When it comes to visual merchandising, selling products often starts well before customers walk into the store. Businesses should combine a great display window with wonderful signage that complements the atmosphere of the location. For example, if the store focuses on having a very old world, European vibe, then using signs with chalkboard elements can give the appearance of a small luxury shop. Art shops can especially benefit from chalkboards because they are selling products to artists, and likely the owners themselves are good at drawing and painting, and so having poster boards and other tools for doing art inside the store will emphasize a point about the art shop being owned by artists.
Decorating the interior
Other things having to do with improving a store's appearance include with making sure the store itself is beautiful even without the clothes and other items being sold. This means having great props, retail display fixtures and decor. Set up fancy displays that take advantage of what customers might expect. For a more trendy place, using glass and steel to emulate a modern look would be a good idea, but for a store that has more of a cheerful, urban vibe – the kind of place someone might drop by to have a look around once in a while because it's part of the local artists' community – then using more naturalistic props, such as baskets or tins may be better. With the range of items available, the options are ultimately limitless, and everything is at the discretion of the owners.
The interior of a store should flow from the outside – be sure to have a space right in the doorway where someone can feel like he or she is entering a new place that promises an exciting, magical experience. For example, putting a rice paper screen directly in front of the entrance, so someone is confronted with something to walk around, will prevent shoppers from seeing the whole interior of a store at once, giving an impression of space cleverly used.
Remember that even discounted items should be lavished with attention, so that tables with bargain bins should have table covers and warm-toned baskets that people can look around for deals in. This will ensure that everything in the store feels precious – not only the most expensive items.
