Merchandize / Window Display Topic : Merchandize / Window Display Reporter : Kent Vincent Acota, Christian Bien Merano IndTech30

Display window – also known as “store window” - is a window in a shop displaying items for sale or otherwise designed to attract customers to the store. History The first display windows in shops were installed in the late 18th century in London, where levels of conspicuous consumption were growing rapidly. Retailer Francis Place was one of the first to experiment with this new retailing method at his tailoring establishment in Chairing Cross, where he fitted the shop-front with large plate glass windows. Although this was condemned by many, he defended his practice in his memoirs, claiming that he "sold from the window more goods...than paid journeymen's wages and the expenses of housekeeping.

A. FUNCTION AND IMPORTANCE OF WINDOW DISPLAYS -portraying one’s position, both privately and publicly. The store window serves to demonstrate the function of fashion to the public in a manner recreating certain idealized views of society. -The different types of stores that exist in our consumer-based society each display different extents of power in their windows, and either retain that power to communicate their message, or give the power to their audience to interpret.

B). PRINCIPLES OF WINDOW DISPLAY -An effective window display is ATTRACTIVE. The reason why you set up window display is to capture the attention of many, if not all people, who are passing by your window. You can achieve this purpose by setting up and attractive window display. There different principles of design that you can use to make your window display attractive – Balance, emphasis, proportion, harmony and variety to name some of them.

-Colors and lights play and important role in making a window display attractive.

-An effective window display is MEMORABLE -In advertising, we call it a “recall”. Do people who have seen you window display remember it and mention it to his or her friend? Is there something significant in your window display? Does your window display has a story? If your answers to this questions are no, now is the right time to modify your display. -This is why a “theme” is very important. A window display is something like a combination of an Art and a Design; your make is pleasing to eyes that could impress your viewers but in the end, it should be delivering the same message to different viewers.

-An effective window display is APPROPRIATE. *Inappropriate window display will disappoint your target customers instead of attracting them Example : we know that black is elegant but most Chinese feels different when they see it. We know that figures of angels is one of the symbols of Christmas but it’s a big NO to be used in Muslim countries. These are only some example to mention.

-An effective window display is TIMELY. In other words, go with what is trending because it would be a little bit funny if you set up your window display for Valentine’s Day on December. The display are set up three weeks or a month before the celebration but for some other holidays like Mother’s, Day Father’s and Teacher’s Day, the display are being set up two or one week before the celebration.

-An effective window display is NEAT. -Your window display might be clean but not neat , Each element of your display must be properly set. Remove the eye-distractors.

C). KINDS OF MERCHANDIZE DISPLAY One Item Display: A one-item display is just the showing and advancement of a single garment or any single item. It features only one piece of merchandise- designer gown, automobile, piece of jewelry etc. 2. Line-at-goods Display: It is a kind of display in which only one type of merchandise is shown, (viz; all blouses, all skirts, pots etc.) although they may be in a variety of designs and colors. They could be designed by the same designer, or created with the same fabric or print.

3. Related Merchandise Display: In this kind of a display, separates, accessories, or any other item that “goes together” are displayed because they are meant to be used together, because they share an idea or theme. For example; It could be an “Import “Window” where all the items are from the same country (from clothes to handicrafts, to kitchen utensils to furniture, and so on). 4. Variety or Assortment Display It is a potpourri of anything and everything. It is a collection of unrelated items that happen to be sold in the same store. It can be work shoes, silk stockings, teakettles, Hawaiian print shirts, nightgowns etc.

6. Institutional Display: 5. Promotional Display: This kind of display advances concept, trend and an item. The basis of this kind of display is often the sales. It has a very low margin of profit and thus needs a large sales volume to exist. These display stores generally advertise prices. They usually feature several items of merchandise, backed up by lighting, signs, props and traditional display techniques. 6. Institutional Display: This display promotes an idea and not an item. It promotes the institutional services. This display presents the store as member of the community which helps further in building the image of the store. In this kind of display only incidental mention is made of merchandise; service, special features, or facilities of the store are featured. These displays create customer loyalty and goodwill. They do not produce direct sales of merchandise.