Captivating Book Display Stands: The Keys to Success

No one can resist a good read. Believe it or not, even in the world of Kindles, iPads and other electronic readers, many people still prefer the feeling of paper between their fingers that only an actual book can bring. It may surprise book store owners, coffee shop managers and gift shop merchandisers to learn that physical books still outsell ebooks¹.

But when it comes to retail book displays or fixtures, are yours best-sellers?

A huge factor in determining if a novel will be successfully sold at retail is how a retailer incorporates captivating book displays and fixtures in their retail marketing floor plan.

We’ll take a look at 11 vital things merchandise managers and shop owners need to know to create successful literature display stands among other important elements that are vital to retail success.

Do Your Retail Book Display Stands & Fixtures Have These 11 Important Elements?

1. Does it complement the book’s cover?

Publishers put a lot of money and time into developing captivating covers, so why hide one of a book’s strongest marketing assets?

Take advantage of book display stands that allow you to feature the cover because this will grab more attention than books with only the spine showing.

A good display also provides plenty of breathing room to let the books make their own artistic statements.

2. Do the book displays and fixtures utilize different angles?

Eyes naturally gravitate toward different or unusual angles.

Book display stands that take advantage of this will win over those with less compelling configurations. Be sure that convenience isn’t sacrificed for creativity; the display must be able to keep the books upright and easily accessible.

3. Do the retail book display units utilize sturdy materials?

Since many book displays are in heavy traffic areas, a wire display rack or wood display will be sturdy and provide the most return on your investment.

4. Does the display utilize rotating tiers?

These are also useful for a comic display rack as well as book display stands.

Rotating tiers can triple the available product space, allowing customers to see all items easily and quickly. These are also good displays for ensuring that the book’s cover art steals the spotlight.

Rotating displays, wire grid display racks or spinner displays come in a wide variety of styles and can be as versatile as the books themselves.

5. Does the display contribute to the theme?

Imagine that you want to create a beautiful display for the latest romance novels. You might want to consider a display in bright colors with cutout elements that mimic the cover art. It’s also possible to create it in the shape of a heart.

Whether you’re selling the latest thriller series or you want to draw attention to new children’s books, let the book display stands reflect the “spirit” of the product you’re selling.

6. Does the display invite the reader to take another look and touch the product?

Remember, there’s a reason that the consumer has decided to buy the book instead of downloading it. Many paperback advocates will firmly declare that they like the texture of a book in their hands.

According to Forbes magazine, this is part of a relatively new discipline called haptic marketing. Haptic marketing focuses on leveraging the power of touch to secure a sale.

7. Does the display take advantage of cross-selling?

Cross-selling means encouraging a consumer to buy a product that complements the one he or she may be considering. This is not only convenient for the consumer, it’s profitable for you.

Did you know that Amazon states that up to 35 percent of its revenue comes from cross-selling? You’ll see this in the “Frequently Bought Together” or “Customers Who Bought This Also Bought” sections.

A captivating book display should include cross-selling. For example, a comic display rack may be sold alongside waterproof covers so consumers can protect their purchases. Book displays can be accompanied by bookmarks or reading lights.

8. Does the display take advantage of current trends and popular topics?

Some of the hottest Hollywood movies were based upon books, and if there’s a big box office blockbuster, you should include the original novel in your display.

Even better, if there’s a big event like the Oscars, make sure your display’s books get top billing by selecting biographies of many of the featured actors.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. For example, a book featuring a trendy topic—such as home improvement—could be accompanied by other useful volumes on closet organization, interior design and even how to make basic household repairs.

9. Do the book display stands overwhelm your product?

Profitable displays do not overwhelm your product.

While you may have some innovative, “outside-the-box” ideas, remember that it’s your product—not the packaging—that’s the star of the show. The best displays are ones that complement—not compete with – your product.

Imagine you are the customer. Look at your display and ask yourself:

• What’s the first thing that grabs your attention?
• What is the predominant color or shape?
• At first glance, can you instantly determine what is being sold and why you should buy one?

10. Does it demonstrate that form follows function?

Is this going to be a permanent display in a retail store, or is it going to be part of a large, temporary kiosk at a business fair?

The key to quality is creating an item that is visually stunning yet, at the same time, one that can fulfill your needs. Also, keep in mind the “traffic flow.”

Where is your display located in relation to where shoppers will be entering or exiting the store? Are there other items with which your product will be competing? If so, where will they be located?

A good grasp and understanding of where your display will be in relation to other items is a major consideration for good design.

11. Did you know that displays can be made from a variety of materials, as long as it reinforces the brand?

If a basic, simple wire frame is the best fit for your product, then by all means, utilize it. Just realize that you don’t have to be limited. Quality displays utilize all tools at their disposal, whether it’s wood, LED lighting or a different texture.

Consider the Advantages of a Spinning Custom Wire Display Rack or Book Stand for Your Next Project

Stories capture the imagination, spinning wonderful tales of adventure and intrigue. A customized book display also “spins” a story by providing the elements you need to place your product on the bestseller list.

If you have a wide variety of products, you need to display them in a manner that is efficient, effective and eye-catching. A spinning book display or a spinning custom wire display rack may be the solution.

One of these customized spinners is the perfect choice to draw the consumer’s attention to your product.

These displays can be used to showcase more than books. Other possibilities include greeting cards, informational brochures, stationery and even small pieces of artwork. There are several ways spinning bookshelves can help promote and sell your product.

We’ll take a look at a few of them.

They provide plenty of information at a glance.

A bookshelf spinner allows the customer to see instantly all available items, providing three to four times the amount of product space you’d get from an end aisle display. Because more products are available, your chances of making a sale dramatically increase.

They allow the customer to judge the book by its cover. Literally.

Spinning book displays have the wonderful ability to be functional and graceful while ensuring that cover art takes center stage. Publishers have invested millions of dollars on cover design, and spinners allow these graphics to shine without overshadowing your product.

They come in a wide variety of styles.

Forget the black wire caddies often seen in airport retail stores. The truth is, these POP displays can be as varied as the products they showcase.

Imagine beautiful inlaid wood or a forest green that matches the publisher’s logo or the perfect shade to complement the hues of the book covers.

They engage children’s interest.

Are children your primary audience? If so, spinning bookshelves make it easier for children (and their parents) to access your product.

Bright colors and engaging texture encourage them to remove a sample and examine it—if that’s appropriate.

They operate effectively within smaller spaces.

Few other customized POP displays allow you to feature so many products in a small amount of space. Just be sure your customer has plenty of room to rotate the spinner easily.

They encourage interaction.

Human beings are emotional buyers. Often, it’s the feel, touch or texture of a product that can “seal the deal.”

Spinning bookshelves make it easy for your customers to pick up and examine your product closely. This is even more important for book sales, when readers want to sample a few opening paragraphs before they make a purchase.

When should you use a spinning book display rack?

At McIntyre Manufacturing, we believe that “form follows function.” That is, we believe the right display is the one that results in quantifiable sales while contributing to your overall brand message.

Is a spinning bookshelf right for your product? We’ll look at a few things such as:
• How much space you have for your display
• The size and dimensions of your product
• The amount of product you want to display

We’ll examine your target customer and create a concrete design that meets those goals. Whether you have a detailed, specific vision in mind or you need help developing an idea or concept, we have the creative ability and engineering expertise to make it happen.

4 Tips on Showcasing the Perfect Book Display

We realize that, in order for your book display to work seamlessly with your inventory, you should implement the best practices for showcasing your collection. Following are some useful tips:

1. Create a display around themes.

Are vampire books trendy? Perhaps your staff have some favorite biographies that they want displayed. Want to read the book after/before seeing the movie?

Utilize your book stand to create these themes. Imagine a display that implements crafted metal in the shape of a film reel to indicate books that have been made into movies? Likewise, you can use wood to showcase do-it-yourself books. Let your imagination be your guide. Whatever you can envision, our creative designers will work with you to make it happen.

2. Use a corner shelving display.

If you have a smaller book collection around a similar theme, get the most out of every inch of space by using a corner shelving display. Not only is this a perfect way to showcase your inventory, but it maximizes the use of every square foot of your store.

3. Remember to arrange the books properly.

No matter what type of book display stand you use, make sure you follow the rules we’ve outlined above for correct display.

Books should be upright—either vertically or horizontally with the spine always showing. Never have your books tilted. The shelf should always be full, but not so much so that the shopper has to struggle to remove one.

4. Try a Tower Display

These can create an interesting and intriguing design. Picture a tower with shelves ranging from large to small. Place heavier, larger books on the bottom and gracefully move upward to smaller books on the top. This easily moves the eye upward and keeps your larger, heavier books from taking up too much space on the shelf.

We can customize the exact sizes of each tier to meet your needs.

McIntyre Manufacturing Has the Expertise to Make Your Next Book Display a Best-Seller

Of course, we’re not limited to book displays. We can craft any idea or vision you have with our creative team of experienced design engineers.

Would you like to add lighting to your display? No problem.

Do you need a secure display to showcase cell phones? We’ll have it to you on time and on budget.

At McIntyre Manufacturing, if you can dream it, we can build it. We’ve helped thousands of customers across the country—and the world—create efficient quality displays for every type of product.

So what’s your vision? Do you have a carefully crafted plan, or have you scribbled it on a napkin?

Perhaps you don’t even know where to start. Our team has both the creativity and technical expertise to produce an affordable, world-class product. Contact us and we’ll be glad to help you.

However, it’s not only our expertise that sets us apart; it’s our integrity. While we utilize the latest technological innovations, we still believe in the Golden Rule and treating our customers with the highest level of service. They deserve nothing less.

 

Since 1977, McIntyre Manufacturing Group has created custom-designed displays with an uncompromised dedication to customer service. We utilize the latest technology and attention to detail to create the finest products with excellent craftsmanship. If you can dream it, we can create it. Contact us to see how we can bring your vision to life.