Core Category All-Stars

Jesse Carleton March 29, 2017 Merchandising

To view a PDF of Part 1 of this story, click here.

To view a PDF of Part 2 of this story, click here.

A Look at Best-in-Class Merchandising Across the Store

Look for the best merchandised category in your store, and you might find it’s also one of the most profitable. While many factors, such employee training and inventory selection, influence the profitability of a particular category, merchandising plays an important role as well. Good merchandising practices can maximize your use of shelf space, showcasing add-on items, explain product usage or expose customers to higher-margin items. In all these examples, retailers who find a way to impress their customers with clean, creative merchandising are usually rewarded with sales and repeat business.
But sometimes even the best retailers need some fresh ideas, so the staff at Hardware Retailing has been on the lookout for them. In this two-part series, we’ll show you examples we’ve collected of good merchandise techniques across each of six core categories. In part one, we’ll show you plumbing, electrical, and lawn and garden. In part two, we’ll show you hardware and fasteners, paint and tools. As you look through these examples, you’ll no doubt find some ways to take your own core categories into the big league.

Hardware and Fasteners

Paint

Hand and Power Tools

Paint

Lawn and Garden

Plumbing

Electrical

Lawn and Garden

Plumbing

Lawn and Garden

Plumbing

Electrical

Plumbing

Electrical

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Hardware and Fasteners

According to trend-watching consumer website Houzz.com, satin brass will be a popular finish in 2017. Seeing the latest fashion trends as well as old favorites will be important to customers shopping the door hardware category. At Saskatoon Co-op, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, door hardware options are displayed so they’re easy for customers to touch. Above the top row of shelving, roll down signage hides the overstock.
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Hardware and Fasteners

Boxes of fasteners may not be the sexiest display in the store, but they need to be organized and functional. This display at A & R Home Center in Washington, Indiana, organizes nails by type using manufacturer color coding. Since these items may move quickly, it’s important employees monitor it throughout the day so shelves are full and fronted.
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Hardware and Fasteners

When merchandising hardware such as door stops and window locks, merchandise an example on the outside of the bin so it’s easy for customers to see the range of options you offer and for them to quickly grab what they want. That technique has worked for Cherry Street Building Supply.
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Hardware and Fasteners

Another hot trend in interior decorating is using barn door hardware to add a country, vintage feel to the home. This display at Miller Building Supply in Sacramento, Kentucky, uses a miniature barn door to show what it will look like when finished. While additional styles are available, having only one type out of the box is adequate for showing customers how easy a product is to install.
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Hardware and Fasteners

This kiosk at Rollier’s Hardware is the special order station for decorative hardware, including knobs, pulls and door numbers. Having several samples on display and putting the catalog front and center tells customers this is their one-stop-shop for high-end hardware.
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Hardware and Fasteners

Customers can order just about any style and color of mailbox at Rollier’s Hardware in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. This display lets shoppers know at a glance that they don’t need to go anywhere else for a wide selection. Having high-end mailboxes at eye level mounted on a wooden display encourages an upsell to a higher-margin item.
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Paint

The sleek paint counter in the recently remodeled paint department at Lugbill Supply, Archbold, Ohio, provides a showcase for the store’s paint brands. “We wanted a custom counter that set us apart from the other paint stores, and a place to make customers feel more invited and at home,” says Steve Nafziger, marketing manager for the store. “We wanted to create a space where people can envision their projects and receive help without feeling like they are lost in a flurry of random products or stuck at a big-box store.”
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Hand and Power Tools

With only 5,000 square feet, Mayer Paint and Hardware in Rochester, New York, has sliding racks in several departments of the store. “This allows us to make the most of every square inch. Some areas have two layers of sliders,” says store manager Dennis McCarthy. “For us, merchandising is a constant process. Even the most recently updated department has already been marked for changes.” That works in his favor as customers don’t always go to the same spot in the store. They also are more likely to see what’s new. “Customers bask in all of the new and different products we are always getting in, but sometimes, those are items we’ve had all along, but were just recently moved to a better spot.”
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Hand and Power Tools

A strong brand presence is one of the principles of effectively merchandising the power tools category. A manufacturer planogram with brand signage and coordinating colors helps focus customers’ attention on the brand. The finishing touch at Fitzpatrick’s Hardware in Alpena, Michigan, is the special lighting that makes the display a focal point for the department.
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Hand and Power Tools

One appealing way to show hammers is by angling the hooks, as it is here at Cherry Street Building Supply in Culpeper, Virginia. When showing hand tools, use a good-better-best arrangement, and teach your employees features of better hammers so they can upsell customers to a better model.
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Hand and Power Tools

With so many pieces to choose from, customers may have difficulty knowing the correct power tool accessory to use for their projects. At Akard True Value in Zionsville, Indiana, “Signage is the silent salesman to educate the customers when a sales associate isn’t around,” owner Leigh Ann Akard says. “For some of the younger part-time staff, it gives them a resource to use that is close when helping a customer.”
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Hand and Power Tools

Accessories aren’t the only add-on sale opportunities with tools. The tool display at Akard True Value includes indelible markers along with the power tools. Use an extra peg or clip strip to suggest add-on items that may not be on the customer’s list, but which they may need later.
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Hand and Power Tools

At Nuts and Bolts True Value in Overland Park, Kansas, a mini power aisle dominates the power tools department. Tools are displayed out of the box so customers can pick them up and compare different models. Low racking in the middle creates open space so the area doesn’t feel crowded. The chrome plating replacing the traditional pegboard adds to the character of the department.
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Paint

To sell paint to do-it-yourselfers, find a way to inspire them. This cabinet at Klingbeil Lumber showcases specialty paint as it might be used on a piece of furniture, creating interest and prompting an impulse sale.
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Paint

A separate room for paint can draw attention to the category and invite customers to sit and choose colors. At Northwoods Hardware Hank in Spooner, Wisconsin, paint cans are stored behind the room near the paint mixer, placing the focus on the color chip racks.
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Paint

Stacking caulk tubes vertically is a way to get the full product label out in front of customers. At Cherry Street Building Supply in Culpeper, Virginia, this method allows for a lot of product to be displayed in a compact space.
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Paint

This creative endcap at Akard True Value in Zionsville, Indiana, uses a couple of simple props to dress up the top of an endcap display. It pairs a project starter (paint) with an add-on sale (tape) for an effective merchandiser.
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Paint

The paint department at Klingbeil Lumber in Medford, Wisconsin, has a customized look. An assortment of old fashioned tools and vintage wood dresses up what is often the utilitarian looking area behind the paint counter. Paint cans are placed at the back of the department with the sundries pulled to the front to remind customers of everything they need for the paint project.
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Lawn and Garden

Color and creativity is what helps sell yard art. Displays with a variety of unique items can help pull customers into the category. “These are displays that change for the seasons,” says Randy Collins, owner of B & B Do it Center in Carmarillo, California. “We try to keep things new and fresh as product comes in so the customer has a different experience throughout the year.”
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Lawn and Garden

Display wheelbarrows assembled and ready to roll. At A & R Home Center in Washington, Indiana, they are outside on top of basic plastic shelving. This simple display shows them off and makes it easy to see the different options.
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Lawn and Garden

Neat rows of bagged goods flanked by garden tools make this display at Rollier’s Hardware in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a model for all to follow. A wide selection of garden gloves are merchandised directly in front of the tools. Since bagged goods can move quickly during the spring season, employees need to check them throughout the day so they stay organized.
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Lawn and Garden

Hanging spreaders at Gordon’s Ace Hardware in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago turns the ceiling into valuable merchandising space. “Hanging the spreaders was a good way to save space on a bulky item and remind customers that we have them,” owner Jeremy Melnick says. “In the first year, the store exceeded expectations in sales.”
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Lawn and Garden

A wooden arbor anchors the wild bird category at Northwoods Hardware Hank in Spooner, Wisconsin. “Most customers will want one of the bird feeders hanging on the display instead of purchasing one on the shelf. We expanded the display not long after putting it in due to its popularity,” says co-owner Tami Davidson.
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Plumbing

The toilet pyramid at Budget Home Supply in Longmont, Colorado, gets customers to stop and look. It also lets them know there is a wide variety of styles and brand names available in the store’s 30,000-square-foot showroom. It also gives them a way to visually distinguish between the different toilet features.
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Electrical

Good merchandising doesn’t have to be glamorous, but it must be easy to shop. At Mayer Paint and Hardware in Rochester, New York, electrical bins demonstrate some of the essentials of merchandising electrical repair items: clearly marked, fully stocked and organized.
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Electrical

At Rapid True Value in Kingston, Jamaica, the lighting cloud highlights the variety of fixtures in the store. “It adds an extra dimension and decor to the store while at the same time dividing up the expansive ceiling,” says Patrick Chambers, chief category manager for the store. “It is highly visible from the outside, so our customers are drawn to it.”
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Electrical

At Denver True Value in Denver, Colorado, a sample product is wired to the front of the bin. This makes it easy for customers to see what is in the bin. Since many of these items are bagged, it means customers can get a visual look at the item’s size, and may save them from trying to take it out of the bag before they buy it.
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Lawn and Garden

The outdoor living display at Barnes Ace Hardware in Ann Arbor, Michigan, creates an inviting atmosphere. Vignette displays can cross merchandise items from different areas, including housewares, lighting, lawn and garden and home decor along with the patio furniture.
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Plumbing

Bins with plumbing fittings must stay full and organized, as customers want to have the confidence you have enough pieces for their project. At Klingbeil Lumber Co. in Medford, Wisconsin, pipe cement is merchandised nearby, as this is one of the most common add-on sales associated with PVC pipe.
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Plumbing

Lengths of pipe can easily get messy, causing a safety hazard if they stick out into the aisle. A messy display also makes it difficult to find the correct size. At Klingbeil Lumber, a box neatly organizes cut lengths of pipe. These appeal to do-it-yourselfers who might only need a short length of pipe.
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Plumbing

In the plumbing department at the Saskatoon Co-op, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, bath vanities are shown out of the box and assembled. The genius of these displays is they are moveable. Wheels on the wooden carts mean they can be moved to a different location on the salesfloor, or to the backroom where employees can swap out the cabinets without getting in the way of customers.
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Plumbing

When it comes to toilet seats, customers want options. The wall of seats Rollier’s in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, doesn’t require any additional space to show the product out of the box, since boxed items are stored behind the display models.
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Plumbing

Using a non-traditional displayer to show off the different types of bath rugs available at Rollier’s interrupts the customer as they are heading for the bath accessories aisle. Bath accessories are shown out of the box to highlight the different styles and finishes.
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Lawn and Garden

The tree at Beisswenger’s in New Brighton, Minnesota, is a fitting companion to the display of bird feeders and houses. It also helps pull customers to the back of the department so no items get missed.
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Plumbing

Similar to what is in the electrical department, the display in the plumbing department at Saskatoon Co-op shows customers the different components in a home’s plumbing system. It can also be used as a teaching tool for employees.
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Plumbing

The plumbing display at Pojoaque True Value in Santa Fe, New Mexico, shows fixtures out of the box. “Customers want to touch and feel the product and see what the finish looks like,” store manager Anthony Urbina says. “The product signage is key to selling the product as well.” Below each fixture is signage with the price, key features and warranty information. Don’t forget this often-missed element of this type of display, as it makes it easier for customers to shop and compare.
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Electrical

This endcap at Saskatoon Co-op serves a dual purpose. It’s used as a training aid for employees new to the department. It also helps those employees explain basic electrical projects to shoppers. Each type of switch or receptacle is clearly labeled, and wires are exposed so customers can see how to make the connections.
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Electrical

The anchor of the electrical department at Rollier’s Hardware is a service desk where an expert is on hand to assist customers with any repair or special order question they may have. It’s surrounded by an attractive lamp display, along with samples of some of the special order switch and receptacle plates available.
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Plumbing

In Rollier’s Hardware, the cabinet display includes not just the cabinets, but also fixtures and accessories to make it seem like a home setting.
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Electrical

Employees at Klingbeil Lumber have mastered hardware wit. Chalkboards atop endcaps throughout the store make it easy to add drawings and humor to displays. While this is a good tactic for grabbing shoppers’ attention, endcaps must also be well merchandised. A bulk display that is fronted and full of a high-demand item makes this an effective endcap.