Merchandising in a spa retail environment.
Adding a retail boutique to a spa may have its challenges, but the payoff includes standing out from the competition, better client service and increased profits. The trick is to pay attention to the key areas that will make a difference. Once you do that, you’re all set to maximize your retail environment. And many of these ideas can be used in other retail spaces just as effectively.
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Is yours an upscale spa that caters to out-of-town guests or a day spa servicing mostly locals? Do your clients expect a peaceful escape, an energizing massage or an educational demonstration on healthy product lines?
If your clients tend to visit for monthly massages, your merchandise will need to change often to keep your boutique fresh and inviting. If they visit once a year for a needed mini-vacation, then unique gifts that connect the client to your spa and community will be beneficial.
A spa that caters to girls’ weekends would be more inclined to purchase fun, chic, laughter-inspiring accessories. If you advertise couples mud baths, then perhaps candles, massage oils and books promoting romantic getaways will be successful. Knowing your image and client base is an important step toward making profitable buying and merchandising decisions.
Serviced, not sold
Spa clients expect to be serviced, not sold. So it’s important for salespeople to be especially well-informed about their products. The more costly the item, the more benefits and attributes they’ll need to provide. A client wants to be educated on how the product will improve his or her skin, simplify their day or make their week less stressful. It’s beneficial to have the massage therapist or esthetician promote items used during the treatment, since they’ve gained the clients’ trust.
Often, there are two sales phases. The first is the initial phase after a treatment, when clients are interested in learning about products used during the treatment. The second phase is more impulsive. It’s this second phase that relies heavily upon effective merchandising to capture a customer’s attention. Well-placed items that inspire continued shopping can greatly add to spa profits.
Bringing the spa home
After a wonderful spa experience, a client wants to extend the feeling of euphoria by purchasing merchandise that will recapture the feeling at home. A distinctive fragrance can instantly bring calm to a hurried mind. A plush robe or towel with your logo embroidered on it will keep the name of your spa on your client’s mind long after he or she leaves. Purchase merchandise that’s unique to your spa so you’ll gain loyal, repeat customers. If feasible, set up an online store where clients can purchase your most popular line of products.
Space to shop
If the retail shop is connected to the treatment rooms, your space will be more intimate, with clients wandering around in robes and sandals, as opposed to a boutique in a separate building (often found in larger spas), where shoppers may not necessarily be spa clients. The benefit of the connected boutique is that an esthetician, massage therapist or salesperson can suggest products immediately following a treatment to enhance sales.
If your spa serves both men and women, adequate space between fixtures and products will add the needed comfort to browse. Small space creates intimacy, but make sure it’s comfortable. Take note of how clients flow through your boutique. Are there bottlenecked areas that make it difficult to browse? Pay attention to the fixtures used to display merchandise. Every fixture and display needs to be deliberate, not an afterthought. Often, wholesale companies will offer free fixtures to display their products. Only use them if they’re appropriate for your environment. Remember, the fixtures are designed to highlight their products. If they don’t blend nicely with your boutique, find a better use of that space. Every inch of your sales floor should be clean, attractive and filled with desirable merchandise.
Displays that sell
Approach each display with intention. You want to present each product in its best light by grouping items according to theme, color, usability or convenience of purchase. Create a flow that invites the client to stroll from one product line to the next. Alternate between merchandise clustered in baskets and spilling out of buckets to more streamlined displays that are easy to navigate. By blending merchandising styles, you’ll keep your boutique interesting.
Your goal is to have the displays flow seamlessly from one area of the shop to the next. One way to add interest is by highlighting items on risers. When you vary the height of a display, it instantly becomes more appealing. Three to five items stacked upon one another is usually effective. You don’t want displays to topple over onto a client, because they’ll be less likely to touch other items.
Be conscious of colors that blend rather than shock. For example, the hues fuchsia and orange create energy side by side, so make sure that’s your intent. If you’re a fun, weekend spa located by the beach, then bright, crisp colors might be appropriate. An earthy spa grounded in deep browns and greens might be better suited for a spa in the woods.
When displaying items, partner merchandise that a customer would realistically purchase together. You don’t want to have lotions popping out of a teapot; that doesn’t make sense in the buying process. By cross-merchandising items that sell well together, such as logo T-shirts and hats, or robes and slippers, you’re increasing your prospect of higher sales.
The senses
The scents, sounds and sights of your spa are essential. The voices of your employees must blend, not grate. A chatty employee might be wonderful in some spa settings, but not in all. The music must be the background, not the star. A soothing song can be a magnet to keep shoppers wandering around your shop or it can be a reason to bolt to the exit. Have an assortment of CDs so you can offer a variety of tunes. Talk radio and advertisements should not be used. You want to keep clients’ minds focused on the present moment, not drifting off to the outside world.
The fragrance of your lotions and candles must intrigue, not overpower clients. Purchase testers so people can feel and smell lotions, oils or candles. A spa should be a tactile environment, so display products to be touched, not hidden in a case. When buying, purchase an extra silk scarf that can be handled, or a book to be flipped through. If a shopper can touch an item, he or she is more likely to purchase it.
Eliminate clutter
Strive for a clutter-free area. Clients come to a spa to escape the saturated world of marketing and information. Over stimulation contradicts the relaxing atmosphere you’re trying to create. A common flaw in spa boutiques is overbuying. If there’s too much merchandise, a customer cannot realistically view it all and might get overwhelmed and leave. Particularly after a relaxing treatment, a shopper wants to meander his or her way around a stress-free boutique. If items topple over because they’re stacked too high, or clients are tripping over merchandise clumped on the floor, then their spa experience is being deteriorated.
View your spa boutique through your clients’ eyes. Is it inviting, tactile and easy to navigate? Don’t overbuy merchandise that will sit and gather dust. If a product line isn’t selling, move it, mark it down or donate it. Perhaps have a small, designated area for sale items. This area should be just as clean and well merchandised as other areas of the shop, so it looks intentional rather than a catch-all for discarded items.
Eliminate hassles
Have an easy, no-hassle checkout system. After a stress-reducing massage, it’s frustrating for a customer to wait endlessly for a credit card machine to work or a salesperson to find a price. Every stage of the buying process should be without stress. Be diligent to ensure all products have a price, are attractively merchandised and are easy to purchase. If a client asks about a product line, make it easy for him or her to make a decision by highlighting the attributes of just two or three products. Don’t overwhelm people with information. A selection of sizes, price points and benefits can help differentiate a product line without making it overbearing.
Appropriate signage
Let signs be your silent sellers. They can provide needed information if they’re easy to read and look professional. Handwritten signs are fine if they’re deliberately done by a talented hand and are consistent throughout your space. Choose a style and color for your signage, and follow through with the theme. Don’t have the type so small or fancy that it cannot be easily read. Signs should be provided to assist a client with information or price points.
Don’t put too many signs in your shop, it only adds clutter. Walk your shop every day to correctly place signs next to products. Which item is being promoted should be clear in a customer’s mind.
Prices and competition
The prices you charge will depend upon your client base and competition. If you’re in a town that specializes in spas, you’ll need to be aware of neighboring businesses. Often, a tourist will visit several spas, so you want to be unique in your product selection and image. If you’re the sole spa in your area, you have more flexibility with assortment and pricing. If you carry a local product that’s created a buzz (for example, a lavender cream or wine-inspired body rub), you can charge more. Be consistent in your pricing throughout your boutique.
If you know your target market, then you’ll have a good idea how much people are willing to spend. If you cater to a clientele that’s more frugal, then you don’t want to sell a line of high-end jewelry. However, if you cater to weekend guests who enjoy a night on the town and fine dining, then a line of elegant silk scarves might be a worthwhile addition. Get to know your competition so you can all benefit without overlapping merchandise. There are plenty of wonderful and unique products lines to sell if you do your research; there’s no need to sell the same items as a spa down the block.
A glowing environment
The style of lighting you use in your retail space should also be consistent with a spa environment. Use soft, ambient lighting rather than jarring spotlights to draw focus to product lines. You might need a blend of lighting styles for specific areas of your spa. Your checkout counter might need more light to adequately assist tasks. A few, well-placed spotlights can be effective. Ambient lighting provided by halogen lights, wall sconces, or table lamps can provide needed display light without the industrial glow of a fluorescent tube. Have a gradual transition from dark to light as your guests exit the treatment rooms. You don’t want a beam of light glaring into people’s eyes. Often, a client will want to see how a product such as makeup, jewelry or clothing looks against their skin tone in natural light, so have a mirror handy, so she can wander outside to preview a product.
Make a lasting impression
Spa environments are busy behind the scenes for directors, practitioners and hospitality employees. Make sure the hustle and bustle doesn’t negatively affect your customer’s spa experience. An employee relating a story in a raised voice to another worker can spill over to the boutique.
How you wrap your items will often be the last impression of your boutique, so create an attractive shopping bag to send away with your guest. Pop in a free sample for an added touch. Clients will leave feeling relaxed and happy as they take a piece of their experience home.
