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Retail Store Fixtures for the Modern Age

Posted by Kevin on 1/15/2014 to General

How important are retail store fixtures when it comes to how consumers choose whether to buy an item or not? This is a question that is brandied about throughout the retail industry on a consistent basis. In a world where technology is growing at an unprecedented and exponential rate, answers to this question are of vital importance to any retail store owner. And, of course, there is the simple answer that attractive looking items sell merely because they look good, but recent research has shed light on the subtle effects of retail store fixtures on consumers.

Humans are highly visual creatures; able to distinguish between a wide array of varying stimuli. And, with each bit of visual information we take in, we have the cognitive ability to process multiple pieces of stimuli at once. This fact makes it a bit tricky for retail store owners when they’re choosing the right mannequin, shoe display, or jewelry display to use. However, when taking into account some common and natural associations the majority of consumers make, choosing the right way to display your products doesn't have to be quite so daunting.

The Science Behind Consumers’ Choice

According to University of Minnesota researcher Joan Meyers-Levy, “Retailers cannot directly control shoppers’ perceptions of their goods, but they can anticipate or manipulate the kind of cognition self-view their target consumer uses.” In other words, no one can control a customer’s mind, but can make well informed choices when putting together retail store fixtures that will attract attention. So, based on this research, it is possible to design something like a store front window that subtly attracts consumers into a business owner’s store.

Variables such as demographics, brand recognition, and attractive looking merchandise can actually affect a consumer when they’re deciding whether or not to purchase a product. Keeping these facts in mind, the way that merchandise is displayed in a store becomes very important. For example, if you were to display a pair of shoes on a wooden display rack, a consumer will most likely associate those shoes as being more traditional and folksy, while displaying the same shoes on a glass display rack, the same consumer will associate those shoes as being more slick and modern.

If you’re interested in retail store fixtures for the modern age, call us toll free at: (800)-325-1030