Category Archives: Retail

Keeping shop window displays fresh will be key for retailers in 2011

Research carried out by leading shop displays supplier Displaysense has found that consumers are turned off by shop window displays that don’t change.

According to the survey by the organisation, a high percentage of people will not return to a shop if the window display looks the same as on their previous visit – which could mean that many retailers are missing out on repeat sales by failing to build up a regular customer base.

Displaysense also spoke to retailers and discovered that many admit to only changing their window displays four times each year – a habit that may need to change if they are to remain competitive in 2011.

Steve Whittle, marketing director at the company, comments: “Many retailers are still only changing their window displays with the four seasons and have failed to understand the customer demand for fresh products all year round.

“In a recent survey, we found that retailers that alter their shop window displays more than ten times per year have up to a 75 per cent higher rate of return customers than those that stick to the seasonal pattern of four changes each year.”

And with the VAT increase taking effect from January 4th, retailers will need to ensure customers do not turn to the internet to counter any high street price increases if they are to have a successful year.

But changing window displays on a regular basis does not need to be a costly exercise – with Mr Whittle pointing out that even small alterations can have an impact and entice customers back into stores.

“We are not suggesting that retailers should have a new display designed every week – even a few small changes to the display can make all the difference,” Mr Whittle explains.

“A fashion retailer, for example, could simply change the style of clothes, the type of shelves or use a different mannequin on a regular basis. These simple and low-cost actions could improve the appeal to passing customers who get to see more choice and are therefore more likely to enter the store,” he concludes.

Other retailers can also benefit from applying the same logic to their product displays. Swapping the items on show – or even repositioning the display stands to make different products stand out – on a regular basis could be all that’s needed to entice shoppers off the street and into the store.

The Displaysense survey found that, on average, customers spend three seconds looking at a shop window before making a decision. If the products on display are the same then no new interest can be gained and the customer is unlikely to enter the store.

With so many challenges facing high street retailers at present, shop owners cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to bringing in more customers and as Displaysense’s research has highlighted, there are numerous simple and inexpensive steps stores can take to boost their sales in 2011.
Ends

Displaysense has been working in the shop displays sector since 1978 when it started out in Hertfordshire. Since then, the organisation has grown substantially and now manufactures its extensive range of products in 25 countries around the world.

Orders can be shipped anywhere in the world and the company constantly seeks to update and improve its offerings. Following a philosophy of choice, value and service, Displaysense’s customers can rest assured that they will receive the best products from the leading shop display and fittings retailer.

If you would like any further information about the products and services offered by Displaysense, please contact us.

Email: sales@displaysense.co.uk

Tel (UK): 0845 200 8139
Tel (Int):  +44 (0)1279 460 460

Address:
Displaysense
Rye Street
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2HG
United Kingdom

Retailers seek the best way to combat the VAT rise

Displaysense – the leading shop displays and store fittings supplier – is urging retailers not to fixate on the VAT rise and focus on maximising customer sales.

Retailers will have to make a difficult choice when the increase takes effect; either putting their prices up at a risk of losing price-sensitive customers or offsetting the rise by offering discounts, which will result in lower profit margins.

But Displaysense believes that introducing proven techniques such as in-queue merchandising systems could help retailers increase customer spend following the VAT rise and set themselves up for a successful 2011.

The organisation wants to encourage retailers to view queues as an additional revenue stream – not just a way of managing crowds.

As such, Displaysense has introduced a range of in-queue merchandising systems that can work alongside crowd barriers to help stores make the most out of every customer that walks through their doors.

Steve Whittle, marketing director at the company, comments: “The VAT rise will pose a challenge to most retailers and having spoken to our own customers, we know that the rise on top of increasing bills and delivery costs means that 2011 is shaping up to be a tough year.

“That is why we have introduced our range of merchandising products to help retailers increase spend of queuing customers with cross-sale items, promotional goods and impulse products. After all, it makes sense to target customers who are already buying something as they are already prepared to spend money.”

Any retailers that are concerned about the additional costs of new shop displays should not worry.

Mr Whittle adds: “With the potential to increase average customer spend by up to 400 per cent, these systems have a very fast return on investment and I am confident that any retailer that uses them will see a significant increase in sales.”

And boosting revenue is not the only advantage to implementing an in-queue merchandising system because they can create even more retail space by encouraging customers to line up in an orderly fashion.

They also take up little more space than traditional rope barriers, Mr Whittle explains, so retailers that already make use of such crowd control barriers will notice the difference in their sales figures, rather than in the layout of the store.

In-queue merchandising systems from Displaysense can include shelves, racks and baskets, enabling shops to find the ideal way to display their products and encourage consumers to make that extra purchase.

Displaysense wants to see all its retail customers get the new year off to a good start and aims to help stores maximise revenue at this challenging time for the British high street.

Ends

Displaysense has been working in the shop displays sector since 1978 when it started out in Hertfordshire. Since then, the organisation has grown substantially and now manufactures its extensive range of products in 25 countries around the world.

Orders can be shipped anywhere in the world and the company constantly seeks to update and improve its offerings. Following a philosophy of choice, value and service, Displaysense’s customers can rest assured that they will receive the best products from the leading shop display and fittings retailer.

If you would like any further information about the products and services offered by Displaysense, please contact us.

Email: sales@displaysense.co.uk

Tel (UK): 0845 200 8139
Tel (Int):  +44 (0)1279 460 460

Address:
Displaysense
Rye Street
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2HG
United Kingdom

The Bleak weather outlook at the Christmas rush sees many stay indoors to do their Christmas shopping, with record sales recorded at Purekit.com

The Bleak weather outlook at the Christmas rush sees many stay indoors to do their Christmas shopping, with record sales recorded at Purekit.com

Two weeks of bitter cold, snow and ice has kept many Christmas shoppers indoors, however the current thaw has seen shoppers head out in their droves to make up for lost time with shopping centres and high streets inundated. However with a further cold front fast approaching, and more subzero temperatures expected later this week, anyone looking to leave Christmas shopping until the weekend could well be in for a miserable time. With a few days still left to post in time for Christmas, the sales rush is being felt at PureKit.com, the nation’s favourite online supplier of outdoor clothing and footwear.

Whilst many head out and brave the queues and cold weather, online stores such as Purekit.com have enjoyed record visitors and sales, as many shoppers choose to ease the burden this year by ordering their presents and warm winter clothing online. The website has long been a popular choice in the run up to Christmas, with the full range of outdoor footwear and equipment the natural place to shop for lovers of the great outdoors. However more and more shoppers are taking advantage of the convenience of internet shopping with the conditions outdoors being an extra incentive to buy many presents online this year.

With temperatures plummeting as low as -10ºC over the past days, and much of the east of the country looking to have more of the same later this week, Purekit.com has seen an extraordinary rise in sales of warm winter apparel. Brands well known for their protection from extreme temperatures such as Berghaus and Icebreaker merino clothing have been the most popular choice during the recent cold snap, providing thin and warm layers, with exceptional weather protection. “Icebreaker underwear and performance outerwear is selling particularly well” claims Purekit.com MD Richard Gundle, when asked about customer trends at the online store.

However it is the range of footwear which is seeing the greatest warehouse activity, with snow boots, warm winter footwear and wellington boots enjoying record sales.“We have had to rush to get our orders in to keep up with the increased demand” says Gundle. He goes on to say that “with more cold weather on the way later this week we are preparing for a busy week ahead”.

The convenience and speed of internet shopping, the particularly cold weather, and unbearable Christmas queues have seen many people make the switch this year, and take the stress free approach to shopping. Warm clothing and protective footwear appear to be the ideal presents this year, so it’s no surprise that sales are so strong at Purekit.com.

For the full range of warm winter footwear and clothing and to avoid winter queues visit purekit.com

Contact Details: PureKit Ltd
0844 561 0991
Unit 3 Rignals Lane,
Galleywood,
Chelmsford,
Essex.CM2 8RF

Toys – Milanoo’s New Products Range

Milanoo introduces its new range of products. Now you can get soft toys of your favorite toon characters at Milanoo.com. From now on, Milanoo is just not another online shopping store where you can get your garments, handbags and accessories or footwear. The appeal of the store has expanded to include the fabulous range of soft toys for kids. You have everything here from Lilo soft toys to the comic monkey faces, dog bones, to the Kawai Plush Flat Pant Sponge Bob, white fuzz toys, rose bear, cuddly dolphin, pink teddy bear, velvet candy and the like.

Buy One for your Tot Today

The white fuzz kids’ soft toy is something you would definitely love giving your kids. Featuring a beautiful design, the teddy has a softly accented fabric adoption that makes your little one happy and comfortable. This cuddly white teddy bear has a white and red heart in its hands. The white heart is laced with soft transparent red colored lace which stands out distinctively in the entire piece. The ears and feet of the teddy are totally as white as snow and it adds to the overall get up of the product. It is a must have for all the tiny ones.

The Sponge Bob Square Pants is a delight for the little customers of Milanoo.com. It is a plush toy that any kid will want to have. It is even perfect for gifting on birthdays and special occasions and gatherings for the kids. Sponge Bob Square Pants is a gorgeous soft toy to own and is known for its competitive price and high quality. The soft toy features the elevated nose of Sponge Bob in the squared face. The eyes are huge and round and done in blue. There are 3 eyebrows on either side which makes the toy too much to resist. The thin limbs are definitely rendered out of proportion by the otherwise okay figure.

If it is a doggy bone that you are looking for, check out the beige dog bone for your canine to play with and keep them occupied. This soft toy can even double up as a pillow, other than a plaything. The beige colored bone is soft and at the same time unique. The high quality is matched with a competitive price and the pillow is made of soft velvet. The bone background and small pillow in front with the white doggy bone inscribed into it makes it simply charming, to say the least.

The Lilo and Stitch soft toy is an adorable toy that is made of super soft velvet and it can really be comfortable such as your kids’ intimate friend. The quality is great and the rates are competitive so that you can send the product as a gift to surprise someone pleasantly on their special day. The super soft velvet candy toy has red and yellow accents, to make the candy sweeter for you. This is the perfect accessory to make you feel cute.

Contact Details: harriswill1981@yahoo.com

UK wine retailer challenges Facebook fans to get creative

Naked Wines is offering a £3000 prize fund to their most creative Facebook fans, with their new ‘Consequences’ competition.

UK online wine retailer Naked Wines, which was recently named the UK Startups Business of the Year, has launched a Facebook competition offering their most imaginative customers the chance to win one of three Naked parties worth £1000 each.

Created in-house as part of their second birthday celebrations, Founder Rowan Gormley explains:

Remember the old parlour game consequences – where players take it in turns to answer a question to form a short story? Well, wave brought it online!

The idea is to start a story, pass it onto your friends to finish and the three funniest stories will each win a whole load of food and wine worth £1000.

Wave had some hilarious entries in the first couple of days, so the bars set quite high.

As well as several crates of wine, the winners will receive parcels from Thornton’s, the Well-Hung Meat Company and Ales By Mail.com – all partners of Naked Wines

The three winners will be announced just ahead of Christmas, and all entrants will receive a £40 Wine Voucher to enjoy with the retailer.

To find out more about the competition, or to kick-start an entry, visit http://apps.facebook.com/winaparty/

Lower Prices for Thousands of In-Stock Products at DigitalBuyer.com

San Diego, California, 2010 – DigitalBuyer.com, one of the leading retailers of office equipment and supplies, announce that they are currently offering special discounts on thousands of in-stock products. Every day items, as well as hard to find niche products such as binding machines, chairs for office, electronic whiteboard and workbenches, Fellowes paper shredders, fireproof cabinets, fireproof safes, IBM Wheelwriter typewriters and paper folders, can now be purchased at discounted prices. DigitalBuyer.com also offers free shipping throughout the continental US and low-cost shipping to Canada.

For many years now, DigitalBuyer.com has been serving many public and private institutions, as well as end-user consumers with the highest level of commitment to service and quality on an individual level. The company’s purchasing agents are skilled negotiators who always get the lowest possible prices from suppliers and all savings are passed on to customers. This, coupled with the company’s commitment to quality, has earned DigitalBuyer.com a reputation as a low price, high value leader. The company has been providing the government, schools, corporations and numerous end-user consumers with high quality products at unbeatable prices.

The company offers a large selection of office equipment and furniture. Thousands of products can be browsed, compared and purchased online in a fast and convenient way. DigitalBuyer.com’s current discounts and special offers enable customers to save up to 50% on products like binding machines, chairs for office, electronic whiteboards, electronic workbench, Fellowes paper shredders, IBM Wheelwriter typewriters and paper folders. Fireproof safes and fireproof cabinets can also be purchased online at very affordable prices. All products come with free shipping to any location in the continental US. DigitalBuyer.com also offers low-cost shipping to Canada.

The company guarantees that all transactions are safe and secure. DigitalBuyer.com uses the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology for all orders and transactions involving release of personal information, which makes the customers’ credit card numbers and personal information unreadable by anyone.

For more information about the company’s products, services and special discounts, please visit http://www.digitalbuyer.com

DigitalBuyer.com Offers Great Deals on Thousands of Products for Your Office

San Jose, California, 2010 – DigitalBuyer.com, one of the leading American suppliers of office equipment and furniture, would like to announce that they have recently added new items to their extensive selection of products whose prices are among the most competitive and affordable available on the market today.

DigitalBuyer.com offers a wide range of everyday items as well as hard to find niche products at discounted prices. These include paper folders, Fellowes paper shredders, binding machines, electronic whiteboards, electronic workbenches, IBM Wheelwriter typewriters, fireproof cabinets, fireproof safes, chairs for office and a wide variety of supplies for your office equipment.

DigitalBuyer.com takes pride in having experienced purchasing agents who negotiate with suppliers to get the lowest possible prices, which means that the company is able to provide their clients with the best deals available on the market today. DigitalBuyer.com never misses a discount or special purchase opportunity and all savings are passed on to consumers, ensuring the most affordable prices possible. As a result, the company has rightfully earned and is continuously striving to maintain their reputation as a low price, high value leader.

DigitalBuyer.com has been a leading provider of efficiency products and services for the government, schools and corporations for many years now. According to DigitalBuyer.com’s spokesperson, the company has been “proudly serving government, education, corporate and end user consumers with the highest level of commitment to service on an individual level.”

Thousands of products, including electronic whiteboards and workbenches, binding machines, paper folders, paper shredders, typewriters, fireproof safes and cabinets and many more, can be browsed, compared and purchased online, thus saving a lot of time and money. DigitalBuyer.com ships to the USA and Canada and free shipping is offered throughout the continental US.

DigitalBuyer.com uses the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology for all orders and transactions involving release of personal information, which makes the customers’ credit card numbers and personal information unreadable by anyone.

For more information about the company’s products and services, please visit http://www.digitalbuyer.com

Displaysense set to ‘liven’ up shop windows

Retailers up and down the UK who want to add something extra to their shop displays can now book a live mannequin to appear in their shop window to really make their products stand out from the crowd.

Displaysense – the leading shop display and fittings retailer – has decided to introduce live mannequins to its extensive product range following a recent episode of the BBC’s Apprentice, where contestants used themselves as live mannequins to attract shoppers in Manchester’s Trafford Centre.

Contestants – who are competing to become Lord Alan Sugar’s next apprentice – were hoping to boost sales by drawing more customers into the shops and as the show proved, a pretty girl in an eye-catching dress really did attract the crowds.

Thanks to Displaysense, now you’ll be able to use the same powers of persuasion to encourage people to visit your store.

From mid-January 2011, the real life mannequins will be available to order via the Displaysense website for a cost of approximately £199+VAT per day.

Although this will not be the first time that live mannequins have been used, it will be the first time that retailers can go online to book their slot and pay a fixed price for a live mannequin.

Steve Whittle, marketing director at Displaysense, commented: “Real people in real windows can work for the right store.

“For example, a shop window showing a kitchen display could have the model demonstrating a range of products. Or a fashion retailer might want the ‘live mannequins’ to show a range of the latest fashion clothing at various times in the day.”

Enquiries about live mannequins flooded in following the airing of this particular episode of the Apprentice and the company has decided to step up to meet its customers’ needs.

Since its inception in 1978, Displaysense has provided attractive and quality options for shop displays and shop fittings.

Offering live mannequins will just be the next step in the organisation’s evolution, which has seen it grow from its ‘shed-based’ operation in Hertfordshire into an international retailer.

Mr Whittle stated: “Our business is all about helping our retail customers sell more and if that means offering real mannequins then that is what we will do.”

However, he added that this won’t spell the end for the company’s traditional line of products.

“Real life mannequins may be a great addition to shop window display campaigns, but we will of course continue to offer a fantastic range of fibreglass mannequins which are far less costly, last much longer than a day and don’t need food or drink!”

And with live mannequins to complement the fibreglass options, Britain’s high streets could become a lot more interesting for shoppers in future.

Displaysense certainly thinks so – and the company is even in talks with a large high street retailer to set up a window catwalk that combines live models with their fibreglass counterparts to breathe a bit more life into shop displays.

In the age of online shopping bricks and mortar outlets are fighting to boost their business – only time will tell whether using such methods will bring Britain’s high streets back to life.

Ends

Displaysense has been working in the shop displays sector since 1978 when it started out in Hertfordshire. Since then, the organisation has grown substantially and now manufactures its extensive range of products in 25 countries around the world.

Orders can be shipped anywhere in the world and the company constantly seeks to update and improve its offerings. Following a philosophy of choice, value and service, Displaysense’s customers can rest assured that they will receive the best products from the leading shop display and fittings retailer.

If you would like any further information about the products and services offered by Displaysense, please contact us.

Email: sales@displaysense.co.uk

Tel (UK): 0845 200 8139
Tel (Int):  +44 (0)1279 460 460

Address:
Displaysense
Rye Street
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2HG
United Kingdom

Promotional Gift Company links with Chinese Partner to produce Business Gifts

Blackpool UK 03-12-2010: Putting the WOW! Factor in your Promotion.

There is a massive selection of Personalised Gifts for all ages that can be ordered from online merchants. They make unique gifts ideas for weddings, birthdays and many other occasions. These are special gifts that convey love and affection. A personalised gift is more likely to be cherished and treasured than a shop bought gift that is devoid of personalisation. This trend for gifts that are personalised have engulfed the business world as companies try and capture the mind share of their targeted audience .Businesses in all sectors are turning toPersonalised Gifts as a means of Marketing their Brands and Product offerings. Whether you are a one man business or a corporate giant there is a strong case for you to use Business Gifts as promotional tools.

Traditionally the sending of Corporate Gifts and Promotional Items was centered on the festive period.Business Gifts were sent at Christmas to clients as a way of thanking them for their support. Today more and more businesses are finding it hard to communicate through traditional advertising methods, there is just too much noise and they are not getting heard. These businesses are turning to Promotional Gifts and Corporate Gift Items as a means of cutting through the clutter and getting their message out. Modern technology and software has advanced in recent times and most products these days can be Personalised and Branded with a company logo, strap line or slogan.

There are many websites offering Promotional Products and many of these (especially for lower priced Corporate Gifts and promotional items) act as distributors for Chinese factories who produce and manufacture Business Gifts to customers’ specifications. Corporate Clothing embroidered or printed with company logos make up a whopping 30% of this market.

Why use a Specialist UK Promotional Company? Far too many business try and get clever and by past traditional established Promotional Gifts Companies. The industry is littered with horrific stories of companies who have be burnt using this strategy. Late deliveries, no delivery, and faulty merchandise the list goes on and on. You may be in the Financial Services Industry or sell widgets, but do you know about pantone colours, fonts, artwork separation, screen mesh size and logo placement? If you are looking to buy garments are you conversant with fabric composition, dye standards and embroidery thread colours? Most probably not so pay a small premium and let the experts in the industry source the corporate gift or promotional item on your behalf. This way you will have recourse if things do go wrong.

It’s All in the Detail An industry expert will provide you with sound advice on your promotional items and corporate gifts. He is not in it for the short haul, he knows the pitfalls and what can and cannot be achieved he has learnt this from years and years of experience. He will offer informed advice and not only discuss your promotional product choice; he will offer advice on how you can make your corporate marketing campaign more effective. He will have an extremely good eye for detail and push the manufacturer to produce a quality product that will enhance your business. He doesn’t want to make a quick buck he wants you to use him time and time again for your promotional items and corporate gifts. He fully understand the lifetime value of you the customer and will treat you accordingly.

The WOW! Factor make it Fresh and Funky When sending out promotional items to capture and retain customers you should think outside the box. The pen with your logo may not cut the mustard anymore, the MD you are sending it to most probably writes with a Mont Blanc fountain pen. Look at packaging, how could that help get your message across? Perhaps the pen could have a quirky design that will be memorable it may appeal to his wife or his children. The bog standard item would be bad use of your marketing budget but with a little thought imagination a minimal increase in cost your promotion will be transformed. Craft some engaging communication to send along with your Corporate Gifts , give it the WoW factor.

FlyingBears (UK) Ltd leading supplier of Personalised Teddy Bear Gifts is extending their range to include promotional gifts and have formed a strategic partnership with a Chinese Partner David Bao a seasoned supplier of Personalised Products. Paul Lakeman of Flying Bears said this. “We are constantly asked by our customers if we can source other types of Promotional Products for them and we import containers from China. I’ve been involved in the clothing trade all my working life. I’ve dressed Led Zeppelin in the 70’s and now I’m dressing Teddy Bears! I used to mange a printing business supplying corporate clothing and souvenir items. . Our Team has over 100 years of experience in the clothing and promotional business. When I send out our personalised corporate teddy bears I always feel a great sense of pride for I know how well they will be received. We will apply this attitude to each and every promotional product we import on behalf of our clients. We will
live up to our name and with our clients, produce promotional Gift Items, Corporate Gifts and Marketing Tools that have the WOW!Factor”.

WOW! Promotional Gifts © http://www.wowpromotionalgifts.co.uk

Could The Dilemma Of Buying For That ‘Person Who Has Everything’ Finally Be Over?

With only twenty-three days of shopping left to go, things are really starting to heat up for consumers battling against the icy conditions, determined to buy friends, family and colleagues that perfect Christmas gift.

Whilst Christmas wish-lists and dropping the odd hint might go some way to help make Christmas gift giving that little bit more straightforward, each year still poses the dilemma – what to get for the person who has everything?

Thankfully, gourmet gurus – Highland Fayre – think they’ve solved the problem with their range of luxury Christmas Hampers; jam-packed with festive fayre and other goodies to suit absolutely any budget.

Discussing the versatility of Christmas hampers, Highland Fayre’s business development manager – Samantha Barrie – explained:

“The Christmas rush can become a stressful time of year, even for the most organised amongst us. This isn’t helped when you’re attempting to buy for that fabled ‘person who has everything’ or even someone who’s not sure what they’d like for Christmas.

“In situations like these, luxury Christmas hampers serve as an excellent gift; loaded with treats that can be enjoyed throughout the festive season and beyond. Our bespoke hamper service also allows you to tailor your gift to the personal preferences or dietary requirements of the person you’re gifting to and when presented in one of our Christmas gift baskets, trays, hampers or cartons they really make something of a show-stopper.”

The solutions posed by christmashamper.com needn’t stop there either as the flexibility of this style of gift giving means customers can peruse hundreds of pre-made collections at their leisure, from the comfort and warmth of their home.

Furthermore, as Samantha Barrie explains, this year’s Christmas hampers collection could be just the ticket for people buying for other potentially tricky recipients:

“As well a buying for people who have everything, there’s often other people on our to-buy for list who we might not know very well but still want to gift to – a child’s school teacher or long distance relative being a good example of this.

“In cases such as these, Christmas hampers act as a thoughtful gift and can be made as personal as need be. We’ve found that our range of Scottish Christmas Gift Hampers, for example, are particularly popular with people gifting to Scottish expats who may have lived out of the country for some years now but are still delighted to receive a gift reminding them of where they grew up.”

ENDS

For more information on Highland Fayre, Christmas Hamper or any of the hampers mentioned please visit http://www.christmashamper.com or contact Samantha Barrie atsamantha@highlandfayre.co.uk