September 2, 2020 •Elder Ocampo
Humans are naturally curious creatures, and in our spare time, we like to travel to fun destinations in search of friends, adventure, and something new. We don’t just head to big cities, either. Plenty of people enjoy visiting small towns and coastal villages to escape the stress and hectic pace of life in urban environments.
Tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry. The U.S. travel and tourism saw a contribution of $580.7 billion to global GDP in 2019. This is money that local communities can take advantage of, and gift shops are particularly well-suited to the task, because of the tourist-friendly wares they frequently stock.
Of course, you need to make sure you run a tight ship so that tourists and other customers can find what they need. This means getting organized with appropriate products displays, apparel racks, and more.
Product Displays
The problem for many gift shops is that they have a wide range of items to display, which makes a uniform approach to product displays practically impossible. The solution, of course, is to use a variety of display types, including such items as gondola shelving units, glass displays, countertop displays, rotating racks, gridwalls, and more.
To keep your store from looking like a hodgepodge of furniture, though, you’ll want to try to stick to a unifying theme like similar colors or materials. For example, a coastal boutique could us a combination of glass and weathered wood displays to imbue the space with a light, airy, beachy feel.
Apparel Racks
One popular item at many gift shops is apparel, whether it features the place name or it’s intended for travelers who didn’t pack appropriately for the climate. It’s easy to get overloaded, which is why you should use appropriate apparel displays, like retail clothing racks and perhaps t-shirt displays, to showcase these in-demand items.
Steer clear of bins, which will quickly become disorganized as customers dig through them, impacting the appearance of your store and the ease with which people can find what they want. Don’t forget to add hat racks and accessory displays, as well as mannequins to show off your most popular items of apparel.
Postcard Displays
Even though email has largely obliterated the letter-writing culture, many people still observe the practice of sending postcards to loved ones when they’re on vacation. Gifts shops are the ideal place to sell postcards, whether you run a shop in the bustling center of a tourist destination or you’re located inside a high-end hotel. Consider selling stamps, as well, so travelers can get everything they need in one place.
A gift shop is a great space for personalization
In our guide, "Retail Gets Personal," we break down some strategies to personalizing your store. Gifts are personal, so use these tips to elevate the in-store experience so you can better connect with customers.
S-CUBE’s end-to-end solution lets us deliver high quality store fixtures and retail solutions for gift shops of all sizes and brands nationwide for over 35 years. We’re just only a phone call away, contact us to get started today!