Every untrained eye on your store's floor is costing you sales (Here's your Visual Merchandising fix)

Claudia Lamb
May 5
4 min read

Store and brand owners – are you making this silent sales-draining assumption?

Thinking your retail team inherently understands visual merchandising. Well, you're not alone. We see it all too often at Mon + Co Agency, and this common misconception can chip away at your profits, erode team confidence, and create a lacklustre customer experience.

Visual merchandising isn't just common sense, but a strategic skill set.

If you've ever thought visual merchandising was:

Just making things look "pretty"
A one-off task
Only applicable to luxury giants
Simply about the products on display
Someone else's job
Just... obvious

Then listen up. We're busting these myths and revealing why every untrained eye on your sales floor likely costs you sales, and exactly how to fix it.

What is the difference between retail and visual merchandising?

No, we are not the same person. Think of "retail" as the big ol' umbrella term for selling goods and services. It's vast, encompassing everything from managing stock to handling transactions.

On the other hand, visual merchandising (VM) is a specialised and influential role within retail. It's the strategic art and science of maximising spaces and capturing your brand essence to elevate the customer experience, directly driving sales.

While retail is broad, visual merchandising is laser-focused on refining and optimising every inch of space, transforming concepts into tangible results.

Visual merchandising is the deliberate process of:

Creative design & execution: Developing and implementing captivating installations and window displays
Meticulous Space Optimisation: Refining every detail of your in-store presentation and standards
Transforming concepts into tangible results: Bringing your brand story to life in a physical environment
Driving customer engagement: Capturing attention and creating memorable interactions
Strategic space management: Optimising store layout and customer flow for maximum impact
Capturing brand essence: Effectively conveying your brand's DNA and values.

These critical skills aren't innate. They require dedicated learning, strategic thinking, and consistent execution - all of which your staff won't magically possess without investment in their development.

Unlocking the power of VM knowledge

Our comprehensive training covers all the key areas required to equip your team with the necessary VM expertise they need to thrive, including:

Leadership + Branding: Setting the VM vision
Introduction to Visual Merchandising: All the core principles and concepts
Impressions + Impact: Creating impactful customer experiences
VM Strategy + Concepts: Developing effective VM plans
Floor Planning: Optimising layout for flow and engagement
Store Fixtures + Flow: Selecting and arranging for maximum impact
Visual Merchandising Standards: Ensuring consistency and excellence
Troubleshooting VM: Addressing common challenges
Workplace Health + Safety: Maintaining a safe environment
Measuring, Reporting + Success: Tracking and refining your strategy

Seeing it laid out like this, it's clear: assuming this knowledge exists within your team is risky. And that's precisely why our courses are structured this way.

Now that we all know the difference. What's the impact?

The hidden cost of an untrained eye

The impact of insufficient VM training isn't just aesthetic; it directly hits your profitability.

Ignoring VM training or failing to invest in expert guidance can lead to:

A lack of brand consistency: It’s no easy feat to ensure consistent brand presentation and maintain high visual merchandising standards across all locations.
Ineffective and uninspiring presentation: Lack of proper training can lead to less-than-ideal displays, poor product presentation, and missed sales opportunities
Disrespect for the brand: Improper handling, incorrect merchandising, and a general lack of care can devalue your products and damage your brand image.

The power of professional visual merchandising

Expert visual merchandisers are experienced architects. By meticulously optimising your store, they transform concepts into tangible results that captivate customers, drive engagement, and ultimately show results where it matters, at the register.

Effective visual merchandising strategies are designed to:

Increase sales
Enhance customer experience
Maximise space
Capture your brand's essence

When done right, visual merchandising works around the clock to attract, engage, and motivate customers to purchase and return.

Ready to transform your sales floor? Here's how:

Invest in comprehensive training: Equip your team with the fundamental VM knowledge and practical skills they need to succeed.
Emphasise brand values and customer experience: Cultivate a culture where your team understands and respects your brand, prioritising the customer journey.
Implement a feedback loop: Identify areas for VM improvement and provide constructive guidance.
Prioritise team development: Offer opportunities for growth in visual merchandising to nurture expertise and engagement.

We're not gatekeepers. From bustling big-box stores to intimate boutiques, fast-paced duty-free spaces to inspiring home and lifestyle destinations, we bring our proven visual merchandising strategies to every retail environment. The same techniques our National Team of VM experts uses for global brands in leading retailers are the foundation of our retailer workshops.

Through our team training, we have found that a comprehensive approach with ongoing learning opportunities delivers the best results, which is precisely why we have developed our tailored training pathways.

We reveal all in our 'Attract + Convert Customers with VM' course (for aspiring and established VMS) and our Retailer Workshops (for your team). But today, we're focusing on team training.

Unlock your team's potential with our training pathways.

The Foundation: The Base

Our foundational training is a two-part program designed for maximum impact:

Part One: Attract + Convert Online Course - This course enables your team to learn the essential VM principles at their own pace. We recommend completing it one week before the workshop to ensure everyone has a solid understanding.
Part Two: Interactive On-Site Workshop: Led by Mon and our experienced trainers, this interactive session includes a dedicated Q&A and a practical retail tour within your store. Our personalised approach ensures your team receives all the tailored advice they need.

Building Expertise: Our Additional Training Options

Full Day Merch: An intensive, single-day session where Mon and our team work directly with your staff on a complete store reset, providing hands-on experience and immediate transformation.
Mentorship Program (3-6 Months): Ongoing support to develop and implement a strategic VM plan aligned with your business goals. Our program includes fortnightly check-ins, progress reports, ongoing feedback, and a dedicated communication channel for continuous support.