Unique 'in context' product merchandising - Soiree Wine Aerator

This weekend, my husband and I went to a wine festival here in DC. Lots of good wine and cheese, but what really stands out is the product merchandising one company did.

Soiree wine aerators were very inventive about getting their product noticed by two different customer groups - the distributors & wineries pouring wines and the event attendees. The folks from Soiree walked around handing out their aerators (for free, I assume), asking those pouring wine to place them on a couple of their bottles. There was a ton of conversation about this interesting use of 'in context' product display. It's pretty rare that a potential b2b customer get to try your product and provide real time recommendations to a b2c customer.

They made one mistake though. They were not actually selling the aerator anywhere at the show. Lots of lost potential sales.

Simplicity for the win

When you are selling basics, should you have a complex strategy? Something doesn't sound quite right about that, but lots of retailers have taken that path. Not Uniqlo, a Japanese private label apparel company. Simplicity is the main theme of their strategy, starting with product design, continuing all the way through to the in-store experience.

Let's start with their product categorization. If you visit their website today, you will find a total of 7. Things like "shirt" and "bottom". And items for both genders (their only departments) are grouped together. The display, both in store and online, reflects the minimalist strategy as well. You can view all of their products at one time, and can see all of the available colors exposed, making the shopping process extremely easy. You can even control the size of the images in their online display, leaving the amount of clicks and scrolling necessary completely in the customer's hands.

This strategy certainly isn't for everyone. Many product lines do not lend themselves to this methodology, but it is working for Uniqlo. Their Manhattan US flagship (also their only US store) is a destination. And the best part - simplicity throughout allows this retailer to keep their prices low, a win for everyone in this economy.

Find a way to make men enjoy shopping for clothes

This has always been a challenge for apparel retailers. The fact remains that a majority of this audience prefers the go in, get what they need and leave within minutes. It's rare to find a group of guys who want to hang out at a store.

The J. Crew in Tribeca has found a unique way to tackle this problem. By choosing to display their product in a setting that is comfortable and enjoyable for their customers, they have created an environment where their male customer base might actually consider staying for a while. And, of course, spend more money. The Liquor Store concept is enviable. With sweaters laid artfully across the top of a a decades old wooder bar, ties wrapped in to low ball glasses and comfortable, high-backed leather chairs, this place feels more like a cigar bar than a t-shirt store.

And I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure you can order a drink while you shop. Perfect.

IKEA, on a Saturday, the weekend before classes start...

What was I thinking? I mean, really? Going to IKEA in a college town the Saturday before classes start? The parking lot was so packed that I almost turned around immediately. There were 18 year-olds driving UHAUL trucks everywhere. Can you say scary? But I'm so glad I fought for a spot and went in anyway.

I frequently mention IKEA as being the king of merchandising. I really think they have covered just about every base from sophisticated pricing strategy all the way to unique product bundling. I could write a thesis on them. But today I'm going to focus on just one of their admirable techniques.

Product display at IKEA is amazing. Even on this unfortunate Saturday, while I was being swarmed by co-eds and their dazed parents, I could have spent hours admiring the seamless execution of thier strategy. Combining in-context displays with product callouts that are almost completely masked by the design, they inspire shoppers across all demographics. They have turned their showroom in to numerous fully functioning, livable spaces in order to showcase the flexibility of their product. Whether you are moving into a dorm room the size of most people's closets, or furnishing an expansive space, they provide a solution. While it isn't necessarily unique for a furniture retailer to layout the showroom like real rooms, IKEA has taken this to a new level. With the addition of walls that seperate space and products they don't even sell, like books for shelves and TVs on the walls, they've made a real difference. They've also made it easy to navigate what could have become a very cluttered mess with the addition of a wide path that compels the shopper to take a fixed route through the store. And for those who don't love to wander through this area like I do, they've created short cuts that appear hidden, but are actually simple to find.

The transition from the showroom into the marketplace and then on to the warehouse works very well for them. End caps and middle isle violators call out to the customer, resulting in the accumulation of picture frames, and strainers and glassware you didn't even realize you needed. And once you've made it through all of that, you're presented with bins full of additional trinkets that you can't help but pick up just before you checkout.

It's rare that I leave IKEA with just what I went in for. I was so proud of myself this weekend for buying only the picture frames and entertainment center I had on my list when I set out on my trip!