Archive for the ‘Merchandising Mondays’ Category

Picture That!

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Ali LevyTips By Merchandising Guru Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com

This photo was taken by my friend Ali, who has an affinity for surprising and inventive displays.  She snapped this beauty at an outdoor shop in Zurich, Switzerland and was kind enough to share it with me.

I’ve seen walls of fame in before – but this takes that concept to a whole new level…or two!   If you find yourself with some empty wall space, or struggling for a window display idea, why not take a cue from this store – you can ask employees and customers to share some of their favorite adventures or scour thrift shops for vintage postcards.  It’s a wonderful way to stop traffic and start a conversation about your last great ski trip!

Mickey Drexler

Also – on Thursday May 24th at 10:00 p.m. EST on CNBC will feature J.CREW AND THE MAN WHO DRESSED AMERICA – focusing on J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler (in photo above) and how he turned the brand into a billion dollar success story by, amongst other things,  trusting his intuition and understanding what his customers want.

You can click on the following link for more information about the upcoming episode.  http://broadwayworld.com/admin/insidejcrew.cnbc.com

For more information about Ali and her company, contact her at alijlevy@gmail.com or visit her website, www.alijlevy.com.

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Don’t Chuck-It! Bucket!

Monday, April 16th, 2012

By: Ali Levy
April 16, 2012

Tips By Merchandising Guru Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com

Galvanized buckets like this can make great lamp shades.  This project will require some power tools – hopefully something you already have in your back room – a drill, heat gun and maybe a hammer?  Create an opening on the bottom of the bucket and fit over a bulb.   If you are using energy efficient bulbs, the metal should not get too hot.  It looks industrial and is great way to re-purpose an item you are not using or is slightly dinged up or even rusted.  Happy Earth Day!

For more information about Ali and her company, contact her at alijlevy@gmail.com or visit her website, www.alijlevy.com.

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Chalk It Up To A Great Idea!

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

By: Ali Levy
April 3, 2012

At the 2012 Snow Show, Obermeyer’s merchandiser found these super cool adhesive chalk board decals.  These would make signs or use them for kids to draw on, as shown below.

You can find them plus lots of other chalk board decal designs and ideas on Etsy.com

Set of 5 circles above – $42.00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81310051/5-round-chalk-board-vinyl-wall-decals?ref=&sref

For more information about Ali and her company, contact her at alijlevy@gmail.com or visit her website, www.alijlevy.com.

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Bright Lights, Big City: Great finds at Global Shop 2012

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

March 27, 2012

Tips from merchandising guru, Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com

Global Shop is an annual trade show that caters to the design, operations, branding and visual merchandising sectors of the retail world. The show also offers a slew of conferences that boast an impressive line-up of speakers from the world of retail. Global Shop is a great show to attend if you want to hear about mega trends in visual merchandising (brick and mortar retail needs to be a head-to-toe experience, the value of service and expertise trumps just assistance) or are just looking for mannequins that suit your store’s overall aesthetic. But there’s more….much more! Looking for an eight foot inflatable snowman? Or how about a life sized “virtual assistant,” created by a company called Tensator, that provides “…the next generation in digital signage.” It’s a digital image of a person who talks to you. Or how about hangers made from recycled cardboard? Global Shop provides some hits and misses but overall is never dull and a worthwhile visit. It had been a while since I had attended the show, and the thought of heading to sunny Las Vegas for a few days was reason enough to attend. In this month’s newsletter, I’m going to share some highlights I discovered trolling the aisles of the Sands Expo Center.

Space saving display options
I was so excited to find these rotating bins. Yes I am a geek. They are called Rotabin’s and are manufactured by Durham MFG. They come in 20 different size configurations not to mention bright colors, besides the standard gray.  These bins provide enormous display options in a relatively small footprint for all of those items that may be clogging your cash wrap and beyond.  The outer edges of each shelf provide a spot for price tags to be inserted.

Read More

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Sit On It!

Monday, March 19th, 2012

By: Ali Levy
Merchandising Monday
March 19, 2012

I have a friend, Heath Leosh, who manages a snowboard shop called Phat Fred’s, located at the base of Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, Wyoming.   He found a great use for some old banners that were lying around the back room.  He re-upholstered some chairs that gave them a little attitude.

All you need are some scissors, a utility knife, upholstery nails or a heavy duty staple gun.  He attached the banners directly to the existing cushions, so you don’t have to trash the chair…unless you want to.  Add stickers to the arm rests for that extra bro-brah effect.  And…. voila!   You have created some really cool chairs for next to nothing!

Before
Before…

After

And after!

 

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It’s In the Bag, Part II

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Merchandising Monday
By: Ali Levy
February 27, 2012

I noticed these bags made by a company called Burltex while attending the National Retail Federation’s “Big Show” last month in NYC.  We’re living in the age of bringing our reusable bags to the grocery stores as we try to reduce and reuse whenever possible, so why not make up a batch of these customized shoppers which are made from polypropylene, for your store. Sure, they may cost you a little bit more but in the long run you’ll be cutting down on paper and plastic waste, not to mention giving your store a healthy boost free exposure with reusable bags such as these.

For more information, you can visit their website, www.burltex.com  or email their U.S. office at:  eran@amraninc.com.

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Lock & Load

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Merchandising Monday
January 16, 2012
Tips By Merchandising Guru Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com

I found these on www.ddionline.com, where they have a great Resource Library.  These are from a Petaluma, CA based company called LockUp.  They’re shown on their website to be used as employee lockers, but I thought they might be cool for displaying and stocking gloves or goggles (without locking them), or for items that you do want secured  (they lock digitally) like transceivers, DVD’s, Go-Pro camera’s, climbing skins or anything else small with a high value.  Or at the very least, use them as employee lockers!

Contact them at www.lockup.com for a brochure and pricing information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about Ali and her company, contact her at alijlevy@gmail.com or visit her website, www.alijlevy.com. Also check out SIA’s Merchandising Monday Archive and the Merchandising Newsletter Articles.

 

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Merchandising Monday tip for Monday January 2, 2012

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

By: Ali Levy
alijlevy@gmail.com
January 2, 2012

“Where are you registered?”

This is usually the question when you are planning a big life changing event like getting married or having a baby, or maybe even retiring if you are lucky!  I saw this at Hoigaard’s, just outside of Minneapolis and thought it was great idea to offer a gift registry kiosk.  It has the potential to act as a silent, yet digital merchandiser, where you can offer additional options to purchase – maybe some for yourself!

I simply Google’d “Gift Registry Software Applications” and a slew of options came up. One in particular is for smaller independent retailers with 1 to 25 locations.  Check out www.marcole.com for more information on how to get started. Gift away!

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Merchandising. TABLE of Contents

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

Tips from merchandising guru, Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com #SIAmerch

One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes is when Kramer pitches a coffee table book idea to a room full of publishing executives. The kicker of course is that the book has legs so it unfolds to become a coffee table itself.  

The table – what an invention – two legs and a flat object to create an even and supported surface. 

How could we possibly live without them? Using tables in a retail space can simultaneously direct traffic, attract new customers, convey a compelling product story and help set the tone for an enjoyable shopping experience with precise placement.

Tables offer additional display options for sweaters, pants and tops.  Tables make a space seem homey.  Tables can tell a simple or complex product story. Tables can bridge the gap between a wall display and a floor fixture.  Tables can be moved and placed in multiple locations, including your display windows.  Below are pictures of all sorts of tables; new, stacked and salvaged, plus some additional table ideas and where to find them.   Let this be your inspiration to bring some tables into your retail environment.

This holiday table packs a punch with vintage hiking boots, vendor signage, a body form, small pine trees and sparkly decorations.  Accessories include colorful belts and coordinating hats. 

I like this table for its neutral color and infinite display options.  It doesn’t take up much floor space so can be placed without being obtrusive.

You can stack a table on top of another table to construct additional display options

Read On for the rest of the piece and find out more ways to mix your tables…

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IT’S IN THE BAG!

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Tips By Merchandising Guru Ali Levy, Alijlevy@gmail.com

Sometimes when you have multiples of quick grab items like lip balm, sunscreen, hand and toe warmers or energy bars, the logos and different colored boxes can look sloppy, not to mention empty as you sell through the products. 

I saw this candy display at a local market.  It works with the earthy barn wood and dark metal design.  I thought it was kind of cool looking – almost like penny candy.  This might not be the look for you, but it’s a great use of space and easy to do – not to mention cheap and adaptable to shelving or cash wraps.

For more information about Ali and her company, contact her at alijlevy@gmail.com or visit her website, www.alijlevy.com.

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