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

As the temperature outside is rising, thoughts turn to weekend beach escapes and sprucing up our gardens, not to mention sprucing up ourselves after being enveloped in wool and down for the past several months.  And the time has come to slip into something a bit more lightweight and shake off the long winter.  These are the dog days of summer.�
In April’s SIA Newsletter we talked about Thinking Globally and Merchandising Locally.  Now, if you failed shop class like me, listen up, because this month it’s all about displays you can create with items from your local dollar store.  Dollar stores offer a treasure trove of inexpensive ideas that can be easily installed without breaking a sweat or the bank.  To help you get inspired I’ve pulled together some merchandising themes that can work whether you sell outdoor gear and apparel or patio furniture and grills in the summer months.   And I found a great craft site while doing some research for this article – www.save-on-crafts.com where you can find fake grass, rocks – you name it!

Beach Blanket Bingo!
Even if you are landlocked like I am here in Teton Valley, summer is synonymous with water – whether it’s an alpine lake or the Jersey Shore.  A colorful and attention grabbing beach display can entice customers to buy another pair of flip flops, shorts or a great summer dress. 

This is a clever way to use beach balls by hanging them from the ceiling.  You just need some fishing line or thin grade wire and thumb tacks to attach. 

And available at your local dollar store…..for one dollar!

This display courtesy of Lululemon, asks, “Are you ready for bikini season?”  What you’ll need is construction paper, crayons or colored pencils, clothespins and some twine, all available from your local dollar store. 

Why not pick up some colorful additions such as pails and shovels, Frisbees or water guns.  If you have the space – a kiddie pool would be great to fill with things like flip flops and sunscreen along with some of these pails.    

How Green is Your Garden?
I like garden themed displays because you can get as creative as you want.  Dollar stores stock not only fake plants (although real ones are great too!) and flowers, but gardening gloves, tools, planters and even garden gnomes!

o.k., the person that created this installation definitely got an “A” in shop.    ABC Home in NYC featured a series of garden inspired windows.  This one focuses on building at- home gardens.

The floor is covered with dirt – a bold move if you dare.

Kitschy items like these are a great way to add some humor to your display.  These are fun to use in window displays and carry the gardening theme throughout your store.  If you have tables in your shoe department, create a story with frogs, water specific sandals or rubber shoes/ boots.

All of these items are generally sold at Dollar stores.

Color My World!
We are all driven by color.  It’s one of the best merchandising tools to have in your back pocket.   Try using different mediums such as colored pencils, containers, paper, fake flowers, and even sports drinks to highlight vibrant colors in packs, shoes and clothing. 

This was a display I did for the Cloudveil Flagship store in Jackson Hole.  Total cost?  Four bucks. 

This is another example of how to use inexpensive dollar store items.  I bought a few packs of colored pencils and put them in plastic cups that matched one of the jackets.  You could use glass Mason jars, vases or galvanized buckets as well. 

This window was created by using LOTS of pieces of fabric rolled and secured to a backdrop and mimics the colors in the dress featured.  This is more involved and you could look for materials at a craft or sewing shop, but great inspiration nonetheless. 

Here is another idea I love.  Buy colored tape and create shapes inside your window display area.  The shapes can reference what you have on display.  You can spell something out if you like.  You are only limited by your imagination!

So as the dog days of summer hit, be sure to check out your local dollar store to change it up the season!

View past merchandising articles our Merchandising Mondays quicktips at snowsports.org/merchandising.

Tips By Merchandising Guru Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com
There is no denying it… it’s clear that color – lively, traffic light colors are back in a big way. Whether it’s in the form of sunglass frames, waterproof zippers, or pants in a shocking, vibrant hue; bright, happy colors are all around us.

Buying into a seasonal color trend may seem risky. When offered a color over a neutral, you may be surprised to find that consumers may opt for the former. It is true that color sells color and it can pay off in a number of ways by attracting new customers, cashing in on impulse buys and elevating your status as a well merchandised shop where you can find the most current trends in outdoor apparel and equipment. Orange is one color that has been getting more and more attention.

From big statement pieces to shocks of orange as supporting players, orange has become a fierce darling of many outdoor and snow sports manufacturers. Not only does orange serve as a great pop of color to many neutrals, but it seems to be making friends with hot pink, purple and royal blue as well. And as a visual merchandiser, orange is one example of a color worth trying because it’s a shade that can be used as a continuous theme throughout your product presentation.

Jen Zollars, owner of STYLE inc. explains it this way, “Orange from an emotional color view point is the color linked to happiness. So, putting a few dollars into this color especially after the hard winter is not a bad idea. As is instantly says I am ready for some sunshine.” Additionally, Jen offers, “The color orange is also a color that is an approaching color, meaning it draws your eye to it before other colors. This can be a great tool to use for spots in your store that don’t see as much traffic. A dark spot that doesn’t get enough light, bringing the customer back to an area that might be farther than they want to go or usually go, a four way with new items on it that is behind other fixtures.”

And keep in mind second and third deliveries. Heed Jen’s advice, “…orange is a great flow color. Flow colors are colors that can connect deliveries to one another. Orange is great color to bring up the energy of blues, and can just as easily be feminine with purples. It is a color that really goes well with neutrals like olives, browns, and taupes.”

So here are some tips for committing to a bright color story:

• Of all the vibrant color options out there, commit to at least two. Most bright’s work surprisingly well with neutral tones. And ideally you would like to offer your customer three color options for outerwear.
• Keep these chosen colors in mind when reviewing accessories from the same vendor. Companies have designers to merchandise color stories from outerwear to base layer to hats and gloves. Take advantage of this work already done for you and accessorize your heart out!
• Look to other vendors to compliment assortments. Goggles, helmets, skis, socks are excellent items to display with your seasonal brights.
• What better way to get creative with in store displays and window ideas. Look to other retailers for ideas and inspiration, such as CB2, Urban Outfitters, art supply stores and even Whole Foods!

Websites to Checkout:

• Check out Jen Zollars’ website: www.styleincstudio.com. While she doesn’t work directly with retailers just yet, her website is inspirational and her background in outdoor apparel makes her a qualified expert on the subject.
• www.DDIonline.com Display and Design Ideas is a terrific snapshot of what is new and happening in the world of retail design.
• www.CB2.com Crate and Barrel’s inexpensive urban off-shoot has great display ideas that you can buy and use in your store, like the potted grass in the picture featured below.
• www.Envirosell.com Paco Underhill’s website for all things current in retail. From case studies, to good reads, to Q&A with one of the greats, spend some time perusing this site.

SIA is working with visual merchandising consultant Ali Levy, to provide retailers with some fresh merchandising ideas for increasing sales and interest with consumers. Levy’s impressive resume includes managing retail, buying and merchandising efforts for some of the industry’s biggest names including The North Face, SmartWool, Cloudveil and Marmot. For more information her company, contact Ali at alijlevy@gmail.com.