How Visual Merchandising Can Help Retail Brands Increase Customer Engagement

Almost half of customers surveyed prefer in-store shopping experiences over online shopping. This means visual merchandising is key to attracting customer attention and creating a positive first impression as consumers evaluate their product options. 

Here, we’ll look at how visual merchandising can help retail brands increase customer engagement, and what retailers need to know about the right partner to help them create these kinds of displays.

What is visual merchandising?

Visual merchandising is the use of in-store displays to help brands differentiate themselves from their competitors. This includes retail displays of all kinds, including point-of-purchase displays, end cap displays, countertop displays, and gondola displays. 

The goals of visual merchandising can vary depending on the brand, but some of the more common goals are to reinforce brand recognition, encourage impulse purchases, and create a more memorable, dynamic brand or retail experience. 

Using high-quality, durable, and versatile materials and processes can help create custom retail displays that wow consumers and increase sales, demonstrating a meaningful ROI on your display spend.

3 ways visual merchandising can help increase customer engagement

Standing out in a sea of competitors can be a significant challenge for retail brands, and this hill can be even steeper depending on a range of factors, including the types of products you sell or space restrictions and unique store layouts. Prioritizing modular retail displays that are mobile, easy to set up and break down, and designed for longevity can help you take your visual merchandising to the next level of customer engagement. 

Visual merchandising can tell a more dynamic brand story

Customers are more likely to purchase from brands with a defined brand story or narrative — this includes a variety of elements like the company’s mission and values, history, and the messaging and visuals they use to communicate with customers. Retail displays can play an important part in conveying what a company is about through the use of color, unique branding or design elements, and even interactive components. Choosing materials that are flexible and easily  customizable can help retail brands create this kind of dynamic brand story that drives customer acquisition and retention.

Visual merchandising can create a more emotional connection with customers 

The ability to connect with customers on an emotional level can be very effective in helping a brand align with consumer sentiment. This not only makes purchasing decisions personal for customers, it makes customers more likely to advocate for your brand and to be more loyal to your products over a longer period of time. 

Retail displays can help brands create this kind of emotional connection in-store and at the point of purchase, helping keep your brand top of mind and increasing the likelihood that this connection translates into sales.

Visual merchandising can be a gateway to more interactive experiences

Retail displays don’t have to be static pieces that simply house products — they can have interactive components that appeal to a sense of whimsy, play, or exploration. Retail displays that prioritize interactivity — whether that’s through moveable parts, sound, and video or through elements like quick response codes (QR) that launch digital sales or marketing content — are likely to garner more in-store attention than those that do not. 

Plus, the experience of engaging with these types of retail displays is more likely to be spread via word of mouth. 

While incorporating one of these strategies when designing retail displays can help increase the effectiveness of your visual merchandising, incorporating all three is really the key to optimizing your in-store marketing. In fact, the best retail displays do all three things — they convey a brand story, create an emotional connection, and prioritize an interactive customer experience. 

Franklin Display Group has decades of experience in helping brands fabricate custom retail displays that take their business to the next level. Our team has the expertise, tools, and resources to create retail displays using the materials that best suit your application. View our gallery to see the types of retail displays we create and contact us to get started on your display today.