Budget option: window dressing without extra costs
The easiest way to attract a potential buyer to the store is to present your product in a window display. In a crisis, visual merchandising is an expense item that is among the first to be significantly correlated. But experts are sure that one should not refuse seasonal changes of their windows: “beautiful and inexpensive” is not a ploy, but a reality.
Alexander Tulyakov, project manager "VITRINISTIKA.RU", an expert in the field of visual merchandising.
VITRINISTIKA.RU - A leading information project in RuNet about window dressing, retail design and visual merchandising inside the store. www.vitrinistika.ru
Betting on a product or idea?
The crisis has not stopped big corporations, niche brands and luxury sellers from bold window dressing ideas. Thus, they advertise a lifestyle they dictate rather than a product. Instead of the usual set of shoes and handbags behind the glass of the showcase, there may be ... a model or a famous person, not so much advertising the product as attracting attention. Such performances really work for the store's image and brand awareness, but so far no one has calculated the profit in monetary units from such promotions. Do not forget that such design "liberties" are not always allowed and not for everyone. Our task is to present products in a favorable light, to differentiate ourselves from competitors and to increase sales. And here classic techniques work.
Refuse window dressing can only those whose window opens the store completely, and the store itself looks so impressive that it can do without additional "information" attributes to attract the attention of customers. If you are not among the lucky owners of such commercial real estate, you will have to think about seasonal window dressing.
Need an idea: composing a plot
Even if you are betting on the product itself in the window dressing, this does not mean that you should abandon the minimum scenario, the general idea of decoration. The showcase should have a theme - a plot around which your entire presentation is built. The main elements in the first place will be the embodiment of our associations on the topic of shop windows. Here you should not be afraid of stereotyped decisions. Suppose you have chosen the theme of "Vacation", "Travel", "Rest", etc., then the main elements can be palm trees, the sea, seagulls, suitcases, traveler's tags, tickets and everything that relates to this topic. Theme "Sport"? Choose a pedestal, cups, medals, sports equipment, etc. for window dressing. Correctly selected posters with images of athletes, competitions, any attributes of this topic will support the story. Having shown imagination, we can achieve very inexpensive solutions. This proves that even with the simplest materials you can make a commercial display case.
But, the crisis is not a reason to trust this work to the seller, who is bored in the absence of an influx of visitors. However, ideas born locally are sometimes competitive. So one of the readers of Shoes Report talked about her find: to promote the summer collection, she created an impromptu installation before entering the store: she poured sea pebbles, laid out beach toys for children ... It was easy to interest such objects ... children, and their mothers, such a creative approach prompted a peek into the store. And then it was up to the sellers to interest them in goods and not let them go without buying. An example is not for imitation, but rather for inspiration and assertion of the fact that it is possible to find inexpensive, but effective solutions.
Can save
The approaches to window dressing can be different, but there are certain points that must always be considered: the use of color, compositional solution, focal points, graphics, etc. Without a twinge of conscience, you can repeatedly use demonstration equipment, and as for the scenery, here from repetitions should refrain.
Speaking about decorative elements, it should be remembered that it is not always necessary to use expensive materials. An experienced showcase will always find how to save money, for example, by integrating into the showcase natural materials that can be obtained for free. But you should not get carried away with this either. Everything is good in moderation.
An interesting version of the budget design was implemented by the window-dressers of the Patchi boutique selling chocolate. Designers worked with the packaging, using branded pouch packages of different sizes.
But do not slip into the banal calculation of all the best and the best: such overloaded display cases have long been dubbed "Chinese merchandising." It is important to maintain balance, and not to overdo it with decorative elements.
Particular attention should be paid to lighting. This is exactly what you should not save on. Otherwise, the most successful solutions may look dull and completely “don't work”.
Great examples of a budget but eye-catching window dressing are the work of Stephanie Moisan for John Lobb stores (Geneva).
Shopping center and street-shop: we take into account the features
The difference in window dressing is primarily in determining the level of focal points. A focal point is what the passerby’s eyes first fall on. The windows of the shopping center “start” from the floor, and the street ones are higher, so they must have different decisions on the location of the goods, equipment, decorations. In the shopping center, respectively, higher. The second distinguishing feature is the depth of the display case. As a rule, there is almost no depth in the shopping center. What to do? Need to increase it!
How to stand out against the general background when a shopping center is an endless series of uniform display cases? First of all, you need to build on the environment. You can work with color: if everyone has bright showcases, you can go in pastel colors or in general in monochrome, as an option, but this is for the bold. Color is the easiest way.
It makes sense to analyze the number and methods of demonstrating graphics in the windows of neighbors (images and inscriptions). Do not get carried away with the inscriptions "1 + 1 = 1", etc. - they no longer work. If the number of decorative elements is small, do not grind with them. It is better to use large elements in very small quantities than small elements in a small ...
How to draw up price tags
The price tags in the display case should look universal. Ideally, on a single sheet, the list contains all the positions that are present in the window. A prerequisite is one font and one size. It makes sense to pay attention to the price tags in the windows of network fashion brands (Gant, Mango, CK) - they have everything done correctly.
Three Main Trends in Visual Merchandising Based on Events
Trade equipment in a modern shoe and accessories store
Should a shoe store spend money on digital screens?
Mistakes in the lighting of the sales area that spoil the impression of a shoe store
Technical aspects of display space and current trends in its design
Five fashionable models of men's shoes: forecast for the autumn-winter season 2024/25
Trend analysts and fashion trend forecasters have already formulated their concepts of what will be worn in the next cold season, having analyzed hundreds of looks from dozens of shows at fashion weeks in Milan, London, New York and Paris. Fashion Consulting Group trend expert Maria Shchennikova has prepared a checklist of fashionable shoes especially for SR. In the previous issue, we gave a selection of five trendy models of women's shoes for the fall-winter 2024/25 season. And in this issue, we will tell you about five trendy models of men's shoes: updated oxfords, loafers with decor, shoes with straps (very reminiscent of the women's model of Mary Jane shoes), minimalist boots, wallabee boots. The article is based on materials from the global online trend bureau FashionSnoops.com.
Online and offline - eternal battle or cooperation?
The rapid growth of the category "Clothing and footwear" on marketplaces makes us think about the decline in consumer interest in purchasing goods in traditional fashion retail. However, according to experts from Fashion Consulting Group, the existence of alternative retail channels should not be perceived as a confrontation, but rather, as an opportunity for combination and cooperation, and, as a result, sales growth.
How to Increase Shoe Sales in a Retail Store by 25% Through Effective Management
Almost every retail company has effective and ineffective salespeople, that is, those who always fulfill and exceed the sales plan and those who fall short of one hundred percent month after month. And as a result, the entire store's sales plan sag. How to motivate and teach lagging salespeople to work effectively? Why does a "bad" salesperson mean that the store has a bad manager, who is not ready to take responsibility? And why, in order to be a profitable store, should the result come first, compliance with regulations and sales standards come second, and people come third? SR expert and business trainer Evgeny Danchev answers questions and analyzes mistakes in managing a team of salespeople.
We are waiting for you at the Euro Shoes exhibition on August 26-29
The international exhibition of footwear and accessories Euro Shoes premiere collection starts in Moscow next Monday. Euro Shoes will be held in the capital's Expo Center from August 26 to 29 in alliance with the leading international clothing exhibition CPM Moscow. In one place and on the same dates, both exhibitions will bring together a large number of visitors, buyers and fashion industry professionals from Russia and the CIS countries.
Global footwear production down by 1,5 billion pairs in 2023
According to statistics from the World Footwear Yearbook 2024, the annual analytical bulletin of the Portuguese Footwear Association, global footwear production fell by 6% last year to 22,4 billion pairs. And global footwear exports decreased by 9,1% year-on-year, to 14 billion pairs, writes Worldfootwear.com.
The business program of the EURO SHOES exhibition will take place on August 28
After a break, the business program returns to the EURO SHOES premiere collection exhibition. It will take place on August 28 in pavilion 8.4 of the Expocentre, from 12:00 to 17:00.
How to determine the effectiveness of a shoe business
Today, most entrepreneurs calculate and analyze their business performance indicators. However, about 30% either do not do this or do not understand anything about it (but would like to understand this issue and start working with performance indicators). Maria Gerasimenko, an expert in the field of fashion business management and development and a regular author of SR, has prepared material especially for the readers of the magazine about what business performance indicators to rely on, how they help, how to calculate and control them so that the profitability of your business does not fall below 10%. After all, as you know, the rule of a bank deposit says: "If your business brings less profitability than a bank deposit, then it does not make sense."
EXTR4 - a new shoe brand from Italy at the EURO SHOES exhibition
Imagine a world where the barriers between urban style and athletic performance disappear, where shoes become more than just an accessory, but an integral part of your personality and lifestyle. This is the world of EXTR4, a new shoe brand from Italy created for men and women who live active, full lives.
PETER KAISER IS BACK! The oldest shoe brand in Europe will again be presented in Russia, Caprice Vostok CEO Viktor Kunz spoke about this in an exclusive interview with SR
"Peter Kaiser is back!" – with this slogan, the German brand Caprice opens the spring-summer 2025 season. At the end of December 2023, it became known that Caprice acquired Peter Kaiser, one of the oldest, rich in tradition and most respected shoe brands in Europe. Caprice will continue the unique history of the Peter Kaiser brand and retain its essence. The new owner promises to maintain maximum comfort and quality of shoe materials, a younger audience will be attracted, and prices will become very attractive. “In the mid-price segment, Caprice and I offer excellent value for money. Thanks to the Peter Kaiser trademark, registered in more than 70 countries around the world, we will be able to position ourselves in a higher price segment. The lower and luxury segments are dominated by vertically integrated suppliers. The segment with the greatest potential for our non-vertical partners is in between. This is where Caprice and Peter Kaiser will be positioned,” says Managing Director of CAPRICE Schuhproduktion GmbH & Co. KG Jurgen Kölsch.
Euro Shoes was a huge success in Moscow
The international exhibition of footwear and accessories Euro Shoes premiere collection was held in Moscow from August 26 to 29 at the Expocentre. Organizers and participants of the professional exhibition note the high level of attendance and business activity. Euro Shoes has once again become a center of attraction for professional buyers from different cities and regions of Russia and from the CIS countries.
Making the right diagnosis. 10 ways to quickly identify your customers' "pains"
Have you ever thought about how your offer on the website of an online store, on marketplaces is perceived by the buyer? How deeply and well do you know the needs of your target audience and the fears of your customers? SR expert in digital marketing and creating a unique brand selling proposition Tatyana Vasilyeva answers these questions and also gives recommendations on how to avoid typical mistakes in the product card, how not to make a description, photos and videos, and how to avoid unnecessary expenses in the design of your product.
Heading towards Moscow - development of the MASCOTTE chain in a new concept
The brand of shoes, clothing and accessories Mascotte continues to actively develop the network in a new concept. Updated spaces appeared in Moscow in the VEGAS KASHIRSKOE shopping center on the 1st floor (area more than 300 m²) and the Vesna shopping center on the 1st floor (area more than 400 m²). By the end of 2024, openings are planned in the Botanica Mall mixed-use complex on the 1st floor (area more than 400 m²) and in the ODIPARK shopping center on the 1st floor (area more than 300 m²). In 2025, the brand plans to continue to expand its network of branded salons in a new concept through consistent and methodical openings in new shopping centers and rebranding of current salons with relocation to larger areas.
Louis Vuitton opens a new factory in Italy
Louis Vuitton has opened its second shoe factory in Italy. After opening the first one in Fiesso d'Artico in Veneto, the LVMH flagship brand has just opened a new production site dedicated to this category of footwear in the industrial zone of Civitano in the Marche region. There is also another brand production facility in Tuscany, where bags and leather accessories are produced, writes fr.fashionnetwork.com.
The international footwear exhibition Euro Shoes premiere collection was successfully held in Moscow
Russia's largest exhibition of footwear and accessories, Euro Shoes, was held in Moscow from February 19 to 22 and again became the main meeting place for fashion brands and buyers.
CAPRICE acquired PETER KAISER, one of Europe's most traditional footwear brands
Shoe manufacturer CAPRICE from Pirmasens has acquired the PETER KAISER brand, one of the oldest and most respected women's shoe brands in Europe. Caprice will continue the unique history of the PETER KAISER brand and preserve the essence of the brand. At the same time, maximum comfort and quality of materials will be maintained, a younger audience will be attracted, and prices will become more attractive.
A new look at Giotto. Interview with the head of the company Vladimir Timofeev
The corner of the Russian women's shoe brand Giotto in the fashionable metropolitan department store Trend Island became the first application of a famous Moscow shoe factory to develop and promote its own brand. Until now, the company has focused on sewing shoes for third-party customers and large retailers. Shoes Report spoke with the head of Giotto, Vladimir Timofeev, about its new strategy and the prospects for domestic production.
Sales through marketplaces. Growth points and pitfalls
Over the past few years, marketplaces have been actively growing, taking away share from offline retail. And shoe brands are eager to sell their products through these online platforms, hoping to earn a lot more and scale their business. Marketplaces really take on a lot (issues of logistics, delivery, returns, promotion in search engines), but everything is as ideal and rosy as it seems to beginners. Inexpensive traffic and regular sales come at the cost of risks and fines. SR expert in sales management and strategic development of fashion brands, business consultant Daniya Tkacheva talks about growth points and pitfalls of working with marketplaces.
The Euro Shoes@CAF exhibition will be held in Almaty
From March 11 to 13, the Euro Shoes@CAF (Central Asia Fashion) exhibition will be held in Almaty at the Atakent exhibition complex. The exhibition, which is the largest international event in the fashion industry in Central Asia, will present collections of clothing, shoes and accessories.
Turkish brand Vaneda on Euro Shoes
Street style, sport, outdoor, military – the main style directions of footwear of the company from Turkey
We are ready for active development in the Russian market
Friedrich Naumann, CEO of the Tamaris brand, told Shoes Report about the company’s ambitious plans, business development in Russia and expansion of the retail network, and also shared details about new collections and launches.
Why is it so important to work with customer reviews, analyze them and use them in your work?
Customer reviews are of great, invaluable importance when selling a product. However, many companies do not always understand this: they do not collect reviews, respond only to positive ones and do not work with negative ones. This is a big mistake and omission of the brand. In this article, together with SR digital marketing expert Tatyana Vasilyeva, we understand the intricacies and nuances of working with customer reviews and explain why it is worth paying attention to your customer reviews, and how this can increase your sales.
Shoe educational program: what shoe soles are made of
“What is the difference between TEP and EVA? What does tunit promise me? Is PVC glue? What is the sole of these shoes made of? ”- the modern buyer wants to know everything. In order not to smash his face in front of him and be able to explain whether such a sole suits him in soles, carefully read this article. In it, process engineer Igor Okorokov tells what materials the soles of shoes are made of and what makes each of them so good.
How to set prices that will earn
Some businessmen still confuse the concept of margin with the concept of trade margins and set prices for their goods, guided solely by the example of competitors. No wonder they go broke! Analyst at the Academy of Retail Technologies Maxim Gorshkov gives several tips and formulas with which you can set not only ruinous, but also profitable prices.
Sales of shoes and accessories: effective techniques for business rhetoric
Which speech modules are effective in communicating with potential and current customers of shoe stores, and which are not, Anna Bocharova, a business consultant, knows.
We form the salary of sellers: expert advice
“How do you charge your consultants for personal or general sales?” Is one of the most popular questions causing a lot of controversy and gossip on the online forums of retail business owners. Indeed, how to properly form the earnings of sellers? But what about bonuses, where to get a sales plan from, do employees allow them to buy goods at discounted stores? In search of truth, the Shoes Report turned to a dozen shoe retailers, but no company wanted to disclose its motivation system - the process of its development was too complicated and individual. Then we asked four business consultants, and finally became convinced that the topic of seller motivation is very complex, because even our experts could not come to a common opinion.
Technology Selling Issues
There is nothing worse than meeting the buyer with the words “Hello, can I help you with something?”, Because the seller works in the store just to help. Criticizing this well-established pattern of communication with the buyer, Andrei Chirkarev, business coach for effective sales and the founder of the New Economy project, shares the technology of truly selling issues with readers of Shoes Report.
The whole truth about Bayer. Who is he and how to become one?
Bayer is no longer a new, but still a popular and sought-after profession. It’s fashionable to be a buyer. Buyers are at the origins of the emergence and development of trends. If the designer offers his vision of fashion in the season, then the buyer selects the most interesting commercial ideas. It is on buyers that the policy of sales of stores and what, in the end, the buyer will wear depends on. This profession is surrounded by a magical fleur, often associated with a lack of understanding of what exactly is the work of a buyer.
Fur, and not only: types of lining
In the production of winter footwear, various materials are used that are designed to retain heat and meet the requirements of consumers: natural sheepleather, artificial fur, artificial fur from natural wool and others. All types of lining fur have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let's consider the properties of each of them.
The best models of Czech shoes of the past
In Soviet times, for shoes from Czechoslovakia sold under the Cebo brand, customers stood in line for four hours and did not regret it, because Czech shoes were considered to be of high quality, comfortable and fashionable. Shoe designer Juraj Shushka shared a photo archive of his collection with Shoes Report magazine, which contains the most interesting Cebo models from the 1940's to the 1980's.
Retail Arithmetic
Before you begin to solve specific problems, you need to find out how accurately all the leaders of your company understand the basic terminology of retail.
How to fire a worker without tears, scandal and trial
Sooner or later, any manager is faced with the need to part with an employee. Properly and on time the dismissal procedure will save the company money, and the boss himself - nerves and time. But why sometimes, knowing that a break in relations is inevitable, we put off the decision for months?
