Timing is everything. The best time to buy a car is before the one you have loses too much value for a trade-in. The best time to buy new appliances is when you’re transitioning to a new home or remodeling, so you have time to do some research and not buy in an emergency situation. What about retail store fixtures and displays? How do you know it’s time for an update?
It’s time for new displays when…
…you, yourself, wouldn’t buy product that’s displayed on those shelves.
…your displays are in poor condition.
…there is no rhyme or reason to the displays you have – they don’t match or even blend together.
…you’ve added so much technology that you can’t hide all the cords.
…they are distracting to the shopper because of dirt or rust.
Surely you can add more reasons to the list. The point: evaluate your fixtures and make sure they are clean, up-to-date and sufficient for your needs. If your business is growing, your displays should be keeping pace. Invest in enough shelving, hooks or cases for the merchandise you want to show and store. If your business is floundering, take a good, honest look at your fixtures to determine if they could be part of the problem. Your retail floor presentation can say so much about your business – both positive and negative.
A great time to buy fixtures is during transition periods – summer to fall, before the holiday season, and during the winter months. These are times when there is less inventory to shuffle from old to new fixtures, and it will prepare your floor to look fresh and new for the upcoming season – whether it’s winter or spring holidays. No matter when you realize you need new fixtures, take the time to research what’s available in both new and previously used items. Gently used fixtures can be extremely cost-effective for an upgrade. If yours are more than gently used already, maybe it’s time for a change.
