Tips on Merchandising frames

[Crazy-bout-Optics]

Hi Everyone :-)

Just wondering what creative things you use in your displays, and what low-cost things you use to display your frames. The owner of the Optical Co, I work for doesn't want to spend more $ on plastic frame displays until we start turning a nice profit. (we recently moved form a High end mall next to a LV store, to a very small 500 ft2 office across from a university) So we are transitioning from High-End customers to a more younger, college age crowd. Owner took many of the display units and sent them to our shop up in Walnut Creek CA, and now I am trying to make things look as good and unique as possible.

Ive done everything I can as far as sorting frame style, size and color, used every plastic display, frame stands, and frame case to spiff up my displays.
Any piece of advice, or if anyone knows of a Co whose stuff is a little less than say Bright Displays Co.

Thanks!

~Matthew

[cocoisland58]

If I feel a need for something fresh I just run down to the dollar store or Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics. Lots of ideas can be found. It's getting to be Fall in Michigan so I just bought some little hay bales and ceramic pumpkins for the window display. Also calling the reps and asking for fresh POP material helps. If your market is the college crowd you might consider school colors and logos, football season is coming up, etc. Enlist the help of someone artsy in your target age group.

[MarcE]

When I was in Europe, I noticed that they just used flat surfaces, like glass shelves or a wood shelf with some bunched up fabric and propped the specs up on the temples. You normally have to tighten the temple screws so that the temples don't close. Looks nice and focuses on the frames alone. No sure if that answered your ? though.

[OptiChick21]

If I was a college student I wouldn't stop in your store unless something really cool caught my eye, and usually just a bunch of frames on fabric wont catch my eye.

Use all the POP you can for big name brands you carry that young adults like, i.e: Coach, Dior, Candie's, Tommy H, Ray Ban, etc... I would even invest in some of the matching accessories for the lines you carry, like a coach purse or Dior wallet to display.

Use Large backdrop posters and maybe enlarge photos of celebs wearing your lines, like there's always the classic Ray Ban "Wayfarer", which can be found on tons of todays up and coming stars.

If you're not sure what college students like, browse through current media mags they read like Star, US weekly, Maxim, People and Cosmo... you'll see what young people like.

I'm a firm believer young people are very brand conscious... you dont know how many times I've seen a teen or college student who will pay the extra cost for that Coach frame, but turn down any addons like A/R, which can be cheaper than the frame copay! LOL.

[Judy Canty]

Dollar Stores were always great sources for me. One of the keys to successful merchandising is keeping things simple. Don't let the "stuff" get in the way of the frames. Give the frames "breathing room" so patients can feel free to pick them up and try them on. We talked about some interesting things like this at our dinner in PA this week. What kind of background music are you playing? Smooth jazz seems to be the most conducive to a calm yet hip atmosphere. Also consider some sort of fragrance, a candle or diffuser sticks. Don't use the artificial fragrances you can get at the supermarket, they're just cheezy. My favorite in my shop was a candle called "Bob's Flower Shop" but I'll be darned if I can remember who made it. I found them in one of those upscale home accessories shops. If you have the wall space, see if you can get the university art department to allow you to display some student works rather than buying stuff for the walls, or better yet trade a promising art student some eyewear for some eyewear themed art.

Just my random thoughts.

[Crazy-bout-Optics]

Thank you guys for your wonderful suggestions. I would never have thought about the Dollar Store and I think Im going to go to Pier one or Target and look for a reed diffuser. I think I have found something in each reply that I am going to try and incorporate, so thank you again, and if anyone has any more suggestions, feel free to keep them coming ;-)

[Diane]

Your theme of your decor needs to match the theme of your inventory. There have been some good suggestions here. Do some, but make sure that folks know what it is you're selling.

Display your inventory according to brand theme as well. Think department store. That means do the portfolio of the brand...ie. Off hand, I'm thinking if you went into a department store, you would find, Ralph Lauren, Chaps, etc in the same area of the department...

If you're in a college town, also think of the college colors, mascot, etc.

Just my thoughts,
Diane

[chip anderson]

Have you concidered selling complete eyeglasses and advertizing thier various uses? I seldom just sell a frame, people come to me for eyeglasses and we try to provide what is best cosmeticly and most usefull for thier needs and wants.

Chip

[Vicki]

I agree the Dollar Store and Michael's are great places. My husband and I had our own shop a few years back and we were very creative in our displays. We had an awesome golf display and a great beach display we always used for plano sunglasses. Sometimes the optical displays can look so generic so just be creative with fabrics seasonal items.

Vicki