ABSTRACT
Visual merchandising is a commonly used term for the aspect of product management that is concerned with presenting the product within the store to its best advantage. Visual merchandising has often been used as a synonym for display in retailing, but in today’s retail industry the term
INTRODUCTION
The relationship between a retailer’s product positioning strategy and the branded store environment was explored in the previous chapter; however, the store environment has to fulfil operational objectives for the retailer in order to support buying and merchandising activities. The product has to be presented on fixturing that is appropriate for the merchandise, and the merchandise itself should be displayed in a way that enthrals customers. After all the product management work that has gone into planning the ranges, selecting the products, liasing with suppliers and getting the physical product through the supply chain, the product is now handed over to store managers, who provide the best opportunity for the product to sell. This chapter concentrates on the direct relationship between the physical product and the store elements that contribute to the product presentation process. The concept of visual merchandising provides a useful framework for the discussion of this interface, as the product range make its entrance into customer space.
