Visual Merchandising and Store Display
Visual merchandising questions test how display, layout, signage and lighting guide customers and increase sales without blocking safety or access. Expect planogram interpretation, display evaluation and window-display planning.
Core rules
- A planogram is a diagram showing where each SKU sits on a fixture, with facings and depth.
- Use the golden zone-roughly eye level to touch level-for high-margin or impulse items; heavy bulk stock goes low; light decorative items can go higher.
- Colour blocking groups related shades; symmetry and repetition create order; a focal point draws the eye.
- Signage must be legible, current and matched to the price tag. A missing or wrong price tag is a service and legal risk.
- Window displays need a theme, a clean background, safe props and clear sightlines into the store.
- Keep aisles clear, fixtures stable and lighting safe; never cover exit signs or fire equipment.
Worked example
For a festive display, place gift packs at eye level, complementary cards and wraps beside them, heavy hampers on the bottom shelf, and a single themed sign above. Reasoning: the layout puts high-margin impulse items in the golden zone, keeps heavy items safe, and uses adjacency to raise basket size without overcrowding.
Traps
- Overcrowding a fixture until labels are hidden.
- Using expired promotional signage.
- Placing heavy items above head height.
- Treating display as decoration only, ignoring planogram compliance and sales data.