Shopping For Gift Baskets Can Be Fun!
I read an interesting article in Pam Danzinger’s recent June newsletter. (Pam is an internationally recognized expert on topics pertaining to retailing. You can see her web site at Unity Marketing Online.)
Danzinger says, “Today success in retail is less not about what you sell, and more about how you sell it.” She goes on to identify three factors that have changed how retail operations now function.
First, there are more places to shop. This includes both brick and mortar stores as well as shopping in cyberspace (the internet). The bottom line: more competition.
Second, more people buy what they don’t need. In other words, buyers are motivated to buy things that appeal to them that they weren’t necessarily shopping for.
Third, shopping has become something to do for fun. It is a new form of recreation. Therefore, shoppers want to be engaged, to have fun when they shop.
So how can you make shopping at your store more fun? I think the first place to look is at your displays.
Take some time to learn how to creatively display your gift baskets. Browse through other stores in your neighborhood or go to your local mall and think about what makes other stores’ displays appealing. Which displays attract you? Which displays are not appealing? Why?
Go your your local bookstore or search the internet. You’ll find lots of ideas about creating interesting store displays. Also, I mentioned before that you might also check out trade magazines in related industries. Flowers & Magazine and Florist Review Magazine have articles in most issues that include photos of great displays in floral shops. Most of these are displays of giftware (and even gift baskets) so these should be very relevant to gift basket business owners.
If you live in or near a city that has a Gift Mart, take the time to visit. The large companies that have showrooms in the Marts hire professional designers to set up their displays. Check out how they display their products: what colors they use, what types of products they group together, what type of signage they use.
Let us know if you have other ways that you make shopping experiences in your store more fun!
Add comment June 8th, 2007
