The key to attracting shoppers to your booth and ultimately making a sale is through captivating displays. There is so much flea market and swap meet vendors can do to decorate, especially around certain holidays. From lights and fixtures to signage and utilizing bright colors, the possibilities are endless. Here are our top tips to make more sales with creative displays:
1. Use the “Pig in the Window” Strategy
Many retailers utilize the “pig in the window” strategy to lure passers-by into their brick-and-mortar storefronts, which includes placing an object (the “pig”) in a display that works well, but makes shoppers wonder why it is there. As the Retail Doc says, “Find a totally unrelated item and put it in your display. It serves as a prop. Its only purpose is to grab your customer’s attention. Add a stuffed toy pig to complete your Kitchenaid display. It is not necessary to add a prop to every display, but the idea should always be there. They make the customer ask themselves, ‘Why is that there?’ They are intrigued and come in to learn more.”
Flea market and swap meet vendors can easily utilize this strategy to attract passing shoppers. Build a display in front of your booth with some merchandise you sell, and then include one random item that will have consumers wanting to know what it is doing there. Once you have their attention, use your small business charm and earn that sale.
2. Ensure All of Your Products Have Price Tags
Even though it seems like a small issue, a major reason for customers to walk away from an item or booth is if they do not see a price tag on the product. Especially if your booth is busy or you are currently helping another shopper, the lack of a price tag puts a hurdle in the way of making a purchase and may also suggest that the cost is high. Make it as easy as possible for shoppers and put prices on all of your merchandise.
3. Keep Display Items in Stock
Vendors cannot have a successful display without any products, so always be sure to keep merchandise on display in stock. Even if it is the last item you have, it is better to put it on display because customers can always purchase the presented product, but they cannot buy something they do not see.
4. Create a Display Theme
It is not aesthetically pleasing to see a bunch of random products thrown together on display. Coming up with a theme helps to encourage shoppers to stop at your booth and examine your merchandise. For example, during the holidays, gather all of the items you sell that are holiday-themed and create a winter wonderland presentation to tie it all together beautifully. This also includes adding some decorations such as snowflakes, trees, or ornaments to make your theme more obvious and pleasing to the eye.
5. Change Your Displays Often
Changing your product displays on a regular basis keeps your booth looking fresh. For those regular shoppers who frequent your flea market or swap meet, it gets boring to look at the same merchandise displays and they may not even stop at your booth. This also helps your regular customers discover new products each time they visit your area. Remember that new seasons and holidays can give you creative ideas to work into your display.