Intelligent Furniture Project TP 3 Theme 4.5 - New forms and spaces for comunication 26/01/2011

1. Intelligent Furniture Project TP 3 Theme 4.5 - New forms and spaces for comunication 26/01/2011

2. ORIGIN AND PHILOSOPHY OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING IN 1976, AT THE HEIGHT OF A DEPARTMENT STORE CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES, A BOOK CALLED "VISUAL MERCHANDISING“ WAS PUBLISHED THAT WAS AIMED AT RETAILERS.SOME OF THEM, INCLUDING BLOOMINGDALE’S, BEGAN TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR DISTINGUISHING THEMSELVES FROM THE COMPETITION.THE ROLE OF PRODUCTS IN THE SHOPS HAS CHANGED FROM SIMPLY "BEING DISPLAY” TO '"ATTRACTING", WITH THE AIM OF WINNING THE CHALLENGE LAUNCHED BY COMPETITORS, CAPTURING, TAPPING AND ADDRESSING THE CUSTOMER’S DESIRE WISH TO BUY. THE PHILOSOPHY OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING IS A STRATEGY AIMED AT VISUALLY ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS AND THAT IS TRANSLATED BYPLANNING AND PRESENTING PRODUCTS,GIVING IMPORTANCE TO THE CUSTOMER’S POINT OF VIEW AND SENSITIVITY. SPECIFICALLY, ENHANCING THE VISUAL ESSENCE OF PRODUCTS THAT INFLUENCE THE CUSTOMER’S CONSENT AND ENTHUSIASM INCREASES THE DESIRE TO BUY.

3. VISUAL-MERCHANDISING IS A STRATEGY FOR PRESENTING MERCHANDISE THAT MAKES USE OF VISUAL TECHNIQUES. TODAY VISUAL-MERCHANDISING IS DEFINED AS “THOSE VISUAL ELEMENTS MANAGED AND PRESENTED ON THE MERCHANDISING AXIS IN THE CIRCULATION OF PRODUCTS, TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A CLIENTEL AND INCREASE DEMAND”. THE OBJECTIVE OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISINGIS TO PRESENT PRODUCTS ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO CERTAIN FORMATS THAT ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, LEVERAGING THE VALUE OF EACH PRODUCT AND OF COMMUNICATING THROUGH THEM, USING INFORMATION AND DATA.

4. EFFECTS OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING • THE ADVANTAGES OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING ARE : • BUILDING A BRAND IDENTITY, OFFERING A CLEAR IMAGE OF THE BRAND. • STRENGTHENING THE IMAGE AND DIFFERENTIATING IT FROM THE • COMPETITION. • INCREASE SALES FOLLWING CUSTOMER REQUESTS AND CURRENT • TRENDS. • STRESSING THE CUSTOMER’S DESIRE TO BUY THROUGH A VISUALLY • ATTRACTIVE PRODUCT. • SIMPLICATION OF SALES TASKS THROUGH A CLEAR DISPLAY OF THE • PRODUCT.

5. VISUAL-MERCHANDISING BASICS • THE VISUAL-MERCHANDISING BASICS NECESSARY FOR PLANNING ARE: • SHOP LAYOUT • CUSTOMER FLOW ROUTES • SUBDIVIDED INTO ZONES • MERCHANDISING PLAN. • THE ACTIVITIES OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING ARE: • CREATION OF COMFORTABLE AND ATTRACTIVE SALES ROOMS, • THANKS TO AN EXHAUSTIVE DISPLAY OF MERCHANDISE • ANALYSIS AND DISPLAY OF THE PRODUCT (WHICH PRODUCT TO DISPLAY, • WHAT THEME) • DEVELOPMENT OF VISUAL PRESENTATIONS IN THE STORE.

6. DISPLAY THE PRODUCT WHERE THE CUSTOMER CAN SEE IT, ENHANCING ALL THE INTERESTING FEATURES THAT CHARACTERISE IT. DURING AND AFTER THE AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING, LOOK AROUND EYES OF THE CUSTOMER TO TELL IF YOU'VE REACHED OUR GOAL (PROMOTION OF NEW PRODUCTS, THE WORST SELLER OF BRAND RECOGNITION. IN ORDER TO OFFER A NEW VIEW ON PRODUCTS AND GIVE A NOVEL TOUCH TO THE SHOP, IT IS NECESSARY NOT ONLY TO MAKE KNWO THE LATEST INNOVATIONS OF THE BRAND BUT ALSO TO REGULARLY CHANGE THE REGULAR MERCHANDISE LAYOUT. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF VISUAL-MERCHANDISING CAN STIMULATE CUSTOMER DESIRES. INDEED MANY ENTER A SHOP NOT ONLY TO BUY SOMETHING BUT ALSO TO ENJOY THE SETTING, IN SEARCH OF NOVELTY.. FOR THIS REASON, IT IS NECESSARY TO PROMPTLY CHANGE BOTH THE SHOP WINDOW AND THE INTERNAL SET-UP OF THE SHOP ROTATING THE PRODUCT ON THE BASIS OF CUSTOMER REQUESTS OR OF THE PERIOD IN WHICH IT IS FOUND.

7. SHOP WINDOWS • THE SHOP WINDOW IS: • THE DISPLAY SPACE OF THE SALES POINT. • OUR BUSINESS CARD. • THE STRONGEST TYPE OF PUBLICITY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. • DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN US AND OUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS. • A COST: IT MUST GIVE US AN ECONOMIC RETURN BEYOND THAT OF IMAGE.

8. THE SHOP WINDOW COMMUNICATES WHAT WE SELL, THE ASSORTMENT THAT WE HAVE AND WHO CAN TURN TO US. IT TRANSMITS MANY MORE MESSAGES THAT WE MIGHT IMAGINE : LUXURY RICHNESS STYLE ESCLUSIVITT TRENDS ACCORING TO HOW WE CREATE IT AND HOW OFTEN WE CHANGE IT.

9. THE OBJECTIVE OF A SHOP WINDOW • BEFORE THINKING OF THE SHOP WINDOW’S SET-UP, IT IS NECESSARY TO ASK • OURSELVES WHAT OUR OBJECTIVES : • STYLE THAT IT WILL HAVE TO HAVE, • PRODUCT THAT WILL EMBODY THAT STYLE, • DEMAND FOR THE PRODUCT, • MESSAGE TO THE CONSUMER • TARGET CUSTOMER

10. ONE OF THE HUMAN SENSES THAT LETS US TAKE NOTE OF WHAT SURROUNDS US IS VISION. WHEN WE STARE AT A POINT, THE AREA THAT WE SEE IS DEFINED AS THE “FIELD OF VISION” . WHEN WE ARE STILL, OUR FIELD OF VISION IS ABOUT A 60°, ALTHOUGH, WITH GREATER CONCENTRATION, THE FIELD CAN BE NARROWED. WHILE WALKING, THE VISUAL FIELD IS LESS AND GOES DOWN TO 30 °. ACCORDING TO BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE, WHEN WE LOOK IN SHOP WINDOWS, WE ARE MOVING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 80-100 CM/SEC. THIS MEANS THAT IF A SHOP WINDOW IN 100 CM LONG, THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO SEE IT IS EQUAL TO 1 SECOND. CONSEQUENTLY, IT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO CAPTURE THE CUSTOMER’S INTERST UTILIZING CLEAR INFORMATION THAT CAN BE SEEN IN A FEW SECONDS.

11. FOR ALL PERCEPTIVE ACTIVITY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ORIENT THE OBSERVER IN FRONT • OF A DISPLAY SPACE. • SHOP WINDOWS MUST THEREFORE BE HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE, REPRESENTING THE • BRAND AT ITS BEST AND PROMOTING THE PRODUCT WITH A STRONG ELEGANT AND • EFFECTIVE MESSAGE. • IN ADDITION TO THE SHOP WINDOW, THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE PART OF THE DISPLAY • SPACE IS THE SHOP ENTRANCE THAT DETERMINES THE CUSTOMER’S FIRST IMPRESSION. • FOR THIS REASON, IT IS NECESSARY TO OCCUPY THIS SPACE AND MAINTAIN THE SAME • ATMOSPHERE AS THE SHOP WINDOW BY EMBODYING THE SAME CODES : • LUXURY • ELEGANCE • STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS