The first part of your plan should be to make room for the customer to get around. If you have shopping carts, make sure that you have wide enough spaces between your clothing racks for carts to be pushed. Floors should be smooth in areas where you want customers to move freely from one department to the next. Carpet can be used to slow the customer down. Place your most interesting displays and promotions in these areas so that customers are enticed to slow down and shop.

If you have a large store, make sure that you have the occasional area to sit down and rest. If people get tired legs, their mood is affected. By simply providing a bench or even just a chair outside of the fitting room, people can rest their legs for a moment and continue to shop. If there is nowhere to sit, they are likely to leave with a negative attitude about your store.

Some stores have been very successful in gaining customer appreciation by supplying a place for children to play while their parents shop. This can be especially effective in stores that sell children’s clothing, shoes or toys. If parents are given some relief from making sure that their toddlers stay in line, they will be more relaxed, be given more time to think about whether or not to buy, and are more likely to make a purchase and return to your store in the future.

Make your clothing racks accessible from all sides. If possible, display your inventory on mannequins or torso forms to draw customers away from the “fast track” and on to the carpet. They will be more inclined to explore a garment rack that has the clothing displayed facing outward. A circular clothing rack with no interesting display will not draw much attention.

Your goal is to let customers move around easily, rest when they need to, and see what you have to offer on those sections of clothing racks that may otherwise go unnoticed. Customers will slow down and explore areas that are surrounded by impulse buys, interesting displays, or promotions.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

First you need to categorize your items. Many boutiques have a “disorderly order” appeal. Everything seems to be mixed up, but in a pleasant way that keeps interest from one part of the store to another. You don’t have to give up this eclectic feel to keep things where they go.

Divide the store into sections however you see fit. You can have something descriptive, such as the black section, the flowered section, the kid’s section or the shoes section. Use whatever makes sense for your store. Then you need to come up with a system to keep each section in order.

Here’s what we mean. Let’s use the example of a casual summer section. This area contains sun hats, lightweight dresses, beach towels, shorts, flip-flops and summer accessories, such as jewelry and sunglasses. Make a check list for this section and title it “Casual Summer” or whatever you see fit. On the check list, name each thing that you want organized.

A lot of times, you can use the same basic pattern for each section. You probably want to put the smallest items in the front where they can be easily seen. So, in the casual summer section, you may have a table or bookshelves displaying your jewelry and sunglasses. In another section, the small items may be socks, ties, or hair accessories.

You don’t want your small items to take the entire spotlight, but you do want them near the front because these are generally the lower priced items that will draw customers closer to look at them. This keeps the customers moving through the store so that they don’t ignore entire departments. So, very near the small items, you need to have a featured display.

Your featured display will be one that serves some purpose. It can be your highest priced items, your new inventory, or even just something that you feel helps to communicate your store image. Mannequins are extremely effective here. You want to draw attention to the merchandise and display it in a way that makes the customer feel a certain way.

Keep your garment racks and clothing racks clear enough that they are easy to look through. Use dividers or markers that make finding a size simple. A garment rack should never be crowded. Clothing racks that are crammed tight, damage clothes and turn customers away.

Go through your check list a few times a day and make sure that everything is in order. By keeping your displays neat and your garment racks neat, you will be able to see if something is out of place. This technique not only keeps things organized, but holds the customer’s interest in your store.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.