How we helped Allegro pitch new merchandising concepts for a store of the future

How we helped Allegro pitch new merchandising concepts for a store of the future

Alaina GardnerMay 8, 2018

Allegro of Conair® Corporation sought out Idea Kraft to help with new, out-of-the-box merchandising ideas for an exclusive line of cosmetic bags

As a product design house for beauty solutions, Allegro manages the entire product lifecycle. This integrative approach is what enticed us to work with them. At Idea Kraft, we apply a unified approach to all of our work. A brand isn’t just a logo but every touchpoint your company has with consumers, and while branding is about building a relationship between company and consumers, merchandising is the story that connects your product to customers. Allegro looked to Idea Kraft for high-end display concepts they could present to the store. These are some considerations we took into account throughout our design process.

The display must work even when customers pick up and put down your product.

We needed to design a unit that would maintain its beauty when not all of the bags were set up properly. Research showed that shoppers would often try to place items back correctly at first, but quickly give up if this required too much effort.

Unlike digital merchandising, customers can interact with and affect the design.

To ensure upscale presentation, we had to test ideas with and without fully-stocked units.

Along with our client’s store traffic and performance audits, we looked at displays for similar types of merchandise. We conducted a competitive analysis, and used mood boards to spark a conversation with the client.

Initial sketches explored ways to utilize the space for inventory while giving an exclusive look to the most premium item.

Merchandising solutions must engage your audience on the fly.

Frame the featured product using the inventory itself, also considering display behind the product when slots are empty.

We explored unique shapes for shelving that would call attention to the new products. Though the designs on the products had not yet been finalized, we were told they would have bold and colorful patterns. With creative arrangements, we took advantage of the unique shapes and patterns the bags would form on a more minimal unit.

Lighting is a powerful tool that must be considered carefully along with the other components of the display.

Initially we explored a more dramatic play between light and shadow, but this conflicted with the already busy patterns on the bags. We needed to throw focus on the featured product in a subtle, elegant way.

The solution was to combine two of the concepts to create an end cap with unique shapes. Acrylic dividers would guide shoppers to place the round top purse kits in an accordion arrangement.

This setup allows us to spotlight the featured products from above. The unique shapes of the shelf surfaces continue the organic patterns when items are sold, and the dividers encourage shoppers to rearrange nicely.

Train cases are featured beneath hanging weekenders.

Additional option to be inserted within cosmetics, elevated on clear acrylic shelving to appear to be “floating,” giving the product a high-end feel.

Signage is needed to complete the story.

We took signage into account from the start of this project, even though it doesn’t come until the next phase. In order to connect your product to customers, merchandising needs to tell a captivating story. With the use of minimalism for the end cap design and in-aisle floating shelves, signage can be as bold as the products being unveiled…and we can’t wait for them to be unveiled!

Balancing bold with minimal, control with customer interaction, light with shadow, and organization with fluid shapes is part of what makes a great story, and we‘re so excited to design the next chapter.

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