The Basics Of Merchandising

The goal of merchandising is to make things as easy as possible for people to shop. It may seem like common sense, but there is a science to merchandising. A poor or confusing layout will frustrate customers and drive away sales even if they like what is in your store. This article covers some of the basic rules of merchandising.


What is displayed at front 15 ft semi-circle visible from the entrance of your store is the most important. This is how shoppers will determine if they are even interested in entering your store. Here is where you want to place your newest and top selling products. Great store or window displays will grab shopper’s attention and draw in customers. Keep these fresh and change out displays every couple of weeks; more frequently during peak holiday shopping periods. Generally items displayed on tables and walls sell the quickest. Display hangers on walls are the best way to show off new products because they are most visible. Build interior walls to increase prime display space and create sections of similar products or styles.


Space racks so people can move about your store without feeling crowded. Give people enough room to sort through racks comfortably. Usually 4-6ft is adequate. Racks themselves should be less than 5ft tall. Use all the same type of clothes hangers and have them hanging in the same direction. Invest in nice clothes hangers suitable to yours stores environment. Colorful plastic hangers for casual clothes, fashionable wooden hangers for men’s suits, or satin hangers with ladies evening wear or lingerie are just a few examples clothes hanger pairings. Do not clutter store racks with many different items.


Put sales tags in the same place as much as possible. This allows people to easily identify an items pricing and size. Needle tag clothes through seams to avoid damaging them. Cycle your inventory around the store every couple of weeks. This keeps your store looking fresh and helps you identify hot and a stale products. Hold sales to blow out those items that are not moving as well as seasonal inventory. Do not make the mistake of trying to hold on to inventory for next season.


If you have an especially large store and the budget for it you may want to higher a professional merchandiser get you on track, but following these rules is the easiest way to increase sales. Once you have a basic layout you will be able to adapt it to your changing needs.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and wooden hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Retail Selling Tips

If you find your inventory has been sitting on the clothes hangers untouched for weeks it could be that you are not carrying products that anyone wants, but more likely you are not connecting with your customers. Here are some key ways to increase your retail selling success.


The number one rule is building the relationship. Most business is done based largely on the relationships formed. Have a friendly greeting for everyone who enters your store. Engage in some non-sales related small talk, but let the customer do most of the talking. Be positive when it is your turn to comment. This is not a time to poop on them about the bad day you are having.


Once you are engaged in conversation you can begin to find out what their needs are. Listen carefully to what they are saying. This will give you the clues to finding what items they are interested in and what styles they like instead of randomly pulling items off the clothes hangers for them to try on.


Relax. Do not rush to the sale if a customer seems interested. Address their objections. Here is where you need to make the connection between a customers wants and needs with the benefits a specific product provides. This may be obvious to you, however the customer may not be able to see it and they need your help explaining it to them. People often need this nudge to get past a price tag.



The biggest mistake all types of sales people make is failing to ask for the sale. The myth here is that customers do not like salesmen or being “sold”. People actually like to be sold things and often need the push from a sales person to make a purchase. You are not like the used car salesmen trying to swindle someone into buying a product they do not need. If you have been helping a customer for a while there will eventually come moment you need to ask for the sale. Failing to capture this moment will lose you the sale. You can do this in a non pushy way with phrases such as, “can I take those to the register for you?”, or “will those work for you?”


Once you have made a sale it is time to move. Take their items off the hangers and put them in a shopping bag. Do not wait around for the customer to change their mind. This is also the time to ask for the accessory sale that goes with whatever they are purchasing, such as a matching belt or top. Just think, “Would you like fries with that?” It’s a question McDonalds employees will never fail to ask you.


Be sincere. When you spend the time to sell properly with customers they begin to see the value you provide them. Overtime you will build rapport with individuals and if they like you as a person they will think of your store the next time they need something you sell.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Organize Your Storage Room

We all seem to accumulate more and more things every year. Our lives become so cluttered with stuff it becomes a burden, source of stress, frustration and saps our energy and resources managing it ultimately reducing our enjoyment of life. Learning to balance the inflow and outflow may not come naturally. A key area is to have a properly organized storage room. It is all part of the feng shui of getting your life in balance, being efficient, and successful.


We often end up with ridiculous things in our storage rooms such crates of tupper ware lids, dried up cans of paint, or boxes of bent clothes hangers. If they cannot be used or you do not anticipate using them yourself anytime soon it is best to let go and get rid of it Cardboard boxes get stacked up to the ceiling with the ones on the bottom completely crushed and inaccessible. If it is about time you got your storage room in order here are some ideas to get you going.


Spend a few minutes thinking about and planning what you would like to achieve. What kinds of items do you need to store? One minute planning can save you five minutes of work. Often this is a stage where you might decide to purchase the shelving systems and storage hangers you will need to have an operational storage room. Consider which items you will use the most and plan for those to be in the most accessible areas.

Once you have an idea of what you would like to accomplish, clear out the area and begin categorizing and cleaning everything. Have a separate pile for things that are going for donations. Piling items next to a “FREE” sign at your curb is sometimes the easiest way to cut back. Keep a list of what you are going to keep and update it throughout the process.


When the area is clear you can clean, paint, prep and install any shelving, hangers, and brackets. Make sure your design allows for accessibility to all areas. If you cannot get to something easily you will most likely never use it. Hang up clothes for storage instead of boxing them up, as this will keep them from permanently developing creases or musty odors. Closet poles for clothes hangers come in all sizes and are easy to put up.


Use like sized or modular storage bins instead of boxes. Most home stores carry a large range of clear plastic storage containers. Clear storage bins are the quickest and easiest way to find what you need. If you are using boxes take a picture of the contents with a Polaroid or label them specifically item by item.




Special measures should be taken when storing things in a garage or basement to prevent moisture from damaging items. Some items should not be stored in these areas, such as photographs or a wedding dress.


Have fun with the process and enjoy yourself. Get the family or some friends together and spend the afternoon working on it. All it takes is a few good solid efforts. Order some pizzas or celebrate and go out for dinner afterwards. In the end after all the planning your not sure where to start just begin anyways and you will find the process take shape as you go. Keep moving forward and do not be afraid to make changes as you go, but do not get too caught up trying to make it perfect.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.