Dynamic merchandising at The Science Store inspires a sense of wonder, and there’s more to creating an attractive display that engages guests than putting together a pretty package. Amanda DeSena, retail manager, maintains, “There’s a science to merchandising,” and no pun intended.
Displays are creatively engineered by factoring in considerations including location, display shape, sight lines, age category and the center’s feature exhibits.
“A spotlight featurette has a direct sight line to the entry hall, so if you are walking by the glass windows of our store or its doors, you’re pulled in by a display that aligns with what you’ll see during your visit,” says DeSena, pointing to the current dog display that coordinates with the “Dogs! A Science Tail” exhibit.
How displays are arranged and stacked matters.
“There is a science behind stacking and if you create a pyramid, people are drawn to that,” says DeSena.
Souvenir items positioned by the cash wrap give field trippers cost-accessible memories to take home.
DeSena also plans for $10 and under products that coordinate with larger displays so kids can get excited about a more large-scale product and take home an allowance-priced version. For example, an etched glass globe that lights up and reveals the entire universe with labeled planets is available in a keychain version.
Moving merchandise to engage frequent visitors and perhaps stoke sales is also effective, DeSena says. “In the fall, I basically feng shui-ed the entire store,” she says. “You can move a product 5 or 10 feet and all of a sudden, it sells through.”
