168 December 2016 www.bahrainthismonth.com marketplace Visual Merchandising YATEEM CENTRE Shop windows are some of the first things that attract customers into an outlet. One of the country’s favourite malls has an ongoing competition to showcase its best displays. Have you ever thought about what goes into the design of a shop window display? When most people look at an outlet, they are absorbed by the contents exhibited but are unaware of the hours of attention that go into creating that facade. For the retailer, the shop front is crucially important. First it has to catch the shopper’s eye and then hold their attention – they need to be sufficiently intrigued by what’s on show to want to enter the store. Before we even step over the threshold, we have formed an opinion about the shop, about its goods and their quality. Some department stores, such as Selfridge’s in London and Bloomingdale’s in New York, spend huge amounts of money on their Christmas displays to attract customers from around the world who come to look at their festive windows and are hopefully attracted inside. Reflecting the importance of visual merchandising, the Yateem Centre has recently announced an ongoing competition for the ‘Best-dressed Window’ amongst the outlets in the mall. The first winner was Penshoppe on the ground floor. It’s a mid-range fashion chain with a constant variety of quality products at a price that will not break the bank. The judges particularly took into account the use of seasonally inspired themes in the creation of its displays. The next winner was Classic Trading, the Bahrain based watch chain, whose sharp, modern image and use of products caught the judges’ attention. And it is not just the shops who have to think about displays. The Yateem Centre itself, through a creative expansion on its theme of ‘Find Something Different’, has decorated a dozen outside windows with images of faces from around the world. So, head down to take a look at the windows and decide for yourself if they are eyecatching, then give your feedback on the Yateem Centre Facebook page. And the next time you walk into a shop, think about the display – did the designer do a good job, what have you liked and what caught your attention? Call 17 215-615.
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