With the explosive growth of e-commerce over the past couple of years, retailers are seeking more ways to enhance the brick-and-mortar experience to keep consumers – particularly Millennials, who are big online shoppers – coming back into their stores. One way to accomplish this is via sharp in-store merchandising solutions like those that will be featured at ECRM’s Merchandising Solutions EPPS, which will be held February 5 to 7 in Jacksonville.

As part of their preparation for this session, buyers of these merchandising solutions completed a form on the EPPS prep site, indicating the types of merchandising solutions they are looking for, and on what areas they are focusing their buying efforts.

Based on this information, collected from the more than 40 buyers registered so far to attend ECRM's Merchandising Solutions EPPS, here are a few key areas of interest:

Front-end Checklane: Creative and custom solutions for the front end area of the store as well as around the checkouts (including self-checkout displays). As we’ve seen at this year’s session, line management solutions at the front end help to merchandise products while at the same time organize the chaos that can happen at the front end, making for a better “lasting impression” of the store.

Space-Saving Displays/Fixtures: For those retailers with smaller footprints, or those looking to squeeze in more products into the space that they have, solutions that help save on space are in demand by retailers.

Frames/Hanging Systems: Among the space-saving solutions are display systems like slat walls, peg boards, as well as clip-strip merchandisers.

Promotional Displays: Displays and fixtures designed to highlight promotional items

Mobile Registers: Whether for selling products displayed in front of the store (or in its parking lot), or to accommodate extra lunchtime traffic at the deli, mobile checkout solutions help to provide added convenience for shoppers.

Refrigerated Cases and Coolers: Retailers are incorporating these into more areas of the store for prepared foods as well as beverages.

Innovative Design Elements: While function is important when it comes to merchandising displays, visually appealing design elements are also important. Take the trends toward natural and organic ingredients, for example. Wood displays or those that use galvanized steel are helpful for merchandising organic produce, as they provide a feel of authenticity. Sleek shelving for electronic products provide a sense of innovation. Displays should help produce the ambiance that retailers seek for specific departments.


Educational Sessions
The Merchandising Solutions EPPS will also feature two educational sessions on in-store merchandising trends from Time Inc.’s William Romollino and Impulse Marketing’s Cam Cloeter