The retail landscape is highly competitive, which means those in the consumer product industry are always looking for effective ways to differentiate their products from others. Well-designed retail displays can showcase products effectively and enhance the shopping experience for customers. In-store sales represent 85% of retail revenue in the United States — this means in-store marketing efforts for food and beverages are still effective, even with limited ways of measuring success.
Learn how to boost sales with creative food and beverage retail displays by knowing what attracts consumers and keeps them engaged in the store.
How Do Displays Increase Sales?
In-store displays are a critical aspect of retail strategy, particularly for food retailers. Consumers buy with their eyes first, then their hands. Visual merchandising presents products in a way that attracts customers, enhances their shopping experience and ultimately drives sales.
The following strategies highlight the importance of visual merchandising for food retailers:
- First impressions: Attractive presentations make products more appealing by capturing attention and informing customers about special offers.
- Strategic placement: Effective visual merchandising ensures that high-demand or high-margin products are placed prominently, making them more visible to shoppers and increasing the likelihood of purchase.
- Design aspects: The right colors and creative designs can make products stand out on shelves, helping differentiate items in a crowded marketplace.
- Cohesive themes: A well-thought-out visual merchandising strategy ensures that all displays align with your brand’s overall theme, reinforcing its values and mission.
- Organized layouts: Visual merchandising organizes products logically, making it easier for customers to find what they need in different store layouts.
- Increased conversion rates: Attractive displays can lead to higher conversion rates. They entice customers to purchase items they might not have considered before, including those who like to shop in physical stores to discover new products and disconnect from the digital world.
Beverage and Food Display Tips
Creating effective beverage and food retail displays provides an opportunity to enhance your brand’s identity and competitiveness in the market. Here are some valuable tips for designing creative and engaging displays:
Use Effective Display Design Principles
Ensuring your displays remain fresh and appealing throughout the year requires a thoughtful approach to design principles, especially when dealing with oddly shaped or small spaces. Here are the best practices for three key design elements:
- Visual hierarchy: Create a clear focal point in your display that draws the eye. You can achieve this by placing the most important or high-margin products at eye level, using larger items to anchor the display or integrating distinctive lighting to highlight these items.
- Color psychology: Different colors can evoke different emotions and reactions, which may influence buying decisions. Develop a color palette that aligns with your brand identity or use contrasting colors to make key products stand out. Ensure that text on signage is legible against any background colors.
- Rule of thirds: Apply this design principle to define different zones within your display for various product categories. Balance heavier or larger items with lighter or smaller items. This creates a harmonious look that feels intentional rather than cluttered.
Tell a Story
A well-crafted retail display can serve as a powerful storytelling tool that engages customers on an emotional level.
Start by clearly defining your brand story or core message. This could include the brand’s origins, values, mission or the journey of the products from source to shelf. Understanding this narrative can help you create a cohesive display.
Next, determine the themes or emotions you want to convey through the display, such as:
- Sustainability
- Community
- Tradition
- Comfort
- Innovation
Then, design the display around the specific theme. For instance, a health-focused food brand might create a display that mimics a garden setting to evoke freshness and natural ingredients. On the other hand, a coffee brand could create a cozy morning scene with mugs, pastries and newspapers to evoke feelings of comfort and routine.
The last step is to place products in a way that tells a story about their use or purpose. Product placement methods include:
- Logical grouping: Place products alongside complementary items. For example, pasta products are often grouped with sauces, cheeses and utensils.
- Hierarchical arrangement: In this case, flagship products are prominently featured while supporting items are placed around them.
- Sequential flow: This type of product display guides customers through different aspects of the story — like raw ingredients at one end transitioning to finished dishes at the other end.
Create Seasonal Themes for Promotions
Creating seasonal themes for promotions on retail displays is a powerful strategy in food and beverage retailing that can significantly boost sales. Consumers like to see something new and creative every time they go to their favorite stores, as it means new stock or exciting promotions are in.
Here are some ideas to integrate seasonal themes and promotions into food and beverage displays:
- Seasonal changes: Shoppers are often surprised and delighted by changes in displays and decor, especially with seasonal changes and holidays.
- Local events: Create themed displays around local events, such as major sporting events, to enhance relevance and engagement.
- New products or ranges: In-store displays serve as an excellent platform for highlighting new products, generating curiosity among customers.
- Limited-time offers: Retail displays can create urgency with seasonal discounts, exclusive products or limited-edition items.
Incorporate Interactive Elements
Adding interactive elements to retail displays can significantly enhance customer engagement and product trials, especially for food and beverages. Here are a few approaches to integrating interactive elements:
- Sampling stations: Offer samples of your product on your display so customers can taste before purchasing. This strategy is particularly effective for new or seasonal products. It can help attract new customers and build loyalty with existing fans.
- DIY stations: Create DIY stations where customers can customize their food or beverage items to encourage interaction and personalization. For example, customers can build their own smoothies.
- Informative signage: Use engaging graphics and signage that invites interaction, such as “try me” signs or interactive QR codes that lead shoppers to recipes or cooking tips.
Boost Your Sales With Creative Displays Now
Custom retail displays allow your brand to catch customers’ attention and convey specific messages that resonate with your target audience. When designed well, retail displays can significantly increase impulse purchases. Compared to other display options, custom corrugated cardboard displays are more affordable and easily transportable while still effectively driving sales.
Creative Displays Now can design displays specifically for your products, addressing your unique branding needs and target audience preferences. Whether you need retail beverage display stands or food displays in several store locations, let us be the partner to help you accomplish your goals.
Get in touch with our team, and let’s get your display project started today.
