We are often asked about alternatives we can suggest to the standard uninspiring gondola fixtures that seem to dominate the retail landscape. The example we will share today is an opportunity we had to design a freestanding retail display and gondola alternative for a big star. Caesar Millan became a break-out star from his appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show, where he demonstrated his innovative approach to inspiring great behavior and positive dog/owner relationships.
When it came time to capitalize on the sensation, Caesar’s team developed a full line of “Dog Whisperer” organic dog food, treats, and accessories in an exclusive partnership with PETCO. RICH LTD. was asked to design a space-saving, eye-catching, gondola-replacing retail display for PETCO stores that would carry the new line of products. The plan was to use this promotional display unit as an “entrance rack” that would be positioned at the front of the store to immediately catch the attention of customers right when they entered the store.
The design that we delivered was simple, elegant, and unique. The Cesar Millan retail display is notable for its innovative and stylish upright system– a lighter weight alternative to casted gondola uprights. The new upright system made it easier to insert shelving, while also looking great.
In order to execute the light weight uprights, our team used chrome-plated hardware to bind two pieces of bent sheet metal. Those uprights, combined with heavy-duty sheet metal shelves, MDF base shelves with cart resistant metal guards, and striking branding, made this retail display just as unique and notable as the product it carries. This promotional display unit also incorporated bull nose metal and MDF shelves, removable wing panels, co-branded graphics, custom rivet accents, clear-coat finish, scanner hooks, and casters.
Making this promotional display unit mobile was an important design feature since it made it easy to relocate the fixture if necessary after the initial promotion. Another very important aspect of the design was the ability of the retail fixture to facilitate cross-merchandising of different but related products. We see this as an increasing trend within the retail environment. Product pairings (think wine and cheese) and grouping complementary products together make shopping easier for customers, and it is a subtle and effective way to drive incremental sales through impulse purchases. Finally, one of the more unique features of the display was how light and airy it felt compared to an old and tired gondola fixture. The fact that a customer could easily shop the fixture from 360 degrees was a huge factor in driving sales and a key to success for this high-impact store fixture.
Jim Hollen is the owner and President of RICH LTD. (www.richltd.com), a 35+ year-old California-based point-of-purchase display, retail store fixture, and merchandising solutions firm which has been named among the Top 50 U.S. POP display companies for 9 consecutive years. A former management consultant with McKinsey & Co. and graduate of Stanford Business School, Jim Hollen has served more than 3000 brands and retailers over more than 20 years and has authored nearly 500 blogs and e-Books on a wide range of topics related to POP displays, store fixtures, and retail merchandising.
Jim has been to China more than 50 times and has worked directly with more than 30 factories in Asia across a broad range of material categories, including metal, wood, acrylic, injection molded and vacuum formed plastic, corrugated, glass, LED lighting, digital media player, and more. Jim Hollen also oversees RICH LTD.’s domestic manufacturing operation and has experience manufacturing, sourcing, and importing from numerous Asian countries as well as Vietnam and Mexico.
His experience working with brands and retailers spans more than 25 industries such as food and beverage, apparel, consumer electronics, cosmetics/beauty, sporting goods, automotive, pet, gifts and souvenirs, toys, wine and spirits, home improvement, jewelry, eyewear, footwear, consumer products, mass market retail, specialty retail, convenience stores, and numerous other product/retailer categories.