Creative in-store displays that attract and engage customers
In a world of digital ads and online shopping, securing customer attention in-store is harder than ever. Consumer focus has declined rapidly in the face of technology, with the average attention span falling from 2 and a half minutes to just 45 seconds in the past 20 years.
As a retail business, then, how can you attract customers who are increasingly distracted?
One method is to use creative shop display ideas that cut through the noise to garner attention and engage your target customer. Use the ideas in this guide to get inspired to create your own in-store displays.
Develop a unique brand scent
When it comes to creative retail display ideas, consider all the senses, not just visuals. Scent, for example, can be a powerful tool for building positive associations with your brand and creating a more immersive shopping experience.
If you sell scented products (like room sprays, candles, or perfumes), be sure to add them to your display. A spritz of the right fragrance helps customers connect with your brand and curates a more pleasant environment.
Shoppers may start to associate the scent with the positive experience they have in your shop, too, encouraging them to return.
There are a number of great examples of shops using scent to attract customers. Lush, for example, maximises the scent of the shop by using unwrapped and open bath products in their displays.
We also recommended taking a look at their Perfume Library Concept Store, which is a masterclass in creating engaging, interactive displays.
Penhaligons is another brand well-known for using scents in their displays. The shops have vents and tubes to release their perfume into the area surrounding their shop, enticing their audience to enter.
Explore the brand-orientated scents in your shop, and how you can use them to enhance your displays and cultivate a clear brand image. If you don’t sell scented products, consider other ways you can use fragrance to elevate the shopping experience and reflect the personality and vibe of your retail shop.
Emphasise luxury with premium brochures
A display doesn’t always have to be high-tech and extravagant in order to stand out. Sometimes, the true creativity is in the little details, like a well-made brochure.
Premium brochures can be used as interactive display props, with a stack wrapped up in ribbon as part of your Christmas scene, for instance, or being read by your mannequins. Customers are encouraged to take a copy and engage with your display, blending their shopping experience with your marketing in a seamless, non-pushy way.
Your brochures can highlight the products on show, helping customers find them easily. They can also inspire your audience with beautiful images of your products styled by professionals, leaving a lasting impression that emphasises your brand image for increased loyalty.
To get the most from your catalogues, consider investing in quality brochure printing services. A well-bound booklet with clear images and bold colours that match your branding will help you stand out, enticing customers to take a copy home and encouraging them to keep browsing your goods even once they’ve left your shop.
Create enticing POS displays
Point-of-sale (POS) displays are designed to capture those last-minute impulse purchases. Positioned at the checkout area, a well-designed POS display can showcase limited-edition products, complimentary items, and essentials that your shoppers may have forgotten.
As one of the final touchpoints in your shop, your in-store checkout also provides the perfect opportunity to leave a positive lasting impression. Showcasing your offers or exclusive products, for example, can reinforce the value that your brand brings to customers.
Make sure your POS stands out with creative, eye-catching designs that add value to the shopping experience.
At Christmas, for example, you could display stocking fillers and candy canes alongside actual stockings. Add a roll of wrapping paper with sheets that can easily be torn off as a complimentary gift for your customers.
You may also use your POS display to offer free samples of your products to customers. This introduces them to new products, creates curiosity, and encourages them to come back for more.
Add a personalisation station
As part of your in-store displays, you could set up a personalisation station. This is a stand where customers take the products they’ve just purchased to be personalised.
Personalisation stations are engaging and interactive, bringing plenty of value to the in-store shopping experience. As a more unique display, it can also attract curious, new customers to your shop, providing a unique selling point (USP) that adds value to your business.
A great example of this marketing idea in action is at Coach, where they have an in-store display for monogramming their bags. It’s a free service and one that helps separate them from similar brands, encouraging loyalty through added value.
You could offer personalisation for a variety of products, from a simple stamp in notebooks and books to embroidery on clothing. This emphasises your commitment to offering a service that goes above and beyond for your customers, nurturing loyalty.
It also presents the opportunity to display your products in a new way, embracing a workshop aesthetic that hints at quality craftsmanship and exclusivity.
Create an Instagram-worthy wall
Social media is an amazing tool for retail businesses. If you can blend the power of social platforms with your in-store displays then you’re onto a winning idea.
From small window display ideas to a prominent indoor display, a brilliant method for encouraging social media interaction is through Instagram walls. These are photo-friendly areas that feature unique aesthetics, props, and branded products, and encourage your customers to take a picture in the space.
You can encourage social media sharing of the pictures by offering discounts or entry into a competition.
An Instagram wall increases traffic and fosters a sense of community, helping you nurture long-lasting relationships with your customers. It’s fun and engaging, too, ticking all the boxes for an excellent display.
Alongside this, when customers share their images and tag your business, you get free social media marketing, drawing in new customers and keeping your existing shoppers coming back for more.
Try cross-merchandising techniques
Cross-merchandising involves showcasing complimentary products together. A home shop, for instance, may create a summer display featuring items that are perfect for picnics (like wicker baskets, portable cutlery sets, picnic blankets, and paper plates).
This emphasises the purpose of your retail shop, attracting customers by showing clearly the range of products you offer. It also makes it simpler for shoppers to find items that pair well together for a seamless, stress-free experience, making them more likely to return.
Cross-merchandising can introduce customers to new products, too, and strengthen their relationship with your brand. Convenient, creative, and encouraging curiosity, it’s a fantastic way to instantly boost your in-store displays.
Final thoughts
Coming up with new and creative shop display ideas isn’t always easy, but when you find that unique twist that helps your business stand out, it’s like hitting a goldmine. We hope this article has provided you with plenty of inspiration to get started.
For more retail news, advice and insights, be sure to check out the latest articles in The Retail Bulletin.
