Creative new atmospheres can entice shoppers to spend more!
By Brian Szaks
They are in the front of a park. They are at the exit of a ride. They are combined with restaurants. In every way possible, parks and attractions have placed gift shops in every nook and cranny where a Guest would look, attempting to entice them to enter, peruse, and spend. As consumers have become more sophisticated, so too have retailers needed to offer more of an exciting atmosphere with which to entice shoppers.
True, shoppers are always looking for souvenirs of their experience on the latest, greatest ride, but they are also looking for unique merchandise that they might not be able to find elsewhere. In a very postmodern way, the process of shopping has become an experience in and of itself, provided the store is interesting and contains specialty items that are displayed properly.
Shops are now mulit-sensory, using sights, sounds, and even smells to entice Guests to browse longer in a more inviting environment. Drab tile floors have become hardwood or parquet, harsh fluorescent lighting has become track lighting, and shiny metal display racks are now more elegant and eye catching.
One facility that has worked hard to keep the atmosphere within their stores conducive to spending is Paramount’s King’s Dominion. Terry Eise, Operations Manager/Visual Merchandiser at the park, updated the look of several of his stores for the 2004 season. One of the changes he made was to install new display units from SmartFurniture.
Based on a symmetric design, the look of SmartFurniture is quite appealing. The concept is simple: finished boards interlock to create a “cubby system.” The preset designs can be placed side by side to create a unique display without the need for a hammer, special tools, or even a screwdriver – any employee can put the system together. That’s one of the reasons that Eise enjoys the product. There was no need to call maintenance or any other skilled and expensive laborer as the product was simply constructed by the cashiers.
The boards can be up to three feet in length, are 5/8” thick and 9.5” deep. Depending on the design, the units can support hundreds of pounds and come in four distinct finishes.
More and more options such as upcharge attractions and added ticket values have created a bigger challenge for park merchandisers when it comes to claiming their share of the Guest’s expenditures. SmartFurniture may just be the look that your team is looking for. You can visit them on the web at www.smartfurniture.com.
