The Retail Display Blog

5 Typefaces You Should Never Use on Signs

2011-06-01T11:05:00.001+10:00

Having signs outside and inside your business is one of the best ways to grab prospective consumers' attention and increase your sales. In order to grab customers' attention, you need to employ creative, fun and eye-catching visuals that are both easy to read and deliver a message clearly and efficiently. Part of this design process is picking the right typeface. There are an unlimited number of typefaces out there; most of which are available for free. But that doesn't mean you have a free reign over which font you get to use. Each typeface has a message, an emotion, that its appearance projects. There are several typefaces that should never be used, though.

If your signs feature any of these typefaces, it's time to put them in a Calgary self storage unit, and get some new signs. Your business will thank you.

1. Papyrus
Papyrus is the typeface where the edges look a little frayed or worn, and unfortunately can be found pretty much anywhere you look. This typeface is used a lot in retail, particularly in gift shops, as well as in menus. Its overuse is reason enough to not use it.
Yet it carries another burden. Using Papyrus on print materials and signs conveys the message that, like the typeface, your products are worn and frayed around the edges. This typeface is neither fresh nor pleasing to the eye.

2. Curlz MT
Have a fun, perky business that appeals to young girls? Chances are, you might have considered using Curlz MT as a typeface option, but stay away. While all the little swirls and extra tails on the letters give off that fun feeling, everybody with a similar businesses uses it as well. It may be fun and girly with a little Parisienne vibe, but it also carries that superficial lack of personality that often doesn't appeal to anybody.

3. Arial and Times New Roman
Remember all those years you spent in school, writing research paper after research paper? So do your customers. There's a high probability that, if your customers have used a computer, they are familiar with these typefaces, and are less inclined to read the signs. While these two are appropriate as accent or secondary typefaces, they should never be featured. That is, unless your business promotes a bland, run of the mill shopping experience. These two are a no-no, but there is one golden rule that you must never forget:

4. Comic Sans MS
Ask any graphic designer what typeface they despise most, and the majority of the time you'll hear them mention Comic Sans MS. Unless you're making signs for a group of kindergartners, using this typeface on any signage is nothing short of insulting to the readers. Its elementary appearance is an insult to viewers' intelligence and makes them take the sign they're reading less seriously. So be sure to remember this:

5. Bradley Hand (or any other "hand" fonts)
There's nothing wrong with wanting your sign to look a little more personalized. A handwritten sign looks more personal and intimate, and provides a little more intrinsic value for those who see it. The problem, once again, is that everybody uses it. This font has made a name for itself in the creation of invitations because it looks hand written. Honestly, you're much better off just writing the text on the sign yourself. That way it will actually be more personalized rather than just look like an attempt to be personalized.

Remember that you want your signs to stand out and say something to your consumers through its appearance and text. There are a variety of websites for you to download free fonts and sign symbols created by users for the public to use, and chances are a lot less people will be using the ones you find. Designing a sign should be a fun and creative process, but should also be performed with a goal and purpose, and there are many more typefaces that can get the job done better than the ones already on your computer.

New A-Frame Signs & Sandwich Boards Now Online

2011-05-18T12:37:00.005+10:00

Just a quick post to alert everyone out there that at Slimline Warehouse we've added a bunch of new A-frame signs, or sandwich board signs to our display product range.

We reckon all these new pavement signs or sidewalk signs as the Yanks call them, mean that we have the most comprehensive range of A-frames in the country. We've got a wide range of wooden A-frames as well as chalk board and marker board signs that allow you to write your own promotional message. And a huge range of clip frame A-boards. So be sure to check the all out here:

A-frame Signs & Sandwich Boards

Choosing the Right Light Box for You

2011-03-31T15:55:00.000+11:00

The name "Slimline Warehouse" originally came around due to the fact that we started out exclusively selling slimline light boxes. In fact for five years we sold nothing but light boxes and despite the fact that we now have a huge range of display products, we still have Australia's largest range of slimline light boxes.

My point is that we really know light boxes inside and out! Recently we decided to condense all our light box knowledge into a short guide to help consumers make the right decision when it comes to purchasing a light box for their businesses. So if you are about to buy a slimline lightbox, an LED light box or traditional-style light box and want to ensure that you get the best value for your money and the box that is right for you, it's a must read. Just click the button below...

Floating Bubble Signage... Seriously

2011-03-31T11:28:00.000+11:00

I had a video of an interesting signage machine emailed to me the other day. I'm not exactly sure of the number of practical uses for it, but it's definitely one way to get some attention. Check it out:

Australia's Largest Range of Pull Up Banners

2011-02-01T11:19:00.001+11:00

If you're looking for pull up banners, roll up banners or retractable displays, then look no further because Slimline Warehouse now stocks the largest range of banner stands in Australia!

We recently added a few new pop-up banner displays that we think complete the range. Regardless of whether you're looking for a basic budget pull up that will get the job done or a premium retractable banner stand that will set you apart from the competition, we got the display for the job.

We've got extra large pull up banners, double-sided pull up banners, outdoor banner stands & L-banner stands... and all at the most competitive price in Australia.

Point of Sale Marketing: 3 Tips to Boost Your Bottom Line

2011-01-31T17:12:00.010+11:00

Retailers are always looking for new marketing ideas to help bring more customers through the doors, leverage their existing customer base and ring more sales through the register. This article outlines 3 proven “point of sale” marketing techniques that are used effectively by retailers all over the world to boost sales and their bottom line! So, read on…

1. Everyone Knows the Value of a Good Ad Campaign… Or Do They?

Whether you focus on printed marketing material, radio commercials or email blasts to registered customers, it’s a must to accurately track the results of all the advertising campaigns that you run.

By tracking sales back to the original marketing stream you can get a clear idea of those campaigns that are indeed bringing more customers into your store and those that aren’t. Better still, it’s even possible to calculate the exact sales return for every dollar spent on the campaign. This is the only way to accurately measure the effectiveness of one method of advertising against another and allows you to focus on those that are giving you the best return on your investment and drop those that are not performing.

A simple means to achieve this is for sales staff be trained to politely collect information from customers. It could be as simple as a pleasant greeting and an enquiry regarding where the customer heard about your store. The answers collected can then be recorded against the sale in your POS system. The more information that you are able to collect, the more useful the resulting reports will be in focusing your marketing efforts and growing your business.

A more involved, yet more precise method is to provide coupons or codes that customers can present to receive a nominal discount or special offer on products or services that you supply. Using this method you can very accurately assign total sales revenue to your various marketing channels, simply by recording the coupons that shoppers present with the sale in your POS system.

2. Are You Feeling Feisty?

A slightly more aggressive tactic, that in truth is more suited to some businesses than others, is to also collect details from non-purchasing customers.

If a consumer has shown some interest in a product, they may be comfortable in leaving their name and contact details with the promise of a follow up call regarding an upcoming promotion. This may be as simple as collecting their email address or mobile phone number so you can send them automated alerts regarding sales and specials.

Some customers will be willing to participate, while others will not, but if staff are well trained and are able to offer such services in a subtle and friendly manner, no customer need be offended or feel “pushed” into an action that might leave them with a negative brand association.

3. Accentuate the Positives!

This final point is critical. You must leverage your existing customer base. These are people who have, of their own accord, found your establishment and been so significantly impressed by the product on offer as to buy. More often than not, that indicates that they have already had a positive experience of your brand.

As in the previous point, this could come in the form of collecting mailing addresses, mobile phone numbers or emails with the promise to notify them of upcoming sales and promotions. For bigger ticket items or tailored services, personalised phone calls from a team member may be a more appropriate form of contact.

One step further to this tactic is the offering of a loyalty or membership program that entitle those who sign up to discounts not available to members of the general public. This is an offer that not only enforces brand loyalty through the perception of “exclusivity”, but is also guaranteed to increase the instance of customers willing to supply their details.

All that’s then left to do is to choose how often you leverage the collected data. You might make contact with customers in your database on a weekly, monthly or seasonal basis – It’s all dependent on the nature of your product range and your target market.

These 3 techniques are tried and trusted and suited to all manner of retail endeavours, so there’s no reason you can’t start using them to the benefit of your business - Perhaps you already are!

Do you have some suggestions for similar tactics, or some ideas that might build up those listed above?

LED Building Signs

2010-11-15T11:12:00.009+11:00

Finally, we've had some time to install the LED Signage that we designed and manufactured for the Slimline Warehouse and CS&G buildings.

It's been one of those internal projects that's been on the go for some time, but has been put off over and over again due to client deadlines on other projects. So it's particularly satisfying to finally get it done and be able to show off the capabilities and quality of our 3D lettering and LED lettering to clients who come to visit. Please click on the images below if you'd like to see them a little larger:

If you'd like to see some more examples of the various styles of letter that we can fabricate you can follow one of the following links: LED Letter Styles or 3D Metal Letters. Maybe you'd like to take a look at a couple of the lettering jobs that we've done already. In that case try one of these links: Pylon Sign LED Lettering or Tony Bianco LED Lettering.

Retractable & Rope Barriers by Q-Line

2010-09-06T15:28:00.001+10:00

Some time ago I mentioned here that Slimline Warehouse were soon to be releasing an exclusive range of queue barriers and rope barriers. Well, we've now got them here in our warehouse and they'll soon be up online. The brand is called Q-Line and they're a top quality crowd barrier that we will be making available online in the next week or so. And, as always, they'll be available to the public at warehouse prices.

So if it's a product that you're interested in, keep your eyehere is an overview of our full range:

Are You Standing in the Way of Your Trade Show Marketing Success?

2010-08-13T14:07:00.005+10:00

Believe it or not, there are still some businesses out there that just don’t understand why they should spend the money to send their staff to a trade show. What the CEO’s of those firms are missing is that working trade shows is a highly effective way to get the word out there about your business. In fact, sending your sales staff to a trade show is one of the most cost-effective methods available to any company for selling your products and services.

Did you know: It’s more than 20% less expensive to contact a client through a trade show appearance than it is using traditional advertising channels? But, you have to handle selecting your staff for these shows the right way. It may be that you want to send only your own employees to trade shows, or you may want to field a mixed staff that combines veterans from your sales staff with models or other attractive faces to help draw in customers. But, whomever you send, you need to be sure that they’ll make the right impression on your customers.

If your firm hasn’t done a lot of trade shows, you may be unaware of a few important facts about trade shows. For one thing, according to the authoritative Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR):

· Almost 90% of the attendees of any given trade show will have had no personal contact from a member of your company’s sales staff in the previous 12 months.

· 70% of the people attending the trade show have some plans to purchase some type of product.

· More than three-quarters of the people attending the trade show will ask for sales quotes, and more than one quarter of the people there will actually order something.

· Almost three-quarters of the trade show’s attendees say afterwards that things they witnessed or experienced at the show influenced their decisions for future purchases.

So, based on those statistics alone, you don’t have to be some kind of marketing genius to understand that it is crucial to your company’s continued success to have a presence at trade shows. Plus, in addition to the direct effect trade shows can have on your sales in the short run, there are other positive effects from exhibiting your wares in that type of venue. More than 60% of the people who visit your trade show booths or display will tell at least 6 other people about what they saw.

Most people attending a trade show will only go to one a year, so it’s vital to your business to have a presence at as many trade shows as possible. You have to have the right staff manning the booth, the right exhibition stands and you need something to make your business stand out from the herd. When it comes to trade shows, the standard sales techniques will probably not work, so the sales professionals you use must be flexible, quick-witted, and able to think on their feet. You only get one chance to make a first impression on potential clients, so you must get it right.

Don’t get me wrong: beautiful, cool-looking, or high-tech banner stands, display stands and booths are important too, but it’s also the people manning the booth at the trade show who will have a big impact on potential customers. Based on CEIR’s most recent research, up to 85% of that impression will be made by the people that you have in that booth. It is their personalities, professionalism and knowledgeability that will have a serious impact on your sales and future profitability through the contacts they make and the leads that they generate at trade shows. So, if you’re going to all of the expense and bother of sending sales staff to a trade show, be sure that the people you’re sending are the ones who know how to make a difference.

Sign Symbols Download

2010-08-04T12:19:00.006+10:00

If you're a graphic designer or a sign writer you probably sometimes have the need for some good quality sign symbols such as toilet symbols, arrows, no smoking etc etc. There are plenty around that you can buy, or that come as part of a larger signage software package, but good quality symbols that are free can be hard to find. So with that in mind, I thought I'd post up a link to this site which has a free download of the following symbols.

Just click: Free Sign Symbol Download

A Little Off Topic

2010-08-01T09:07:00.000+10:00

This one's a little off topic. In fact it's a long way off topic, but it's a topic that we all have some experiences with even if they're probably not amongst your most pleasant of memories. I'm talking about dentistry. More specifically about going to the dentist and choosing a dentist that's going to do a good job on your teeth and not rip you off! That's got to be relevant doesn't it?

So, the other day I came across a few sites that are designed to help you do just that and thought I'd just quickly share them with you: MD Dentists, VA Dentists & DC Dentists. There you go, next time your off to get some plaque scrapped off your pearly whites, check them out and save you a few dollars.

Q-Line Retractable Barriers

2010-07-16T13:47:00.000+10:00

Some time ago I made a post about some retractable queue barriers that we were planning on introducing. Well, it was a while ago now but we've managed to develop an exclusive line of queue barriers called "Q-Line" that are currently in production. I won't say too much other, other than, they'll be ready soon and with features and prices that are sure to raise some eyebrows. Here's a peek...

Paper Sizes: A4 - A0... & Then Some!

2010-07-16T09:29:00.001+10:00

If you work in retail, or print, or are a graphic designer, you probably know by heart all the most common paper sizes for your region. In Australia, it's all about the "A"s - A6, A5, A4, A3, A2, A1 & A0 are probably those that you have imprinted in your brain if you have worked with them enough over the years.

A-Series paper sizes

But occasionally you come across a poster or job that doesn't fit any of the standard molds. Maybe it's a display product or design that has been created in another part of the world, or maybe it's just that some paper nerd has got tricky with their specifying. Regardless, it's good to have a reliable paper information source bookmarked so you can squash any confusion without your wasting time trawling the net for answers.

Well, I've come across the very site that you're looking for! It's called Paper Sizes (duh!) and it has more information all those standard paper sizes than you ever thought possible. So the next time you come across a B8, a C3 or something as confusing as a G5 Swedish Extension or Old English Double Elephant (!), don't smash your face against your keyboard in frustration... just head to Paper-Sizes.com. And while your there you can even study up the history of paper, and within no time you will be that paper nerd, frustrating designers and printers everywhere with your obscure specifications. Won't that be great!

And although you probably never will need to reference the Old English size of "Double Elephant", you just never know...

Old English paper sizes

Media Backdrop Article

2010-07-07T09:05:00.000+10:00

I recently wrote up a little something on Media Backdrop Banners that Ben from the Ultimate Banners blog was kind enough to post up as a guest blog. He's got loads of other interesting banner related articles on his site, so head over and check it out.

Cork Boards & Whiteboards Online

2010-07-01T15:34:00.000+10:00

We've just put up a huge new range of cork boards and whiteboards on our site to compliment the outdoor, lockable notice boards that we've been offering for a while.

The new products include high quality cork boards with a sturdy aluminium frame which have been designed and manufactured in Europe, along with some whiteboards that feature a metal surface and come with magnets so you can also use them as a bulletin board. There are two models of white board - a simple office style board and a unit that has a lockable plastic door that prevents notices being removed and writing be erased from the white boards surface.

Anyway, they're all online now and come in a range of sizes which hold between 4 and 12 A4 sheets. So if you're in the market to have a slightly more organised workplace, head on over to the Slimline Warehouse site and order one online!

Suggestion Boxes - Start the Conversation

2010-06-22T09:38:00.001+10:00

They're certainly not a new innovation and may not be the first product you'd think of to add impact to your in-store merchandising, but suggetion boxes or donation boxes are a great way to engage your customers and improve branding.

When a customer or client has a bad experience while shopping or doing business with your company they won't necessarily tell you about it. Sure, some people will let you know exactly what they think, but the other 90% will just keep there complaints (or compliments!) to themselves. Can you really afford not to know if customers are repeatedly having a bad experience or coming up against roadblocks in the buying process

This is where the suggestion box comes into it's own. It's a great non-threatening way to create a dialogue with your customers that allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of your business efforts.

The use of a donation box on the other hand is more of a positive branding excersice. Of course first and foremost it's a genuine means of giving something back to the community and helping those organisations and charities that do the important work of helping others, but undeniably your brand also stands to gain from an association with your charity of choice. It's a win-win scenario!

Suggestion boxes are often also used as ballot boxes by retailers and merchandisers. Sometimes shoppers need that extra allure of a prize to have them start their conversation with your brand. By creating a competition entry form that collects some particulars of your customers you then have a means of staying in touch with them and building a relationship. Think of all that money invested on your lease, the visual merchandising fixtures, the advertising and marketing material, all with the aim of getting customers through the door and to the register? Then what? They make a purchase and you might never see them again!

To get the best value from your marketing and merchandising spend, you need to engage with your customers and having a means of contact, whether it's email or postal addresses, is the first step in that relationship.

Of course you can take that ballot box and competition prize combination to a new level if you are able to incorporate a short survey into the entry form without deterring your customers. By asking a few basic questions you'll be able to collect information on a sample of your customers that can, over time, grow into an invalueable resource of information on your target market.

So there you have it, the wonders of suggestion boxes. Whether you use them as a donation box for your favourite charity or a ballot box for conversation starting competitions, they're a great way to engage your customer base and provide some valueable additional branding.

Marketing Through Social Media With Trade Shows Effectively

2010-06-17T16:51:00.004+10:00

I've got a guest blog for you today on the topic of marketing with social media, which may not in itself seem like a display related theme, but when you add in the potential for your business to use this increasingly powerful marketing device to get more value from trade shows and exhibitions, we are right on topic. So read on!

It’s no secret that social media is a crucial component of business success today. It is the way that people learn about your business. It is the way that you get your brand in front of potential customers. It is the way you increase the loyalty of the clients who are already happy with your services. And it’s the best way to take word-of-mouth marketing and pump up the volume to generate real growth for your business. But what does this mean when it comes to your attendance at trade shows?

Social media is useful for your trade shows in three ways:

1.    Social media allows you to spread the word about the fact that you are going to be at the trade show.
2.    Social media provides you with a platform for live blogging about the trade show while you are there.
3.    Social media is a great method of following up with people after the trade show.

Using social media at all three of these different time periods (before, during and after the trade show) will allow you to really get the most out of marketing your trade show activities.

Before the event even occurs, you will be able to start generating interest in what you will be doing at the trade show. You can use your Twitter and Facebook accounts to announce the event. You can encourage people to attend and ask them to spread the word to others who may want to attend. You can let them know how to find you at the event and what you will have to offer. You can drop hints about special activities that you will be hosting at your trade show display booth.

Another thing that you can do before the event occurs is to use social networking to begin connecting with others who are already planning to go to the event. You can use Twitter hashtags to find people who are announcing their plans for the event and follow them on the site. You can get LinkedIn or Facebook information for the other exhibitors and friend them on those sites. In this way, you are pre-marketing not only to your customer base but also to other professionals in your industry. You can also find out what their trade show displays are going to offer so that you can do a little extra to make yours really stand out!

Once you are at the event, you can maximize the value of your activities there through social media. At the very least, you can easily post updates to Twitter about what’s happening at the event. This will remind other people to come check you out. It will also let people who are not at the event get a sense of what you are doing. You’re building your brand just by sharing what you’re up to. Sites like Facebook that also allow you to add notes and pictures let you provide even more information about what your business is doing at the trade show. Consider this a marketing opportunity and take full advantage of it.

Finally, you will want to use social media to continue your marketing efforts even though the trade show has come to an end. At a trade show, you will collect a number of business cards and will hopefully get a big email list. Follow up with all of those people by connecting with them on various social media sites. This will not only reinforce the connection that you made with them but will expose them to all of your other social media marketing down the line.

Have you used social media to help with your trade show marketing? How, and was it successful?

About the Author:
Dennis Nixon is the Sales Manager at Smash Hit Displays, a trade show displays company for vendors throughout the United States.

Media Backdrop Banner Stand

2010-06-01T11:13:00.003+10:00

We've just introduced a new pull up banner to our range. These huge banner stands are known as Media Backdrops due to the fact that they are often used as a backdrop for television coverage of press conferences other media events. You've probably seen them in action displaying the sponosors branding as a backdrop to post match interviews with players and coaches of sports teams.

These large pull up banners feature a 2400mm x 2000mm high printed banner that is simply pulled up from the base of the unit to form the freestanding backdrop. Once they've done their job the banner is simply retracts back into the base and the unit can be packed away and transported in the carry bag that is supplied with the media backdrop banner.

They're online now and are available for as little as just $1000 with the printed banner included!

Window Displays: It's a War Zone Out There!

2010-05-31T15:55:00.002+10:00

So you’re looking for a little extra impact (and of course sales!) from your window displays. Well, I’m afraid I’ve go some bad news for you!

It’s a war zone out there!

The retail landscape is visually saturated. The competition for space and the attention of consumers is nothing less than ruthless. And with good reason. Consumers areg more immune to the efforts of marketers and merchandisers than ever. And the result marketing messages, as they attempt to cut through this immunity, are more powerful than ever.

Does that sound like a vicious spiral? Well, it is!

AND, reality of your situation may be even more brutal than all that suggests. You may have the misfortune to be situated near to an extremely well-resourced department store’s window display, a TV store with vast numbers of synchronised wide screens, or maybe even a troupe of incredible dancing clowns.

Whatever it is, this surrounding “clutter” must be conquered.

That sounds straight forward enough, but when you consider that it might actually be well considered and thoughtfully executed clutter devised by the highly paid marketing teams of your opposition (I’m not talking about the acrobats now), then you’re talking about a marketing war. And it’s a war that you can’t afford to lose.

So how do you go about constructing a “might and power” window display that conquers all clutter and wins the hearts and minds of today’s battle wary consumers?

Hell…. I don’t know…. that sounds really hard! And in truth the specifics really depend on a lot of variables such as the nature of your business, the size and location of your window display and the products you offer. But don’t despair, what I can tell you are some things that you absolutely, positively mustn’t do! And the majority of the time, that’s half the battle won. So here we go again:

Don’t try to say (or display) too much. Tell too many stories in a limited space results in nothing but clutter – and clutter isn’t a story that anyone wants to hear. You’ve heard it before, but less really is more! A strong, clear statement will always triumph over the 'I am trying to sell you everything' approach.

“Apples with Apples” is another basic principle of effective visual merchandising. Don’t be tempted to split your displays and thus dilute your window’s message. Despite some popular theories on today’s fragmented market places, consumers still appreciate the value of an expert. Set yourself up as this expert by ensuring your window displays convey the clear message that you are 'in the business' of the product that’s on display. Being the expert on that product or service gives shoppers a great reason as to come into your shop – even if they are not intending to buy.
Don’t forget to have strong visual cues inside your shop. Remember that call to action I talked about? Clearly repeat this with your shop displays and signage. Think of it as holding the hand of your visitors and walking them from the entrance of you shop through to the products location within. With out this link, even the most perfectly plotted and executed window display falls down.

Nothing speaks louder to your customers that you’re a static business bereft of ideas than a static window display doing nothing more than collecting dust week after week. Continual renewal is key, so get inspired and in turn you’ll inspire your customers!

Shine a little light. Lighting is an often over looked component of window displays (as well as in-store displays). And considering that it can make or break even the best displays, it’s a detail that nobody can afford to neglect. Check that the lighting is strong enough and directed on the promotional piece, product or the statement that is key to your message.

Get back to basics. While your busy getting inspired, be sure your not neglecting the basics. The classic shapes of the pyramid, zig zag, fan or step are visual merchandising main-stays because they work! Many an effective window display has been built using these shapes as the base frameworks within the window and there’s no reason that yours shouldn’t be the next.

Visual merchandising is a specialised skill in itself. In fact it’s a combination of skill, education, artistic creativity, science and invention. You wouldn’t have an unexperienced floor staff member do your accounting for you and you should think of your visual merchandising in the same way. Having a specialist visual merchandiser do your window displays may cost a little more, but can triple its worth in sales.

Finally, be sure to walk the talk. If your window display is as successful as you hope it to be, it is critical that you deliver on the promise of the window. When a customer is engaged and then let down, due to a stock shortage you undermine not only the current display, but the ability of your business as a whole to deliver on its word.

What do you think? Feeling a little more prepared for battle? I hope so.

Just remember, if you avoid the above mistakes and adhere to basic merchandising principals, you’re already well on your way to ensuring that your window display efforts are victorious. Good luck

New "Tee Pee" Floor Stand Signs

2010-05-10T17:19:00.001+10:00

Here's a sneak preview of a product range that is soon to be added to our catalogue:

We're calling it the Tee Pee floor stand - That's because it looks like a tee-pee... and stands on the floor. Simple.

And it's simplicity is actually what is so great about these signs. You supply your own board with graphics, then simply screw the knob on the bottom of the stand and it clamps your board in place and gives your sign a professional presentation. When you're done, you unscrew the knob and the two "wings" of the tee-pee go into their carry case for easy transport if required.

But really these floor stands are great for airports, shopping centres, banks etc. In fact just about anywhere you need a floor standing display with a professional high end presentation.

Keep your eye out for three sizes to accommodate just about any sized board you like!

Slimline Light Box Catalogue

2010-04-30T09:18:00.001+10:00

Check out our slimline light box catalogue. It showcases all the models we have on offer, as well as giving some insight into the benefits of slimline light boxes and how the technology works it's magic:

For information on all the sizes available for each of the models head to our LightBoxes2Go page.

A Quick Word on Banner Stands

2010-04-28T15:02:00.000+10:00

We've got some really great specials on Pull Up Banners and Banner Stands at the moment, ranging from 25 - 65% off!

The model that is at 65% off is our L-Banner Stand pictured below. For some reason we don't sell too many of this particular display and I've never been able to understand why. They are a great little unit that is a little neater than a pull up banner, while still being quick and easy to erect and take down. The "foot" of the banner is made of chromed steel which gives the banner great stability and a quality feel. What more could you want?

Like I said, they're a great unit and I really don't know why they haven't been more popular. Maybe you have to see them in the flesh to appreciate the quality. Anyway, now they are down to just $99.75 so if they don't sell now, they never will! Take a look:

Window Displays: Do the Basics... But Do Them Well!

2010-04-19T10:56:00.007+10:00

Here’s a frightening statistic - On average a shop window display has just 3 seconds to convert passers-by into customers. Go on, count to three… 1, …2, …3. There! You just lost a customer!

With that in mind, let’s not waste any more time. To make the very most of this brief “window” of opportunity, it is essential that your displays not only do the basics, but do them well. It is these basics of window merchandising that will allow you to “hook” the attention of your target, before you start presenting them with some more complex offers or narratives.

Three seconds to impress. Is your message getting through?

So, while keeping it simple, here’s what your window display will need to have any chance of impressing on your next wave of potential customers:

Calling All Shoppers
Window displays need not only to capture the attention of passers-by, but also to motivate shoppers to act on their interest. Think about it… these people are out there shopping - they want to buy things! Your job is to convince them that your product is the answer to all their woes and to give them a good reason to buy it right NOW! First and foremost there must be a clear call to action.

A subtle call to action. Are you getting this message?

You’re Selling What?
This seems a little obvious, but you’d be surprised how often it is over-looked. Shoppers need to understand exactly what it is that you’re selling. I can almost hear you saying it: “I’m not an idiot! Of course they get what I’m selling!” And don’t get me wrong, I’d never say you’re an idiot, just be sure to double check that the actual product hasn’t been lost in the creative masterpiece of your window display.

What about this one? Are you getting the message? Or just getting blinded by the light?

Are We Clear?
You need to send a clear message. And to send a clear message, you need to be clear on what your message is. Are we clear? OK, good. But this point isn’t over yet. The clearest message in the world won’t make you a cent in sales if it’s a message that people aren’t interested in hearing. This, of course, comes down to knowing your market. It’s a topic far too vast to cover here and something that I sincerely hope you already have under control - or we might as well just put down our pens and pencils and go home!

So there you have it! Some basic points to consider when designing your next window display. Although they may seem a little obvious, but you’d be surprise how often they’re neglected – even by the so-called “professionals”. And let’s face it, if you’re to have any chance of your message cutting through today’s saturated retail landscape, you have to do the basics and do them well - and all in just 3 seconds!

And of course, I couldn't finish without a reminder that for all the shop displays you need to have your next window display looking great AND making sales, visit Slimline Warehouse.

Good Luck!

By Jeff Parry

We Want Your Feedback

2010-04-13T16:40:00.008+10:00

Just a quick note to our customers.

We have a feedback page on our website that is feeling a little neglected. If you've made some transactions with Slimline Warehouse in the past let us know what you thought about our products and service. In return we'll put up a link to your business or website so that the rest of our customers can see what you have to offer.

Poster Holders: What Do You Need? Chances Are We've Got It!

2010-04-06T16:52:00.001+10:00

We've just put in a solid block of work to get our new range of Clip Frames (...or Snap Frames if you prefer) and Poster Holders up on the website and they're now ready for you to buy online.

The new models add loads of variety to the Clip Frame, Poster Display and Sign Frames section of our product catalogue and they all come in sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1 and A0 plus a few other non-standard sizes.

They include models such as this lockable, double sided poster frame that adheres to your shop window and displays an advertising message to customers on the outside of your shop as well as those already shopping inside - Clever! Take a look:

Double sided clip frame poster holder that sticks straight to your window!

Then there is this double sided clip frame model that comes with specific hanging hardware and stainless steel cables so you have everything you need to take it straight out of the box and hang it from your ceiling:

Double sided clip frame poster holder with stainless steel cables

Click to see more details for these products along with our full range of Clip Frames.

Shop Online!

2010-03-12T16:30:00.001+11:00

Just a quick word to let you know that the SlimlineWarehouse.com.au is now fully eCommerce enabled! You can now buy all our display products using your credit card, safe in the knowledge that all online transactions are protected by an eWay gateway service and processed by the National Australia Bank.

You can also generate accurate shipping prices for any combination of products in our range. Just look for these buttons on the product pages of our site. Then just click, and follow the instructions.

At the moment it is not possible to buy light boxes online as they are an expensive product and we would prefer that you speak with a customer service operator to ensure you are getting the product that best fits your needs.

We hope you like the changes to the site!

Big Signs, Small Signs

2010-03-02T14:01:00.000+11:00

To date Slimline Warehouse has limited it's light box range to slimline fluorescent and LED models. That may change in the future, but until then if you are interested in a traditional fluorescent light box our partner sign company, CS & G Signage, might be able to help you. For large jobs such as the Quest apartments pictured below we offer a nation wide service, while for smaller one-off jobs we're restricted to jobs in the Melbourne area:

This is the new Quest apartments in Albury. CS & G supplied the pylon sign at the front and the large light box on the façade, as well as all the internal and reception signage

Here's another view of the corner of the building showing both the fluorescent back lit light boxes we installed

This is not one of the light boxes pictured above but does give an idea of the type and quality of work that is put out by the CS & G factory

If you have a signage or light box project in the Melbourne area give CS & G Signage a call on (03) 9359 9144.

A Window Display that Really Works!

2010-03-02T10:00:00.000+11:00

Of course when you're designing a shop window display, the most important thing to achieve is to get some attention and to highlight your "hero" products. This does both very effectively. But it does make you a little nauseous too. Apple do a lot with a little:

Another Vehicle Sign Writing Job

2010-02-26T11:44:00.001+11:00

Just a quick image of vehicle wrap that CS & G did yesterday. It's another van, but this one is a little more minimal than the last one I posted, but it's come up really well. We are currently having some problems with the CS & G website, but if you're in Melbourne and are interested in having some vehicle sign writing done, just give them a call on: (03) 9359 9144.

Click to get a better look at the photo.

Illuminated LED Letter Styles

2010-02-25T12:00:00.003+11:00

As I've mentioned before, later this year we'll be releasing a range of LED illuminated letters. The styles and combinations of lighting effects for the lettering are going to be just about limitless.

Just about any font or artwork can be fabricated and illuminated. Of course complexity will increase price, but we will also be offering an array of standard letter styles, which we're yet to finalise

Letters can be fabricated in a wide range of finishes such as polished or brushed stainless steel or a brass, copper or painted finish can be added. Of course traditional type acrylic channel lettering can also be illuminated with LEDs, or a solid letter can be very effective when the surface is with a grid LEDs (see the "R" below). But it's not only the face or the returns of the letter can be illuminated, halo lighting can also be added and combined with any of the above features.

So in the mean time here are some examples that should give you an idea of the potential:

These are examples of standard fonts, but logos and more intricate branding artwork are not only achievable, but very effective and come with all the benefits of LED technology.

Brass and Stainless Steel Letters

2010-02-24T10:47:00.002+11:00

All the lettering images and information that I've been posting here have, to date ,been illuminated LED letters. But we are also soon to introduce a range of non-illuminated metal letters. In the coming months we'll be putting up images and details of the entire range that will be on offer, but for now I just wanted to high light the excellent quality of detail and finish that you can expect from the range.

Below are some close up images of some fabricated metal letters that range from just 50mm to 100mm high. They are all constructed in stainless steel and either polished or brushed with a natural stainless / silver finish or with a brass / gold finish applied.

I think you'll agree that the detailing is very good (click on the images to take a closer look) and that they include mounts that allow you to either fasten them to the wall or pin them off the wall. Take a look and email us if you're interested:

Vehicle Wraps... In Fact Any Sign You'd Like

2010-02-12T16:03:00.000+11:00

I've mentioned before that Slimline Warehouse has very strong ties to the Melbourne sign company - CS & G Signage. CS & G are specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of popular signage solutions such as digitally printed vinyl, fabricated letters, traditional-style light boxes, window graphics, pylon signs and.... vehicle wraps:

I just thought I'd post up this particularly nice example of a vehicle wrap. If you have any signage enquiry you can contact CS & G here.

Branding Inspiration: Five Great Logos

2010-02-10T09:00:00.000+11:00

If you're thinking of re-branding your business, or you're soon to be starting a new venture, you may want to take some inspiration from the following - Nothing more and nothing less than a collection of great logos:

Michael Jackson commemorative logo – from a short video clip shown on MTV.

Loch Ness Partnership logo.

Talkmore uses symbology in the form of quotation marks to replace the letters A and E, creating a clever image that gives a graphical representation of the words and meaning of the brand. The touch of color enhances this effect making the logo stand out.

The Logo is for a group (an organization) called “Arbeitskreis Vernetzung”, formed of 4 different social services in Germany and last had been used for an Event called “Tag der sozialen Dienste” (Day of social services). The logo shows 4 people looked at from above, forming a circle (or holding their hands) in an very reduced way. It stands for the 4 organizations the “Arbeitskreis” (Working-Circle) is formed of. It shows the unity of these 4 organizations and the “Teamspirit”, just like a football-team sticking together their hands, ready to achieve something.

This logo is made for Youth Forum, under the name “Forum of the future”. Pretty self explanatory really.

New Wood Grain Pull Up Banners

2010-02-05T11:30:00.001+11:00

Now this is not going to be for everyone. The newest product soon to be introduced to our pull up banner range is a banner stand that features an aluminium structure with a teak-look wood grain finish applied:

It has a distinctly different appearance to your average pull up banner and while it won't be suited to every retail environment, it will be a good match for shops with specific interior designs or product ranges. Here's a closer look. What do you think?

New LED Lettering Job

2010-02-03T13:48:00.002+11:00

Our production guys are currently working on a large pylon sign that features some of our LED lettering. I just thought it would be a good chance to snap some shots of the installation process. The letters are from fabricated acrylic, but most of the shots below show the letters without their acrylic covers so you can get a good look at the even distribution of the LED units. Just click on any of images below to see them larger:

This sign forms the top of the pylon. All the lettering is illuminated and you can see the even spacing and coverage of LEDs. Once the acrylic fabricated letters are on they will diffuse the light evenly. Just to give you an idea of scale, the sign is about 2 metres high.

Here's a shot of the "B" with and without the fabricated acrylic face. The face just screws into the side of the base for easy servicing - not that that should be a problem, as the LEDs are specified as lasting 100,000 hours.

The letters are simply bolted to the acrylic face of the sign and all wiring is concealed within the sign.

As soon as the job is finished and installed I'll post up some pictures showing the final results.

LED Letter Drawings

2010-02-01T16:31:00.001+11:00

We've been quitely working away doing a few more LED Letter jobs. The quality of the letters is great, all the jobs have turned out really well and we've had some great outcomes.

The next step in cranking up our production is developing the right system to take orders and get artwork back to our clients (that's you... maybe) so that both our production teams and the client are absolutely clear on the details of the job. In short, we're trying to develop systems to reduce the chance of mix-ups and give our clients the exact results that they're after. Below I've posted up a couple of examples of drawings that we've been using to do exactly that

We're also currently working on some nice signs for Slimline Warehouse and our partner company CS & G Signage's buildings. I won't say too much, but it will involve a lot of polished stainless steel, halo illumination and some very unique numbers for the buildings. So keep an eye out for them in the next couple of months.

Click on the drawings below to have a good look:

Shop Window Display Inspiration

2010-01-28T09:00:00.004+11:00

Get inspired and get creative on your next shop window display. Click on any of the images below to have a closer look:

POS Sign Holders: Cheap, Simple and Effective!

2010-01-25T10:00:00.000+11:00

A few months ago, we launched a range of POS Sign Holders. You would have seen them before, they're used by just about all the major retailers because they're a cheap, effective and simple way of displaying pricing and other basic signage - especially if you have a large shop, or price is high on you list of competitive advantages. Graphics are simply slid into the frame making it easy to change your promotional messages or prices regularly and quickly and the frames simply snap on to a large range of display stands and accessories - so there's always one for the display job at hand:

And now we're making them available to the public at wholesale prices and since they are most effective when used in large quantities as above, we have significantly reduced prices for high volume orders. They come in 4 standard sizes: A3, A4, A5 and A6, which means that you can print all your own graphics and save a few bucks!

Australia's Top 50 Franchises

2010-01-22T09:01:00.002+11:00

Just a little something of interest... It's a list of the top Australian franchises, by store count, in 2009. Would you have picked Subway to have almost 50% more outlets than Maccas's? Not I.

Slimline.... Light Boxes!

2010-01-19T09:18:00.014+11:00

News: Have you read all the Merchandising Ideas and Articles on The Retail Display Blog? Click the link to see a full list of articles to help you get the most from your merchandising efforts.

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If you have only discovered Slimline Warehouse recently, you might have wondered how the name came about. It seems like an age ago, but just a couple of years ago we focused solely on slimline light boxes (also called edge lit light boxes), with not a single retail display product to our name.

Though these days the display side of our catalogue has well and truly taken over from the light boxes, we are still Australia's leading supplier of slimline light boxes with the largest range of stock models - And when I say "stock models", I mean they are physically stacked in our warehouse in Melbourne ready to be picked and packed and sent anywhere in Australia. And we don't just do the "A" sizes like most suppliers, we have over 50 stock sizes in a variety of styles, from counter top models through to massive light boxes in excess of 3000 x 1000 mm, so you'll always find the right box for your job and we'll be able to dispatch within 24 hours of your order!

The full range of Light Boxes 2 Go!, as we call them, are listed on our website. You can see the sizes for the various models, by using the drop down menu at the top of the page (it's where the flashing arrow is).

And if you've ever wondered how a slimline light box (or edge lit light box) works, here's an illustration that shows exactly how light is introduced to the edge of an acrylic panel and then reflected out the front of the light box - Simple!

Click the image to see it full size and read the description:

Six Retail Display Tips to Help you Squeeze Every Last Dollar

2010-01-15T09:00:00.001+11:00

We just put up a new Retail Display / Visual Merchandising article on the Retail Tips and Articles page of our website. I think this one's a real winner, with six simple tips that I reckon will help will help any retailer increase sales by making the most of the display space they have available.

The six tips are as follow:

1. The only way is up!
2. More is more!
3. Shine a little light!
4. Razzle dazzle ‘em!
5. Focus, Spotlight, Highlight!
6. Repeat, Re-shuffle and Renew!

Obviously they aren't going to make a lot of sense to you, but hopefully they'll be enough to whet your appetite enough for you to go and read of the rest of this great retail article. If not, I've posted the introduction of the article below. See what you think...

Are you one of those retailers who’s always craving more floor space? Well, I’ll let you in on a secret: You’re not alone. One of the common points on the wish lists of retailers around the globe is more space to display product to keep those registers ringing. It may be part of your long term strategy, but to stay competitive in the short term, it’s critical to ring every last drop of sales possible out of your allotted piece of retail floor space and maximise your return on investment.

The key to making this happen lies hidden in those dark corners and awkward spaces of your retail premises that have already. These spaces are often frustrating, difficult to work with, and at the end of the day, happily neglected. But all you really need is the will to boost your sales, and a few crafty merchandising tricks up your sleeve that you can pull out as required and turn your dull areas into dazzling little deal sealers.

So what do you think? Are you interested yet? If so, you can read the rest here: Retail Merchandising Displays – Squeeze Every Last Dollar with 6 Simple Tips

Packaging and Australia Wide Delivery

2010-01-14T14:28:00.000+11:00

Just a word about the packaging and delivery of all our display products:

We pride ourselves on the packaging of all our display products, particularly as this is something which is often overlooked by our competition. All our products are packaged so as to keep the chance of damage during freight to an absolute minimum. Take a look for yourself:

Units are individually boxed, while large orders delivered in crates

The vast majority of our products are currently displayed on the website with flat "per unit" shipping rates to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth CBDs only. Freight reductions for large volume orders will need to be calculated individually, as will freight for areas outside the capital cities - so you'll need to email or give us a call. As I've mentioned before we are currently working on getting eCommerce up and running - And when we eventually get it right all freight costs will be calculated automatically. Just a few clicks of the mouse and strokes of the keyboard and your Retail Display products will be on your doorstep.

LED Lettering - Where We're At

2010-01-14T09:00:00.000+11:00

If you were a regular reader of this blog... ahem... which I don't think anyone actually is, you would know about our plans to soon release a range of low energy LED Architectural Lettering.

Well, we are still a long way off putting our lettering online, but we will be releasing it some time this year. In the mean time we've been doing a few little jobs here and there, just to cut our teeth, properly test out the product and get an idea of how it will work as an online product. I'll post a few images and details below, but in the mean time you may want to review this article about the Benefits of LED Lettering or get some more info on How LED Signage, Lettering and Lighting Works.

More Lecterns! This Model is Portable.

2010-01-12T10:18:00.000+11:00

After recently adding this lectern (or lecturn if you prefer) to our range and having great sales results - probably due to it filling a "budget, but quality" lectern niche - we've decided to add another to slimline warehouse's display product catalogue:

This one is a portable model, making it great for trade shows, travelling salesmen or just anyone who needs a lecturn that they can fold away for storage when not in use. It also incorporates 3 brochure display shelves, which can be used to display up to 6 x A4 sized brochures or simply left empty. And what's best is that it's cheap!

It's not available on the website yet, but if you're interested please contact us.

Acrylic Donation or Suggestion Boxes

2009-12-30T09:00:00.001+11:00

Just a quick little look at a new product that we've now got in stock. A couple of months ago we introduced a range of acrylic brochure and sign holders. Among that range was a couple of donation boxes and now we've added a new size that accommodates an A6 header card and a 85mm slot for all those suggestion cards or cash. Take a look:

It's OK, Just Smile!

2009-12-21T12:44:00.003+11:00

I came across an retail article this morning that had some simple little quotes. Whether you're nearly at the finish line and it's about time to reflect on your performance for the year, or your bracing for the few most hectic days of the year, they provide some simple bite sized chucks that might just help guide you through the coming year, or just give you something to hold on to through the coming days:

“An ok decision brilliantly executed is better than a perfect decision poorly executed” (Doug Edwards CEO, Prime) (BRW)

That one really ties in with a common gripe from marketing managers:

"You spend six months and millions of dollars building your Christmas and New Year sales plan, and then the plan is delivered at store level by millions of holiday pay teenagers who've never worked in retail before!"

It's a bit late now... Next:

“Being good is the enemy of being great”

A good way to stay focused, though hopefully it won't cancel out any pride you were feeling with some of your moderate successes.

There's a couple here that really are a reminder to just take the time not to overlook the basics ie. get out there onto the shop floors and shopping centres. And take notes!

“Walk in their shoes” Ross Love partner BCG (BRW)

“A desk is a dangerous place to view the world” (John Le Carre, author)

And this one's definitely the best. It's some advice that David Liddys (CEO, Bank of Queensland) received on his first day working in a bank back at the start of his career and will help get anyone in the firing line through the next few days:

“I don’t care what you do Liddy, Just smile and call the customer by their name” (BRW)

We do tend to complicate things some times!

Anyway the original article is by The Retail Doctor on the Inside Retailing site and you can see it here.

Retail Display Goes Green

2009-12-15T16:51:00.000+11:00

Apparently the worlds largest retailer - Walmart - as a part of it's strong stance on environmentally sustainable retailing practice has made an unexpected decision to dramatically cut back it's use of disposable retail displays in the lead up to Christmas, opting for more environmentally friendly reusable displays.

Specifically they are targeting the use of disposable cardboard DVD displays. And thought that may not sound so dramatic, if you consider that retail DVD disc sales at Walmart account for one third of the entire retail DVD market in the US, it's a big decision.

Read more here.

The Right Display Product, at the Right

2009-12-11T16:49:00.008+11:00

You can't see it but we're going through some big changes behind the scenes at Slimline Warehouse.

Firstly, we are deep into the process of implementing a new eCommerce engine that will provide a first class online shopping experience to all our customers who would prefer to buy their display products online rather than by phone or fax - so that's exciting. And a lot of work.

At the same time we've also started using new inventory software that allows our customer service and administration staff to be more efficient and helpful when dealing with customers. We want to make sure that everyone gets the right product for them, at the right price, delivered right to their door.

That last sentence pretty much sums up what Slimline Warehouse is all about, but we got to thinking that we haven't really made that clear to all our customers. Of course we're always doing our best to ensure they have a positive experience dealing with us - and we hope it shows - but we've never really put down on paper, or on our website, exactly how we go about it.

So if you're interested... read on and get a better idea of what we're all about.

The Right Product...

We’re more than just a budget display warehouse, in that we stand behind the quality of every detail of every shop display and light box product that we stock. We can only do this with the confidence that comes from a unique combination of in-house manufacturing facilities, a global network of production partners and the rigorous testing and quality evaluation to which each product in our catalogue has been subjected. But don’t just take our word for it. To showcase this quality and inspire the same confidence in our clients, we’ve comprehensively photographed, described and illustrated all our products on our website. So when you shop online at www.SlimlineWarehouse.com.au, it’s the next best thing to holding a sample in you hands.

At the Right Price…
The key to our low prices is volume. The more you buy the cheaper it gets! This volume driven approach allows us to lower our margins and offer the highest quality display items at wholesale prices direct to the public. You’ll find all the prices for our display items, including our generous volume discounts listed on the product pages of our website. If you can find a cheaper product, manufactured to the same quality standards, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Right to Your Door!
Of course price and quality are critical to any display product purchase, but they are also quickly undermined if order fulfilment is sub-standard. We believe that the saying “Retail is Detail” is as important behind the scenes as front of house. That’s why we’ve taken the same high standards expected of our product range and applied them across all our ordering, warehouse and freight procedures. At Slimline Warehouse we’re always working to ensure that your order arrives on time and in top condition.

New Counter Top Poster Holder

2009-12-03T15:58:00.005+11:00

Just a quick look at a new product that will very soon be available from Slimline Warehouse:

It's a simple aluminium counter top poster display. It's double sided and your graphics are put in place by simply peeling back the plastic strip and then sliding them into the side of the unit. It also comes with double sided tape already applied to the base, so you can just peel it off and fasten it in place, making a great step up from cheaper counter top acrylic displays without blowing the bank.

Google Doodles

2009-12-01T15:26:00.002+11:00

Yeah, it's a little off topic, but kind-of semi-related in that it's about logos, and your logo is really your most direct representation of your company or brand and that's what all retail display and advertising boils down to - a representation of your brand.

I'm sure you've noticed that on most days of note Google's logo undergoes a transformation into something that, while maintaining the basic elements of the logo, reflects the occasion of the day. That new logo is called a Google Doodle:

If you thought they seemed to be happening more and more regularly, well, you'd be right. In October of 2009 alone there were 51 variants of the logo world wide. It's even more remarkable when you consider that the majority are designed by the same guy - Dennis Hwang.

Anyway Google have now put all of them online, dating back to 1998. It's really interesting to see how much the doodles, and the Google logo itself has evolved since then. So take a look and get inspired for you next advertising mission!

New Retail Technology: LED Light Walls

2009-11-25T13:52:00.007+11:00

LED is definitely the current buzzword in lighting - and of course that also includes lighting products used for retail display and advertising purposes. LED Light Walls are a fine application of this energy efficient technology. They are produced by a UK based company and, to my knowledge, not currently available in Australia, but please have a read about this new product and if you would like to register your interest or simply have a little more information, contact Jeff at Slimline Warehouse on 1300 658 808.

W&Co manufacture LED Light Walls up to 3m x 2m in one piece and they can be butted together to form super large format illuminated display areas, yet the depth starts from only 30mm deep. The light is generated from high bright LEDs which are positioned on the sides of the acrylic lighting panel. Each individual sized acrylic lighting panel has a unique pattern etched into the face, which makes the light refract outwards. The light that is channelled through the etched lines are diffuse by a sheet of opal acrylic placed over the top of the lighting panel this technique delivers the brightest and most even light distribution possible from a large format edge-lit light panel.

LED Light Walls are a fantastic way of illuminating large format display graphic s. The graphics can be printed directly to the opal acrylic front sheet, or printed to self adhesive vinyl and applied accordingly, or printed as standard backlit prints which are held in place by an additional clear front sheet. However, LED light panels are also commonly used without display graphics to simply create stunning illuminated urfaces for walls, ceilings, floors or table tops and have proved very popular with architects, shop fitters, banks, retailers and various prestigious office nvironments.

For more information about LED light walls, LED light panels and other display light boxes and illuminated signs supplied in the UK, please see www.w-co.co.uk for more information.

LED Light Wall being fitted with it's graphic in W&Co's workshop

The finished product - Nice and big, nice and bright

Six Great Retail Display Tips

2009-11-24T12:15:00.001+11:00

Came across a nice little article this morning that gives you some easy to follow ideas on creating retail displays that have the desired effect - to sell!

What I like about this article is that it keeps it simple and doesn't overwhelm you with info, but just keeps it to six simple rules. See 'em here: Retail Display Tips

Have a Cashed Up Christmas!

2009-11-23T16:01:00.008+11:00

So the year has flown by and the Christmas rush is on already - Time to start preparing your business to capture those additional sales and profits. Here's some tips from The Retail Doctor at Inside Retailing to get your Christmas registers ringing!

The team's on board, the stock's flowing in, the promotional plan is in play, the advertising is in shape, the online strategy is flowing and we are ready to take to the field to win the “Grand Final of Retailing”.

Yep - it's Christmas.

Over the next few weeks, we'll share a series of Business Fitness tips to help your retail business maximise its Christmas trading period.

Here are the Retail Doctor’s first set of Business Fitness tips in

1. Be unique: Have something special to say that has personality, courage and presence. Be bold and stand out from the crowd. This is your chance to really make your business mark.

2. Have a plan over this period to drive sales, margin, customer transactions and stock turn. A good strategy without implementation is fairly worthless.

3. Be visible: This is the time for the CEO to be in the field along with other senior executives, proclaiming the vision, pressing the flesh and serving customers alongside their staff.

4. Teach your people well (to quote Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) with specific focus on:

* Key staff rostered on for high traffic trading times of the week – rosters needs to change in the Christmas trading period to correctly reflect the shift in trading hours and customers buying patterns. This is a big one! If your key people are not on when the traffic is at its highest, you will not maximise your potential.

* Sales training – Many staff benefit from increasing their selling skills, especially in customer interaction, product features and benefits and mutli acknowledgement.

* Reduce the non essential non sales tasks dramatically. Maximise every available minute of sales and service time.

* Treat this period as a specific staff competition period with prizes for sales, average sale, items per sale and conversion rates.

* Make sure you have your “A’ team on show.

* Daily start up meetings: Have each team member demonstrate their product knowledge and sales skills. Reinforce the daily target.

* Do the early morning shop opening and visual merchandising the night before.

* Have a daily sales target to individual sales targets.

* Keep lifting the bar. Measure and reinforce the KPIs

* Leadership, coaching and motivating our teams that work long hours in this period is vital.

5. Stock up before and after store trading hours – you want the team to be 100 per cent focused on selling, not tasking. Have a ‘no cartons rule’ during trading times which keeps the store clean and team focused on customers.

Read the rest of this article and tips 6 through to 13 here on the inside retailing website. And have a Merry Chri$tma$!

Just a Quick One...

2009-11-20T10:44:00.004+11:00

Did you know that Slimline Warehouse can also take care the printing requirements for all you retail display products. Whether it's light box transparencies, pull up banner graphics or posters for you clip frames - we'll print it!

The Barrier Posts are Coming!

2009-11-16T15:55:00.004+11:00

Keep your eyes out for some very affordable barrier posts that will soon be available from Slimline Warehouse. These are exactly the same top quality retractable barriers that you would have seen in banks, airports and nightclubs etc. and they'll be here soon at a very nice price!

Lecterns or Lecturns?

2009-10-14T08:54:00.005+11:00

Here's a preview of the soon-to-be newest edition to the Slimline Warehouse display product catalogue. It's not actually a retail product and it's not really a display product either - It's a lectern! Well, we spell it lectern, but you might be familiar with the American spelling of Lecturn.

They're great for schools, universities, churches or function rooms this lectern features a quality welded aluminum construction with a bent plate steel book rest that adds some weight to keep the unit stable, but also give it a heavy feel that matches the quality of the workmanship.

Prices aren't finalised as yet, but this quality number should be coming in well under the $500 mark. And it's available in silver, silver or silver!

If you're interested send us an email via the Contact Us page of our website.

LED Lettering and Signage: How it works

2009-09-30T14:26:00.003+10:00

A lot of people are requesting LED technology for their signage and lettering, but not so many people are aware of exactly how the LEDs work. So here’s just a little extra information about them for all the tech-heads out there:

So the big advantage of LED illumination is their efficiency. And that’s why government, industries and businesses that are concerned about environmental impacts and their power usage are turning to LEDs for all manner of lighting applications. The increase in demand along with a sharp drop in the price of the semi-conductor materials that are critical in the production of LEDs has acted to bring the price down to a point where they are now feasible for use in retail signage, light boxes and illuminated and architectural lettering.

A key to the efficiency of LED lettering and signage is that the LEDs themselves are constructed in a manner that releases the maximum number of photons (ie light) outward. The plastic bulb which houses them concentrates the light and directs it out through the tip of the bulb. As you can see in this diagram, most of the light from the diode bounces off the sides of the bulb and leaves the bulb at the rounded tip:

If you want even more info, have a look here.

The Benefits of LED Lettering

2009-09-23T12:38:00.000+10:00

As I've mentioned Slimline Warehouse are soon to be launching a range of LED Architectural Lettering. The popularity of LED lighting is gaining momentum - and with good reason!

There are a great number of benefits for using or switching to LED lighting for illuminated lettering, signage and fabricated letters. But "What are they?" I hear you ask. Well, read on:

Energy Efficiency - LEDs can offer up to 80% energy saving compared to neon.
Ease of Wiring - at only 12v, wiring is relatively simple and also there is no need to outsource the fitting to an electrician.
Maintenance - most LEDs guarantee at least five years continuous usage reducing maintenance costs.
Intricate letter designs with shallow returns, or serif style fonts are now completely achievable
Handling - LEDs can be shipped in roll form with minimal packaging, as opposed to neon that is all too fragile.
Installation - “peel and stick” methods allow for quick and easy installation, potentially saving small fortunes in specialist labour and plant hire costs.
No chance of “black out” - all out lighting failure is a thing of the past as if an LED module fails, the remainder of the LEDs simply stay on, without any noticeable deterioration of lighting coverage.
Colour Control - is far greater with LEDs, typically allowing control over colour changing, fading and sequencing to create the ultimate effect.

So there you have it: a very brief explanation as to why LEDs are gaining more and more popularity as each day goes by.

Watch this space for more info on this great new product!

Coles Rejuvenates it's Retail

2009-09-23T08:35:00.000+10:00

When Westfarmers took over the struggling Coles Supermarkets a while back it was always going to be interesting, not if, but how they would reverse the fortunes of the retailer. Specifically, from a retail display perspective, I wondered exactly what in-store tactics they would use to achieve the repositioning.

Now that annual growth rates have been reported at 7.3% and the transformation has begun, it's a good time to look at exactly what changes have been made.

Features of the new store formats include wider, less confronting security barriers, fresh flowers at the store entrance, lower shelving, aisles appear wider, floors are clean and clutter-free, lights are brighter and pricing is clearer. It's all evidence of the concerted effort the store is making to differentiate itself from other retailers.

There is a really interesting article on Kevin Moore's retail blog that goes deeper into the specifics of the makeover. You can read it here.

LED Architectural Lettering Update

2009-09-21T12:20:00.003+10:00

A month already since I last posted! That is a little slack, but we've been really busy gearing up for the Spring rush, sourcing new product and getting in touch with everyone we talked to at the show.

A while back I mentioned that we are introducing energy efficient LED architectural lettering to our range. Though we haven't officially launched this product yet we have done a few little jobs that have turned out really well, so I thought it would be a good chance to post up some photos:

This was a recent job we did for a jeweller 20mm opal acrylic illuminated letters with a polished stainless steel face. The border was non-illuminated opal with the stainless.

The finish of the job was great and the low-energy illumination was really effective on the gloss white background.

Here is just a detail of how the letter is routed out and wired up with the LED units. The letters were attached with threaded rod secured to the back of the bulkhead so they are fully removable and easy to service if required - although the LEDs have an effective lifespan of 100,000 hours and are very reliable compared to neon.

More information soon.

Cheap and Cheerful

2009-08-19T14:01:00.004+10:00

The retail downturn may well be on the mend, but regardless, there has been one clear trend through the whole episode, and that is the strong results for "budget" retailers. JB HiFi has defied the trend of flagging retail sales, as has Chemist Warehouse. Now another low price retailer, The Reject Shop, has posted a 13.9% rise in annual profits for the last financial year.

On top of that positive news they also plan to open 23 new stores in the first half of 2010. It certainly gives credence to the term "Cheap and Cheerful".

To read more on the fortunes of the retailer from their MD Gerry Masters, click here.

POS Sign Holders Online Now

2009-08-17T12:28:00.004+10:00

Like I've said our new range of POS Sign Holders got a fair amount of attention at the show and now we have a basic page up showing you some of the options available.

We'll be putting in some work to get the full range online in the next couple of weeks, but until then you can get a preview and register your interest or enquire about pricing here - POS Sign Holders.

And if you're after some graphics for your POS signs, head over to Free Signs and Symbols and get yourself some free vector artwork that'll help you get your point of sale message across. They've got some particularly nice free arrow symbols that you can download. Check them out.

The Show's Over...

2009-08-17T12:04:00.005+10:00

Thanks to everyone who came and visited Slimline Warehouse's stand at the Retail Expo Show. The stand came together really well (if we do say so ourselves) and we had loads of positive feedback on the stand and all the new products on show. So thanks again!

If you didn't get the chance to make it in to the show here's a look at our stand. You can click on the images to get a better view:

We crammed in as much product as we could fit into the 6 x 6 metres and made up some polished stainless steel lettering with a blue halo lighting effect. All to get as much attention as possible. And it worked!

I told you there was plenty of product. Not of least interest was our new range of POS Sign Holders and Acrylic Brochure Holders.

Also on display was a selection of the new LED architectural lettering that we'll be launching in the coming months. Due to the energy savings and reduced environmental impact, LED is definitely a buzz word right now and if you didn't have the chance to see these letters first hand, let me tell you the quality is remarkable. So if you're interested, keep an eye out for more information and details in the coming months.

Acrylic and Wire Brochure Holders

2009-08-11T08:57:00.003+10:00

We've finished setting up for the Retail Expo that kicks off this morning at the Melbourne Exhibition centre. The stands looking great with plenty of new product as well as a selection of our best sellers and hopefully we'll see you there.

If you can't make it down to the show, all the new acrylic and wire brochure holders that are featured at the show are now online. Click the image below to take a look at our New Products page or our Retail and POS Display page.

What Makes a Good Logo?

2009-07-31T09:10:00.004+10:00

Have you ever thought of redesigning your logo?

Your logo is one thing that everyone who has anything to do with your company will see. That's why it's critical that it reflects what your core operations and values of your business. A cheap looking logo makes you look... well... cheap.

But what makes an effective logo? I found a great article by a graphic designer named Jacob Cass that sums it up in five well illustrated points:

If you're wondering whether your logo stacks up, or are looking for some tips for redesigning this most critical element of your branding, you should really take a read. check out the rest of the article here.

Retail Expo 2009 will be BIG!

2009-07-30T12:24:00.007+10:00

The Retail Expo 2009 is on in just a couple of weeks at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - from the 11th -13th of August to be precise. We're going to be there of course and our stand is set to be bigger, better and with more product than ever. Yep, it's been a big year for us at Slimline Warehouse and the stand is going to be a reflection of that.

We'll be launching a couple of new product ranges at the show including a huge range of Acrylic POS signs, brochure holders and displays as well as Architectural LED lettering. The lettering is sure to get people talking. On display we'll have a huge range of styles, materials and lighting effects and the quality of workman ship of these letters has to be seen to be believed. And most importantly, of course, the prices are also sure to impress.

So keep an eye out for us at the show. And to make things a little easier for you here's a sneak preview of what the stand will look like:

Kings of the Amazon

2009-07-27T14:31:00.004+10:00

It's no coincidence that Amazon.com is the world's largest online retailer, their aggressive attitude is one of the essential keys to their success. If there is a rival firm that is seen as a threat, they don't compete with them, they just buy them!

With news today that Amazon has dug deep for a US$928 million deal with online shoe retailer Zappos.com, it is clear that the Seattle-based company is desperate to corner the market in all retail sectors.

Despite starting off as online bookstore in 1995, Amazon quickly diversified and today sells music downloads, DVDs, clothes, electronics, furniture and clothes. As such, it has made a number of acquisitions over the years that have since their stocks soar and their profits rocket.

Check out the "map" below of their acquisitions since '95. Pretty spectacular:

Designing Shop Window Displays That Sell!

2009-07-22T16:51:00.004+10:00

To be an effective sales tool, the average shop window display has just 3 seconds to achieve all of the following:

1) Capture the attention of the passer-by
2) Communicate your sales message
3) Stimulate the viewer to make an enquiry

Sounds like a tall order, but there's a nice little article over on Inside Retailing that will definitely help you get the most out of your retail window displays. Take a look here.

And once you know what you need to do, get onto the Slimline Warehouse website where you can pick up all the Retail and Shop Display products you'll need to achieve make it happen. Good luck!

Brochure, Literature and Card Holders

2009-07-21T10:15:00.002+10:00

We've received a huge shipment of Acrylic Brochure, Literature, Magazine and Business Card Holders and Displays - over 60 new products in all, consisting mostly of counter top and wall mounted brochure and card holders, but there's also a few new floor standing models too. We're working feverishly to get all the pages ready and up online soon. So keep an eye out for them because they are going to be CHEAP!

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about:

Notice Boards, notice boards, notice boards...

2009-07-16T15:59:00.002+10:00

Maybe you didn't weren't aware that at Slimline Warehouse we stock an extremely popular range of lockable and weatherproof notice boards. These cork boards come in three sizes - 4 x A4, 9 x A4 and 12 x A4. They feature a high quality lockable aluminium structure, genuine cork back board and are supplied with pins, fasteners and instructions so you can have them up and running in no time.

We've even got a free standing model that uses the display pole from our Retail Display System and accommodates 4 x A4 sheets and can be easily moved about your premises. It's pictured here:

Mmmmm.... Profits.

2009-07-16T14:56:00.004+10:00

You might have noticed that McDonalds has give a huge facelift to it's retail outlets over the past few years. Well, they've been rewarded for their efforts with operating profit at McDonald's Australia for this year up 28.9%. Not bad at all.

So how did they do it? Want a piece of the action? Feeling hungry? Read more here.

Australian Credit Card Spending: May 09

2009-07-16T14:44:00.002+10:00

Australian credit card spending in May was 2.3% higher than figures for April. It definitely feels like the economy and consumer sentiment is up as well. Do you think we might have passed the low point?

Anyway there's an article with more facts and figures on Consumer Spending with credit and charge cards over on the Inside Retailing site. It's good news - so take a look.

Sneak Peak

2009-06-12T11:14:00.000+10:00

Thought I'd just post up a quick preview of some products that we're soon to be adding to our range. We'll be adding a couple of portable brochure displays to the range. Pictured is the Premium model, which will be the more expensive of the two, but is a really top quality expandable display.

And this one on the right is a new brochure display that uses Slimline Warehouse's unique Sages System Display Stands.

Keep a look out for them, and a host of other new products on our site soon.

Apple crowned as world's top retailer.

2009-06-05T10:21:00.005+10:00

Apple Retail has been crowned Retailer of the Year at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona.

You'd have to say that it's a pretty impressive achievement for a technology company that up until 2001 had no retail presence what so ever, to then take the award over much larger and more experienced retail chains such as Wal-Mart and Aldi.

The company has won many admirers for the way it has taken a fresh approach to retailing and customer service with teams of highly knowledgeable staff in all its stores and features such as the Genius Bar.

More than just showcases, Apple’s stores are highly successful revenue generators from more than 250 stores in nine countries. Its now famous Fifth Avenue store in New York is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A Good News Story

2009-06-04T11:05:00.003+10:00

The media has not told too many success stories during this economic crisis. So I thought I would change the tune a little bit.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been frequenting strip mall locations in suburban areas. This was part because I got tired of seeing the same national chain retailers that dominate the scene in shopping centres, over and over again. The media reports the fortunes of large chains on a regular basis, and I wanted to see how the independents were fairing.

In one particular suburb, there was the usual scene of 'For Lease' and 'Closing Down Sale' signage which has become prominent since the economic crisis. There was also the usual sight of empty stores, with the predictable two staff standing behind the counter waiting for the day to end.

But what amazed me was a handful of stores which were full with customers. Not of people browsing, but walking out with shopping bags filled with goods.

None of these retailers had a sale on. Curious I looked at the pricing; the product was not cheap (nor was it expensive). The merchandising and ticketing was not 'technically correct' as described by the manuals. But you felt comfortable and continuously engaged in the products displayed.

So why were these stores so busy?

Because they are authentic. They are real. We spend most of times discussing the concept of unique selling proposition and branding, yet these retailers had built concepts that were exciting. You could tell these were businesses that love built. You could feel the passion through the selection of product, the way it was merchandised and commitment of the staff. It was like the retailer said "Stuff it! I am building this business they way I want to build it".

You walked around the stores like it was a discovery. The product was exciting. Customers would pick up the product and enthusiastically show it to their shopping partner. We talk about selecting unique product assortments. These retailers had obviously not studied this theory, as they were too busy searching the world for exciting and top quality product.

The experience was like home style cooking. The meal might not be what 3-star chef serve, but you love it, have fond memories, and always return for more.

Retailers spend so much time copying what others are doing, yet have not built a business that means something to them. Customers can feel your passion.

'Rogue Retailer' Shaun Mooney is offering a FREE Report 'Secrets to Instant Retail Profits' (valued at $29.95). To receive your copy, go to http://www.fastretailprofits.com/free_report.html

The Recession Bullet

2009-06-04T10:16:00.004+10:00

So, officially, Australia has dodged the recession bullet.

It seems like that stimulus package may have helped the suffering retail industry after all. Despite a decrease in total wage earnings of 1.2% for the March quarter in Australia, consumer spending has increased by 0.6%. A good result and enough to ensure that, technically at least, we are not in recession. Combined with the fact that household mortgage costs are down by a huge 31.6%, this must be good news for the retail sector. But only time will tell.

For more of the facts and figures take a look at this article from today's Australian Newspaper.

Retail Expo 2009

2009-05-28T12:49:00.003+10:00

Just a reminder that Retail Expo 2009 is on at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on 11 -13th of August. It sounds like a long way away, but it'll be here before you know it!

So if your planning on visiting, online registration is already open.

If you'll be exhibiting at the show, hopefully you've already put some thought into your stand. But if you're after some new display ideas to make sure you get the most from your branding and literature, take a look at our Sages System Display Stands. They're versatile, portable and the perfect display tool for exhibitions and shows.

How to Get the Most From Your Banner Stands

2009-05-25T10:08:00.014+10:00

Banner stands are fantastic way to advertise because they are so versatile, practical and affordable. The most common usage of banner stands is at exhibitions, but they are useful for lots of other applications.

If you are only using your banner stands once a year at an exhibition, there is a good chance you are simply not using it to its fullest potential. There are plenty of other ways your banner stand can work for you.

Uses for your banner stands

Banner stands outside your office, shop or store.

Banner stands work effectively at exhibitions because they draw people in at the trade show. Why not use them for the same purpose at your shop or outside your reception area? By placing a banner stand just outside the door to your shop or offices you can also draw people in. POD Outdoor Displays supply a great range of outdoor banner stands. By ensuring that your graphics are eye-catching and include an action you want customers to take you can focus your customers attention. You can also include an announcement about a new promotion or product, anything to draw people in and get you noticed. Banner stands will also mean that you can be seen from afar. An outdoor banner stand is designed to withstand wind and weather, and it does not have to be constrained by the height of your ceiling. A banner stand positioned in a prominent place near your store or placed near the road means that customers will notice your banner stand.
Banner stands to direct traffic.
Banner stands are an efficient way to direct people to the right location in your building, particularly if you own a large building such as a hotel or a stadium. If you are staging a special event in a large area or a meeting in a conference room at hotel, place a banner stand in high-traffic spots to direct people to the right room. This will take the burden of giving directions off your staff, and get customers where they need to be easily and efficiently.
Banner stands for the retail sales floor.
A banner stand could be working hard for you on your sales floor every day of the year. In your retail store, a strategically placed banner stand with great eye catching graphics can draw attention to a special product you are promoting, announce sales, and attract customer attention exactly where you want it. You want to take advantage of those customers that will impulse buy, and encourage it which is always good for business. If you need to highlight a new product or service a banner stand is a great way to promote it. A banner stand puts that new product right at eye level, the moment your customers walk into the store. And because banner stands are flexible and the graphics can be changed easily, use yours any time a new product comes out. The more visible your advertising in the store, the more your customers will be drawn to your new product.
Banner stands for presentations.
A banner stand can be the ideal way to back you up at a presentation or a speaking engagement. If you need to give talks and run seminars then a banner stand is a great way to advertise. Banner stands are the perfect travelling companion because they are light, flexible, and portable. This means that you can easily set them up as a backdrop for your presentation, set one outside the door to your conference room to draw people in, or place one near a sales table where people can go to buy your product after the talk. They will give you a professional look but also encourage impulse buys.
Few advertising tools are as versatile as the banner stand. They are equally effective bringing traffic into a shop or a reception area, and just as at home on the sales floor as at an exhibition. Your banner stand can work for you in many ways, so why not call the POD sales team to discuss how to get the best use from yours.
Article courtesy of: http://www.pod-exhibition-systems.co.uk/banner_stands_index.htm

New Brochure Stands Online

2009-05-25T09:48:00.008+10:00

Brochure stands are a great promotional tool for just about any business. You can move them around your premises, make the most of you promotional literature and ensure that you allow your customers to leave with a "take-home reminder" of your products and services. This last point is particularly important for those larger purchases that shoppers will want to consider for a longer period.

Slimline Warehouse we've got a large and continually expanding range of brochure holders and we have just introduced the model pictured here. It really is a great little unit. It's cheap and simple, but also top quality - and it comes in A4 portrait and A4 landscape formats.

Also, keep an eye out for a full range of very competitively priced acrylic brochure holders that we're set to introduce to our range in the coming weeks.

Westfield's Australian Profits Up... Just.

2009-05-01T09:08:00.010+10:00

Westfield have provided a little more good retail news. The group has posted a 1.5% increase in Australian retail sales for the March quarter and have hinted that they believe that consumer sentiment may be lifting. Let's just hope they're right!

You can read a more detailed article on Inside Retailing

Retailers upbeat despite jobs cuts

2009-04-28T13:54:00.002+10:00

Here's some good news from the ABC News site:

New research released today shows retailers are optimistic about an economic recovery in the sector, despite almost a quarter of small and medium enterprises laying off workers.

Read the rest here.

New Products on the Horizon

2009-04-27T14:27:00.006+10:00

Don't think we've been slacking - We've got loads of new products on the horizon. Including the A3 and A4 polished stainless steel poster holders shown. But also keep your eyes open for: a range of smaller acrylic POS displays, more free standing brochure holders, two neon-look LED "open' signs, some small and cheap LED light boxes and more.

"Giving Good Aisle"?

2009-04-27T14:01:00.009+10:00

In this installment of his Retail Trends blog, Kevin Moore hypothesizes that the economic downturn has created 3 types of shoppers, all of whom can be swayed by the creation of a great shopper experience - apparently that's what's now known as "giving good aisle."

See for yourself.

Are you a neon enthusiast?

2009-04-06T15:10:00.004+10:00

OK, so "enthusiast" might be too strong a word, but if you like neon signs you'll probably like this site.

It's a huge collection of neon sign photographs, old and new, from Gothenburg in Sweden. Take a look, you might get some inspiration. And if you do, make sure you talk to us about your plans. We recently did a huge roll out of almost 500 neon signs for the Rivers clothing chain.

Just like we did for Rivers, we can supply you with top quality neon signs with top quality packaging to match - and we'll do it at a price, that we're confident, will beat anyone in the country.

A design drawing of one of the neons signs we did for Rivers. I'll post up some instore photos once they're all installed and we have some good shots

Need some Stickers?

2009-04-01T16:50:00.007+11:00

We've been doing stickers like this for ages, but it just hasn't been a priority for us to get them up online. But finally we have! And they're cheap, so have a look at our website: Vinyl Stickers

The rise of the "Retail Brand"

2009-04-01T15:43:00.009+11:00

There's an article over on the Smart Company website by Kevin Moore, who suggests that retailers should make the most of the economic downturn by focusing on brand consolidation as a longer term survival strategy. He goes on to cite four key drivers that he sees as critical in developing a credible and popular retail brand

Consolidation - fewer but larger retailers; fewer manufacturers with less brands and stock keeping units (SKUs) in store.

Point of difference - creating a unique product offering and experience for shoppers.

In-store theatre - wowing shoppers with interactive displays and point of sale, wooing them to part with their cash.

Productivity - spinning inventory faster and cutting unproductive hours without affecting the customer experience. Retail must remain "all about the shopper".

Interesting. Looks good on paper - What do you think?
You can read the rest of the article here.

You'd have to say that the Apple retail destinations are a perfect example of the ideas that Kevin is putting forward.

Is That a Window... Or A Stained Glass Light Box

2009-03-27T14:01:00.004+11:00

OK, so it's not exactly retail display, but it's definitely a great use of a light box. For the retail designers out there, what a fantastic concept this would be for a high end fit-out. OK, ok, it wouldn't be cheap but it, looks great!

This is actually a private job that we did by customising a slimline lightbox specifically to display this lead light panel. Something different...

Myer Announce a 5.3% Increase in Profits

2009-03-25T16:47:00.003+11:00

Despite all the negative commentary about the financial downturn, it's still really easy to find good news stories. It seems that many of the big Australian retailers aren't suffering as much as predicted:

Myer has just released its half yearly results for the period ending January 2009 and it seems the company has handled the tough economic environment effectively, with a net profit increase of 5.3 per cent to $83 million for the period.

You can see the rest of this story over on Retail Biz.

Alphabet Soup

2009-03-25T16:17:00.006+11:00

You might not have know, but we also do all types of signage, not just retail displays. Here's a snap of some aluminium letters that we've fabricated and painted in-house. They're pretty much ready to leave the factory - and we'll install them ourselves. So if you've got any signage work at all, just get in touch. You'll find that our signage prices are just as competitive as our display products!

We Want Your Feedback!

2009-03-24T14:02:00.004+11:00

Have you purchased display products from us before? If you have we'd really like to hear from you. We've just launched a new Feedback Page on our website so that our customers, and future customers, can let us know what they think of the products they've purchased, our customer service or our website (it's been online for just over a year now!). If there’s a product that we don’t stock, let us know and we’ll try to track it down.

As an incentive we'll supply a link to your website to display with your comments.

It’s just another way for us to stay on top of our game and make sure our customers are being looked after.

You can check out the page here

Sending Emails Drunk?

2009-03-24T10:57:00.013+11:00

I don't use Gmail, but I'm sure just about everyone can relate to this. Well maybe not the drunk part:

"Google is well-known for creating applications for its online search engine and document editors, but has now added another - an email "undo" button. The new feature is designed for users to retract an email message within five seconds after the "send" button has been pushed.

The usual confirmation from Gmail that a message has been sent will now be accompanied by an "undo" link, allowing the user to return the email into a draft form. But Google warns that after the five seconds is up, no retractions can be made.

"It just holds your message for five seconds so you have a chance to hit the panic button," Google said in a blog post. The feature is similar to another introduced by Google that forces Gmail users to solve math problems, in order to prevent sending emails while drunk."

From Smart Company

Clip Frames Go Crazy!

2009-03-17T12:46:00.005+11:00

Clip Frames have just been flying out the door recently. Maybe it's the uncertain financial times, and retailers are looking for a way to increase advertising impact without breaking the bank - maybe it's just co-incidence, but either way, clip frames are definitely hot right now.

You can check out our range here.

Green on the Inside

2009-03-17T10:26:00.012+11:00

There's an article over on Inside Retailing called Green on the Inside all about the environmentally sustainable direction that retail design is heading in. It features a number of designers talking on the subject as well as some discussion on alternative design materials and lighting.

Of course our slimline light boxes use far less power than traditional light boxes and with the Artificial Lighting and Power provision in the Building Code of Australia specifying 25 watts per square metre for retail spaces units such as Retail Lumi the can be a great way to cut power usage.

Huge power savings can be achieved with outdoor slimline light boxes such as our Bigfoot model (pictured) that uses up to 70% less power than traditional back lit light boxes.

Good News from the US Retail Business Sector

2009-03-13T08:47:00.006+11:00

So maybe the US economy isn't as sick as we might have thought. OK, so the figures didn't show any growth in the sector, but they weren't negative as most had predicted. This combined with relatively strong results from some of the country's major retailer such as WalMart and the like, may signal that consumer sentiment in the monster that is the US economy isn't so low after all.
Read more from the BBC website .

Light Boxes for Retail Display – Saving $$$ with New Technology

2009-03-11T15:16:00.009+11:00

Are all retail light boxes created equal?

New developments in retail light box technology and demands from end users for more a sophisticated and energy efficient cohort of merchandising and display products may be signalling the demise of standard light box technology?

So, what does this new technology bring to the table? To find out click here

Retail Tips for 2009

2009-03-06T16:33:00.002+11:00

A few basic tips for Retailers to keep things on track in 2009. It's not rocket science, but some basics that are always worth keeping in mind. The article is here: Retail Tips for 2009

Bamboo Banner Stands?

2009-03-04T09:26:00.004+11:00

Here's an unlikely development in pull up displays.

I saw these stands over on the Global Shop 2009 site. The base of the pull up stand is made from bamboo and the banner itself is made from either fabric or another biodegradable material. The company promoting these things is called Above All Advertising Inc and they're based in San Diego. Here's part of what they have to say about them:

Our eco-friendly banners are made from natural and recyclable material i.e., bamboo, which is considered to be among the fastest growing plants in the world. Being eco-friendly in nature, there is no compromise in the finish of these banners as they are printed on high quality materials or fabrics which have high resiliency and durability. We also offer specialty fabrics which are used to make these eco-friendly banners easily degradable under landfill conditions such as extreme heat, darkness and moisture.

Something different.

LED sign - Looks exactly like neon!

2009-03-02T15:27:00.001+11:00

The sign below is a new type of LED sign. The video really doesn't do it justice. It looks just like a neon sign but with all the advantages of LED. They are so much more durable than neon and come at half the price. What's more LEDs are said to have a life span of 100,000 hours - that's a lot of hours. This sign has been filmed flashing, but it can also be set to static or to flash faster than is shown. The casing is injection moulded, so it's tough. These "OPEN" signs are in production now, but custom signs are also available for large orders. Give us a call or enquire through our website if you're interested or have any questions.

JB's Done It Again!

2009-02-26T16:06:00.002+11:00

Here's another big Aussie retailer that's obviously not too concerned with the financial downturn.
JB Hi-Fi has announce a 41% increase in first half profits. Here's some of the Article from Brisbane's Courier Mail:

RETAILER JB Hi-Fi has surprised the market by revealing a better than expected rise in first-half profit despite the economic gloom.
Chief executive Richard Uechritz was almost crowing as the electronic retailer posted a 41 per cent rise in first-half profit, up from $41.9 million to $59 million.

The Federal Government's $10 billion December stimulus plan and new store openings helped revenue rise 28 per cent to $1.2 billion.

The coming $42 billion package passed by the Senate on Friday is also expected to continue to tickle JB Hi-Fi's bottom line.

The surprise result prompted analysts to rethink their valuations on the stock, which closed on Friday at $10.90 - up $1.90 during the week.

Analysts at ABN Amro Morgans said while conditions for discretionary retailers in general remained challenging, the stimulus package was likely to give funds to JB Hi-Fi's core demographic of cashed-up younger people.

Read the rest of the article here

Doom or Boom?

2009-02-26T15:47:00.001+11:00

Despite the media's continual focus on economic doom and gloom there's at least one big guy in retails who's feeling positive. And let's face it, Gerry Harvey has more at stake than most. In a recent interview Gerry gave his opinion that the world is just around the corner from the biggest boom in it's history:

Retail king Gerry Harvey has dismissed concerns that the Australian economy could be headed for “Armageddon” or a repeat of the Great Depression, and has instead claimed the world economy is just around the corner from a boom.
“I think we’re on the verge of the greatest boom that mankind has ever seen,” Harvey has declared in an interview with ABC Television’s Four Corners program.
“There is much money being printed… in a lot of the countries in the world, the wealthy countries [and] interest rates are coming down in most of those places between 0% and 2% – there’s this huge amount of money.
“It’s just a matter of we’ve just got to go through a little bit of a period, and then away we go.”
While economists argue that the fallout of from the global financial crisis is likely to send Australia’s economy into recession and limit economic growth for at least 18 months, Harvey claims Australia is in a far stronger position than stalling economies such as Britain or the United States.
From SmartCompany.com.au
Read the full article here