Moving Stationery
A Seattle gift store and San Francisco gift show exhibitors show how you can get a reaction from the same old cards.
By Linda Cahan -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 4/1/2004
Displaying station'ry can be a chore/No matter how you place it seems a bore/You shelve it here, you stack it there, these tasks you may abhor/But here are some ideas that will make it fun to stock your store.
I apologize for the rhyme, but as I started thinking about displaying stationery I began to snore (wink, wink). Luckily, I had exciting trips scheduled to the terrific gift shows in Seattle and San Francisco. When I need to be inspired, I go shopping in these two cities, each of which has fresh energy and a lively approach to displays.
In downtown Seattle (Pacific Place, to be exact) I came across a new store called Twist. It is one of the best looking, most well-designed gift stores I've ever seen, with upscale, craft-oriented merchandise that is both stunning and appropriately priced. As any good gift retailer knows, it's mandatory to have affordable merchandise on hand, so you can entice customers back for the more expensive items later. If you can get them to buy a card or two, they just might begin to see your store as a destination for all their gifts and cards. Once the seal on their wallet has been broken — and if the experience is positive and friendly — they'll be back.
While the bulk of the space in Twist is dedicated to craft items, the store also displays cards in a number of very prominent locations, giving customers the opportunity to pick up something affordable while they consider the more costly pieces.
| Author Information |
| Linda Cahan is a retail visual design consultant based in Redding, Connecticut. She works with retailers on store design, renovations, and visual programs. She also writes visual standards manuals and lectures on visual merchandising around the world. |
