merchandisi

Both hardware and housewares lend themselves to being displayed from floor to ceiling: hang either or both kinds of items from the bottom of the wall to the top, making sure to identify and price each one. Break up the display with concise, easily-read signs.

Have more than one sign Per de' psrtment. If one is good, two are better. etc. Don't assume the cus' tomer is going to see a sign in a logi' cal place, we're all far from being logical creatures. Don't make them work to find it, make it as idiot proof as possible.

If your hardware department is against a far wall as the customer enters the store, don't be reluctant to go slightly bananas when it comes to large signing. Your customer is subjected to a constant barrage of signs in his shopping. size is unlikely to turn him off and, at least, she or he will get the message.

Use common sense when combining different kinds of merchandise in displays and on gondolas. What is called "affinity merchandising" is nothing more than putting together what the castomer expects to find together.

Read Vance Packard's book "The Hidden Persuaders." Basically about what motivates consumers and often illustrated with grocery store thinking, it nevertheless has basic ideasadapable to any field. While slightly dated, there are still plenty of good ideas you can profitably use today.

Much of the public is aware that high ticket hardlines items are a good investment in the home, but are you certain your floor people are using this as a sales tool in their presentations?

Hot items, or especially profttable parts of your inventory, can benefit from being positioned at eye level on gondolos. Many customers are lazy shoppers who only look at the most convenient eye level and miss merchandise placed below their line of vision.

Using the above thinking, stock Dullsville, heavier items on lower shelves, put the "sex appeal" inventory up where people see it, can examine it and, hopefully, get interested in the rest of the merchandise positioned under it.

Filling a ceiling area in your electrical department with hanging chandeliers is a good technique, but if you have a pice leader, or a high pice "gee whiz" ftxture to whichyouwant to draw special attention, give it some breathing room. The eye goes immediately to the item in "magnificent isolation."

a boring look to a store. Try an occasional "tower" display to break the monotony. If you have a security advisor, get advice on what ramifications this barrier might have in the realm of shoplifting.

Drawer pulls are especially adapt' able to being lined up, or otherwise attractively ananged on 8"xI2" boards and affixed to the hardware area wall. It is an old method, but it still is very effective. Be sure and identifu what each is, where to find, cost, etc.

Floating displays in the middle of an aisle or other open area can be especially effective in drawing attention to a sale item or other product you want to push. Try a giant red cardboard (or similar) arrow hung from the ceiling, pointing down at the top of the display.

Beware the display that the toddler age child can bring down upon himself causing injury. The same goes for sharp items. Consumerists are especially critical of businesses that allow displays that can cause customer injury.

Being as much art as science, display of hardware items and housewares items leaves limitless room for innovation. If you get what seems to be a good idea (if bizarre) give it a whirl. If it llops, discard it. But if it results in sales, expand cautiously until it no longer works. Ihen innovate again, etc.

Uniform gondola height sometimes has the unfortuna[e result of creating

Some otherwise good sales people get so familiar with the products they sell that they get annoyed when the customer asks "stupid questions." As gently as possible remind them that any beginner has to learn and they are there to help the customer gain proficiency. It's not a game of winnerf looser, but of service.

Design displays so the customer can touch the product, try it out and test it. Door knobs and locksets lend themselves to this and are best presented to the public so they can twist away happily on the knobs until something strikes their fancy.

Let your advertising communicate that you have trained sales people on the floor to help customers. If they have certiftcates of training from associations or vpplier firms, put it into your ads. Create uedibility. Display the certificates in a prominent place. Let the world know you know what you're talking about.