Halloween is an interesting holiday for many different types of retailers. Although there are very few businesses that sell items directly associated with Halloween, there's a chance for a wide variety of retailers to get in on the action. Adding a touch of the sentiments associated with the holiday – whether legitimately scary, goofy and spooky or somewhere in between – can help retailers bring in customers with an engaging display in the front window or the threshold of the store.
Here are a few different visual merchandising tactics that business owners can consider and adapt to the attitude and wares offered by their own operations:
- Mix in props: Most retailers have some kind of featured display of products at any given time, and it's not uncommon for there to be multiple displays in a single store. Whether a showcase focuses on sale items or new stock for the upcoming season, tying in a theme to these displays can easily improve both timeliness and engagement with customers. Using props and decor to set the stage for a Halloween-themed display is relatively easy, as some inexpensive decorations from a seasonal store can be paired with the more substantial – and reusable – items provided by a retail fixture specialist.
- Add to mannequins: For sellers of clothing and accessories, using mannequins and body forms is an everyday occurrence. Incorporating these display pieces into a Halloween-themed showcase is easy enough and there are many different options available. Mixing in pieces of an inexpensive Halloween costume with mannequins is one option, as is decorating them with washable paints and inks. A good way to test the non-permanence of an ink or paint is to apply it to an area unseen by customers, such as the bottom of the foot or base of a body form.
- Theme the sales: Retailers planning a sale or other promotion can also tie these into the Halloween themed displays. Something as simple as calling the event a "Halloween sale" and having products featured in a display that has a basic or involved holiday theme can pique a customer's interest. This piece of advice is especially useful if a business is already planning a promotion for the time period and has some of the materials on hand to theme the effort.
Halloween is an overall theme that can be changed to suit the needs of many different retailers. Consider using one of the pieces of advice above to get into the spirit of the holiday and attract customers.
