Visual merchandisers need a streamlined process in place to ensure their displays make an impact when it comes to upscale merchandise.
Luxury brands must deliver an amazing in-store experience to make a sale. This poses a challenge for visual merchandisers who need to push their plans to luxury stores and drive sales. Oftentimes, those plans get lost in translation.
There’s a reason shoppers go into luxury goods stores instead of shopping for them online. They expect a substantial experience beyond mere browsing convenience.
This blog discusses the importance of effective visual merchandising execution for luxury brands and what goes into driving sales, retaining customers, and creating operational efficiencies –– without creating more work for store teams than necessary.
Impeccable Execution
Luxury brands are not just selling products. They are selling an experience and a lifestyle.
From what customers see on social media to their local store, every touchpoint with the shopper needs perfect execution for consistency in the luxury experience.
According to Retail Brew, “…while there may be differences in customer experiences depending on where a brand is operating in the world, one expectation remains the same: seamlessness in both digital and physical customer experiences.”
Impeccable execution in the luxury retail industry is very demanding and has many requirements, including product display, fixtures, store layout, and more. Every single detail contributes to the success of the stores, and every single detail relies on proper execution.
Focusing on perfecting execution, visual merchandising is a powerful tool for luxury brands, and the stores’ execution can make or break the customer’s perception of exclusivity and prestige.
From window displays to in-store arrangements, each display counts toward making a sale.
However, without a streamlined solution that allows for continuous feedback between HQ and store associates, along with a way to track compliance, proper execution can easily fall through the cracks and negatively impact overall sales.
Customer-Brand Connection
While execution and brand adherence go hand in hand, connecting the customer to the luxury brand goes a little bit deeper by recognizing that every store is different. Each store requires a tailored plan to suit its target demographics, location, and layout.
Recognizing that when visual merchandisers are planning, localization needs to be taken into consideration. Tying it all together, the flawless execution of localization ensures that every aspect of the brand experience aligns with the expected narrative.
The common challenge, however, is that visual merchandisers are not afforded the time, resources, and even the ability to properly plan for each store.
And if they do, it’s almost impossible to properly communicate and then track the display execution to ensure it aligns with the brand across all stores. (That’s where excellent retail technology, like visual merchandising software, can help.)
Operational Excellence
The customer knows when efficiency is lacking, especially when they shop for luxury brands. They expect a special level of service and, if store associates are in the backroom stuck analyzing planograms or figuring out the next display, customers aren’t receiving the luxurious experience they’re expecting.
The visual merchandiser directly impacts the customer experience, especially if the guidelines for execution are not easy to follow. There’s a direct correlation to having more efficient communication and guided direction to store associates feeling empowered to make a bigger impact on sales.
Without proper operational tools, store associates can feel disconnected from the brand story they are trying to convey through setting up the displays, which then bleeds out to a potentially negative customer experience.
How One Door Can Help Luxury Retailers
One Door was built specifically to solve the challenges of visual merchandisers trying to plan for any amount of stores whatever the specific store needs are, get store execution right the first time, and streamline processes so a greater impact is made with fewer resources.
By prioritizing flawless execution, personalized localization, and operational excellence, luxury brands can ensure in-store success and continue to keep a thriving brand.
Start getting your displays right every time. Get a demo of One Door today.