The Raymond Shop VM Handbook

Visual Merchandising Handbook

VISUAL MERCHANDISING

- Visual Merchandising is the art of presentation, which puts the merchandise in focus and in perspective.

- It educates the customer, creates desire and finally helps the selling process.

- Correct merchandising makes products easily accessible to customers and generates enquiry to buy.

- VM promotes and enhances the brand image.

- Good visual merchandising increases both rational and impulse buying.

FACADE

The facade is the exterior part of the store front that displays the sign board ‘The Raymond Shop’.

It consists of the following-

- The sign board

- Window glass / glazing

- Store front

Some important points, to be taken into consideration for the store facade-

- It should be clearly visible from all angles from outside the store.

- The sign board should be brightly lit and clean.

- The window glass should always be clean and free from any stains / marks.

- The store front should always be welcoming, neat and free of clutter.

WINDOW DISPLAY

Store windows form the fore most point of visibility for the customer. They are the first point of contact and hence need to be very attractive and appealing to help increase walk-ins.

The store window should communicate the seasonal themes and the merchandise available inside the store.

Store windows are mainly used for-

- Communication

- Displays

- Showcasing merchandise

Types of store windows-

1. Open back- These windows are open from behind and do not have any backdrop. They allow a clear view of the store from outside.

2. Closed Back- These windows are closed from behind with a backdrop, that separates it from the store interior.

WINDOW DISPLAY

DO’S & DON’TS

- Always refer to the VM docket and read the instructions carefully, before starting work on the window display installation.

- All existing display material and props to be removed from the defined window display area, before doing a new window display.

- Props to be displayed and maintained exactly as per the window display design docket.

- Window glass to be clean at all times.

- All display material to be removed once the duration of the display is over

Over popping should be avoided. Window display needs to carry only the relevant communication and props

In store collaterals should not be displayed in the main window, as they add more clutter to the entire presentation

All old props and display materials should be removed from the window before putting up a new display

FLOOR PLAN

A floor plan is a pictorial representation of the store which describes the following-

- Positioning of all brands in the store.

- General layout of the store, like the cash counter, trial rooms, washroom, pantry, stock room, etc.

- Position of visuals and mirrors inside the store.

- Customer flow in the store.

- Area marked for store window

BRAND SEGREGATION

We have the following brands in The Raymond shop-

- Raymond Textiles and Shirting

- Raymond Premium Apparel

- Park Avenue

- Parx

- Manzoni

- Color Plus

- Notting Hill

- Custom Tailoring

- Made to Measure

A brand is a statement of lifestyle, which needs to be communicated to the customer.

All product categories of one single brand have to be displayed together in one place, which means each brand will have a separate place wherein all products under that brand will be prominently displayed. This is called Brand segregation strategy in merchandise display. Brand segregation creates higher brand identity

BRAND IDENTITIES

All the brands available in The Raymond Shop should have their product areas demarcated with their respective brand signage and visuals, which renders a distinct identity to each of these brand areas.

Trust, Excellence, Quality, these are some of the abiding values that have been associated with Raymond over the years. Today, we have the distinction of being the world's largest integrated producers of worsted suiting fabrics. As an integrated player, we provide endto-end fabric solutions right from manufacturing worsted, woollen and linen fabrics to creating suits, trousers and apparel.

Our consistent focus on cutting-edge research and technology has resulted in pioneering new products which have set new benchmarks in the worsted suiting industry in India.

Raymond has the distinction of producing the finest suiting in the world using super fine wool from 80s to 240s count and blending the same with superfine polyester and other specialty fibres, like Cashmere, Angora, Alpaca, Pure Silk, Linen etc.

We produce nearly 20,000 designs and colours of suiting fabric that have found their way in over 55 countries worldwide.

Raymond Premium Apparel is a premium formal wear brand which is postioned to offer classic garments with impeccable fits and inviting styles to the Global Indian. Needless to say that the product is made only from premium Raymond fabrics.

The brand reflects the persona of a confident, discerning, classy and an intelligent man. A person who is well educated, well traveled and above all is sensitive and caring. Virtues like these make him the complete man in true sense of the word.

The Suits, Shirts and Trousers are made out of finest fabrics with superior construction and sophisticated embellishments that give a rich feel and super fit. Superior craftsmanship and attention to detail makes the product a pleasure to wear.

With world class tailoring facilities the discerning customer will find complete outfitting facilities all under one roof Master cutters will help you to craft the finest garments in the latest styles. Our master tailors follow high quality standards and are trained with the latest methods and equipments.

Park Avenue provides stylish and innovative wardrobe solutions to welldressed gentlemen.

As India's premium lifestyle brand, its designs embody the latest in international fabric, styling, colour and fashion trends. It caters to customer needs with formal clothing for varied occasions; be it for a day at office, high-powered corporate meetings, social gatherings or celebrations.

Parx is a premium casual lifestyle brand, which is positioned to cater to the needs of consumers who are looking for dressing up for life across occasions and events.

Parx reflects the persona of the energetic 22-30 year old who is aggressive, outgoing, dynamic and lives his life to the fullest. Parx reflects the pulse of the new generation which looks at clothing as a reflection of their attitude and vibrancy.

Manzoni offers discerning customers the finest in contemporary international style and luxury. The product range comprises of super premium formalwear and sportswear including suits, shirts, trousers and high quality accessories such as handcrafted silk ties, pure leather shoes crafted in Europe and leather belts.

ColorPlus created a niche in the ready to wear market in India with a premium range of clothing for men. With focus on product innovation and unique use of colors it has today come a long way since inception.

The brand in no time has become the choice of the up market, trend-savvy, sophisticated and discerning Indian man and changed the way he dressed. With flagship stores in the best locations and international service, ColorPlus brought in an international shopping experience to the country

Notting Hill reflects style and manifests originality of today's fashion-conscious and discerning young professionals at an affordable price. Notting Hill was launched in 2007 to cater to the popular price segment. Designed in-house, the brand collection features a spectrum of men's lifestyle products comprising of suits, shirts, trousers, jeans, t-shirts and also accessories like ties, handkerchiefs and socks. With exceptional fits, styling and colour range, Notting Hill promises to be an instant hit with the young working professionals.

Raymond Made to Measure is a new concept launched in the country. The expert advisory and customisation service seamlessly blends the best of personalised tailoring with modern manufacturing processes that give a garment that’s simply perfect.

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

ON A WALL - COLOUR BLOCKING

Basic representation

Cut size stacks at bottom

Neutral colours should be colour blocked seperately

All merchandise on the wall should be displayed as shown above. It should follow the VIBGYOR pattern from left to right, horizontally. And light to dark from top to bottom (vertically).

Neutral colours to be displayed separately. All white, grey, black and other such colours which cannot be displayed in the VIBGYOR family should be displayed this way.

Cut sizes should be stacked in the lower shelves on the wall or separately if there are fixtures available for the same.

Violet Indigo Blue Green Yellow Orange Red

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

ON A BROWSER

Merchandise display on browsers should be from light to dark within the same style, but different options.

It is also important to size block the displayed merchandise. It can be done by displaying the merchandise in the following order-

XS / Extra Small or S / Small

M / Medium

L / large

XL / Extra Large or XXL / Double Extra Large

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

Formal trousers

Merchandise display should be done size wise, at all times. This helps the customer to browse through the display and choose what he wants.

For Formal Shirts, the smallest size available should be displayed on top, and the largest size at the bottom, as shown above.

For Formal Trousers, each size set should be displayed on trouser hangers, and should be colour blocked from light to dark.

Size 1 Size 2

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

ON A WALL - PARK AVENUE

The merchandise presentation for this brand can be done as follows-

- VIBGYOR colour blocking.

- Trousers to be displayed at the bottom of the wall from light to dark for each size.

- All collars to be displayed outwards, so that shirt sizes are visible.

- Cut sizes, if any, should be displayed colour wise on the bottom shelves.

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

PARX ON A WALL -

The merchandise presentation for this brand can be done as follows-

- VIBGYOR colour blocking.

- All collars to be displayed inwards, so that shirt patterns are visible.

- Cut sizes, if any, should be displayed colour wise on the bottom shelves or browsers.

- Cotton trousers to be folded and displayed on last two shelves.

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

COLOR PLUS ON A WALL -

The merchandise presentation for this brand can be done as follows-

- VIBGYOR colour blocking. Front hangs to be incorporated. Layering with other garments to be done.

- All collars to be displayed inwards, so that shirt patterns are visible.

- Cut sizes, if any, should be displayed colour wise on the bottom shelves.

- T shirts to be displayed on browsers.

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

FOR TEXTILES

Suitings to be divided into-

- All Wool

- Poly Wool

- Poly Viscose

- Cotton

The suiting thaans under each of the above category should be stacked vertically colour blocked with darker shades on the left and lighter ones on the right. Suit lengths to be stacked horizontally, with darker colours at the bottom and lighter ones on top.

Shirting thaans should be displayed vertically colour coded. All stray pieces of thread should be cut.

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

FOR ACCESSORIES

All accessories should be displayed neatly, as per the categories on the shelves.

They should be stacked in an orderly fashion, and as soon as the items displayed in the front row get exhausted, they should be replenished with fresh pieces.

Wherever possible, a pyramid shape should be achieved while displaying the merchandise, it looks balanced and entices the customer to buy.

MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION

FOR ACCESSORIES - NECKTIES

All neckties on display should be colour blocked. Each row to have shades of the same colour. Curtain rings can be used to put them up.

Or if there are pigeon holes provided in the store, neckties should be displayed there.

They should be stacked in an orderly fashion, and as soon as the items displayed in the front row get exhausted, they should be replenished with fresh pieces.

HOT SPOTS

Hot spots are locations in the store that are at a focal point and serve as customer touch points, communicating collection themes and latest trends, creating a desire to buy.

The following need to be kept in mind while putting up the display:

- These areas consist of a group of mannequins / props.

- Mannequins are styled according to a theme - casual, formal, wedding, etc.

- Merchandise used follows a color story - similar shades of the same color / similar pattens / contrast colours.

- The theme may also incorporate props, background treatments and cross selling merchandise.

‘Wedding Cocktail party’ hotspot

‘Cotton magic Summer fabric’ hotspot

CORNER DISPLAYS

Corner displays / niches are areas within the store where special collections can be displayed so that the customer gets to know them better, which helps in the selling process.

Applause collection display

‘Cotton magic Summer fabric’ display

CROSS MERCHANDISING

Cross merchandising is the practice of marketing, or displaying products from different categories together, in order to generate additional revenue, known sometimes as add-on sales, or incremental purchase.

Cross merchandising in the store can be done by clubbing the following merchandise in an aesthetic manner at times on a nesting table or a display table with the appropriate communication-

- Shirts

- Trousers

- Denims

- T shirts

- Ties

- Belts

- Cufflinks

- Deodorants

Cross merchandising - Formal shirts and Neckties displayed

MANNEQUINS AND BUSTS

A Mannequin is a life-size full or partial representation of the human body, used for display of coordinated garments and accessories..

A Bust is a fabric cladded torso for display in the Custom Tailoring section..

MANNEQUIN STYLING & GROUPING

Mannequin styling is an important tool to showcase the merchandise in the manner one should wear it. It educates the customer about the latest trends and helps in the selling process.

Mannequin grouping is done to create a visual impact. A group may consist of 2 or more mannequins arranged with a color story or according to a theme. The mannequins in a group should appear to be interacting with each other

The following should be kept in mind-

- Merchandise must be according to the season.

- Merchandise to be displayed according to the attitude / pose of the mannequin (formal / casual).

- Weekly / fortnightly change of display. Cleanliness to be maintained.

- Saving from direct sunlight in windows as far as possible.

- Merchandise to be properly ironed. Garment tags should be hidden.

Mannequin styling, merchandise display and props for a Formal / Lifestyle presentation

Mannequin styling and grouping for a Semi Formal / Party Wear presentation

Mannequin styling, merchandise display and props for a Casual presentation

Mannequin styling, merchandise display and props for a Casual presentation

ERRORS TO BE AVOIDED

- Over propping.

- Display without theme or message.

- Long duration of unchanged display.

- Pins not removed from the garments.

- Garments not dusted properly / not steam ironed.

- Not maintaining hanging merchandise every time after a customer has browsed through the section.

- Glass windows not cleaned.

- Instore visuals having colour stains / unfinished edges.

- Mannequins not appropriately dressed.

- Mannequins not presentable / damaged.

- Tools left in the display area.

- Unclean floor and display area.

- Flood lights disturbing customer’s view

- Display area unfinished from some angles.

- Fused bulbs not changed.

Only relevant props should be displayed with the merchandise, all other material should be removed

Merchandise should not be over stacked. There should be enough space for the customer to browse through

Sensible cross merchandising should be followed. casual merchandise should not be displayed with formals

All formal shirts should be properly color blocked and displayed neatly on the shelves

Store windows should be clean at all times. Any kind of stains and marks should be removed from them

MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Please fill this checklist every Monday and Friday and file it, to be checked by Regional VM during his visit.

Date: Yes No Remarks

COLOR BLOCKING

Textiles & Shirting

Raymond Premium Apparel

Park Avenue

Colorplus

Manzoni

Parx Notting Hill

WINDOW

Is the glass clean

Is the interior clean

Are the mannequins styled as per latest trends

Are the garments ironed

Are the tags hidden

Are the props displayed as per design docket

IN STORE MANNEQUINS

Are they dressed as per latest trends

Are the garments ironed

Are the mannequins in good condition

GENERAL

Is the store clean

Are the trial rooms clean

Are all the visuals in good condition

Is the merchandise segregated brand wise

is there unobstructed space available for the customer flow

Is the Custom Tailoring area neat and clean