The best two places to put your highest-margin merchandise
This article originally appeared in the March 2015 edition of INVISION.
There are six vertical height zones for displays, but only four of them work for eyewear. Zones 1 and 6 are not effective for eyewear. Zones 2 and 5 can work with the right kind of frame holders. Zones 3 and 4 are the sweet spot for display.
Zone 1: Stretch Level — above 6 feet. This is the least valuable display zone. Products placed above this height get little attention from shoppers.
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Zone 2: Above Eye Level — 5 to 6 feet. Frames can be displayed successfully on shelves within this level if you use tiered displays that present the frames face out close to the front edge of the shelf.
Zone 3: Eye Level — 4 to 5 feet. Products at eye level sell best. Place your highest-margin, best-selling styles here. One study found that eye-level merchandise received 35 percent more attention than products on lower shelves.
Zone 4: Below Eye Level — 3 to 4 ft. This level is approximately at a shopper’s waist height, below eye level but within easy reach. This zone is second in terms of shopper attention, so it’s still a good place for high-margin merchandise.
Zone 5: Touch Level — 2 to 3 feet. Frames can be displayed as low as 2 feet above the floor if they are on a countertop or shelf facing up.
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Zone 6: Stoop Level — less than 2 feet. Most shoppers don’t like to bend down, so this zone is the retail equivalent of the boondocks, relegated to low-margin products. Keep all your merchandise above the 2 foot level.
Next issue: Less is More.
BARBARA L. WRIGHT heads one of North America’s most award-winning and successful optical design firms, Barbara Wright Design. Barbara’s lively personality and humorous style backed with 30 years of “in the trenches” optical design experience make her a popular speaker and author. Get her free educational articles and videos on visual merchandising at tinyurl.com/BWDdisplay.
