The Best Defense is a Good Offense

by | Mar 10, 2020 | Displays | 0 comments

RetailThis is a truism that applies to virtually every sport: as soon as your favorite team goes into a defensive shell, you know it’s just a matter of time before the other team scores – and it’s certainly true in retail as well.

If you just focus on protecting what you currently have rather than seeking new ways to improve your store and make it more attractive for shoppers, it’s inevitable your store will lose ground to the competition including online, box stores, and stores similar to your own who are investing. Fortunately, there are many things a dealer can do to stay on the offense and move the business forward instead of focusing on keeping it from sliding backwards.

An Optimal Customer Experience

Consumers have come to expect stores should be clean, bright and organized – and why shouldn’t they be? The fast pace of life these days means they are always in a hurry, so they need to be able to have confidence that you’ll have what they need in stock, and that it’s going to be easy for them to find it. It’s getting easier all the time to order online, so when customers shop at your store, they need to leave with the knowledge that they’ve had a positive experience. Naturally, a key part of that experience involves a human element. Staff need to be engaging, knowledgeable, and efficient. They need to welcome customers rather than waiting to be approached. This is not new, but is more important than ever.

Creating the Right Atmosphere

Creating an inviting, appealing atmosphere that showcases your products is an essential element of driving up your store’s average ticket. With so many versatile solutions to choose from, there’s no reason to neglect your store’s aesthetic:

  • Energy efficient lighting technology not only saves money and is eco-friendly, but also makes it much easier to light up aisles and show off products.
  • Fabric signage has come a long way and is a cost-effective way to keep the store fresh and vibrant, making it easy to change the look of the store seasonally.
  • Digital displays include touch screen options and are a great way to grab customer attention, keeping them engaged while providing valuable information. They also provide an opportunity to bring the online experience in-store to create a live multi-channel experience.

Step Up Your Store Displays

Bricks and mortar retailers have the advantage of being able to provide customers with a tangible experience, allowing them to touch and feel the products being displayed. Store fixturing has evolved dramatically from the simple shelves, hooks and baskets on gondolas which were the mainstay of store merchandising 20 years ago. There are specialized accessories available to attractively and efficiently show off products in almost every product category.

New, innovative types of display systems make yard and warehouse products visible in store and can inspire customers to purchase a wide variety of products they might otherwise never have known are available. Modern store fixtures increase product capacity in the same footprint which makes it much easier to keep products in stock while reducing freight and handling costs. They also help your staff keep the store clean and organized, and operating efficiently.

These are just some of the ways that dealers can stay on the offense, while cost-effectively investing in innovative solutions. Doing so leads to higher sales and customer loyalty, boosts employee morale and profits, and ultimately makes the business more valuable—all goals worth scoring!


Burlington Merchandising & Fixtures provides innovative merchandising solutions to both retailers and vendors with a focus on driving sales and profitability. Contact us today to get started!

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