Innovation is the key to good visual merchandising

A recent survey on visual merchandising states that 60% of the women get their clothing ideas from store displays. Display of clothing is necessary as it adds taste to the merchandise, promoting visual retail. Customers give three to five seconds of their attention to window display, within which, the retailer's visual message should be conveyed.

Indian retail industry is going through a sea change. Retailers need to navigate the arrangement smoothly, and ensure the retail environment will be an asset to his business.

A good visual merchandising must be resourceful, confident, creative, and imaginative. The retailer must have good judgment regarding upcoming fashion trends, and must be willing to take risk. The themes must be versatile, and adaptable to the ever changing fashion world.

The window display should go with the merchandise, make it discernible to the eyes, and should not suppress the product. It should not be like an unsuccessful TV advertisement, where the product is forgotten altogether and only the concept of the commercial remains in the mind of the viewer.

To get more detailed information regarding the same, Fibre2Fashion had an interaction with Manuu Mansheet, Director, Mansheet Design Pvt Ltd. He believes, “Visual merchandising means “organizing to sell and creating the right environment for a certain product to be sold/showcased.

“It includes all the elements of sight/sound/touch that a customer feels in a retail space and also the communication that reaches out to him. As competition is increasing, retail spaces along with number of brands too are rising; there is a higher need for image and identity creation for retailers & brands."

When asked about the Indian retail scenario, he replies, "There is a distinct Indian flavor of visual merchandising and retail, etc which is very fascinating. Of course the international brands and stores are bringing in the international/western way of retail design and visual merchandising. However a lot of local R&D and innovation is still required. "

Manuu positively asserts that there are good opportunities in this field. He says, "Lots of innovations and R&D is required for our local market, hence, there are lots of opportunities for hard working/creative people."

He concluded the interaction giving a hint about the challenges lying ahead. "People want international manuals to be followed. India is a diverse country where many different cultures prevail. Visual merchandising language needs to be localized and creatively defined. Innovation is the key. But the opportunity to innovate and do something new is required."