June 30, 2018
The way in which people bought things 50 years ago, versus the way people make buying decisions today, are two entirely different concepts. There is a drastic change in buying behaviors in today’s world, especially with the emergence of online shopping. It’s far easier for people to shop online than to make the effort to travel to your store and make a purchase.
Yes – brick-and-mortar jewelry stores have to work a lot harder to boost sales. However, it’s not impossible. In fact, it’s quite easy if you know how. Basically, you have two choices; to buckle in and move online, or to make the drastic choices needed to keep bringing people into your store.
This is what we refer to as visual merchandising – displaying products in a way that helps customers find what they want and make a purchase. This goes beyond merely placing something on a shelf. Visual merchandising will help you optimize your store’s layout overall.
This is key in today’s world. People are sick of clichés and predictability. They want to see some originality. Your jewelry displays should be engineered to attract attention – which begins with your window. Stunning window displays hold the power to make buyers stop, stare and step into your shop. Never underestimate the power of minimalism here. By carefully fusing several highly attractive pieces, the results will speak for themselves.
Mix pieces together that make sense and would be worn together. For example, group similar sized watches together or places bracelets with necklaces so people can form sets.
For example, you don’t want to hang a small necklace on a big bust. This would draw attention to the bust only, and not the item you want to sell.
Remember; simplicity is key. The cloth you place under the jewelry and the color of the items within your display should bring out the beauty of the jewelry, not drown it out. The secret is creating contrast between the items and the background. Never choose a cloth that is the same color as the jewelry. For example, items like crystals, diamonds and clear gemstones are best showcased on a plain dark backdrop.
Embrace a combination of tall, short and medium display stands/tall blocks to integrate a sense of motion. Never be monotonous. This is a powerful way to highlight your best pieces.
If you want to show off all your products, without overbearing your customers, you need to have a good floor layout. You need to make it easy for customers to move through your store without having to remove their eyes from your shelves. There are three primary layouts you can choose from: Straight Store Layout (typically used by supermarkets) Angular Store Layout (most commonly used by jewelry stores to provide every piece of jewelry with good lighting and equal attention) and a Loop Floor Plan (a combination of display units to develop a pathway through which your customers can travel). You can find out more about each type of floor layout here
Be sure to use effective lighting to enhance your products – inside display cases and on the ceilings. This can be split into four concepts: Ambient lighting, task lighting, decorative lighting and accent lighting. Ambient: The main light source that should enhance comfort. Task: More focused lighting used to illuminate certain areas where focus is needed (I.e. entrance and checkout area). Accent: Used to highlight areas of interest, AKA your displays. Decorative: To add sophistication and class to your jewelry store.
Don’t place too many items in one display. At the same time, try not to divert attention away from your most signature pieces. Give each unique piece the “spotlight” it deserves.
You don’t need to show everything at one time. Many jewelry stores are afraid that, if they don’t display every single thing they offer, potential clients will think they just don’t stock it. This isn’t always the case. Keep things neat and tidy and display your best pieces. Have a rotation strategy in place so that people walking past your store regularly will see that you have an impressive variety. Fear breeds contempt. Don’t let this happen to you.
Who are you targeting? Teenagers? Wealthy couples? Single women? This can have a tremendous effect on the way you display your jewelry, what colors to use, and more.
Step out of your own shoes for just a moment. It’s not about you, it’s about your customers. What does your jewelry display need to communicate? What does your audience want to see?
Not figuratively…literally. Dust, dead flies and more are an immediate turn-off and will send your customers running off to your competitors. Don’t let this happen to you. Be sure to clean your window displays and display cases every day.
The more expensive, premium pieces should be the first things your customers see. It’s all about lining your customers’ paths with high-quality items they can’t resist. Obviously, display cases are used on the main parts of your floor to showcase your goods– like rings, watches, bracelets, gemstones and more. If customers want to shop for diamonds, they’ll have to walk past all the rubies, sapphires and gold first.
Studies indicate that customers always turn right when entering any store – out of instinct. Take this into account by placing your most premium items to the right. Use classy, elegant signboards to grab their attention immediately.
We hope this helps. Remember; at the end of the day, it’s all about selling your beautiful jewelry. Your goods need to stand out, be well lit, and attract attention from all angles. Chenqi silver is full of ideas and proven inside secrets when it comes to getting the most out of your jewelry business. Be sure to check back in on our blog often. We’ll see you next time – thanks for choosing Chenqi Silver.
