Gift Shop Window Display Ideas

Gift Shop
window display ideas

Use lighting creatively

Your window display needs to be lit adequately enough that it can be seen well when it's dark outside. However, aside from its practical aspects, lighting can play a major role in the success of your display. Spotlights can draw attention to key products or your focal point. Coloured lights could wash your display in a rich hue to generate a particular atmosphere.

You could even use the lights themselves as props. For example, a gift shop could create a cosy home lounge vibe by using a lamp to illuminate the window display. Fairy lights could be used at Christmas time to showcase festive giftware. Neon signs hung in the window are a great way to advertise the name of your shop, display your brand's tagline, or highlight special offers.

An enticing window display is one of the most important ways that giftware retailers can get people through the door to browse their products. When shoppers are hurrying down busy high streets it can be tricky to catch their eye, but a beautiful window display should capture their attention and give them a tempting first impression of your brand and products with a single glance.

In this article, we'll give you some vital pointers on how to create alluring window displays and give you some ideas to inspire your designs.

Choose a theme

Themes are a brilliant way to create a polished and aesthetically pleasing window display. Your theme could be defined by the seasons, such as florals and plants in the summer or icicles and snowflakes in the winter, or by a particular annual event, such as eggs and bunnies for Easter or fireworks for Bonfire Night.

Your theme could revolve around a certain setting, like a farm or woodland. It might be reflective of the location of your store, such as a beach theme for a shop in a seaside town. It could even focus around a particular line of products, such as a Mad Hatter's tea party theme to showcase a collection of teacups or crockery. A theme can be a fantastic way to make your shop display memorable so that customers remember shopping with you or keep your store in mind for when they're next in need of a gift.

Find a focal point

There should be a key focal point to your window display - a dominant element around which the entire display is designed. This could be by way of a product, which might be showcased on a plinth at the centre of the window, or in the form of a prop that grabs attention to have shoppers stop and soak in the products around it.

When it comes to props, a good rule of thumb is to use two-thirds props to one-third merchandise. Although it might be tempting to fill the window with an array of products to show shoppers what awaits them inside, too many products could be overwhelming and make it difficult for customers to choose what to look at. It is better to carefully curate a small collection of products and props so that they truly make an impact.

Experiment with symmetry

Symmetry is pleasing to the eye and can help people instantly process the display in front of them. Many retailers, therefore, choose to make the centre of their window display the focal point and use smaller props or products on each side to create balance. Symmetry can help to draw the eye to products or elements in an orderly way which can help you to highlight the items on display in order of importance.

However, there can be value to creating an asymmetrical display to capture interest. Asymmetry could help generate more eye movement so that shoppers take in the items on display. You can also experiment with depth and layering to draw in the shoppers' gaze and guide them through the products you have on offer.

Play with heights and grouping methods

Plinths are essential for window displays and it's helpful to use a variety of different heights to create depth and rhythm. Play around with different types of plinths; they don't have to be plain acrylic boxes or stands. Wooden crates can create a rustic look, while metal frames could generate a modern, industrial effect. The materials you use should reflect the theme of your store or the products you're looking to showcase.

The way you group products affects how your customers will take them in. Pyramid grouping is one of the most common methods. This is where the main focal point is in the centre and raised higher than everything else in the display to create a triangular shape. Repetition grouping is where multiple similar products are displayed together to create an impact. Both grouping methods can be incredibly successful, but don't feel limited by them as you might find alternatives that work well for your store.

How often should a shop display be changed?

Many retailers wonder how often to change their window display, and a good rule of thumb is once per season. Changing a display more often than this could be confusing for customers, and it could be a costly and time-consuming process. By welcoming each new season with a new display, you can keep your shop front interesting and eye-catching without leaving consumers confused as to your themes or products.

It is, however, a good idea to freshen up your display multiple times throughout the season. Minor changes, such as switching out a single prop or product for something new, or adding a new accessory to a mannequin, is enough to keep the display interesting for repeat viewers without doing a full change of the display. This could be done once a week or every couple of weeks.

Use colour to curate your display

One of the simplest but most effective ways to create a beautiful, professional window display is to work with a colour scheme. Pick a single colour palette and stick with it for every item in the display. The colour might be a reflection of your brand colours or the décor of your store. Alternatively, it could be a colour that represents the season, such as green in the spring, yellow in the summer, orange in autumn, or blue in winter. If you have received a wholesale gifts order with a new range of products to showcase, pick a colour that embodies the range and use props in a similar tone.

There's a risk when using a specific colour scheme that the display could look flat and one-note. Be sure to use varying tones of the colour and a variety of textures, heights and layers to generate interest. If your shopfront is a bold colour, make sure that the colour scheme of your display works well with it. Colours that compliment your shopfront will be pleasing to the eye. However, contrasting colours could generate a dramatic look that grabs attention.

Make sure your shop is ready for the display

A good window display will boost sales of the products it showcases. You must be prepared for customers wanting to purchase these items. You should have plenty of stock available, and these key items should be available near the front of your shop so that they're easy to find.

It can be tempting to put slow-selling items in your window display to encourage sales, but your bestselling items are bestsellers for a reason - they're popular, and when displayed in the window you're more likely to tempt customers inside. If you want to draw attention to less popular items, place them in-store close to the products you have used in the window display. Customers drawn in to buy the bestseller display items will then have an opportunity to consider the slow sellers.

Be sure to measure success

Window displays need to be beautiful, but the main goal is that they're effective in getting people into your store and buying. It's important to measure the success of a display to learn what works for your shop and what doesn't. This will help guide your displays in the future.

There are several ways to measure the success of a display. If there's a spike in sales of the products in the window, this is a clear sign that your display is doing its job of showcasing them. If customers begin asking about specific products that they've seen in the window, your display is working well. If you notice an increase in the number of visitors or the number of overall sales after installing a new window display, you're likely onto a good thing. If, however, any of these things diminish after changing your window display, it could be a sign that something isn't working.

Look to other retailers for inspiration

If you're feeling uninspired or don't know where to start with your window display, look to others to get the creative juices flowing. Check out other stores in your area and see if their windows draw you in. If so, what techniques are they using and how could you try something similar? Just be sure to avoid emulating any particular shop's style too closely, particularly if they're located close to your store, as this could lead to confusion for customers.

You can also turn to social media for inspiration. Search for hashtags like #shopwindow, #storefront and #windowdisplay on Instagram to get some ideas. Plus, if you've created a display in your window that you're particularly proud of, you could show it off on social media where you might attract some new customers.