Let Customers Try It Before They Buy It

Mario Giannetti wants customers looking for new bathroom fixtures to have a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.

With Preston Bathroom Design Centre, they can do just that.

The 10,000-square-foot, two-story center, located at Preston Hardware in Ottawa, Ontario, features two floors of mid- to high-end bathroom products.

“These areas have a boutique type of feel,” Giannetti says. “We wanted to set our products up the way you might see them in a bathroom, but that was difficult to do in a retail setting. We had to be creative with our displays.”

Customers can turn on showers and faucets or try different types of lighting—things that help them experiment with the design of their bathroom before making their purchases.

Try something like this in your own store. Even if you can’t add a showroom of fixtures, try setting up small, interactive displays. Plug in a few lights to let your customers see the difference in your light bulb offering or add a space in your paint department where they can try samples of your most popular paint colors. Letting your customers use items before they buy them gives them a chance to see the products in action and imagine them in their homes, and the interaction will help your store stand out from others.