ARTYSMITH2: BOOKMARK

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

BOOKMARK

Books & stuff...

Having just enjoyed another long holiday weekend, with time to catch up on some reading, it got me thinking about books. I’m a bit old school when it comes to books I still prefer turning pages, especially if I’m indulging in some highly visual book about design. That aside, I do see the benefits of using technology for reading, especially if you’re going on holiday.

I like to see books about the house and I also like to see books in shops and I’m not just talking bookshops here. Books humanise spaces. Okay, they may be inanimate objects but they’re full of emotion and passion and can inspire us and change our mood. Books work well in retail spaces and can add value to the overall retail experience. There are a few retailers that do this really well, Paul Smith and Urban Outfitters to name but two.

I’ve seen some impressive shop displays using books, they make great props for visual merchandising but I’ve also seen how they can be included in the retail offer. Okay, they won’t necessarily produce the biggest sales and definitely won’t give you the best profit margins but if chosen well they will add value to what you do as a retailer and may make your shop a more pleasant space to be. This is a good thing; anything we can do to encourage customers to linger and stay a little longer will produce a greater opportunity to increase sales. Books can add validity to what you do, inspire and amuse your customers and strengthen customer engagement.

So think about your shop, what you sell, what service you provide or could provide to improve the customer experience. Could you come up with a good book list that adds something extra to your retail offer? The rewards might not be obvious at first but will probably be much greater than you can imagine or even measure. Have a think about it…