Retailers don’t just want to capture shopper attention with in-store displays. They want meaningful engagement. That’s when customers see an appealing presentation of a product that might provide them value, and something clicks inside, fostering a confident, if impulsive, purchase.
Loud and/or gaudy gets attention. But reflexive attention doesn’t necessarily increase conversion, though some retail designers lean hard into the idea.
Strategic development of in-store displays requires a thoughtful inquiry into product strengths, targeted messaging, elevated branding, customer motivations and paths to purchase.
Good question. While we’ll warn you about a “loud and/or gaudy” shortcut, we also can’t promise a magical solution that casts a customer engagement spell. For one, there are too many variables, from customer demographics to economic conditions to an individual shopper’s mood swings.
Still, let’s understand a general idea of how customers think at present. Here are some relevant numbers from the Path to Purchase Institute’s “Evolution of the In-Store Shopping Experience” study from March.
So, there you have it. Your endcaps, seasonal displays and entryways — really all your retail displays — need to do more than just present products. They need to engage, inspire action and reinforce brand messaging. They need to look good and achieve specific purposes.
Entry is more complicated than many think. It starts with what customers see from the road as they drive up, transitions to a clean, well-organized parking lot and then moves through consistent, inviting exterior branding.
What do window displays communicate before entry? Seasons? Sales? New products? Quick suggestions for in-store app use?
KEY POINT: If you’re walking your store and evaluating customer-first impressions through entry and their initial look at interior retail displays, don’t just walk in and look around. That’s not what customers do. For one, what percentage retrieve a shopping cart? Or a shopping basket? What will they see during that process? And how does that work with your entry displays? For example, if you have a marvelous and engaging display just after cart retrieval, might that create a bottleneck during peak shopping hours?
Walmart located in Elm Springs, Arkansas. The entry way welcomes locals with inviting interior graphics.
We understand we overuse the term “holistic.” Those looking for easy, cookie-cutter retail solutions might find it tiresome and call it overthinking. But details matter within our creative pragmatism. We consider not only what retail customers tell us but also their unconscious cues, as well as unforeseen consequences of superficial retail design decisions.
The first five seconds in a store matter. Entry displays function like a welcome mat and a billboard rolled into one, offering a chance to immediately establish the brand mood and highlight current priorities. They also shouldn’t create a customer pain point by discouraging proper traffic flow. A well-designed entry display should tell a cohesive story — seasonal inspiration, trending products or brand values — in a visually immersive way. But it also should provide positive functional results.
Large-scale graphics, tactile elements and cohesive theming invite customers to explore deeper. For example, an outdoor retailer might recreate a camp scene, while a fashion brand may showcase curated outfits on mannequins. These first impressions create emotional resonance and build curiosity. And, in both cases, you should provide a clear roadmap to fulfill that curiosity.
Everything is important, and wayfinding/store navigation is prioritized by 89% of your customers upon entry. Holistic thinking at entry is about engaging customers but also immediately empowering them to do exactly what they want to do.
Effective endcaps combine bold visuals, clear messaging and spotlight product arrangements to quickly communicate value. They do more than hold products. They inspire action and reinforce brand connection.
Whether promoting new items, seasonal needs, high-margin products or limited-time deals, the endcap design should align with your brand or a cobranding identity (your store + product brand) — using signature colors, fonts and imagery.
Introducing new products with great merchandising: Miller Zell provided design, project management and production for TheraFace displays in Best Buy, Target and other retailers. Savvy brands like Therabody are investing in endcaps that live long term vs. temporary signage that is continually replaced — evergreen instead of promotional to reduce spend.
Adding lighting, digital screens, interactive or motion elements can increase engagement. By regularly refreshing endcaps to mesh with campaigns or trends, your stores can keep feeling dynamic and relevant, encouraging repeat visits and unplanned purchases.
While some endcaps will be designed for a specific product and campaign, there also are modular solutions that offer flexibility and consistency across a variety of store formats and product presentations. Build and install costs matter, too, as does durability, when determining ultimate ROI. While tight deadlines often create urgency that reduces the time for custom engineering and prototyping, those offer opportunities to upgrade solutions from serviceable to elevated and optimized when possible.
Insights-driven planning and adoption — display strategies backed by shopper data, behavioral research, cost analysis and ease of install — ensure you upgrade both the customer and associate experience.
Seasonal displays previously provided a sense of a limited time frame. Now, not so much, as Christmas shopping starts before Halloween, while back-to-school shopping intermingles with summer vacations. Still, themed displays tap into emotions, lifestyle aspirations and rituals. You want your customers to view themselves in positive ways when engaged with your brand via your seasonal displays and merchandising.
These are connected experiences, and seasonal messaging extends from entry to checkout, ensuring a cohesive in-store journey. Lighting, music, color, branding and storytelling should feel inclusive, and that includes making sure your Grinches and Scrooges are not burdened during their trip missions.
Lowe's add a "Wow!" factor to its Halloween merchandising. Miller Zell developed an engaging haunted house-like structure that celebrated the season with animatronics and decorations available for purchase, while also being both easy to assemble and durable.
Campaign kits — whether national launches or regional activations — give retailers the opportunity to tell branded stories consistently across locations. These kits should balance structure and flexibility, with a core creative concept delivered through modular components adaptable to store size, layout and local needs.
Strong branding and messaging are essential here. An April campaign tied to Earth Day and sustainability, for instance, might use natural materials, earthy tones and storytelling panels that highlight recycling and emissions reduction efforts. These immersive experiences create emotional connections and deepen customer affinity for your brand.
Whether seasonal or special campaigns, often these displays provide an upgraded, interactive experience that invites participation and provides potential shareable moments on social media.
Citizens celebrates their sponsorship of the New Jersey Devils with a fan activation at the Prudential Center that attracts and engages fans of all ages. Miller Zell's GAME READY design included a special AR filter for fans to "paint" their faces GAME READY, combining the best of physical and digital interaction.
Displays that encourage interaction — whether through product demos, selfie backdrops, QR code scanning or an AR/VR experience — pull customers into your brand’s narrative about the pride you take in your products.
These moments can turn passive browsing into active engagement. When displays reflect brand values and customer lifestyles, they become memorable and share-worthy, extending reach beyond the store through word of mouth and social media. Thoughtful design reinforces authenticity, creating not just attention but also connection.
Effective retail display design isn’t about decoration. It’s a business strategy. It draws attention, engages, tells your story and creates emotional links with customers. When grounded in branding and guided by shopper psychology, these displays become powerful tools that drive both experience and results.