The Art of Merchandising

Is your boutique piquing your guest’s interest and generating a profit? If the answer is no, it may be time to assess the effectiveness of your boutique.

A profitable boutique takes planning, managing and tracking. The following tips will help you create an attractive and profitable spa boutique!

Inventory Management

• Run reports to identify your product mix performance. This report should be generated by product, by brand and by type to identify your best, medium and low sellers. Then, identify the most and least popular price point to determine how much your guests are willing to spend on products and merchandise.
• Who within your spa is responsible for inventory management and boutique performance? Identify that person and outline their responsibilities.

Your merchandising mix should include items other than skincare, hair, and nail products. Your mix should include items that help guests continue the spa experience at home. You should also be offering other fun and unique items that guests don’t find in a typical retail outlet. Products you use during the spa experience should be offered for sale. Relaxation Lounge Many spas and medi spas offer some type of food and beverage within the relaxation area, such as tea, dried fruits, and mixed nuts. It’s wise to sell the items you offer. People are more likely to buy things they’ve tried. Use shelf talkers to explain the benefits of each item you offer your guests. Sell the tea they drink, sell the mixed nuts or dried fruits. Try White Lion tea. Order and receive free shipping! Pedicure When a guest receives a pedicure, instead of placing the flimsy flip flops on their feet, sell them the beautiful Flexflop instead. Rituals When you use essential oil or candles as a ritual in the treatment room, sell the oils and candles in the boutique. Changing Lounge If you have showers in the changing lounge, allow guests to use the shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and moisturizer that you offer in your facility. Many spas make the mistake of using inexpensive products in the showers, while selling a different product in the boutique. That is a big disconnect. It might cost you a little more up-front, but in the long-run you will sell a lot more products. The Art of Merchandising

• When you display spa products, attempt to tell a story. Show the professional treatment and the at-home care that goes with it.
• Use props such as bowls, cups, trays, frames, and accessories to add decorative flair to the display.
• Identify products’ natural ingredients and purchase them at local grocery stores, florists, etc. Incorporating these natural ingredients/elements will add unique ambiance and great character to your display area. Items such as flowers, leaves, botanicals, fruit, dried herbs, and shells will add interest to the merchandise display.
• Reserve one shelf for your promotion or monthly special.
• Don’t overcrowd your shelves. Remember, less is more.
• Rotating your merchandise is key. It gives the impression that you have new items, even when you don’t!
• Testers are essential to selling products. Most people like to touch, smell, and feel products. Make sure you give them the opportunity. Department stores generate a substantial amount of sales with the sampling model; you can, too!

Are you using your spa menu to increase product sales? What else are you doing to maximize your merchandise sales? Tell us in the comments below!