Two Booths in One Mall

I've been thinking recently about vendors who have two booths in one mall.  This post is not to debate the pros and cons of doing that, but rather one idea for using those booths.  This idea came to me when thinking about how to help a particular vendor who has recently been troubled by slow sales.

First, for this idea to work, the two booths shouldn't look the same.  The vendor I am thinking of has a booth with all neutrals.  It's very pretty (she's incredibly talented) and she refreshes it often.  Since the look is always neutral, even after something new is brought in, it's not always apparent that things have changed.

Her price point is high for the area.  She brings things in and marks them at the most she thinks she could get.  There are times when the item sells quickly.  There are other times when things sit for months.  Most any vendor could say the same.

After an item sits for awhile, this vendor will do what most vendors do - she marks it down.  The problem is, many customers have already checked out the piece and decided it's more than they can afford.  They have no way of knowing it's been marked down.  If they return to the store, they might glance at the item as they  walk through the store, but they often don't take a new look at the price tag.  They remember it was high.  This vendor doesn't use big tacky sale signs on anything.  To do that in a high end booth is very risky.  Anyway, the item is likely to sit for a good while more, even after it's been marked down.

This vendor has a second booth.  It, too, is all neutrals.  It, too, is high end.  It's very similar in look and feel to her first booth.  That second booth is an opportunity to do something different!

If this were me, I would use the second booth as a spot to re-introduce pieces that haven't sold, in a way that makes them look different and new to the store.  The furniture would stay neutral (no need to paint it), but accessories would be colorful.  In other words, if a piece from the neutral pricey booth didn't sell, then it would be marked to a lower price, moved to booth 2 and redecorated with color so it looks like a brand new item.  I would NOT put a sale sign on it.  I'd make a whole new tag at a lower price as if it's something that has just been brought in.  Even customers who had seen the item would wonder, "Is that the piece I was looking at in the other booth last month?"  They'd take another look at the tag.

Another bonus - if a customer has a colorful style, they might not have been able to envision the piece in their home while it was in the neutral booth. This is another opportunity to attract different customers.

I have said many times to many vendors, "If something doesn't sell in a timely manner, then  make it seem completely different."  If you have two booths, it's a perfect opportunity to keep all of your items looking new and exciting, even when sales are slow.

Bringing color into the second booth doesn't have to be expensive or a major undertaking.  You don't have to use every color under the sun, unless you want to.  Here are some photos that might give you some ideas -


In this photo, items are neutral, but the colorful wall makes a statement.

Found on paulinaarcklin.nl

With Christmas around the corner, there are all sorts of opportunities to pull in colors.

Found on rebeccaersfeld.com

You could paint a few medium and small items a favorite color.

Found on vintageshowoff.blogspot.ca

Display crates could be painted an accent color.

Found on roundbarnpottingco.blogspot.com

Fabric and plants can always be used to add a touch of color.

Found on isabellang.blogspot.com

ONE MORE THING - If you don't have a second booth, but find this idea appealing, you might go in with one or two other vendors to share a second booth to use in a similar way.

I See The Same Booth Looks Everywhere

This is something that has been on my mind for awhile.  I have a feeling that things are starting to shift.  I have no idea what they are shifting to, but I think I know what they are shifting away from.

No matter what nice mall you walk into, you'll see several booths that look the same as several booths you recently saw at another nice mall.  The arrangement and merchandise is a bit different in each booth but the look is the same. I would love to insert a great photo of a pretty booth in neutrals, but since this article is about the market being over-saturated with them, I won't do that. 

We saw the all white look for a long, long time.  All white started to transition over to white mixed with lots of neutrals and burlap and iron.  That really caught on and for the past few years, those booths have ruled.  I think that look may have peaked. It's not over by any means.   It will likely still do well for a bit more time, but I'm not sure how long.

Even style names are changing. Fewer and fewer vendors are using the words "Shabby Chic" to describe their furniture on their tags.  I still see it some, but I wince because it's seems too passe.  The upscale neutral booth vendors never use those words anymore.  My, my.  I feel like such a snob.  :-D

Retro was hot for awhile and vintage kitchenware sold like hotcakes.  Not so much now. Those fabulous retro tables with enamel tops used to sell like hotcakes.  Now they sell a bit slower and for less money.

Industrial was hot for several years.  Now it sells a bit slower.

Chalk painted furniture is everywhere, but now, unpainted furniture sales are starting to rise - or at least a mix of painted and natural.  Tables that are painted on bottom and wood on top do just a little better than the solid color tables.

I have no idea what's the next big thing.  I'm not seeing any clear ideas from magazines, but one of these days, some new design star is going to show us something amazing and people will start jumping off the neutrals bandwagon and head onto another path.

So, my advice for vendors - think about diversifying.  If everything you have is chalk painted, add in some wood.  If everything you have is white and/or neutral, add in a little bit of color.  Watch magazines.  Watch Pinterest.  Watch what sells.  Get ready for styles to change.  You don't have to go overboard.  Just a little bit of a change can make a difference.

Luckily, in most markets, the local consumers are usually just a tad behind the styles.  Once a new trend gets started, it takes them a little while to decide they like it enough to start redecorating.  Many will hang onto the old looks for a while.

I am keeping my eye out for new ideas and new styles.  I'm keeping my eye out, too, for booth looks that don't feel like every other booth I see.  I'll post those photos over on the VSO Facebook page whenever I come across them.

The photos I posted this morning are a good start.  Here's one of them.  When I first spotted this, I got excited.  After seeing photo after photo of neutrals, this one was like a breath of fresh air.

Source - My Desert Cottge

I'm not suggesting that this red-white-and-turquoise look is the next new thing, but at least it doesn't look like every other booth.

If you have one of those fabulous neutral booths, I'm not at all suggesting you toss everything and start over.  But you could add a little bit of color here and there.  You could keep plenty of neutral things to catch the eye of neutral-seeking shoppers.  But now, you'd also catch the eye of people tiring of neutrals.  Plus, your booth would be more memorable.  Your booth wouldn't be confused with several others in the store.  I'm really craving something different.  Am I alone?

I admit that this post is heavy with personal opinions.  But, boy do I feel it - change is in the air.  I have seen changes in sales to back up my feelings and my personal opinions, so I don't think I'm alone.  

Also, let me clarify - there will ALWAYS be a place for neutrals.  No matter what style becomes popular, people are more apt to buy large pieces that work with many color schemes and styles.  Neutrals are safe.  Few of us can afford to buy something large in a crazy color we'll tire of in a couple of years. The smaller things around those large neutral pieces are the things we are a little more adventurous with and I, for one, am ready for an adventure. :-D

SPRING Booth Transition - Part 3

After completing the steps in Part 1, your booth should be clean and clear of old and tired inventory.  After the steps in Part 2, you have unpacked new things and sorted items into groups that make sense for your displays.  Finally, it's time to put your booth back together!

Once again, I've sprinkled in some fun spring display inspiration photos to get you in the mood for a big spring booth transition!

Source

REARRANGE
Your booth is fairly cleaned out.  This is a good time to see if you can give your booth a whole new look by moving some of the large things around.  When you bring in a bedroom chest and put it in your booth, it doesn't need to stay in the exact same place until it sells.  If it hasn't sold within a month, you might move it to a different part of your booth.  Let it be viewed from a different angle with a different set of accessories.  For whatever reason, sometimes just moving things around will bring on a wave of sales.   Anytime you transition your booth, it's a great opportunity to shake things up!



WHY is this step after SORTING?  
Since you are transitioning for spring, as you rearrange, you need to know which pieces will be best to use in your key display areas.  If you have a black desk and white dresser in your booth, you may assume the lighter colored white dresser would be better than a dark desk in a key spot.    However, after sorting through what you have, you may notice a grouping with desk items in black, white, and yellow that is starting to look pretty nice.  Then, you may spot a few other yellow items to add and before you know it, that vignette may say SPRING better than any of your other groupings.    It's hard to know what you'll be able to create til you have grouped and sorted.  And just like you put your best foot forward, you make sure your best displays are in the most visible areas in your booth.  See this post on The MONEY WALL for more about this.

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PUT THINGS IN PLACE
Having items in groups will make this easy.  If you have a desk in your booth and you have a pile for desk items, then that's an easy match.  Other placements won't be quite as easy.  Luckily, your booth is not a house.  You don't have to decorate a booth in a way that is entirely logical.  Everything on a desk does NOT have to be desk related.  You'll be stacking a bit.  You might end up putting a chair or stool on top of the desk.  That certainly isn't like anything someone would do in their home. :-D

Vintage Bunnies Collection
Source

Edit as you go.  If you found 15 items that would look good on a desk, you probably don't want to use them all.  You will likely make more money selling the desk that all the small items on it.  Put just enough accessories on the desk to make THE DESK  look great.  Leave enough empty space on and around the desk so that the desk can still be seen and each item on it will look good.

Never pass by a rickety bike with good vintage lines.
Simply spray paint it, add a basket and market it as a garden bike!
Source

This is a good time to mention a pet peeve of mine - clutter in booths trying to sell furniture.  I often see booths with their furniture covered and pretty much hidden by an overwhelming pile of smalls.  If a table is covered, then it should be no surprise to the vendor that the table takes a long time to sell.

I'll illustrate this using myself as a customer.  I  go into a store looking specifically for tables.  I see a table in a cluttered booth.  It looks interesting, but I have doubts.  Is the table top marred?  Is it wobbly or rickety?  Is it warped?  Does it look pretty under all that stuff?  The only way to tell is to get all the stuff off.  That means asking the sales person to completely clean off the table.  If it turns out the table isn't all that great or if I decide that I need to think a little while longer, I'll feel embarrassed about making them go to so much trouble.  Never mind.  I'll just keep looking.  It probably wasn't all that great anyway, otherwise they wouldn't have covered it like that.

Source

The lesson of my story - Set up your booth with a clear vision of what you MOST want to sell.  If you want to sell the furniture, then make sure your displays makes the furniture look great.  If you are a vendor whose main income is from smalls and the furniture is there mostly for displaying those smalls, then feel free to cover as much of the furniture as you like.  I suspect the vendor in the above photo makes more from selling smalls than furniture.  Her turquoise table may be priced to sell, but it may be priced a little high in hopes that it won't sell fast.  It's there to help the smalls look more appealing.

There are many vendors who do just fine selling smaller items.  You'll notice that some of the inspiration photos here are more about selling smalls than furniture.   The key is knowing which is your specialty.  If you are split down the middle and get sales equally from furniture and smalls, then make sure you don't cover the furniture.

This was actually a Christmas display, but with a few minor changes, it would be great for spring!
Source

What to do with the items you didn't use in key displays -
After you set up your vignettes, you probably ended up with things from each of your sorted piles that ended up not being used.  Put your leftovers in less noticeable spots in your booth.  If you have plenty of small items, hopefully you have a shelf or two in your booth for the extras.  Things can still sell from those less visible areas, but they probably won't be your prettiest displays.  A shelf for extras should NOT be on your money wall!  As you put your extra things on the shelf, try to keep them in groups if possible.  As accessories sell from your key vignettes, you'll be able to easily find other accessories from the leftovers to fill in the holes.

Source

This is the last post in this series about booth transitions, however, I have a couple of posts coming up that will focus on some finishing touches.  I can't wait to share them - they are perfect for spring!!!  Stay tuned!  

SPRING Booth Transition - Part 2

After completing the steps in Part 1, your booth should be clean and clear of old and tired inventory.  Now it's time to figure out how to work in your new spring things in creative combinations with what you already have.  You may be tempted to put each new thing into any available spot.  When you are very short on time, that will have to do, but for a good booth transition, it's not the best idea.

The items already in your booth have not sold.  If they are nice and priced fine, yet they've been in your booth for a month or more, maybe they need to be displayed differently.  As I said before, these steps can pay off in a wave of sales.

Are you ready?  In case you still aren't motivated, I've sprinkled in some fun spring display inspiration photos.  That ought to get you in the mood!

UNPACK  THE NEW
Unpack the new items you brought to add to your booth.  Don't start shoving things in.  You need everything out where you can see it.  Yep.  All of it.  You're going to make a mess.  Get over it.

I hope you brought plenty of spring goodies!

Source

Your mall probably has carts you can use for this step, but if not, you may want to bring a card table (or 2) from home.  You could also use a folding shelf/bakers rack.  (Tip: Those are good to keep tucked in your booth in case something big sells and you need a fast spot to put the smalls that were on it.)   No cart, card table or shelf?  You can also make do with the floor and the boxes you brought things in.  Think of all the bending and squatting as your gym workout for the day.

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SORT
Look over the items you unpacked and the items in your booth.  Look for ways to group them WITH  items already in your booth.  Begin making piles.

Source

The first priority when sorting is to look for possible groups of smalls to go with furniture in your booth.  If you have a desk, look for all of the possible items that would look good on a desk.  There are different ways to sort.  Try not to group the same way all the time.   Get creative.  Have fun.  If you put a group together and don't like it, it's very easy to switch.

•  You may notice a common use.  Perhaps you have a number of kitchen items (or desk items or vanity items or...).  Look at the big pieces you have in your booth.  Do you have a desk?  Then look at all your smalls and see if there are things that would work there.
• You may notice a common theme.  Perhaps you have a number of items that are beachy (or travel related or upcoming holiday items, or....).
• You may notice you have a collection.  Oh my goodness.  I didn't realize I had so many flower frogs.  What to do?  Make a statement by putting them all together.  
• You may notice you have a number of things in the same color family.  They may be spring colors.  They may be a fresh, unexpected color that you realize you have a lot of.  Put those together.  See more about color grouping here.
• You may notice you have a number of items that are made of the same material (metal or wood or fabric or...)  

It's likely that you will create a group sorted by more than one trait.  For instance, you may create a grouping for your desk that consists not only of a few desk accessories, but also a good bit of green and wood items.

Uploaded Straight to this Pinterest Board

There are many ways to group.    Sometimes the grouping isn't even logical - it's just a group of things that look nice together.  Sometimes a grouping will put things together that seem an unlikely mix.  I LOVE the grouping in the inspiration photo below.  It's rather genius, if you ask me, but then I've always had a soft spot for colorful, bohemian looks.  Look at that globe.  Few people would think to put it in the same group with the colorful floral tin that is right beside it in this photo.  Yet when you put all of the items together, it works beautifully.  The lesson here?  As you sort, keep an open mind, forget hard and fast "rules", and don't be afraid to play around.

Source

If this post inspired you to create a fun display grouping, I'd love for you to post it on the VSO Facebook page!  It doesn't have to be perfect.  We are all friends here!

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Stay tuned - the next post will be ... SPRING Booth Transition - Part 3

There will be plenty of inspiration photos there, too! :-D

SPRING Booth Transition - Part 1

People are tired of winter.  They are ready for Spring.  A new season is a perfect opportunity to make big changes in your booth.  Is your booth ready for spring?  If not, it should be!

A booth transition is a bit more involved than just sprucing up or bringing in a few new items. A transition is an over-haul!  After a transition, anyone who comes to the store regularly will KNOW you've been there.  Even things that have been in your booth for ages will seem different.

A full-out transition takes some time!    If you don't have enough time allotted, you may not have time to go about it thoughtfully. There are times when you have to make changes fast and skip steps.   The steps in this post may not help you with every booth change you make, but hopefully, you'll find time to go thru ALL these steps a couple of times a year.

Pick low-traffic days to work because, while you are busy in your booth, customers will be reluctant to come into your booth.  As you work, to keep from losing too many sales opportunities, be prepared to either leave your booth when a customer comes close -OR- to engage the customer in a friendly conversation.  If you have the gift of gab, working in your booth could even get you some bonus sales.

You can spread these steps out over several days or you can go all out and plan to get it done in one day.

The first thing to do is purge and clean.    If you want to transition your booth over more than one day, these steps are perfect to do on the first day.  In fact, you can do these two steps anytime whether you are transitioning or not.

Purging and cleaning

are not exactly exciting,

HOWEVER

you may be surprised

at how much better your booth 

looks after they are done.

PURGE
Look around your booth and see what needs to go.  You'll need boxes and labels and markers.  As you pack up, think about how you can make it easy on yourself to find everything when it's time to bring these things back in next year.  Group everything you pack and label the boxes -  WINTER, VALENTINES, BLACK, whatever....

Remove all the old holiday items.  If you still have things for Valentine's Day still in your booth, pack them away.  They've got to go!  (Hopefully all other holiday things are long gone, but you may be amazed to find a few overlooked items.)    As you pack, think about why the items didn't sell.  It will help you make better buying and/pricing/displaying decisions in the future.

Also pack up anything that feels dark and wintry.  Are there snowflakes in your booth?  Please!  Get them out.  I don't care if there's still 4 feet of snow outside.  Folks are tired of it.  Our minds are moving into Spring mode.  Your booth needs to give them what they are yearning for.

Take another good look around your booth.  What do you have in your booth that has been there waaay too long?  Why hasn't it sold?  Is it marked too high? If so, mark it down.  Has it not been displayed well? If so, plan to display it differently as soon a s possible. Does it need a makeover?  If so, take it home to re-do.  Was it a mistake purchase?  If so, either mark it way down or call it a day and get it out of your booth.

CLEAN
A mall may have someone to clean the aisles and bathrooms, but they generally don't touch anything in booths.  Keeping your booth clean is up to YOU.

When is the last time your booth was vacuumed or dusted?  If it's been a while, then get busy.  You know what needs to be done.  Make sure that anything you use for cleaning has a mild scent.  You don't want to blow a sensitive customer out of your booth with strong fumes.

As you clean, think about how a shopper feels when purchasing something used.  If your booth looks dirty, then, what I call the "ick-factor" kicks in.  Just thinking about it makes me make the icky face look. Ponder this -  Do you really think someone would buy a pillow from a booth that looks nasty?


The next post in this series is ... SPRING Booth Transition - Part 2
It's a bit more FUN than this post.  :-D