Does your clothing store want to help customers envision how they’ll look wearing your merchandise? How about using a silent salesperson? Mannequins are a proven way to not only attract customers, but also assist them in moving toward a buying decision.
Hannah Shealy at the University of South Carolina, citing a study by Jain, Sharma and Narwhal, reported that 45% of the women surveyed said that they often get ideas of what clothing they would like to buy only after looking at mannequin displays. Shealy went on to say that mannequins have an ability to influence shoppers’ thoughts about merchandise as well as their ultimate purchase decisions.
If you’d like to promote your brand, boost sales and encourage customers through the use of mannequins, here are some tips on how to do so.
Offer fashion ideas
Window or in-store mannequin displays can show your products in use, complete with accessories and backdrops suggesting settings and occasions like home, office, traveling or a night on the town. Arrangements featuring complementary tops and bottoms help the visualization process. Since many customers like to buy what they see, helping them picture a whole outfit brings you that much closer to making a sale.
Present a relatable, three-dimensional view
Mannequins are much better at the job of merchandising than clothes on hangers or apparel items neatly folded on a shelf. For instance, necklines and hemlines are realistically depicted on full-length forms so shoppers can instantly see the big picture and decide whether the outfit is right for them. It’s the next best thing to having a live human model in the store.
Picture your customer
Sometimes, if you cater to a certain audience, gender or lifestyle, your choice of mannequin styles can help you connect with the customer better. For example, mannequins with a variety of ethnicities express the diversity and inclusivity that your fashions are designed for. Or, if you carry children’s clothing, then kids mannequins are a must.
Focus on products
In some cases, especially for sale items, you may wish to highlight specific merchandise, like jackets, blouses, slacks and so forth. Mannequin forms, such as torsos or pant forms, focus shoppers’ attention on particular apparel elements. You can choose from male, female, adult or toddler, different flesh tones (including fabric or smooth finish), tabletop or freestanding displays, plus-size and maternity models and more.
Depict action and movement
Some products, like athletic wear or sports gear, are meant to be pictured in dynamic activities like jogging or exercising. Whatever helps your customers imagine themselves wearing the merchandise in real life, everyday settings will go a long way toward clinching that buying decision.
Mix it up
Mannequins are not a one-size-fits-all technique. Sometimes, realistic anatomical figures are better at reaching a particular customer; other times, a more eclectic or abstract approach will succeed in connecting with shoppers who don’t envision themselves in the exact body type or appearance of average mannequins. Variety is the key to appealing to as wide a group of customers as possible. As long as the displays work for your store’s unique brand image, feel free to mix and match to most effectively showcase your particular product offerings
