Merchandising: definition, types and application examples

Online marketing is the name given to the set of techniques and strategies to sell and promote products and/or services on the Internet. These techniques and strategies are focused on finding the appropriate market niche and ensuring that visits to a website are transformed into sales or subscriptions. 

Merchandising: what is it and what does it consist of?

When we talk about merchandising , we refer to the practice of showing the products we want to sell to customers , whether physically or digitally. Usually, the objective of this popular technique is to capture the customer’s attention so that they make a purchase, although it can also be used to promote the brand and do branding .      

What is merchandising for?

There are several benefits that merchandising can bring you : 

  • It can help you liquidate accumulated stock .  

  • It will enhance the effects of an advertising campaign.

  • It will increase footfall in your establishment.

  • It will improve the satisfaction and loyalty of your customers . 

  • Your brand will have greater recognition.

  • You will achieve greater profits.

Where merchandising is applied and how to do it

Now, where is merchandising applied ? The truth is that there are three common contexts where it can be developed: 

  • Within the point of sale:  That is, inside a physical store. For example, if you’ve ever wondered what a shelf is in merchandising , you’ll be surprised to know that it’s a concept you’re more familiar with than you think: it’s the display space on each shelf where products are presented in a row. 

  • Outside the point of sale:  In this case, it is very important to know what visual merchandising is , since this concept refers to the strategies that allow us to make the facade and windows of our store more visible. 

  • In a virtual environment:  Maybe this takes you a little by surprise, but yes: merchandising has also landed in the world of ecommerce . Basically, it refers to some marketing strategies that try to improve the customer experience, increase sales or promote products, at the digital point of sale.   

Merchandising strategies

Now that we know where to apply merchandising , let’s see some ways and tricks to implement it: 

  • Review the lighting inside your establishment according to your objective: create an intimate atmosphere, highlight a product, offer clarity, etc.

  • It is also important that you check the lighting on your façade and set up an attractive showcase.

  • Set the mood for your establishment with music, at an appropriate volume, that responds to the style of your target . 

  • Place the featured products so that they are at the customer’s eye level.

  • Select the items to be displayed carefully, so that you do not overwhelm the client with an excess of options.

  • Plan product tasting and demonstration sessions.

  • Create spaces whose atmosphere and aesthetics are conducive to sharing on social networks.

  • Implement interactive digital techniques that improve the consumer experience.

  • Hire influencers who talk about your product in their profiles.  

You already know what merchandising is and how it can help you in your business to attract consumer attention and increase sales, so we encourage you to create a marketing strategy, whether in a physical store or online, with these strategies.