Deconstructing a Big Box Store

I visit a lot of retailers every month – big boxes, independents, chains, you name it – to see what’s new in merchandise and, more importantly, how it’s being presented on the sales floor. I study displays, assortments, adjacencies and signing because walking a store with fresh eyes is one of the fastest ways to spark new ideas.

So, let’s take a walk through a big-box craft retailer and talk about how you can tweak what they’re doing to work in your own store.

Outside the Front Door

Big box: Before you even step inside, you’re forced to navigate oversized dump bins crammed with sale and seasonal merchandise. This can either set expectations for great deals or immediately put shoppers into bargain-hunter mode. Done right, exterior merchandising can move volume. Done poorly, it looks chaotic and invites shoppers to keep walking.

Indie tweak: If you merchandise outside your store, those displays must look as good as what’s inside. Dump bins cheapen product, so unless you’re blowing out last-chance inventory, skip them. First impressions matter; “bargain basement” is rarely the vibe independents want remembered for.

First Encounters

Big box: The first interior fixture was an end feature attached to a short gondola run. Endcaps are fine for promotions, but they’re not attention-grabbers. Most shoppers walked right past without slowing down.

Indie tweak: Speed bumps – small, often stacking tables – should be front and center, the first displays shoppers see. This is prime real estate. Use it to tell stories and spotlight product you don’t want anyone to miss. Cross-merchandise to encourage multiple purchases and boost your average sale. Layer crates, baskets or risers to add height and texture without breaking the bank.

Make an Opening Statement

Big box: In addition to the end feature, this store led with a merchandise outpost as its focal point, displaying product outside of where you would normally expect to find it. It’s another way to cross-merchandise with purpose.

This outpost screamed “spring.” Overhead signage formed a square “corral” that drew shoppers in, while gondolas and specialty fixtures overflowed with rabbits, baskets, wreaths and home décor. It was colorful, cohesive and effective.

Indie tweak: Merchandise outposts absolutely work in independent stores – I know because I’ve installed plenty of them. Keep them small but intentional. Think paints and accessories where shoppers would not expect to find them on your sales floor or create a vignette, like an artist’s workspace, then surround it with the tools and supplies used in the scene. Try one at the start of every new season.

Signing That Sells

Big box: This store nailed signing. Zone one (high overhead) directed traffic. Zone two (just above eye level) handled marketing and promotions. And zone three – the most important – was used generously throughout the floor.

Eye level is buy level. Zone three signage lives at eye level (about 4 feet to 5 feet, 4 inches) and does the heavy lifting: features, benefits, prices and ideas for what shoppers can create. Fonts should be clean, readable and at least 30-point so customers can easily scan without hunting for reading glasses.

While we’re on eye level, remember that fixtures have four buying zones:

Big box: The cashwrap sat to the right with a queue that guided shoppers through candy and other low-priced impulse items. Shoppers were surrounded by easy add-ons while waiting to check out.Indie tweak: If your entrance is centered, don’t put your cashwrap front and right. That’s lakefront property, the most valuable selling space you own. Instead, place it at the front left, the natural end of the shopping journey or at the center of the store, about 20 feet in.

You can create a queue with low shelving or stacked crates and load it with easy, lower-priced, high-margin add-ons. Women are powerhouse impulse buyers, so don’t let her stop shopping while she waits. Add small signs for gift cards, item of the day/week/month, your newsletter and social media. And if you are lucky enough to have a wall behind your cashwrap, use it to display irresistible items or whatever is hot at the moment.

There’s a lot to learn from visiting other retailers, especially big box stores with deep pockets and dedicated merchandising teams. Walk competitors’ floors at least once a month. Be a customer. Talk to associates. Browse their websites and social medias. With a creative eye, you’ll leave with dozens of ideas you can tweak to delight your own customers.

Georganne Bender is a nationally recognized speaker, author and consultant who helps organizations drive measurable growth through smarter, more engaging customer experiences. A five-time RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert and RetailWire BrainTrust panelist, Georganne helps shape the conversations that define the future of retail.