Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to a method of displaying merchandise. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of displaying gift bags, tissue and related gift wrapping items for retail sale. The method is designed to readily convey information to gift wrap shopping consumers to more quickly direct the consumer to the appropriate wrapping items, thereby reducing shopping time and increasing the likelihood that the consumer finds the needed wrapping material for the specific gift and occasion for which they were shopping. Consumers often shop for gift wrapping products with a gift of a known dimension already in mind. In other words, they are often looking for wrapping items to wrap an already selected gift of a known size. In addition to knowing the size of the gift to be wrapped, consumers also shop with a specific event or gift theme in mind (e.g., a birthday for a young boy, a wedding gift, etc.). Accordingly, consumers want to find wrapping material of the proper size and theme as quickly as they can. This is often done by heading to “the gift wrap aisle” of a retail store. While there are often many choices available to the gift wrapping consumer in these aisles, the volume of choices and the arrangement of those choices do not help the consumer with the goal of quickly finding the right sized wrapping material of the appropriate theme.
One product that has grown in popularity over the years, primarily due to its convenience and ease in wrapping a gift, is gift bags. These bags now come in all shapes and sizes. They also come in any number of themes. The number of choices available, however, can frustrate consumers' efforts to find the right sized bag quickly.
Prior art displays of gift wrapping products, such as gift bags, primarily organized gift bags by theme. For example, all the gift bags with a birthday theme might be in one section. However, the consumer would often have to look through most of the bags of that section to find one of the proper size.
In one embodiment of the present invention, several of the sections are arranged to provide size specific display locations. The display locations then contain only gift wrap items of a similar size. In this manner, consumers can quickly ascertain that they need not look in other display locations with different sized wrapping materials.
In addition to clear size organization in each section of the display fixture, pricing has been greatly simplified and theme organization is readily ascertainable. In some of the prior art designs, such as in
To assist with the objects noted above, a method of displaying gift wrapping items has been developed that readily assists prospective purchasers with locating gift wrapping items of an appropriate size and theme. Additionally, a simplified pricing scheme has been developed to create an intuitive price grouping of products that is quickly understood by consumers.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention over the prior art will become apparent from the detailed description of the drawings which follows, when considered with the attached figures.
The features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, in which
Referring now to the drawings in more detail and initially to
As can be seen from the prior art display fixture 10 in
Below the product category sign 38 is a first display location 40. The first display location 40 is an area on the fixture section 12 in which gift wrapping items 18 of a first general size are displayed. In the present embodiment, the gift wrapping items displayed in the first display location 40 are the smallest gift wrapping items 18. These items may include packaged tissue paper 22, mini gift bags 42 and small gift bags 44. The gift wrapping items 18 that go in the first display location 40 are generally selected for inclusion in the first display location 40 by virtue of their size. As a result, all of the gift wrapping items 18 in the first display location are of generally the same size and therefore create an appearance of objects having a first average size. If a particular gift wrapping item 18 is larger than the average appearance of the other items in the first display location, it is moved to another display location. Excluding objects of larger sizes from the first display location 40 allows consumers to readily identify the location of gift wrapping items 18 of a particular size.
In addition to being related by virtue of the fact that the gift wrapping items 18 in the first display location 40 are all of generally the same size, the first embodiment of the present invention further envisions that all of the items in the first display location 40 are offered for sale at a single price. For example, and as illustrated in
Each section 12 also preferably includes a second display location 46 into which gift wrapping items 18 of a second average size are displayed. In this illustrated embodiment, the items 18 displayed in the second display location 46 are gift bags 30 of a medium size. In the illustrated embodiment, the second display location 46 is positioned adjacent to and vertically below the first display location 40 such that the medium size gift bags 48 hang below the small gift bags 44. Further, the items 18 in the second display location 46 are, in this embodiment, offered for sale at a second price point. As illustrated in
In this embodiment, each section 12 also includes a third display location 50 and a fourth display location 52. The third display location 50 contains items 18, such as large gift bags 54, of a third average size. Similarly, the fourth display location 52 contains items 18, such as jumbo gift bags 56, of a fourth average size. As before, the items in the third display location are preferably sold at a single price point and the items in the fourth display location are preferably sold at a single price point. In the illustrated embodiment, the items in the third display location 50 are all sold for $3.00 each while the items in the fourth display location 52 are sold for $4.00 each.
In addition to reducing the overall number of price points for the items 18 in a particular section 12, the limited number of price points that are selected can be organized by making the price points relate to one another. For example, all of the price points can be whole numbers or integer values. In that regard, and as illustrated in
In order to increase product density, some of the items 18 may be displayed in a manner where they overlap or cover a portion of the items in front of which they are positioned. This can be done by the use of hanger bars 33. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, portions of the large gift bags 54 in the third display location 50 are covered by the jumbo gift bags 56 in the fourth display location. If the partially covered items are of the same width as the uncovered items, as illustrated in
In addition to a particular section 12 readily conveying size, location, and cost information by virtue of the above-described arrangement of the items 18 displayed thereon, additional benefits are realized when adjacent sections also incorporate the described display arrangement. For example, as illustrated in
Further navigational and way finding advantages may be realized by the consumer as a result of implementing an organized color scheme approach. In that regard, in one embodiment, all of the gift wrapping items 18 in a particular section 12 are provided with a common overall color scheme. The result is that the items 18 in that section 12 cooperate to give the section 12 an overall color or hue. By then arranging the sections 12 such that the hues of each section 12 get progressively darker and/or brighter as a consumer moves in one direction, a consumer can quickly recognize where they would find items 18 of a particular color. For example, the items 18 in the first section 34 pertain to the same theme, which is identified in the product category side 38 as a wedding. Consequently, all of the items therein are of a light overall color. These items 18 make use of pastels and light colors, thereby creating an overall light colored hue for the first section 34.
Similarly, the items 18 in the second section 36 are identified by the product category sign 38 as being related to baby gifts. Consequently, the gift wrap items 18 therein make use of many pastels and light colors. However, the overall hue of the second section 36 is darker than the overall hue of the first section 34. This pattern of each next adjacent section 12 in a particular direction having an overall hue that is darker and/or brighter quickly conveys information to consumers as they approach the sections from the side. For example, if a consumer is shopping for a gift bag to wrap a wedding present, as they approach the gift wrap aisle, they can quickly see that the gift bags of a lighter overall appearance are at one end and can head there. They need not stop at the other end which includes items of bright primary colors.
To further emphasize the general hue of each section 12, the product category sign 38 of each section 12 can include a background color that matches the overall hue created by the color of the gift wrap items 18 in that section 12. For example, the background color of the wedding sign 38 could be an off white while the background color of the baby sign 38 of the second section 36 can be a light yellow. The signs 38 of the sections 12 to the far right side of the display fixture 32 illustrated in
In the initial embodiment discussed above, all of the items in each display location were sold at a single price point. While this arrangement simplifies pricing, it does so based almost solely on size. This does not allow other factors, such as manufacturing cost or retail value, to be considered in determining the price for a particular gift wrapping item 18. In other words, two gift wrapping items of similar size may have significantly different manufacturing costs or may have significantly different value to a consumer. For example, a medium sized gift bag 48 of a single solid color may cost less to manufacture or have less perceived value to a consumer than a medium sized gift bag 48 with a design or pattern and a more ornate handle. Consequently, the second embodiment accounts for these issues by at least partially untying the price point from the display location.
As illustrated in
The first price point area 62 includes the mini bags 42 and the tissue paper 22 of the top row, as well as the top row of the small bags 44. The bags in the top row of small bags 44 can all be of a simple design, such as a single solid color and/or a two color pattern (e.g., stripes, polka dots, etc.). The bottom row of small bags 44 includes bags of a more complicated design (e.g., full color designs) and are thereby moved into the next price point area 64. Accordingly, in the illustrated second embodiment, simple small bags 44 are $1.00 and more ornate small bags 44 are $2.00. This gives the consumer the option to pay a little more for a fancier bag or go with a simple bag of the desired size for less money, all the while being able to quickly locate a gift bag that will meet their needs.
Similarly, the second price point area 64 includes the bottom row of ornate small bags 44 and the top row of simple medium bags 48. The third price point area 66 includes the bottom row of ornate medium bags 48 and the top row of simple large bags 54. Finally, the fourth price point area 68 includes the bottom row of ornate large bags 54. This embodiment provides the way finding advantages of the first embodiment and flexibility in pricing options.
Other advantages are present in the present invention. For example, as can be seen in
It should be noted that the display hooks 16 and hanger bars 33 are not present and the number of horizontal grooves or tracks 14 are reduced in schematic
Many variations can be made to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Such modifications are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the order of the display locations could be switched. While the illustrated embodiment puts the smaller items on top, such that from top to bottom the items go from smaller to larger, these can be reversed such that the smaller items are on bottom and the larger items are on top. Additionally, some of the concepts can be used without the other concepts. For example, the organizational and display arrangement for the sections can be employed without the use of the color scheme tool for making sections have an overall hue and adjacent sections being of a slightly lighter or darker hue. Further, while the sections 12 have been illustrated with four display locations, any number of display locations could be used. Similarly, while the display locations have been illustrated as covering the full width of a fixture section, such is not required.
In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to locate items in a display location that do not fall in the same price point as all the other items. In this case, items placed therein could be divisions of the price point (e.g., 2 for $1.00 or 3 for $2.00). This helps to maintain the single price point concept, but also make it flexible to include other types of merchandise. Further, while the exemplary price points of $1.00, $2.00, $3.00, and $4.00 have been discussed, other price points are contemplated and within the scope of the present invention (e.g., $1.25, $2.25, $3.25, and $4.25, and other related price groupings). Other modifications would be within the scope of the present invention.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the method and apparatus. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the invention.
Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention, and not in a limiting sense.