Are Your Retail Displays Safe?

Many retail store owners are proud of the way their retail displays look. They are often a primary part of the stores décor. These retail professionals know they are ready to serve their customers with pride and great customer service. But are your retail displays safe? Having safe retail displays is critical to your business and customer relations.

When Was The Last Time You Thought About Your Retail Displays?

Sometimes we simply do not think about our retail displays. We rely on them to be there, to service our customers, to display our best wares and help drive profits. Your retail displays are like silent employees that are always on the job. They are always selling and interacting with the customer. But just like any other employee, our retail displays sometimes need us to take care of them in order to help them do their jobs best. Think about it: when is the last time you really checked out your retail displays?

Just like buildings have their elevators checked out on a regular basis, store owners should inspect their retail displays. Make sure no parts are coming loose. Make sure they are standing strong and level. Make sure nothing wobbles or wiggles. Walk around your retail display and see if anything stands out that really should not be there.

Look for structural integrity, not only in relations to the stability of the display, but also the display itself. Are any corners cracked, chipped or broken? Has any part of the display become damaged, resulting in a serrated edge? If the display is metal, be certain that it is free of rust or other similar debrit, which is possible of not only cutting or injuring someone, but staining their clothes as well. Imagine if a customer came into your store to buy a new shirt. After resting for a moment on the support of your display, the customer realizes that the metal housing has left a stain of rust or oil on their clothing. Now you end up paying for their shirt, rather than the more appropriate vice versa situation.

Catching a small problem ensures that the problem remains small. Wouldn’t you rather catch a small problem now than have to pick up a retail display that has fallen apart on a busy Saturday afternoon, damaging merchandise and perhaps even injuring a customer.

A Broken Retail Display Could Cause Stock Damage…or Worse

The scary part is that your retail displays could actually hurt you, your employees and your customers if they are not taken care of properly. A broken retail display could damage merchandise that you would have to replace – which takes time and money. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes.

Imagine how you would feel if you reached for an item on a retail display and the display came crashing to the ground! How shaken up would you be? You might even be a little angry that the store had put you in a dangerous situation. If that customer was shopping with a small child in tow, they would certainly be furious that you had put their child at risk for an injury, not only themselves. By not checking out your retail displays – which could take as little as twenty minutes once a week – you are putting yourself at risk for losing money, time and even at risk for a potential lawsuit!

You may be concerned about the condition of your retail display. This is understandable, and the important thing is to focus on them now. Take the time before the store opens to check out each retail display. Wiggle each piece and see if it moves too much. Check to see if anything has cracked. Notice if anything is different about your retail display. This is the ideal time to catch something that could be very easy to avoid. Your retail displays are an important part of your business. Paying attention to your retail displays simply makes good business sense.