Need Shelving & Display Ideas for Your Swimming Pool Store?  Here are some tips:

Swimming Pool Stores use Metal Gondola Shelving because of its durability and versatility. Our Metal Gondola Shelves are made of heavy duty steel with each Gondola Shelf capable of holding heavy loads (up to 500 pounds of general merchandise) such as swimming pool chemicals, chlorine tablets, pool shock, pool water balancers, pool algaecides, pool clarifiers and more.  In addition to displaying swimming pool and spa chemicals, our gondola shelving is perfect for displaying pool equipment and other pool accessories.

A huge benefit that Metal Gondola Shelving provides is that it creates an effective traffic flow management system throughout the store that makes use of the entire retail space, and can help maximize sales. One can achieve this by placing the more common items such as: BioGuard®, Aqua Chem®, Pool Time® and other pool chemicals near the end of the shelving unit. Using this method of swimming pool store organization, your customers can be exposed to all of the other swimming pool accessories that they may need, before finding the ones that they came in for.

Along the perimeter walls of Swimming Pool Stores, many stores use slatwall panels to display a variety of swimming pool and spa equipment accessories including pool skimmers, pool vacuum hoses, pool tile displays, and many other products. Slatwall panels provide a similar benefit to peg backing displays, but in a much more visually appealing manner. You can still display oddly shaped items or shelves, but you also can use it to brand your store while maximizing the retail space in your swimming pool store.

At Discount Shelving & Displays, we have been helping Swimming Pool Stores with affordable, high quality store fixtures including metal gondola shelving, retail displays, store supplies, and many other store fixtures since 1995.

For more ideas check out our Shop By Store Swimming Pool Store Shelving Facts & Tips Page at:  www.discountshelving.com 

Improving your in-store experience is a surefire way to keep your customers happy and interested in spending more time shopping and purchasing. Create a shopper friendly atmosphere and encourage more sales simply by providing your customers with a shopping basket or a shopping cart. Both offer customers a convenient way to carry merchandise throughout your store and to check-out.  They also give your shoppers the ability to select more merchandise as they move through your store aisles. In retail, shopping baskets and shopping carts have been proven to help increase impulse sales.  In fact, a customer with a shopping cart will buy an average of 7.2 items compared with only 6.1 items purchased by a customer without a shopping cart. For bulk products, those sales can be double what a customer would normally purchase without a shopping cart (Source: America’s Research Group).

Shopping Baskets

Shopping Baskets are typically made of plastic or metal and range in size and capacity.  They are durable, break-resistant and don’t take up a lot of store space.  Plastic shopping baskets and metal shopping baskets are stackable.  A simple metal stand which usually comes with a sign topper is used to keep these shopping baskets organized and secure when not in use.

At www.discountshelving.com we offer a plastic tote basket set that holds up to 5 gallons or 50 pounds each, as well as a plastic jumbo shopping basket set that holds up to 7 gallons or 100 pounds of merchandise each.  For a modern look, our attractive wire mesh 12 basket shopping basket set is made of sturdy powder coated metal and comes in a choice of silver, black, red or blue colors.

Shopping Baskets are the most popular choices among retailers such as grocery stores, drug stores, dollar stores, convenience stores, home goods stores, retail chains, beauty supply stores, pet stores, book stores and more.

One of the newest options in shopping baskets is a hybrid of a shopping cart and traditional plastic shopping basket.  This easy pull plastic rolling shopping basket features an elongated handle and wheels.  These rolling shopping baskets make it even easier for your customers to shop freeing their hands to add merchandise.  Made of reinforced plastic, this rolling plastic shopping basket features a narrow design perfect for moving around smaller store aisles.

Shopping Carts

Retail store shopping carts also come in a variety of  styles, sizes and finishes. The most popular shopping cart is made of heavy duty steel and is designed to “nest” into each other for storage.  When purchasing shopping carts, choose the right size shopping cart to suit the size and aisle widths of store in addition to the type of merchandise you sell.  If you offer bulkier items consider a larger or wider shopping cart.  At www.discountshelving.com we offer a small shopping cart, medium shopping cart and a large shopping cart options.  If you have narrow store aisles consider a mini shopping cart  style. The mini shopping cart is more compact, and narrower than the traditional grocery shopping cart.  It is also lighter weight, making pushing this mini shopping cart around your store easier, especially for elderly shoppers. They’re a great option for smaller grocery stores and retailers that carry smaller merchandise such as dollar stores, pharmacies and beauty supply stores.

If you’re looking to increase sales and improve the shopping experience in your store consider adding Shopping Baskets or Shopping Carts.  They’re proven retail tools that make life easier for your customers and also encourage more sales.  Visit: www.discountshelving.com to find the perfect shopping basket or shopping cart for your store.

For more useful retail fixture display tips & savings follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

As you put together your retail merchandise displays, it’s important to balance creativity with practicality. Plastic Bullnose Shelves are a great store display solution that accomplishes both goals. Retail Bullnose Shelves allow you to achieve a high-end look in your store without the expense of custom shelving.Add New

Plastic Bullnose Shelves are made of injection molded plastic. These store shelves are durable, lightweight and feature a rounded front edge, (also known as radial edge, radius edge or bullnose edge), creating a contemporary and clean looking store display.

Bullnose display shelves come in different color options including black, white and simulated wood grains such as the Maple Bullnose Shelf sold at www.discountshelving.com. One of the best things about Plastic Bullnose Shelving is that the color is infused throughout the shelf so the color doesn’t fade. The plastic material also will not chip or fade.

The Versatility of Plastic Bullnose Shelves

Plastic Bullnose Shelves are versatile, as they can be used with Gridwall, Slatwall and Slotted Standard displays. These plastic bullnose shelves typically come in 13” deep or 15” deep options in 24” or 48” lengths.

• Use shelf knife brackets, sold separately, made to fit your Gridwall, Slatwall and Slotted Standard displays.
• Use 12” knife brackets for 13” deep Plastic Bullnose Shelves. For 15” deep shelves use 14” shelf knife brackets.
• The number of brackets you need depends on the length of shelf.  Use two shelf brackets per 24” long shelf. We recommend using a total of three shelf brackets per 48” long shelf for extra support.
• Each Bullnose Shelf features an open bottom design so that the shelf bracket is hidden from view giving your Plastic Bullnose Shelves a floating appearance.
• Each Plastic Bullnose Shelf will hold up to 40 pounds per four feet of small to medium sized merchandise such as clothing, packaged products, small electronics, stationery, books, giftware, toys, cigars and etc.

Set up is fast and easy. Any store employee can quickly set up these lightweight shelves. No tools, glues or  heavy lifting required! Plastic Bullnose Shelves are also popular shelving display options if you are exhibiting at trade shows or selling at street fairs. Changing up your Plastic Bullnose Shelving displays for new merchandise, or just freshening up your look is simple – just rearrange your Plastic Bullnose Shelves as needed!

When you want beautiful form and reliable function consider using Plastic Bullnose Shelving to create the perfect retail display for your store.

Visit www.discountshelving.com or call 1-888-957-4353 for more information on Plastic Bullnose Shelving , and other retail fixture and display solutions.

For more useful retail fixture display tips & savings follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Retailers know that Mother’s Day spurs one of the top spending sales events of the year.  According to NRF’s 2011 Mother’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, the average person celebrating Mother’s Day this year is expected to spend $140.73 on gifts, up from $126.90 in 2010.

Retailers interested in capturing a portion of the $16.3 billion total expected spending for Mother’s Day this year are working hard to showcase their unique merchandise to catch shopper’s attention.  Many of our boutique and gift store customers in particular get real creative using glass showcases and glass cube displays.  Alternatively,  you can easily put together an effective display for Mother’s Day on the tightest of  budgets.  For example, one of our customers set up a colorful tabletop  jewelry display using a red tablecloth and a mix of different sized jewelry displays in black.  In addition to being bright and eye-catching, it’s extremely cost-effective and  set up was a snap!  How creative did you get with your Mother’s Day displays this year? We’d love to hear from you!

Visit www.discountshelving.com for more product information on jewelry display solutions, glass showcases, and more.

For retailers fall comes early.  In fact, odds are that even before you’ve had the chance to break-in your flip flops, many stores already have their summer clearance sales in full swing and “new for fall” merchandise already on display.

Getting ready for fall sales is serious business when you consider that Back to School shopping is the second biggest consumer spending event for retailers behind the winter holidays.  In fact, combined K-12 and college consumer spending in fall 2010 will reach $55.12 billion, according to NRF’s 2010 Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey conducted by BIGresearch.  This Back to School survey says that the average American family will spend $606.40 on clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics this year compared to $548.20 last year.

Retailers, it’s never too early to plan and move in new seasonal merchandise.  Whether you sell clothing, shoes, backpacks, electronics, dorm or school supplies, it’s a good idea to take stock of your store and supplies to make sure you’re set for autumn sales. Here are a few Store Planning tips to help you transition from summer sensational to fall fabulous:

1. Plan your new window display.  One of the main ways to update your window display is to change your colors to evoke the change of seasons.  Hot for fall is “sustainable” trends.  According to color and textile design experts, “urban concrete and formal darks meets mid-tones and bright shades” will be “in” this autumn.  So, think colors like: Flax, Dark Oak, Antique Pewter, Sandstone or Champagne, Venetian Red and Sable for your window and displays.  For inspiration on color choices check out fall 2010/winter 2011 Textile/Fashion Color Trends here.
2. If you have space, consider using mannequins to add visual appeal to your window and in-store displays.  Mannequins come in a  range of shapes, sizes, poses, etc. and can be positioned in different ways. Plus mannequins give you great styling options.  Remember customers like to be able to visualize how merchandise, particularly clothing and accessories will look on them.
3. Determine your focal point.  Keep it simple.  Placing too many items will create confusion.  Pick and choose your key items and place them at eye level.  This goes for your window display as well as your in-store displays.
4. Review your store layout and plan your displays. Your goal is to make it easy for the customer to find what they are looking for and to make sense of your product arrangements.  Keep your groupings logical by grouping similar products together, with complementary products nearby.  Remember to view your displays from different angles as your customer would.  Are your focal points still good from different angles?  Is your retail signage clear and readable?
5. Clean it up! You’ve worked hard to attract customers into your store, you’ll want to make sure you keep them there as long as possible and also wanting to come back for more. Nothing ruins a shopping experience more quickly than an unorganized and untidy store.  Evaluate your store from head to toe.  Dispose of litter, reposition displays that may have shifted to where they don’t belong. Check your shelves and make sure all your merchandise is dust-free and in its proper place.  Re-stock inventory as needed.  Are your signs, tags and labels legible and correct?  Enter your store and take a fresh and critical look.  Does it pass your white glove test? Remember that your customer will form an impression of  your store within the first 10 seconds of entering.

Finally don’t get caught unprepared make sure you have the tools and supplies you need to succeed.  Must have items on your Fall Store Fixtures & Supplies Checklist:

• Price labelers, tagging guns – When ordering supplies for price labelers and tagging guns remember one size does not fit all.  Check your brand and model number to get the right labels for your price guns and needles for your tagging guns.
• Retail sale signage, sign holders – Fresh signage helps call attention to your sales. Consider different sizes and colors.  Look for places you can add signage in your store.  In addition to stationary sign holders there are many versatile and portable sign holder options available today.
• Clothing Hangers and Size Dividers / Markers – When ordering hangers keep in mind the sizes you need.  Hang children’s clothing on child sized hangers.   Size dividers and markers help customers find the sizes they need quickly.
• Countertop Displays/Merchandisers – Your counters are prime selling space! Entice impulse purchases with countertop displays and merchandisers.
• Clothing Racks – If you sell clothing make sure you have the right displays.  For clothing: use multi-tier or 4 way racks to pair tops with bottoms to show how coordinated outfits will look.
• Shelving & Hooks – Use shelving to create interesting new displays.  Add new types of merchandise hooks for your slatwall, gridwall or pegboard displays to display more items in new and interesting ways.  Shelving hooks are one of the most cost-effective supplies you can add to your visual merchandising tool kit.
• Acrylic Displays – Help your merchandise really shine through with acrylic displays.  Not only are these displays durable they are versatile available in a range of sizes and shapes.  There are specialty displays available to show off everything from shoes to school supplies.
• Display Tables – Entice shoppers to stop and look with display tables placed in strategic locations throughout your store.  Create visually appealing displays on your tables that make them irresistible and convenient to shop.
• Shopping bags, tissue paper – Customers remember the finishing touches so make a good lasting impression through your shopping bags and tissue paper.  Don’t get caught short of these essentials. It’s a good idea to order and keep a good supply on hand.

For the widest selection of retail store fixtures and supplies for Back to School visit www.discountshelving.com.

© Copyright 2010 Discount Shelving & Displays, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

Not even a difficult economy can deter Americans from showing their appreciation for their Moms on Mother’s Day!  Deservedly so!  According to  NRF’s 2010 Mother’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, the average person will spend $126.90 on Mother’s Day gifts, compared to $123.89 last year. Total spending estimated to reach $14.6 billion.

Mother’s Day is one of the biggest holidays of the year with billions to be spent at restaurants and stores. Although most Moms will say “it’s the thought” that counts, “sparkly” gifts are always sure to please.  Gift givers seem to agree on this point as they’re expected to spend $2.5 billion on jewelry for Mom.

Help Your Jewelry Sales Sparkle with the Perfect Displays

Retailers help make your jewelry sales sparkle this Mother’s Day! Select and use the right jewelry displays to showcase your merchandise. Experts agree that well-organized jewelry displays helps to grab potential customers’ attention and helps them to better focus on your selections. For the greatest impact, use displays that are specifically designed for each item (i.e. necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, watches, etc.). Whether you sell fine or everyday jewelry, there are many budget-friendly display solutions to choose from. Some of the most popular jewelry displays include:

• Easel-back Stands & Display Pads – allow you to showcase several (necklaces, earrings, bracelets, or body jewelry) pieces of jewelry at once.

• Earring Cards – use these plastic display cards to attach pairs of earrings and display the cards on a hook or on a countertop earring displayer.
• Earring Trees – use to display a single pair or multiple earrings.
• Jewelry racks, hooks and hangers – work well if you stock quantities of low-priced necklaces.  Use with fold over necklace/bracelet cards for easier hanging and pricing.
• Neck Forms or Busts – often padded or made from polystyrene, gives buyers a good idea of how a necklace will look on a person.

• Revolving Displays – fit on countertops, these square, rectangular, triangle and even hexagonal displayers hold earring cards and revolve or rotate.

• Ring Display –  allow you to feature a single ring or up to five rings separately in a row.
• Risers – come in different colors and materials including acrylic and wood. Risers allow you to display jewelry items at varying heights for a striking display.

• T-bars Style Jewelry Displays– ideal for showcasing bracelets and necklaces. These displays can sit on counter tops or inside display case.
• Trays and cases – elegant looking jewelry trays and cases are often used to display rings. There are a variety of inserts for these displays including flat pad and slotted ring.

• Watch Display – designed specifically to hold a watch upright, these displays fit attractively in a case or a countertop showcase.

It’s not too late to order jewelry displays for Mother’s Day and beyond.  May and June are great months for jewelry purchases with special occasions such as First Communions, Confirmations, Proms and Graduations, all in full-swing.

I’m the founder and owner of Discount Shelving & Displays based in Deer Park, Long Island, NY. In addition to a 10,000 sq. ft. showroom and warehouse, my business is found online at: www.discountshelving.com.

Since 1995, I’ve been working to help retailers of all sizes by supplying everything related to store fixtures and displays — gondola shelving, gridwall, slatwall, showcases, counters, clothing racks, mannequins, and more. In addition, we supply store accessories like hangers, hooks, price labelers and tagging guns, labels, bags, signs, jewelry displays and gift boxes, and more. It’s a niche business that I truly love.

Among the most gratifying things about my work are the real personal connections I’ve made through the years with my customers. I love talking with store owners and retail managers, learning about their needs and challenges. I also enjoy finding out what drives them to succeed.

Through this blog, I will try to share my insights and expertise that I’ve gleaned through the years. I hope to provide new ideas, tips as well as other useful resources and links that I believe will help stores to succeed.

Finally, I want to build a community where your comments and questions are definitely welcome! Express your opinions, ask questions, share some ideas or late-breaking news that I might have missed.

I look forward to hearing from you! Thanks for stopping by.

Tim