What Is Merchandising?

We all know that feeling that comes from entering a store and being received very well. That they serve us in an unbeatable way or give us a good explanation of the characteristics of a product. What a good feeling to perceive that a good purchase has been made!

All the efforts that the seller puts into presenting a product are intended to make it more attractive and accessible to the buyer. Efforts, such as placing the product in the right place, in a specific quantity, with the right price and an impeccable visual presentation.

The merchandising , one of the key concepts of marketing, is based on these ideas and concerns promoting products on sale site.

Thus, once the presentations have been made, in this article we will analyze what merchandising is , how it is carried out and we will give some examples of usable techniques.

Definition of merchandising

The merchandising could be defined as the set of techniques applied at the point of sale to motivate purchase, thus satisfying the needs of both buyer and those of the dealer.

This concept has its origin in the 1930s in the United States. Stores realized the success of the products displayed on the shelves in front of them versus those that weren’t.

In this way, we see that, while marketing creates demand for products through advertising and promotional campaigns, merchandising techniques push the consumer to buy at the point of sale.

Thus, the reason why stickers or posters of a brand are placed in a store, tasting points are installed, information sheets are distributed with the menu of the corner restaurant or attractive people are chosen to promote products is that these techniques increase sales and make products remembered, improving market share.

What are the most used strategies?

When we talk about merchandising we have to think about the execution as a whole: all those operations that are carried out during the sales process.

Thus, to be able to reach the ideal point, it is necessary to plan. That is the function that merchandising professionals perform: planning and operationalization of the activities that are destined to the presentation of the products.

To carry out this planning, we must take into account the merchandising elements :

• Good condition and cleanliness.
• Decoration of the point of sale to make it more attractive and encourage customers to visit the facilities. For example, the lighting of a restaurant or the colors of its walls are determining whether we choose to eat there or not. Sensory experience is of vital importance.
• The location of the products is also decisive. It is very useful that they are classified by type of product and well ordered, that the quantities are sufficient, that they are easily accessible and that there is enough space in the establishment to be able to walk without suffering discomfort.
• Have a favorable pricing policy for the consumer. Keep in mind that we always look for the lowest price, when it comes to the same product that can be obtained in several parts.

• The quality guarantee makes us acquire the products with greater confidence.
• The good care will be reflected in benefits. For this, it is necessary to have a trained staff aware of the importance of having a satisfied consumer.

In this way, we see that within the sales establishments there are numerous factors that determine the success or not of the place.

Types of merchandising

Some examples of ways to do merchandising are:

• Stopper : piece that is placed perpendicular to the shelves, always at the level of the consumer’s eyes. This is the ideal strategy to attract the attention of the consumer in a promotion or launch.

• Wobbler : like a “ pop-up ” in real life, which stands out and is superimposed on the products of the gondola. It must bring an objective and high impact message.
• Adhesive on the floor : with attractive visual elements and close to the place of exhibition of the merchandise. Always with non-slip materials.
• Clip strip or cross tape : also known as cross-merchandising . For example, a display of Parmesan cheese or tomato sauce next to the pasta.
• Mobile : structures that allow pieces to be hung from the ceiling to attract the attention of consumers.
• Promotional banner : portable structures, which can be static or have movement. They adapt to different places and can transmit any type of information to the consumer.

As we can see, most merchandising techniques work based on a good part of what we know about basic psychological processes, such as attention or memory. On the other hand, stimulating control is the starting point for the “interested” direction of all these processes.