.

Summery

Your displays are your own. They need to reflect your individual and unique style. More so than that, a lasting theme is an investment. One display arrangement tastefully put together and gently used can last well over a year. The returns will speak for themselves.

For more tricks and tips, check out our blog and YouTube Channel. We post inside tips weekly.

March 3, 2014May 2, 2023

Spring Displays & Packaging

Spring is on the way! We donÔÇÖt know about you, but weÔÇÖre counting down the days until the weather warms up and we can see the ground again. In preparation for springtime days, we are are thinking about spring displays and spring colors.

Pantone’s Fashion Color Report Spring 2014 is a great place to begin. This will help you to see what colors are going to be trending this season, and you can choose what will match your jewelry and style the best. It will also help you highlight your pieces that might be similar to these colors or provide you with design inspiration.

When choosing a color scheme for your displays, don’t go overboard and use ALL the colors. You want your jewelry to be the focus and your displays and props should serve only to bring attention to your jewelry. And when you’re choosing your spring packaging line, remember that packaging is branding. You want to create a look that customers will associate with your store even after they’ve gone home.

We know how many of our customers travel to shows, and one of favorite products for spring is this brand new carrying case! This black aluminum case has a front opening door with a pocket on the inside of the door, a hidden retractable handle, combination locks, and an adjustable divider. Holds up to (12) 1″ trays.

For more color inspiration for this spring, check out our Pinterest Bring in Spring board.

April 4, 2013April 4, 2013

When Creating Displays, Do You…

When creating displays, do you…

…have varied display heights? You want your customersÔÇÖ eyes to naturally move along your entire display so that they see all of what you have to offer, and you can make this possible by not having all of your displays be exactly the same height. Here’s a great example.

…have a focal point in your display? A clear focal point is vital to a successful display. This doesnÔÇÖt mean you have all the same type of jewelry or product; it simply means that you have key spot in your display and build everything around that. This is the spot that will catch peoples’ eyes before they scan through the rest of your display. If there is no focal point, it will confuse customers and could result in fewer sales.

…choose display colors that enhance or distract from your jewelry? Color choice is very important. If you place white jewelry on a white background, it isnÔÇÖt going to stand out like white jewelry on a background. Similarly, if you have bright jewelry and bright displays, the effect could be overwhelming for your customers.

ways to display — Notice how the beige background is light enough to make the necklace pop without taking away from the jewelry?

…frequently change the displays in your store? If you have repeat customers and they always see exactly the same thing in your store window or display cases, theyÔÇÖll quickly lose interest. Keep things fresh and new by changing your displays at least 6 times per year (about every other month).

February 21, 2013May 2, 2023

Visual Merchandising: An Eye for Color

You donÔÇÖt ┬áneed to have an eye for color to be able to put together an eye-catching display!

There are a few simple guidelines to follow when dealing with the colors in your displays. Keep reading for a few quick color basics to keep in mind when youÔÇÖre putting together your booth, window display, jewelry displays, or even your packaging colors! The colors you use in your displays will help dictate your customersÔÇÖ moods, and influence them to buy (or not to buy), so itÔÇÖs worth spending some time learning about how to effectively use color in your displays.

1. Have a knowledgeable use of color. ItÔÇÖs important to remember that specific colors are associated with certain industries or holidays. Even if itÔÇÖs springtime and sunny, a combination of green and red is probably going to make your customers think about Christmas, so if thatÔÇÖs not your intention, itÔÇÖs probably not a good idea. An example of an industry that has a color associated with it would be the environmental industry. It is often paired with the color green, which (depending on the shade) can make customers think of things in terms of fresh, natural, and organic. Be aware┬áof choosing colors that match your intent, or at the very least, that do not cause an impression you never intended to create.

green — Image courtesy of zirconicusso at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2. ┬áBright and warm colors are attention-grabbers, while cool colors are more soothing and calm. This certainly does not mean you should never use cool colors in your displays; can you imagine only brightly colored displays? It would overwhelm the eye and confuse the customer. Carefully placed splashes of color, however, draw the eye to key areas and products. Displays should also have a good balance of neutral tones to avoid overwhelming customers. ┬áAlso, if youÔÇÖre not looking to excite your customers (you might be going for elegance, subtlety, or calm), cool colors might be what you want to use.

3. Colors affect peopleÔÇÖs emotions. When choosing colors for your displays, think about what emotions you want to bring out in your customers. How do you want your customers to feel so that they are more likely to buy your products?

My Visual Merchandising has an excellent color chart that explains the emotions colors evoke, as well as how and when to use them. This article also explains various color schemes and how they work.

4. How about background colors?┬áThese are just as important as colors utilized in the front of a display! The background color is oftenÔÇöbut not alwaysÔÇöa neutral color (white, black, and beige are very popular, especially for jewelry displays), and should be an unequal blend of both warm and cool colors for the best effect. Although backgrounds should have a dominant color, when creating a booth or window display it can be good idea to have more than one color to avoid a dull background. Your background should push your products forward and not detract attention from them. For example, if you have red jewelry and a red background, your jewelry is likely to get lost in the background instead of standing out.

necklace display — Notice the difference of effect between the black and white display background?

For a jewelry displays, if you have brightly colored jewelry, and you really want it to pop, a black or white display will help the jewelry to stand out.

Notice the picture to the right and how different a white pearl necklace looks on the black and white backgrounds. It creates a different feel on each display!

If we were to place the pearl necklace on a beige display, the look would be different, too! The beige and white would give it a feeling of beauty and elegance since they are colors similar to the pearl necklace, while the black really makes the white pearl stand out and catch your eye since it is a darker color.

For some great examples of color in displays visit us on Pinterest!┬á

January 22, 2013March 4, 2013

Visual Merchandising: 4 Ways to Attract Customers

How is visual merchandising used to attract customers? Or, before we answer that question, what IS visual merchandising? Visual merchandising means creating an atmosphere in your store through displays, sensory messages, colors and lighting, product placement, floorplan, etc., that will attract customers and keep them interested. ItÔÇÖs about creating an environment that logically flows and is aesthetically pleasing at the same time; itÔÇÖs setting your store up in such a way that it generates more sales. Put differently, visual merchandising is the silent salesperson in your store that shows your customers where products are, how to use them, what to pair with them, and how theyÔÇÖll feel when they use them. It can be as simple and basic as the cleanliness of your store showing customers how much you care about having their business, or dig deeply into how they think and will respond to where product is placed on the shelf.

ID-10051975 — (Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

ItÔÇÖs important to give time to visual merchandising because not only has it been proven to increase sales, but also helps you build a customer interest and engagement. The easier it is for people to navigate your store and find what they want (or find things that are interesting), the more likely they are to buy something.

Since visual merchandising is a vast topic, weÔÇÖre going to break it down into a few posts to be able to go more in depth on these topics that are so vital to the retail world. To begin, here are a few key areas to focus on for effective visual merchandising:

1. Sensory messages. How does your store smell? What music do you have playing? WhatÔÇÖs the overall ÔÇ£feelÔÇØ of your store? Most importantly, are all of these things in line with what youÔÇÖre selling? For example, if youÔÇÖre selling elegant, high-end jewelry, chances are youÔÇÖre not going to have Hello Kitty posters on the wall, boisterous pop music playing in the background, or the scent of bubblegum in your store. However, if your product is jewelry for young teenage girls, it might be the sensory feel you need. Be careful to send your customers the right sensory messages!

ID-10079321 — Color is also a sensory input and can influence moods just like smells and sounds can. (Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

2. Show them how your products will look at home. Especially for jewelry or fashion stores, itÔÇÖs important for your customers to be able to see how theyÔÇÖll look in your products or how they will use them at home. Otherwise, why buy them? Use displays that accurately depict how a product is used or worn, keep mirrors handy for seeing items they try on, and make sure lighting is conducive to good viewing.

Have a jewelry store? Display jewelry sets with a combo display so that customers will get a feel for how items will look paired together.

3. Change displays often. At a minimum, changing display themes every other month (6 main themes per year) is recommended. ┬áIf you can manage it, itÔÇÖs a good idea to switch displays around weekly (or monthly, if weekly is too daunting) so that customers will always be seeing something new when they enter your store. Seeing new products when they enter your store will keep them coming back to see what else you have to offer.

4. Clear focal points. DonÔÇÖt overwhelm or confuse your customers by having a display that doesnÔÇÖt have a clear focal point or any visual balance (especially in window displays!). If they are having to look all over to find the point of a display, they wonÔÇÖt stick around. WeÔÇÖve read that the average customer only views a display for 2-5 seconds. While this may not be true, it does give us an idea of how little time people spend looking at a display. If they canÔÇÖt figure it out what youÔÇÖre trying to convey very quickly, theyÔÇÖll move on to a display that does.