Mangiacotti Visual Merchandising Journal

VISUAL MERCHANDISING A jou rnal o f our r etail s to re.

{ C O N TA C T U S } Ma n g i acotti 117 Pleasant Street Attleboro, MA 02703 phone: 508-226-6900 mangiacotti.com michele@mangiacotti.com Michele Mangiacotti

{ W H O W E A RE } Hello there. My name is Michele Mangiacotti. I am the president and creative director of Mangiacotti. Although quite different in many ways, both my retail and wholesale divisions of Mangiacotti are driven by one thing. Creativity. I understand the power of visual merchandising and how it can transform any business. After a year with so many challenges I know now more than ever, it truly takes a village. The simple act of sharing will allow any retailer not to just survive these trying times, but thrive in ways we never thought possible. I believe that with a little inspiration we can all do great things. Sharing my passion for visual merchandising brings me such joy. I am grateful to have this community to share it with.

{ H OW & W H Y } Instagram (mangiacotti_ essentials ) is a place where I love sharing merchandising ideas and resources in an environment that encourages a conversation. I typically post while we reset the store every season with loads of tips and before & after photographic examples of how to achieve success through visual presentation. It’s a great way to help the gift industry community as a whole by the simple act of sharing. Manufacturers and retailers win when we both sell more. We sell more through effective merchandising and creative ideas. We have 1,500+ retailers that follow us and it’s been so fun to create great friendships along the way.

{ MY S I L ENT SAL ES P E RSO N } During COVID, we were separated from our customers more than we would like to be. We had to social distance so it was harder to help them choose the perfect combination of items. That’s why our visual displays are more important than ever. They are our silent sales person that convinces customers that they just can’t live without an item they never knew they needed!

This display is 80” wide. The large 40 x 20 wicker hamper anchors the display and allows different stories to “play out”on each side. Green and neutral coastal items seem to always feel right at home together. Round straw handbags sit in seasgrass to create a strong design element. Below is my before photo. Love to post before and after pictures for my retail buddies on Instagram.

{ I ’V E G OT THE B LU ES } I enjoy creating displays with a common color pallette.

It seems to be the best way to make many different items that are unrelated work together to tell a story. This display uses loads of risers and a table on top of a table. It’s a great way to add height and drama. This display is 12 feet high. Below is my before picture.

{THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR} Our customers come into the store for an experience. It’s like an escape hatch-especially during these very stressful times. Delivering on a promise that if you take the time to come and visit us, you’ll not only find what you came in for, but feel just a little happier as you depart. Women buy on emotion. Colors like yellow make them feel uplifted while neutrals have a soothing effect. This emotional escape doesn’t happen online. That’s what makes our stores more important than ever...but only if we can deliver on the promise.

{ PAR KED I N N EUT R A L} The combination of white and neutral colors are soothing by nature. Adding a light green eucalyptus gives it just enough texture to make the display have depth.

Using candle sticks as risers adds movement and height.

This display is 10 feet tall. The tampas grass gives the plovers a nice habitat.

{ BLAC K A N D TAN } Black is such a great fixture color to work with visually. It always makes the items placed on it the hero. Combining jewelry and home decor feels natural as long as the jewelry “necks” and the pots of the plants are the same tan hue. I only cross-merchandise gold jewelry on this display because of it’s warm color. By placing each set of earrings on their own round dish, they feel more important and stand out. Green succulents provide a subtlepop of color. Below is my before picture.

{ PU N CH OF C O LO R} Nothing says “look at me” like bright pink against a dark fixture and wall. Re-purposing this yard sale bureau and painting it black is perfect, especially when I pull out the draws and add flowers to add that extra splash of color.

{ NATU RA L T EXT UR ES } Natural wheat, moss balls and necklace make this display feel welcoming. As in my previous display, I used the drawer to rest a sign and found a home for more moss balls for customers to grab without disrupting the display. I used black pots to tie the fixture and the other items all together.

{ TA LE OF TWO S E ASO NS } Same display, two different seasons. Repitition is a strong visual element. Whether its three trucks or three ghosts, it still an effective design trick. This wood display sits on a 120 year old cast iron stove.

{ D R A MA QUE E N} Nothing says drama during the holidays like a 12 foot display that goes right to the ceiling! This entire display is limited to white and silver items. It’s amazing how many items can find a home here and look like they actually belong. Hanging these white snowflakes from the ceiling also draws your eyes up and sets the stage for a great shopping experience as soon as you enter the store.

{SHARING RESOURCES} challen ge Most store owners are understandably guarded because they are afraid a competitor will steal their ideas or product lines.

sol uti on The wonderful thing about ideas is that there are millions stored in our creative minds.

There is always something new and fabulous waiting to be displayed in a unique way. I not only believe in sharing my ideas, but my sharing resources to help other retailers across the country. Creating a community of retailers who can help each other makes the industry stronger as a whole.

{ T R U ST & S A F E T Y } challenge How do I gain my customer’s trust and provide a safe place where they feel comfortable to shop during this pandemic.

sol uti on There were several things that we did to prove to our customers that their safety was our top priortiy.

1) Safe shopping reservations sign-up online with a limit of 12 customers per hour. 2) Installation of a Hepa filtration system that replaces 100% of the air in the store every hour.

3) Nightly EPA approved fogging 4) Contact tracing through our online reservations 5) Hostess located outside sanitizing hands and shopping baskets while checking guests in. 6) Plexiglass partitions at register 7) Directional floor signs.