As the tourist season is fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how you can stand out from your competitors and start ringing up sales in your gift shop. One of the best ways to do this is to strengthen your store merchandising strategy. By changing your store layout and presenting your products in a more appealing way, you will not only get more customers into your store but also help keep them there.

There is little doubt that merchandising is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business, especially for those who are in the retail industry. However, it’s still possible for many gift shops to make merchandising mistakes without even realizing it. If you want your gift shop to be on top of its game, you have to be willing to use the best strategies available. Here are some ways you can strengthen your gift shop’s merchandising.

1. Keep your shop organized

The number one rule of retail is to keep your merchandise organized. The best way to keep your merchandise organized is to have a section for each type of merchandise that you carry. Having a dedicated space for each type of item also provides a sense of stability and, hopefully, helps people to get it out of their minds when they are on their way out the door to pick up your merchandise.
Introducing and positioning your products and services in a way they can relate to helps your business stand out from the rest.

2. Display your products in the best way possible

How you display your products can have a huge impact on how much you sell. For example, if you have a basket of apples, the best way to display them is in a pyramid. Now, you may think a pyramid is a bit of an odd shape to stack fruit in, but it’s actually been proven to be the most effective way to display apples. This design perfectly combines aesthetics and function.

3. Offer unique products at competitive prices

The gift shop business is a competitive one so you’ll need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stand out from the crowd. One way to do this is to follow a few simple rules to make sure you’re set up for success. Work with niche product. Not only will a product with a clear interest in your target person have a leg up on competitors who only sell similar items, it also means a higher return on sales.
We live in financially complicated times. Why not offer tailored and personalised products? Think of badges, key rings, personalised mirrors….
At Ebadges, our badge makers can be used to personalise very small series , to the delight of your customers. Découvrez-les

4. It’s all about the customer experience

Your customer experience starts before they even make contact with you. If you have a website, you want to make sure they can find what they’re looking for easily. If you have a physical location, o make sure they have a good experience before they even walk in the door.

One of the most important decisions you’ll make in your gift shop is how to present your products. Although it’s a simple concept, merchandising is often overlooked by small business owners who don’t recognize just how much impact this has on their sales. In fact, the survey estimate that 80% of purchasing decisions are made at the shelf or point-of-purchase, whether online or offline.

5. Use the “10-foot rule” to organize your products

Most products look completely different when they are close up than when they are far away, so it’s important that you think about how your products will be seen by your audience. The 10-foot rule is a great way to make sure your products look good at a distance. This rule states that your products should look good from 10-feet away.

When it comes to packaging your products, identify the flow for each type of product and include the minimum amount of product in each package.

6. Put your best product forward with an eye-catching display

Effective retail design in a gift shop is about more than just what you put on the shelves. It’s about the total presentation of your products from the moment a customer walks into your store. This means having an eye-catching display that’s easy to find and that captures the attention of customers, even if it’s only for a few seconds.
Plan to put on your own show by incorporating all the elements of a well-designed merchandising portfolio — the typography, background, graphics, and color palette.
Before building out a merchandising strategy, wrap your head around shelf space.

7. Learn how to merchandise seasonal items for maximum profit

It’s important to merchandise your seasonal products during their peak season so you can make the most profit and sell them at a higher price. Most people don’t shop in April or May, so selling your products in these popular months will help to attract buyers during that time.

8. Promote products that complement each other

When promoting a new product, it can be helpful to think of it in the context of other products you offer. If your shop is close to a museum, it can be great to offer products that have been personalized for a special occasion, for a particular exhibition for instance.

Conclusion: If you want your store to be successful, then you have to be willing to put in the work and effort necessary for success. The above tips will help you get started on a path towards success with your gift shop business.