5 Art Supply Containers and Racks for Your Store

Whether you already own or manage an art supply store or you’re looking to open one, or even if you own or are opening a store that will sell items similar to those found in art supply stores, you must make sure you have the right kinds of art supply containers and racks to display your merchandise.

Below are five kinds of art supply containers and racks to get you started.

1. Clear Plastic Containers

Because of their versatility and durability, and the convenience they offer both storeowners and customers, it’s no surprise to see clear plastic containers listed as an ideal display container for art supplies. Art supply store managers and owners can use clear plastic containers to display everything from small tubes or packets of glitter and sequins to buttons, beads, and other baubles. These kinds of containers are also great for holding loose paint brushes and drawing pencils and pens.

Of course, clear plastic containers also work great as storage containers. You or your associates can keep them under your countertops or in your stockrooms to organize anything from work-related tools such as rolls of sales stickers to thumbtacks for hanging wall posters.

2. Acrylic Round Face Bins With Scoops

Similar to clear plastic containers, acrylic round face bins with scoops work well to organize and display loose kinds of art supplies like beads. The round face design of these bins add visual appeal to displays while the scoops make it easy for customers to retrieve the amount of product they want.

Also similar to clear plastic containers, acrylic round face bins with scoops also work well as storage bins.

3. Slot Paper Shelves and Racks

Slot paper shelves work with slot paper racks (see below) and are designed to hold paper or similar art supplies. You can find slot paper shelves in various sizes and with one, two, or three slots and you can use them to hold everything from regular paper and construction paper to sheets of stickers and stencils.

Slot paper racks are designed to hold slot paper shelves and art supply store managers and owners can find these display racks in both floor and countertop models.

4. Bucket Display Racks

Like clear plastic containers, bucket display racks are found in a variety of retail establishments because they work so well to organize, store, and display various kinds of merchandise. You can use bucket display racks to organize and display everything from small art supplies like packets of glitter and small tubes of paint to larger items like loose paint brushes, rulers, scissors, and art pens and pencils.

5. Mobile Scrapbook Centers

Mobile scrapbook centers are crucial for art supply stores that sell scrapbooking tools. These display racks are complete with display fixtures such as slot paper racks for holding sheets of scrapbook paper as well as flat metal racks for holding heavier items and on-roll shelves for conveniently displaying rolls of stickers.

Mobile scrapbook centers also work well for any kind of store that doesn’t necessarily sell scrapbook supplies but does sell similar items such as sheets or packets of paper and stencils as well as rolls of stickers.

The 2 Wholesale Store Supplies You Don’t Want to Overlook

While this isn’t exactly news to veteran retail store owners, those of you just getting started or even just considering opening a store of some sort should become familiar with wholesale store supplies.

Generally, buying wholesale store supplies is a great way to save money, and sometimes you can even increase the amount of money you save when you buy wholesale in bulk. Also, it should come as no surprise that the two kinds of items storeowners most commonly purchase from wholesalers are the very two items that help make the stores exist in the first place: The store’s merchandise and the store’s display fixtures.

1. Merchandise

“Merchandise” is a generic term that covers all the items you (or other store’s) sell. You might manage a candy store that only sells sweets, a bookstore that focuses on printed literature but also offers audio books, or a convenience store that sells everything from snacks to paperback novels. No matter what you sell, it’s considered “merchandise.”

Regardless of the kinds of merchandise you sell, it’s generally best to purchase wholesale. Buying wholesale often gives you the best bang for your buck – especially when you buy in bulk – and oftentimes you can even find companies that offer special deals on their wholesale store supplies.

2. Display Fixtures

Like “merchandise,” “display fixtures” is a pretty generic, all-encompassing term. From clear plastic containers and acrylic bins to wire display racks and wooden display racks, here is such a wide variety of fixtures out there designed to help you attractively and conveniently display your merchandise that it would be nearly impossible (at the very least, extremely time consuming!) to list them anywhere except in a wholesale store supplies company catalog or on a wholesale store supplies website.

Also like merchandise, it’s best to purchase wholesale display fixtures for your retail establishment or restaurant. Buying wholesale helps you get the most product for the best price. However, because there are so many different kinds of display fixtures to choose from, and because there are so many different wholesalers to choose from, the task of selecting the right fixtures from the right wholesaler might seem daunting.

Consider these tips to make the job more manageable:

• Consider your display space. Display fixtures come in many different sizes, shapes, and styles, and the amount of display space you have to work with – as well as where in your store that space is located – will help you determine which kinds of fixtures would work best for you. Try narrowing each search down to just floor displays, countertop displays, or wall displays, and then moving on to the next category (if there is one) once you’ve made that decision.
• Decide what merchandise you want to display. Your fixtures have to be able to attractively and conveniently display your merchandise, but you won’t know if they’re able to do that until you know what merchandise you want to showcase. Once you decide what to showcase, you can search for fixtures that will work best with those items.
• Shop around with a few wholesalers. No matter who you are or what you’re looking to buy, it’s always best to shop around with several different merchants before you make a decision. Compare the variety and prices of fixtures offered by several different wholesalers before you choose the one for you.

How to Create Countertop Displays for Every Store

You might think creating a countertop display is simple: Just choose your merchandise and situate it on the countertop in question, right?

Well, sort of – but creating a countertop display actually takes a bit more planning than that. You need to understand the amount of space you have to work with, choose the right merchandise to showcase, and find fixtures that will both work with the space and the merchandise to attractively and conveniently showcase your products.

Step One: Analyze Your Countertop Space

The first step to creating countertop displays is to analyze your countertop space. You have to be familiar with how much space you have to work with before you can move on to the second and third steps; after all, how are you supposed to know what kinds of merchandise and what kinds of display fixtures will fit on your countertop if you’re not sure how much space you have?

There are two ways to analyze your countertop space: You can “eyeball” it, which might work for some folks, or you can actually measure it, which works best in all situations. When you’re ready to order your display fixtures, you’ll see what sizes they’re available in and it will be easier to choose the ones right for your countertop if you know exactly how big or small your countertop is.

Step Two: Decide What Merchandise to Display

Now that you know how much countertop space you have to work with, it’s time to decide what merchandise you want to display.

Generally, the merchandise you showcase will depend on the kind of store you manage. If you manage a candy store, for example, you’ll probably want to create a candy display. If you manage a gas station or convenience store, you might want to showcase convenience items like lighters or key chains.

No matter what kind of merchandise you sell or choose for your countertop display, make sure it’s the appropriate size for the amount of space you have to work with (see above) and will comfortably fit in whatever display fixtures you choose (see below).

Step Three: Consider Your Display Fixture Options

The third step might actually be the trickiest – or, rather, the most time consuming – of all the steps. Why? Because there are so many different kinds of display fixtures to choose from!

Companies that sell wholesale store supplies generally have many different kinds of display fixtures to choose from – no matter what kind of merchandise you’re display or where you want to situate your display. When you combine one company’s many options with the many options of all the other companies out there that sell wholesale store supplies, your possibilities seem endless!

In order to avoid overwhelming yourself, make sure you choose display fixtures that work well with the amount of countertop space you have as well as both attractively and conveniently displays your merchandise.

Keep in mind that you can also supplement your countertop space by making use of the space near your countertop. For example, gumball machines, lollipop trees, and wire display racks designed to hold clear plastic containers and other display fixtures work well to showcase additional merchandise near your countertop (in your POP area, for example) without actually taking up extra countertop space.

How to Keep Your Candy Displays Fresh and Unique

Regardless of what they sell, most retail stores change their displays from time to time. Whether you manage a candy store, or a grocery store, bookstore, toy store, or gas station, if your establishment sells candy, below are five ways you can make sure you keep your candy displays fresh and unique.

Tip #1: Mix and Match Various Candy Store Displays

When you showcase your candy, you don’t have to keep your displays to one or two of a certain kind of fixture. There are numerous kinds of fixtures at your fingertips, and it’s easy to keep your displays fresh and unique when you mix and match a few of them.

If you’re creating a point-of-purchase display, or POP display, for example, you could mix clear plastic containers or colored acrylic bins to hold small pieces of wrapped candy or gumballs with pre-filled lollipop trees or gumball machines.

Tip #2: Update Your Candy Display With the Changing Seasons

This is perhaps the most fun tip when it comes to keeping your showcases fresh and unique. It’s easy to find both display fixtures and candy in holiday themes and colors, and it’s easy to use existing fixtures and candy to create showcases with a holiday flare.

For example, during Halloween you could create a gumball display using orange and black gumballs. You could do the same during Christmas using red and green gumballs. Colored acrylic bins are easy to find, and you could choose red and clear for Valentine’s Day displays, or pastels for spring and Easter.

Note that this tip also works well if your store is located in a city with a high school, college, or professional sports team. Showcase your candy in containers of the team’s colors!

Tip #3: Keep Your Eyes Open for New Candy Store Display Fixtures

Traditional candy display fixtures have survived the test of time because they’re functional and reliable; when it comes to clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins, for example, there’s definitely no reason to fix what isn’t broken.

However, wholesalers and retailers that specialize in display fixtures are always coming out with new kinds of candy store display fixtures, and it’s wise for you to keep your eyes peeled for these releases. Trying out new fixtures isn’t “fixing what isn’t broken”; rather, it’s adding visual appeal and new convenience to your displays – and customers always appreciate that!

Tip #4: Reuse Old Candy Display Fixtures in New Ways

Depending on the kind of store you manage, you might have old display fixtures lying around that – while they weren’t originally used for, or maybe not even intended for, candy displays – would work well to showcase various kinds of sweet treats.

Tip #5: Don’t Confuse Your Customers!

In an effort to keep things fresh and unique, you might be tempted to rearrange your store or reposition your candy displays from time to time. Keep in mind that while rearranging your store and repositioning your displays every now and then is fine, and sometimes necessary, doing it often will only confuse and frustrate your regular customers.

You want to give your customers a sense of familiarity and comfort when they visit your store, and that’s tough to do when your constant changes make them feel as if they’re in a completely different store every time they visit. Unless it’s absolutely time to rearrange or reposition things, keep your steps to keeping your displays fresh and unique to the above four tips.

Top 3 Display Fixtures for Pet Stores

Aside from the fact that they sell pets, pet stores aren’t that much different from any other kind of retail store. Pet stores sell plenty of other kinds of merchandise – merchandise that needs display fixtures – and below are the top three display fixtures that every pet store can use.

1. Clear Plastic Containers

If you’ve spent any amount of time at all in the retail business, you’re probably already well aware of how useful clear plastic containers are. These containers are sturdy and durable, available in numerous shapes, sizes, and styles, and can be used as both display tools and storage tools.

You can use clear plastic containers to organize and display small pet toys, sample packs of pet food or treats, and even collars, rolled up leashes, or cute “hair accessories” for pets!

Note that clear isn’t your only option when it comes to plastic containers – you can find them in a wide variety of colors that are translucent enough to allow you and your customers to easily see what’s inside. Colored plastic containers are great ways to spice up your merchandise displays or organize the merchandise you’re display.

2. Acrylic Gravity Bins

If you’re not quite sure what acrylic gravity bins are, think of the kinds of bins you see attached to counter tops and walls that hold food merchandise like dry cereal, coffee, and treats like trail mix or peanuts.

Acrylic gravity bins are excellent display fixtures for pet stores for the same reasons they’re great for other kinds of stores that sell edible merchandise – they present attractive and convenient solutions for display edible items while keeping them fresh and safe from dust and other debris.

You can use acrylic gravity bins in your pet store to display and keep fresh products like small dog or cat treats, bird feed, or food pellets for hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs. Note that if you choose to do this, of course, you need to also provide some sort of container or baggie so your customers can transfer the food or treats from the bin to the checkout counter, and from the checkout counter to their homes!

3. Display Racks

You’re probably not at all surprised to see display racks listed as one of the top three display fixtures for pet stores – or any kind of store, for that matter. Unless your store is full of table and counter tops (which would make things a bit awkward for your customers!), you need fixtures on which you can situate your merchandise. Display racks are perfect.

There are many different kinds of display racks you can choose from for your merchandise displays, and the kinds you choose will depend largely on the amount of display space you have to work with, the kind of merchandise you want to display, and the overall decor or theme of your store. You can find traditional stationary convenience store racks with shelves, fixed-position wire display racks with shelves or with mesh containers, fixed-position or rotating bucket racks, and even wooden display racks with baskets.

How to Save Money on Merchandise Display Fixtures

In today's struggling economic times, every storeowner - whether he's just getting started or is simply in the market for new display tools - can benefit from saving money on merchandise display fixtures.

If this sounds like you, check out the five steps that will help you find versatile, attractive, and affordable display fixtures listed below!

1. Buy Merchandise Display Fixtures in Bulk

Buying in bulk is a great way to save money on merchandise display tools, but ONLY if your store is large enough to necessitate that many display fixtures or if you know you’ll need that many of one kind of display fixture (no matter how small your store is).

Examples of display fixtures commonly purchased in bulk include clear plastic containers. These tools are extremely versatile (see below) and nearly every store or business can use them for many reasons, making purchasing clear plastic containers in bulk a wise move.

2. Focus on Versatility

Every tip listed here is an excellent way to save money on merchandise display fixtures, but this tip is perhaps the most excellent of them all. Why? Because this is the tip that keeps on giving!

When you purchase versatile fixtures – fixtures that you can use over and over again in different ways – you continue to save money because these display tools prevent you from having to purchase new items each time you want to create a new display, rearrange your store, or showcase a new kind of item.

3. Keep Your Eyes Open for Secondhand Fixtures

You’ve undoubtedly heard the old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!” While this adage is usually attached to garage sales and flea markets, it’s also true in the retail business.

There are several ways you can get your hands on secondhand fixtures. For example, you can keep your eyes open for local shops that are going out of business, redecorating, or moving locations and are looking to either sell or donate their old fixtures. You can also simply talk with friends in similar businesses who are either able to sell or donate a few fixtures or who know another storeowner who can.

NOTE: While purchasing secondhand fixtures and accepting donations are both great ways to save money, be sure the tools you purchase or accept are in decent condition. Cracked plastic containers, wire display racks with broken shelves, and acrylic trays with broken corners most likely aren’t worth the time. Sometimes, one man’s trash is another man’s trash, too!

4. Shop Around for Sales, Clearances, and Discounts

No matter what the retailers and wholesalers call them – whether they’re sales, clearances, or discounts – purchasing display fixtures that have been marked down is obviously a great way to save money!

5. Take Advantage of Start Up Specials

Many companies offer start up specials for stores and other businesses just getting off the ground. Of course, it doesn’t really matter if you’re just getting started or you’re simply browsing the market for affordable display fixtures, purchasing start up specials is a great way to save money and score versatile display tools you can use again and again.

3 Different Ways to Use Merchandise Display Fixtures

As a store owner, you already know how important it is to have the perfect display fixtures for showcasing your merchandise; however, do you know what to do with those fixtures once they’re no longer of use to you?

If you ever find yourself with display fixtures you can no longer use or no longer want to use for showcasing merchandise, consider the three solutions listed below.

1. Make the Most of Your Display Fixtures’ Versatility

There are many different kinds of display tools with more uses than one. When you think your fixtures have reached the end of their line, stop and think about the other kinds of merchandise you can display in them.

For example, you can use mini bin display racks attached to your slatwall fixture or on your countertop. Gumball machines are great for holding gumballs, but you can also fill them with other snacks like trail mix or with small children’s toys like bouncy balls. Clear plastic containers you once used to hold unwrapped candy are also great for holding travel-sized hygiene products or small convenience items like miniature sewing kits or eyeglass repair kits.

2. Turn Your Display Fixtures Into Storage Fixtures

Once you no longer need your display fixtures to showcase merchandise, you can use them to organize and store items behind the scenes.

For example:

• Use clear plastic containers and acrylic bins to organize and store small items like sale price stickers, pens and markers, and other small display tools like rolls of tape, screws, bolts, and tacks.
• Use fixed-position or rolling display racks to store clothes items that need to hang but aren’t ready for floor display yet, or for holding containers you’re using as storage tools. (How you use your display racks depends entirely on the kind of racks you have and the kinds of merchandise you sell.)

3. Donate Your Display Fixtures

If you no longer need your display fixtures (for example, if you’re remodeling or redecorating your store, or you’re moving locations and need to lighten your load), and you’ve decided there are no other uses for them within your establishment, the next best thing to do is donate or sell your fixtures to other businesses or organizations.

Consider these ideas:

• If you know of any new businesses in the area, or have heard there will be a new start up business coming soon, contact the owner and find out if he or she is looking for a few discount (or free!) display fixtures.
• If your store has a large window area, consider moving your display fixtures close to the windows and placing “For Sale” signs on them.
• If your store has a sizeable enough sidewalk area, dedicate an evening to holding a sale.
• Contact local charities or other nonprofit organizations to ask if they need any display fixtures. This works out especially well for organizations such as the Salvation Army and churches that frequently sell or donate items to people in need and need ways to display them.

Donating or selling your old display tools not only helps out other businesses and organizations, but it also helps keep these items out of landfills, which is great for the environment!

5 Ways to Save Money When You Open a Candy Store

These days, nearly everyone’s feeling the pinch of today’s economy, and this pinch has many aspiring entrepreneurs – such as new candy shop owners – wondering whether or not they should move forward with their new business ideas.

Fortunately, there are ways to pinch pennies and still get quality results. Listed below are five ways to save money when you open a candy store.

1. Buy your candy in bulk.

For businesses that sell a lot of one kind of product (such as candy), it only make financial sense to buy in bulk and save money.

Keep in mind that it’s important to have a plan for your candy before you actually order it. How many display fixtures will you have? Where will they be located? What special considerations should you make for the candy (unwrapped candy needs more protection than wrapped candy)? These are the kinds of questions you should know the answers to before you purchase bulk candy.

2. Buy versatile display fixtures in bulk.

As mentioned above, buying in bulk helps you save money; however, buying versatile display fixtures – those that you can use for a variety of purposes – in bulk helps you save even more money.

For example, jumbo mini bins – which are already fairly inexpensive – are fantastic acrylic bins for showcasing a variety of items.

3. Sometimes, secondhand display fixtures are your friends.

Generally, the best way to get your hands on secondhand display fixtures is to keep your eyes open for owners of similar businesses who might be relocating and looking to lighten their loads or who are redecorating and need to get rid of their old, but useable, display fixtures.

Keep in mind that “inexpensive” doesn’t always mean “good deal.” You’re trying to save money, but you’re also trying to make a good impression. If the display fixtures are noticeably worn (for example, the clear plastic containers have so many scratches you can’t really describe them as “clear” anymore) or not easily repairable (for example, the rolling display racks are missing wheels you’d have to spend a significant amount of time hunting for before you could replace them), you’d be better off paying for new fixtures.

4. Look for wholesalers offering special start up deals.

Many companies that sell bulk candy and bulk display tools also offer special deals for owners of new candy stores. Talk with owners of similar businesses as well as search the Internet to gather a list of such companies, and then compare their start up specials and prices.

5. Don’t go overboard with advertising.

Adverting is crucial, and it’s especially important when you’re first getting started; however, many new candy shop owners discover that when they’re first getting started is when their budgets are the tightest.

Instead of sinking money into several different advertising areas, consider just a few big hitters. For example:

• Newspaper advertisements and radio mentions (as opposed to separate, lengthy radio commercials) are often fairly inexpensive and reach a broad audience.
• If you create your own graphics and write your own copy, as well as shop around for printing services that offer the best prices, you’ll find that fliers can be quite inexpensive forms of advertising.
• Many community news stations and newspapers provide a community events feature to their viewers and readers. Oftentimes, getting your announcement (in this case, your candy store opening) listed in these segments or sections is completely free. You might even want to talk with reporters about a brief feature announcing the upcoming opening of your new candy store.

NOTE: These days, it’s almost unheard of for a business to lack a website. Not only are websites constant forms of advertisement, but they’re also incredibly convenient for your customers. You might think it’d be best for you to wait until your new candy store has been up and running for a while before you create a website, but it’s actually ideal to have a website up and running BEFORE your store opens – that way, when customers see and hear your advertisements for the shop’s opening day, they can visit your website to check out your store!

Best 3 Pieces of Candy Shop Equipment for New Stores

New candy shop owners have a lot on their minds, and each concern is just as important as the one before it. What candy should you sell? How should you display the candy? How should you decorate your shop – should it have a theme? What should you charge for your candy?

Fortunately, one of the decisions that seems the most difficult – which candy shop display equipment should you use? – is actually one of the easier decisions to make when you take a look at three of the most essential, and convenient, pieces of candy shop display tools.

Pre-Filled Candy Displays

Pre-filled candy displays are actually helpful for every kind of candy store – as well as establishments that aren’t in the business of primarily selling candy – but they’re especially beneficial for new candy stores because they require so little effort. There is generally little if any assembly required when it comes to pre-filled candy displays and they’re already stocked with candy so store owners don’t have to spend time deciding which kinds of candy to sell.

Basically, the only decision a store owner has to make about pre-filled candy displays is which kind(s) to purchase, and they’re available as:

• Pre-filled bucket displays (store owners can find varieties that rotate for floor use or fixed-position styles designed to hang on walls and maximize space).
• Gumball machines (store owners can find gumball machines in numerous sizes with as few as one head and as many as eight, as well as in a variety of fun designs).
• Lollipop trees (store owners can find varieties of lollipop trees short enough to sit on countertops and tall enough to be used as floor displays).

Large Candy Display Racks

Large candy display racks actually come in a variety of sizes, but even the smallest would be considered “large.” These display racks work well as “focal points” in the center of your store or in the center of a wide aisle, or you can situate them against the walls of your store or use them to help create aisles.

You can find display racks with varying numbers of shelves, gravity bins and/or buckets, and accessories like aluminum or plastic scoops or tongs that make it easier for customers to access the candy.

Plastic Containers

No list of essential candy shop equipment is complete without plastic containers, and for good reason! These containers are versatile and durable, can be used as display tools and recycled for storage purposes, and are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and even colors.

Plastic containers are great for showcasing both wrapped candies and unwrapped candies, and work well with accessories like plastic or aluminum tongs or scoops for customer convenience. You can also pair plastic containers with other display fixtures. For example, even though these containers work well as stand-alone display tools, they’re also great with fixtures like convenience store racks and wire display racks. Using plastic containers with other display tools helps you maximize your display space as well as create display space where there was none before.

How to Create Candy and Snack Displays for Your Party

Planning a party is a fun, but time-consuming, event. Where will your party be? How many guests will attend? How will you entertain them?

How will you feed them? Will you offer an elaborate meal or will you create candy and snack displays?

If you’re leaning toward the latter, below are four steps to help you create the perfect candy and snack displays for your party.

1. Consider Your Party

Before you do anything else, you must think about the kind of party you’re having – this will help you determine what kinds of people will be at your party.

For example, are you throwing a birthday party for a child where lots of other children will be present, or are you having an anniversary party that will cater mostly to adults? Will your guests consist mostly of high school or college-aged kids, or will it be packed with established business professionals?

Having a good idea about who will attend your party will help you when the time comes to choose your candy and snacks.

2. Evaluate Your Environment

The main reason you need to evaluate your environment is so you’ll know how modest or elaborate your candy display or snack display can be. It will also help you decide which display fixtures will work best for the amount of space you have to work with.

Take note of how much space you have to work with, and make a list of any existing structures that could work to your benefit (such as countertops) as well as any fixtures you might need to add yourself (such as tables). If there are any fixtures in the room that you can’t use, will you be able to store them somewhere else until the party is over, creating more room for your candy and snack displays?

3. Check Out Different Kinds of Candy and Snacks

No matter who your party guests will be, the perfect candy or snack is out there!

If you expect mostly children to attend the party, consider fun items like novelty candies or even a gumball machines. You might even want to look at bulk wrapped candies to put in a pinata.

If you expect mostly adults to attend the party, you can always include candies popular across various age groups as well as more sophisticated candies like gourmet chocolates.

Buying wrapped and unwrapped candies in bulk from a distributor helps you get enough candy to serve all of your guests as well as save money and stick to your party budget!

4. Find the Perfect Display Fixtures

Now that you know how much space you have to work with and the kinds of candy and snacks you want to offer, it’s time to think about the perfect display fixtures.

Clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins work well for nearly every kind of display. You can use these fixtures alone, situated atop tables or countertops, or you can pair them with wire display racks of various heights and widths to create attractive displays.

Revolving display racks, such as 30-bucket revolving racks, are great space savers and offer plenty of room for showcasing a variety of treats, and you can also find fixed-position bucket racks designed to sit on tables and countertops.

Keep in mind that, in additional to gumball machines, you can find pre-filled candy displays. These displays are excellent time savers and come filled with everything from popular candies like Whoppers, Junior Mints, Jolly Ranchers, and Laffy Taffy to chic sweet treats like gourmet chocolate-covered pretzels, nuts, cherries, and raisins!

Create Fun Product Displays with Wholesale Plastic Containers

You might not know it, but choosing plastic containers for product displays within your store doesn’t consist merely of choosing containers that will work with the size of the display space you have and the merchandise you want to showcase. Additional factors go into choosing the containers – factors that can help make creating product displays much more fun that you thought it would be!

You Don’t Have to Only Use Clear Plastic Containers

Clear plastic containers are fantastic choices for creating product displays because they allow the customers to easily see what’s inside; however, you should be aware of all the different colors of plastic containers and acrylic bins you can choose from!

Red, green, yellow, orange, purple, blue – there are so many colors you can choose from as you’re selecting your product display containers. You might want to choose colors you can use with each season, such as red and green for Christmas or orange for Halloween. If the city your store is located in is home to a high school or university, you might want to create product displays with containers in colors that match the school’s colors.

You can even choose colors that will complement that kind of product display you’re creating. For example, if you’re creating a candy display, you might want to match the candy flavors with the corresponding colors.

Look for Wholesale Plastic Containers in Fun Shapes

In addition to the traditional round, fish bowl, square, and hexagon shapes you’re probably accustomed to, you can find plastic containers for product displays in popular shapes like stars as well as holiday-inspired shapes like Halloween pumpkins, Christmas trees, and Santa Claus boots.

Choose Wholesale Plastic Containers from a Variety of Styles

You’re probably used to seeing wholesale plastic containers in the traditional round, fish bowl, square, and hexagon shapes with wide, unprotected openings at the top – plain and simple. These kinds of containers work fantastic for a number of uses; however, just as they’re available in different colors and shapes, these containers are also available in a wide variety of styles.

For example, you can find plastic containers for product displays in styles with lids that are designed to help keep unprotected food items such as bulk unwrapped candies fresh and safe from debris. You can also find these containers with accessories like plastic or aluminum scoops and tongs your customers can use to access the amount of food merchandise they want without touching and contaminating the rest of it.

Pair Your Wholesale Plastic Containers with Other Display Fixtures

The assortment of colors, shapes, and styles they offer make using plastic containers for product displays by themselves fun; however, you can also pair these containers with other display fixtures to make the most of your display space.

For example, wire display racks are some of the most popular display fixtures around, thanks largely to their versatility and, whether you want to use them to create countertop displays or floor displays, these racks work extremely well with plastic containers.

How to Use Plastic Containers for Product Sales and Displays

As a store owner, or as someone who’s hoping to open a store soon, you probably already know that plastic containers are excellent fixtures for creating product displays and generating sales.

What you might not know, however, is how to get started choosing the right containers.

First, Choose the Best Plastic Container for Your Display

You might think the first thing you need to think about is your product, but it’s actually easier to think about your display space first. After all, there’s no point in finding the perfect container for your product if it turns out that container isn’t going to work with the space where you plan to create you display.

Most product displays are located in three areas throughout a store: The countertops, the floor, and the walls.

• Countertop Displays: Nearly every kind of plastic container works well for countertop displays. To get started, look at traditional round, square, and hexagon containers as well as fish bowl containers. These containers are perfect for countertops of all sizes because they’re available in an assortment of sizes.

• Floor Displays: Naturally, you can’t create floor displays using just plastic containers; you’ll also need additional display fixtures to hold those containers. Consider using traditional convenience store racks with shelves on which you can place the containers, or look at fixed position and revolving bucket racks that already include the containers attached.

• Wall Displays: If you plan to create a wall display, you’re going to first need display fixtures like slat wall equipment or pegboard racks. Once you have those, you can choose from a variety of plastic containers designed for wall displays, including Visi-Bins, Hang-A-Jars, and hanging cubes. These containers are designed to attach to the slat wall or pegboard fixture and work much like freestanding containers in that you simply place the product inside.

Next, Choose the Best Plastic Container for Your Product

Now that you know where you want your display located and what kinds of display fixtures are available, it’s time to think about which of those display fixtures would best hold your product.

• Size: The size of your product is going to help determine the size of your container. For example, if you’re display jumbo gumballs, you’ll want a large container so you can display more.

• Amount: Just like the size of the product, the amount of the product will help determine what kinds of containers to use and where to place them. If you have a small amount of a certain product, your countertop might be the best display space. On the other hand, if you have a large amount of a certain product, you might want to dedicate an entire wall to displaying the merchandise.

• Weight: If your product doesn’t weigh much, you can use just about every kind of container and display fixture in just about every area of your store; however, if your product is heavy, you’ll probably want to stick to countertop displays and floor displays using sturdy fixtures like convenience store racks.

3 Tips for Using Plastic Containers in Your Business

Plastic containers and acrylic bins are some of the most convenient, versatile, and multi-purpose display fixtures and organizational tools you can use in your business – no matter what kind of business it is. You can find them in all shapes, sizes, and styles, use them by themselves or with other display tools, and use them for much more than just creating merchandise displays.

If you think these containers might be useful to your business but you haven’t yet decided to buy plastic containers, take a look at these three tips for using these containers – they might just have you ordering sooner than you planned to.

Plastic Containers Are Great for Stand-Alone Displays

You can buy plastic containers to use as stand-alone displays in a variety of business settings.

• Use plastic containers and acrylic bins to create countertop displays of candy or small convenience items.

• Situate small plastic containers on your restaurant’s tabletops to display packets of sugar, sweetener, and salt and pepper.

• Place a plastic container on your tavern or restaurant’s bar to collect tips and business cards from patrons.

• Use plastic containers in your deli area to organize and display packets of seasonings and condiments; drinking cups, straws, coffee stirs, and lids; and napkins and hand wipes.

Plastic Containers Work Well With Other Display Fixtures

In addition to using these containers as stand-alone display tools, you can also buy plastic containers and pair them with other display fixtures to create attractive, convenient showcases that make the most of your store’s space.

Such other display fixtures include:

• Traditional convenience store racks with shelves for holding the containers. You can find these display racks for both floor and countertop displays.

• Fixed position and revolving bucket display racks. Like convenience store racks, you can find fixed position and revolving bucket display racks for both floor and countertop displays. Note that bucket display racks generally come with the buckets included.

• Slat wall and pegboard fixtures for hanging or sitting the containers to create wall displays. You can find acrylic bins designed specifically for attaching to slat wall and pegboard fixtures as well as extra tools like wires and hooks designed to help you hang containers. You can also find acrylic trays that attach to slat walls and pegboards that are perfect for holding small plastic containers.

Plastic Containers Are Excellent Behind-the-Scenes Tools

Plastic and acrylic containers are probably most often thought of as display tools for retails stores and businesses in the food industry, but these versatile bins are great for behind-the-scenes uses as well.

Before you buy plastic containers, think about all the ways you can use them, such as:

• Underneath your countertops as ways to organize tools or keep handy items you might need on a moment’s notice such as extra writing utensils, clearance stickers, or rolls of register tape.

• In your store’s stockroom to organize small merchandise items scheduled to his the floor soon or extra tools like price tags, sticky putty or hooks for hanging signs, and even cleaning supplies.

• Your office for organizing supplies like pens and pencils, staples, tacks, business cards, and tools like scissors, letter openers, and rulers.

Are You Using These Effective Hospital Gift Shop Display Fixtures?

Hospital gift shops serve important purposes: In addition to offering convenience for hospital visitors who might want to purchase a snack or something to read but don’t want to leave the hospital, they provide the gifts hospital visitors want to purchase for their loved ones.

Therefore, it’s important to use effective hospital gift shop display fixtures that will conveniently and attractively showcase the merchandise within the shop. After all, the people who shop at hospital gift shops generally have more pressing matters to deal with than trying to wade through an unorganized shop to find the items they need.

Clear Plastic Containers and Colored Acrylic Bins

Because of the wide range of shapes, sizes, and styles and the many kinds of merchandise items you can put in them, clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins are some of the most popular of all display fixtures, so it’s only natural they’d work well as hospital gift shop display fixtures.

You can use clear plastic containers and colored acrylic bins as stand-alone display fixtures on your countertops, or pair them with other display fixtures like wire racks, convenience store racks, and bucket racks for both countertop and floor displays.

Racks for Floor and Countertop Displays

Unless you’re creating a countertop display using only clear plastic containers or colored acrylic bins, chances are you’re going to need some kind of display rack – or racks – for your floor and countertop displays. A few ideas for to get you started include:

• Wire Display Racks: Wire display racks are available in many styles and sizes. For example, you can find spinning wire racks for hanging items, grid display racks for hanging clothing or “baskets” for small merchandise, or wire racks with shelves for displaying stand-alone merchandise or products in plastic containers or acrylic bins.

• Traditional Convenience Store Racks: Like wire display racks, traditional convenience store racks are available in many sizes and styles, but most of them are sturdy enough for holding heavier kinds of merchandise that stands alone.

• Bucket Display Racks: Bucket display racks do just what their name suggests – hold buckets filled with merchandise. These kinds of racks are excellent tools for making the most of whatever space you have to work with, and you can even finding revolving bucket display racks to add convenience for your customers.

Post Card Racks

Post card racks are useful gift shop display fixtures because not only do they hold post cards, but they also hold gift cards, note cards, and inspirational plaques. You can find post card racks small enough for creating countertop displays and tall enough to use as floor displays.

Pre-Filled Display Racks

Not only are pre-filled display racks perfect for busy hospital gift shops and those gift shops that are just getting started, but they also offer some serious versatility and convenience:

• You can find pre-filled display racks filled with wrapped or unwrapped candy.

• You can find pre-filled display racks filled with some novelty toys ideal for both children and adults.

• Pre-filled display racks come in a wide variety of styles and sizes. You can find them for countertop displays or floor displays.

Gumball Machines

Gumball machines are ideal for nearly every kind of retail business – including hospital gift shops! You can find gumball machines in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, and you can even fill them with other kinds of merchandise such as small children’s toys like bouncy balls.

3 Sample Plastic Containers for Product Sales

Because they’re available in such a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, plastic containers are perfect for product sales. Virtually every kind of business – from convenience stores and gas stations to candy stores and ice cream parlors – can use plastic containers for storing and displaying an array of merchandise types.

Below are three of the most common kinds of plastic containers businesses of all kinds can use for showcasing products.

1. Traditional Plastic Containers

For these purposes, think of “traditional” as a word that describes the most common kinds of plastic containers we see in retail settings. These containers come in nearly every size and shape, some are clear and some are colored, and stores typically use them for creating countertop displays or holding merchandise on floor display racks.

Some of the most popular kinds of traditional plastic containers include:

• Round and Fish Bowl Containers: Round containers and fish bowl containers are probably the most common kinds of display containers for product sales. When you think of fish bowl containers especially, you probably think of the glass fish bowls that typically do what their name suggests – hold fish – as well as hold merchandise like candy in high-end or old-fashioned candy stores. Their plastic counterparts are excellent alternatives for stores that see high amounts of traffic!

• Square and Rectangular Containers: Square containers are available in a variety of widths and heights (meaning that, yes, you can find rectangular containers) and their flat sides make them perfect for creating produce displays in areas with limited space like countertops. You can easily position a number of square containers side-by-side and front-to-back to make the most of the space you have available.

• Hexagon Containers: Hexagon containers are a sort of hybrid of round and square containers. They don’t save as much space as square or rectangular containers, but they do allow for positioning them flush, front-to-back.

2. Plastic Containers with Lids

Plastic containers with lids are perfect for storing and showcasing edible merchandise that is otherwise unprotected such as bulk unwrapped candies. You can find containers with lids in numerous shapes and sizes, though the most popular tend to be rectangular or square containers with lids of varying widths and heights.

Although this use doesn’t relate to product sales, business owners should keep in mind that containers with lids are also ideal for “behind-the-scenes” uses for businesses such as restaurants as they can store and keep fresh cooking items like sugar, flour, salt, pepper, and cornmeal.

3. Hand Grip Plastic Containers

Plastic containers with hand grips are ideal for showcasing merchandise that customers need to pour for themselves, such as treats like trail mix, jelly beans, or peanuts or other edible items like coffee beans. Sure, depending on the size of the container, customers don’t always necessarily need hand grips to lift the containers, but the hand grips definitely make it easier to lift the containers and lower the chances of a product spill.

Because of their hand grips, these kinds of containers are also great for organizing merchandise under your countertops, in your stockroom, and even in your manager’s office.

Compare and Create Retail Impulse Displays

You’ve probably seen a display of impulse merchandise in every retail store you’ve been in, and if your store doesn’t yet include one or two of these types of displays you could be missing out on lucrative revenue!

The best kinds of impulse merchandise items are generally small, low cost items customers can easily grab and not feel guilty about purchasing once they’ve left your store. Candy items and small novelty toys for their children are some of the most popular kinds of impulse purchases, but as you’re deciding what kinds of merchandise to include keep two points in mind:

1. The kinds of customers your store usually sees. For example, if your store caters to children or adults who often shop with children, candy and small novelty toys might make the best impulse purchase displays.
2. Your store’s bestsellers. If you already know of a few inexpensive, small items your store tends to sell a lot of, consider creating an impulse purchase display filled with these items.
   

Below are three ideas for creating your own or purchasing pre-filled displays or retail impulse displays for your store.

Countertop Displays Are Ideal for Retail Impulse Purchases

Countertop displays are the most ideal for retail impulse purchases, and for two reasons:

1. The customers are stationary, so it’s more likely they’ll spend a minute looking at whatever product has caught their eyes.
2. The customers are checking out, and that “now or never” feeling makes it more likely they’ll add on the extra merchandise. Once the merchandise items are in their hands at the checkout counter, they’re less likely to change their minds.
   

You can find pre-filled displays racks for your countertops filled with popular candies or novelty toys. For example, many distributors provide store owners with a selection of pre-filled lollipop trees and plastic containers filled with candies like Jawbreakers or Gumballs.

You can use common display fixtures such as colored or clear plastic containers, revolving bucket racks, post card racks, spinner racks, or pegboard displays to create your own impulse purchase display.

Create Floor Displays Near Your Countertop for Retail Impulse Purchases

Although countertop displays are best for retail impulse purchases, they’re not the only options. You can create floor displays throughout your store – and especially near your store’s checkout counter – with impulse purchases in mind.

As with checkout countertop displays, you can find floor display racks already filled with impulse purchase merchandise or you can combine the same kinds of racks with your customers’ favorite candies and novelty toys to create your own retail impulse purchase displays.

Hang Wall Displays Near Your Countertop for Retail Impulse Purchases

Wall displays of impulse purchase merchandise are similar to floor displays – they’re not quite as ideal as countertop displays but, positioned near your countertop or in an area often frequented by the kinds of customers who enjoy that particular merchandise, they can be rather effective.

You can find wall display fixtures already filled with popular candies and novelty items. Usually, these fixtures include levels of buckets filled with impulse merchandise and are designed to mount on your wall.

If you already have wall display fixtures such as slatwall fixtures and acrylic containers for hanging, you can create your own wall displays for retail impulse purchases.

5 Countertop Display Fixtures You Shouldn't Overlook

Clear plastic containers, bucket display racks, lollipop trees – these are the kinds of common countertop display fixtures most store owners think of as they’re creating countertop displays.

However, there are numerous kinds of display racks for countertops that often go overlooked. Check out the display fixtures for countertops detailed below – chances are, you’ll wonder why you aren’t using them yet!

1. Display Tubes

Display tubes include the display fixtures that hold items like dry cereals and unwrapped candies in tubes of various sizes fixed on turntables. Thanks to their size and rotating feature, these fixtures are ideal for countertops in a variety of businesses including delis, cafeterias, candy stores, and bakeries.

2. Step Displays

Step displays are ideal for countertops because they allow store owners to make the most of any amount of countertop space.

These displays generally provide two, three, or four “steps” on which merchandise can be displayed, and they’re perfect for stand-alone items like family-sized bags of chips or large plush toys as well as plastic containers filled with smaller, loose items like candy, gumballs, hair bands, or key chains.

3. Rotating Displays

Think of rotating displays as an all-encompassing name for any rotating countertop rack. Display tubes fall under this umbrella term, as do rotating bucket racks, spinning earring card holders, and two- and three-tiered rotating racks ideal for tubes of tester items.

Rotating displays are great for countertops because you can find them in small sizes, but it’s their rotating feature that really makes them so convenient. Countertop areas are generally areas where store registers are located, and as such they’re areas where customers can only stand on one side. Rotating displays allow store owners to display more items than they could with fixed position display racks as well as allow customers to view all items instead of just one side.

4. Cup Displays

You might think cup displays only serve the purpose of holding cups in areas like deli countertops or cafeteria assembly lines; yet, thanks to their sizes and shapes, you can use cup displays to create countertop displays of small merchandise items like bouncy balls, novelty pencils and pens, and cosmetic items like lipsticks and eyeliner pencils.

You can even use these displays for organizing items in the stock room or on your office desk. You can find cup displays perfect for any display space. For example, you can buy individual cup displays as well as trays designed to hold three or six cups.

5. Colored Display Boxes

You might be tempted to overlook colored display boxes because, at first glance, they might seem too small to hold any significant amount of merchandise; however, these boxes are like wolves in sheep’s clothing! Not only are they the perfect size and shape for creating larger countertop displays, but they’re also available in bright, fun colors that are sure to catch your customers’ eyes!

You can use colored display boxes for showcasing everything from edible items like wrapped candies and gumballs as well as non-edible items like small hair clips and decorative pins.

Different Ideas for Clear Plastic Containers

You’ve undoubtedly seen a variety of businesses using clear plastic containers. Businesses often use these containers to store and display everything from candy and other dry foods to small children’s toys and travel-sized convenience items.

Because they’re available in such a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and styles, these kinds of plastic bins are some of the most versatile tools available for any kind of organization; however, retails businesses aren’t the only kinds of businesses that can use these containers. Below are just a few ideas of other organizations that use plastic bins for organizing, storing, and display items – as well as an assortment of other uses!

Businesses Use Clear Plastic Containers at Tradeshows

Clear plastic containers are lightweight and generally rather small when compared to other display tools, which makes them perfect for tradeshows. Any kind of professional who attends a tradeshow can use clear plastic containers to display his products, hold his business cards and collect the business cards of other organizations, and even offer freebies and prize drawings to spectators.

Nonprofits and Charities Use Clear Plastic Containers In and Out of the Office

Nonprofit organizations and charities can uses clear plastic containers both inside and outside their offices.

These containers are great for organizing office tools as well as collecting donations, and many nonprofit organizations and charities use these containers to passively collect donations at other retail locations throughout their area. For example, you can choose a few popular businesses throughout your city, ask the store manager if you can place a container on the store’s countertop, and start collecting donations.

Fundraisers Use Clear Plastic Containers for Organization and Collection

Whether you’re organizing a car wash or managing a bake sale, clear plastic containers are great tools for collecting proceeds as well as organizing and display your tools or the items you’re selling.

And, just like nonprofits and charities, fundraiser organizations can use these bins to collect donations at retail locations. Just ask the store manager if you can place a container on the countertop near the register and wait for donations to roll in.

You Can Use Clear Plastic Containers in Your Home

You don’t have to offer a professional service to have a need for clear plastic containers! Homes have many uses for these containers:

• Kitchen: Use plastic bins in your kitchen or pantry to organize food items or odds and ends like extra plastic utensils, hand wipes, and toothpicks.
• Bathroom: Plastic bins are great for organizing, display, and keeping clean hygiene items like cotton balls and cotton swabs. You can even use these containers to store trial- and travel-sized products you’ve collected and hung onto for emergencies like small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and mouthwash as well as tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes.
• Children’s Room: Use these containers to store small children’s toys like bouncy balls and jacks, building blocks, crayons, play jewelry, and miniature cars.
• Garage and Basement: These two home areas are common locations for storage and work, and you can use plastic containers to organize and store nuts, bolts, nails, screws, and other small extras.
  

Plastic and Acrylic Displays Are Ideal for Showcasing Bulk Candy

Candy stores aren’t the only establishments in the business of selling candy! So many retail locations showcase candy to create additional merchandise for customers, and the most popular – and convenient – places to showcase bulk candy using plastic containers or acrylic bins are your countertop, your floor, and your wall.

Create a Countertop Display

Countertop displays are probably the most popular way to display bulk candies (unless you manage an actual candy store, in which the entire establishment is a display!).

To create a countertop display of bulk candy, you can do one of two things (or, both):

1. Create Your Own: Acrylic bins come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose the ones that best fit your countertop and then situate them to create an attractive countertop display.
2. Get Some Help: You can find plastic bucket racks with 6, 8, and 10 buckets designed for showcasing small merchandise like bulk candies on your countertop. You can also use wire racks designed to hold acrylic radeus scoop bins. These racks usually hold a bin on the top shelf and a bin on the bottom shelf, maximizing your display space.
   

Create a Floor Display

Plastic containers and acrylic bins are just as ideal for floor displays as they are for countertop displays, and you can create attractive bulk candy displays on your store’s floor following the same two suggestions:

Consider these two ideas for bulk candy floor displays using acrylic bins:

1. Create Your Own: Creating your own floor display of bulk candy is easy! If you want to use acrylic bins or plastic containers to create bulk candy displays on the floor, you can position the same kinds of acrylic containers you would use for a countertop display on floor display racks. All you need are the acrylic bins best suited for your candy and a display rack designed for floor use. Once you have those tools, you can situate the display rack somewhere on your store’s floor that will offer the best visibility and convenience and then position your acrylic bins on the rack. Presto!
2. Get Some Help: Plastic bucket display racks designed for floor displays can help you quickly and conveniently showcase your bulk candy. These display racks come in fixed position and rotating models and you can find them with as many as 30 acrylic buckets.
   

Create a Wall Display

Walls are often forgotten when it comes to creating store displays, but creating wall displays are ideal ways to make the most of the space within a store.

If you’re considering a wall display for showcasing bulk candy, consider two options:

• Gravity Bins or Dry Food Dispensers: Gravity bins and dry food dispensers (names that are often used interchangeably) are some of the most popular acrylic containers for wall displays and excellent fixtures for holding bulk candy. You’ve probably seen these acrylic wall containers holding food items like dry cereals and coffee; however, gravity bins and dry food dispensers are perfect for displaying unwrapped bulk candies. The closed containers keep the candies clean while they wait for customers, and customers can easily access the amount of candy they want while leaving the rest untouched.
• Funnel Front Bins and Slatwalls: Funnel front acrylic bins fitted to mount to slatwalls generally include candy scoops or rakes (and side slots to hold them) for customers to push candy to a “funnel” and then open a door and catch the candy in a bag or container. Funnel front bins and slatwalls offer a lot of freedom because you can position your bins however high, low, close together, or far apart you want on the slatwall, and they’re generally easy to reposition if you ever want to change your display around.

Select the Best Display Racks for Gift Shops

Whether your gift shop is located in a hospital or a mall, you need the best display racks for showcasing your merchandise. But how do you choose the best display racks?

Below are three factors to consider to help you select the perfect racks for display gift items throughout your shop.

Consider the Merchandise Your Gift Shop Sells

You can’t choose display racks for your merchandise until you consider the merchandise you’re selling.

Glass or plastic containers or fish bowls positioned on display racks work well to hold small kinds of merchandise like candy and novelty toys for children, while larger fixed position convenience store racks are sturdier and can hold heavier gift items like board games, flower vases, and larger stuffed animals. Of course, you don’t have to save your shelf racks for large gift items; you can also mix your containers with stationary display racks to create attractive and convenient displays throughout your store.

Think About How Much Space Your Gift Shop Provides

The amount of space you have to work with will play a big role in choosing merchandise display racks.

Countertop displays are usually ideal for shops of all sizes, but you’ll need to consider the amount of countertop space you have to work with. Small countertops generally lend enough room for one or two large glass or plastic containers, or several small containers, while big countertops offer room for more containers. Regardless of how many containers you want to use and the sizes of those containers, countertop display racks will help you make the most of your space. These racks hold the containers side by side and generally position them on upper and lower levels.

Most every kind of store – whether it’s a gift shop or another kind of retail store – has floor displays. The key is to assess how much floor space your shop offers and, based on that amount of space, choose floor display racks that will both attractively display your merchandise and be convenient for your customers. Tall rotating display racks for floors make the most use of space because customers can rotate them without having to walk around and potentially bump into other displays or customers. Traditional convenience store racks work well for holding heavier gift items, and revolving clip racks are great for holding birthday, anniversary, and sympathy cards.

If your gift shop sells small items that can easily fit in bucket containers, you might want to consider wall display racks. These racks are designed to maximize space by hanging from your shop’s wall, and most wall racks are available with buckets (so you don’t have to choose your own).

Add Extras Based On Your Gift Shop’s Customers

Depending on the kinds of customers your gift shop usually receives, you can find display racks ideal for additional merchandise not usually considered “gifts.”

For example, if your shop tends to attract lots of families with children, you might want to consider adding gumball machines near the entries and exits as well as close to toy displays. You can also find pre-filled lollipop trees perfect for floor and countertop displays, as well as pre-filled bucket display racks that feature small novelty toys for children.

3 Ways to Create Beautiful Displays for Hospital Gift Shops

From flowers and balloons to cards and stuffed toys, many family members and friends want to buy “Get Well” gifts for their loved ones. Because of this, nearly every hospital has a gift shop and merchandise within hospital gift shops tends to sell itself.

However, that doesn’t mean hospital gift shop managers should skimp on their displays! Many hospital gift shops have space limitations to work with, and below are numerous fixtures you can use to create attractive and convenient displays in your hospital gift shop.

1. Countertop Displays

There’s a wide array of display fixtures perfect for every gift shop countertop – no matter how big or small it is.

Empty display fixtures like glass and plastic containers and fish bowls are ideal for creating your own countertop displays. You can find these containers in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and colors and can showcase many different kinds of merchandise including candy, novelty toys, and convenience items your loved one might need like travel-sized manicure sets and eyeglass repair kits.

If you’re not sure how to position your containers or you want to make sure you’re making the most of your countertop space, consider bucket countertop display racks. You can find these fixtures with six, eight, or ten buckets neatly positioned on plastic or wire racks and designed to help you keep your merchandise organized and your countertop clutter free.

Another great option for countertop displays in gift shops are rotating post card racks that you can fill with “Get Well” cards.

Whether you opt to go with stand-alone containers or bucket display racks, you can also find versions of the fixtures that are already filled with merchandise like candy or novelty toys. These are great time-savers for managers of busy hospital gift shops as well as gift shops that are just starting up.

2. Floor Displays

Glass and plastic containers and fishbowls work as well for countertops as they do for floors, but you need some kind of display rack to showcase them.

When it comes to display racks for hospital gift shops, the sky’s the limit. You can use traditional convenience store racks with shelves for showcasing stuffed toys, vases of flowers, or containers filled with merchandise, or you can find bucket display racks that come with containers for you to fill with any merchandise you like.

You can also find rotating clip racks for floor displays that allow you to clip “Get Well” cards.

As is the case with countertop displays, you can also find floor display racks already filled with popular items like candy and toys.

3. Wall Displays

Wall displays are perfect for gift shops, no matter how much space you have to work with.

You can always use fixed position racks with one display side and push them against your shop’s wall, but if you’re creating a display on your gift shops wall, consider bucket racks designed to hang. These racks generally come with buckets for holding your merchandise and you can also find them already filled with candy, toys, and other items.

Versatile Plastic Containers Work for Nearly Every Business

If your business sells any kind of small merchandise – whether it’s edible items like candy or non-edible items like key chains – you should be aware of how using plastic containers can help you store, organize, and display your merchandise.

These versatile containers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors to help you best use the space you have to work with and add visual appeal to your display, and they can be paired with accessories to increase your customers’ convenience.

Shape

Some of the most popular shapes of plastic containers include round, "fish bowl," square, rectangular, and hexagon. You can also find holiday-inspired shapes like a Santa Claus boot and Christmas tree.

The container shape you choose will depend on the kind of merchandise you plan to display as well as the kind of space you have to work with. For example, if you plan to display round gumballs, a fish bowl or round plastic container will work best. If you have a small countertop or very little space on your display rack, a tall, square plastic container will make the most of the space.

Size

Plastic containers are available in sizes small enough to act as tip jars and large enough to hold merchandise like an assortment of jumbo gumballs or small plush children’s toys.

Choose the size of your containers based on what you plan to hold in them and how much space your countertop or display rack offers. For example, if you plan to display unwrapped candies on a small countertop, you might want to choose one large plastic container or two or three small containers. If you have plenty of countertop space, or an entire display rack, then you might want to use a few large containers or many small containers.

Color

Clear plastic containers are probably the most popular kind. Not only do they "match" every business décor, but because they’re see-through, they also offer extra convenience to both you and your customers.

However, colored acrylic bins have much to recommend them, too. You can find these containers in colors like pink, blue, green, yellow, and orange and the colors are transparent enough so that you and your customers can easily see the merchandise inside. Many businesses can have fun with colored plastic containers, choosing colors that match their stores’ themes or coordinate with the kind of merchandise displayed in the containers. For example, candy store owners might choose to display Atomic Fireballs in red plastic containers.

Accessories

Accessories for plastic containers are designed to increase the convenience of the containers and the cleanliness of the merchandise inside.

If you plan to display loose merchandise in your containers, such as cereal, or you know you or your customers will need to lift the containers for any reason, then you should choose handgrip containers. At the same time, if you know you’re going to display unprotected edible items, such as unwrapped candies like gumballs or other unwrapped foods like peanuts, you should choose plastic containers with lids and make sure your customers have access to plastic or aluminum scoops.

Unique Ways to Display Your Candy

Whether you operate a convenience store, grocery store, and gift shop, if you’re in the business of selling any amount of candy you also should be in the business of display that candy in creative, unique ways.

Candy is popular worldwide, and customers generally don’t need any persuasion when it comes to purchasing it; however, visually appealing candy displays are more likely to catch your customers’ attention and increase your candy sales.

Create Candy Displays with Plastic Containers or Glass Jars

Unless your sweet and sour merchandise only consists of candy bars or bags of candy, you need containers for your candy displays. Probably the two most popular kinds of candy containers are plastic containers and glass jars.

Both are available in various sizes and shapes and are reusable, and each offer their own special perks:

• Plastic containers are extremely durable and available in an assortment of colors, which makes creating a unique candy display even easier.

• Glass containers are more easily breakable, but offer an elegant “feel” to your candy display that plastic containers generally can’t accomplish.

Keep in mind that if you’re planning to display unwrapped candies, you should look for food grade candy containers with scoops customers can use to access the candy and lids to keep the candy clean in between customers.

Discover the Versatility of Candy Display Racks

Candy display racks fit no one mold – there are numerous kinds for you to choose from!

• Think about the amount of space your store allows you to work with, as well as the amount of candy you want to display, and then choose floor racks, countertop racks, or a mix of both styles.

• Consider your store’s theme or overall look. Wire display racks, for example, are available in classic colors like white, black, and red. And, if you’re using accessories like plastic containers on your display racks, clear will match every theme while colored containers will add visual appeal.

• Determine your store’s environment. Fast-paced businesses like convenience stores and gas stations often choose sturdy, wire display racks for showcasing candy, while slower-paced, charming stores like specialty shops often like using wooden display racks.

Have Fun with Pre-Filled Candy Displays

If you don’t think you’re creative enough to arrange your own attractive candy displays, or you simply just don’t have the time, maybe you should take a look at pre-filled candy displays. These kinds of displays are available in a wide variety of designs and perfect for everything from gumballs and lollipops to bags of candy and candy bars.

You can find gumball machines, lollipop trees or racks, and wire displays all pre-filled with candy and perfect for floor or countertop displays. Also available are sizeable candy displays designed to line your store’s walls, act as focal points in the center of your store, or even function as aisles.

Some of these pre-filled candy displays also break away from the norm and are available in unique designs. For example, you can find gumball machines resembling rocket ships and acrylic lollipop displays in interesting shapes.

Find the Perfect Wire Display Rack for Your Store

Standard wire display racks are some of the most common racks stores and businesses use to display their merchandise. Regardless of what kind of store or business you operate, chances are you can use wire display racks to showcase an assortment of items.

Not convinced? Consider these examples of establishments that regularly utilize these display racks:

• Convenience stores and gas stations often use wire racks to display snack items and cases or liter bottles of soda as well as nonfood items like magazines.

• Grocery stores can use wire racks in similar ways, and might even use them to separate, organize, and display product specials or items on sale.

• Specialty shops, like gift shops, hobby shops, and even bakeries, ice cream parlors, and yogurt shops often use these racks to display clear plastic containers filled with small merchandise or toppings for treats.

• Hotels and motels use floor and countertop wire racks to offer guests local and national newspapers, magazines, and travel guides.

• Toy stores can use these racks to display stuffed animals, toys sealed in lightweight boxes or plastic containers filled with small toys and figurines.

• Bookstores commonly display lightweight merchandise like bookmarks, calendars, and magazines on these racks.

Find Wire Display Racks in an Assortment of Classic Colors

Every store or business has its own color scheme, theme, or “décor”, and wire display racks are available in an assortment of colors to help owners match their racks to the rest of their displays. Some of the most popular colors for these racks include classic black, white, and red. While owners can find these display racks in a variety of other bright, fun colors, these classic colors often offer storeowners the most convenient options and attractive selections that are sure to match their stores’ color scheme or overall décor.

Look for Wire Display Racks an a Variety of Sizes

The available sizes of wire display racks only add to their convenience, and perhaps the two most common sizes of these display racks are those designed for floor displays and countertop displays.

• Floor Racks: Floor model wire racks are excellent tools for better organizing your store’s merchandise as well as making the most of the floor space you have to work with. Many businesses use these floor wire racks to display everything from food items like large bags of chips and liters or cases of soda to nonfood items like magazines and hygiene products.

• Countertop Racks: You can find the same kinds of wire racks designed for floor displays in smaller versions perfect for countertop displays. These display racks are designed to function just like their floor counterparts do, offering wire shelf space and room for displaying merchandise like small bags of snacks or candy in small plastic containers, and are ideal for stores or businesses that either have ample countertop space to work with, or want to make the most of the limited space their countertops offer.

As you can see, no matter how much space your store offers, there’s a wire rack sized perfectly for your display needs!

Creating Product Displays for Your Hotel

When you think of product displays, such as the ones created using acrylic bins, plastic containers, and display racks, you probably think of them in retail stores where a customer’s main goal is to purchase an item.

However, hotels and motels are also flooding with places where product displays are useful! For example, hotels can use these bins, containers, and racks to:

• Showcase items like candy and other snacks as well as traveling literature in the lobby area.

• Keep food clean and sanitary in the dining area.

• Better organize and display complimentary hygiene items in the hotel’s rooms.

Below are some easy ways to create product displays throughout your hotel and increase convenience for your guests.

Lobby

Traditional convenience store racks (or c-store racks) with built-in shelves are great for organizing and displaying items in your hotel’s lobby. You can use these racks to showcase:

• Local, regional, and national newspapers and magazines.

• Local city and state maps (hotels situated in popular tourist areas often include maps of surrounding cities and states).

• Brochures highlighting area entertainment, recreation, and dining attractions.

Plus, in addition to placing gumball machines in your lobby, you can also think about using acrylic bins and plastic containers to create snack table or countertop displays of candy or other snack items for your guests.

Dining Area

You already know your hotel needs food grade acrylic containers in its kitchen, but have you given any thought to the dining area?

For example, if your hotel offers a continental breakfast, you can use containers such as bagel bins to keep breakfast items like bagels, donuts, muffins, and biscuits fresh and safe from debris. Acrylic dry food dispensers, such as the models designed to mount to a wall or on a snack countertop, are great space savers and keep clean such foods as dry cereal.

Don’t forget that you can use many of these same containers during other meals your hotel might offer. Dinner extras like rolls and baked deserts like brownies and cupcakes all need somewhere safe and clean to wait for your guests, after all!

Plastic containers are also great tools for storing and displaying nonfood items your customers will need during meals, such as:

• Packets of seasonings and condiments.

• Drinking cups, lids, and straws.

• Packets of plastic utensils or napkins rolled with metal silverware.

You can use small square plastic containers for organizing and displaying condiments and seasonings, and acrylic cup displays work best for holding utensils.

Rooms

Hotels offer their guests a wide variety of complimentary convenience items, and it should come as no surprise that small, clear plastic containers are great for organizing and offering these items to your guests.

Convenience items you can display in your hotel rooms include:

• Mini bars of face and body soap.

• Small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, shaving cream, and lotion.

• Disposable toothbrushes and small tubes of toothpaste.

• Grooming tools like disposable razors and small plastic combs.

How Can Your Store Use Plastic Containers?

Plastic containers are ideal for organizing, storing, and displaying an assortment of merchandise types and nearly every kind of store – from convenience stores and grocery stores to bookstores and gift shops – can use these containers.

Answering the following questions will help you determine how your store can best use plastic containers for storage and display purposes.

Does Your Store Have Ample Countertop Space?

If your store has a countertop, take a look at the amount of space you have to work with on top.

Storeowners with large countertops to work with generally use this space to create convenient and visually appealing countertop displays with plastic containers. With plenty of countertop space to work with, the list of display types you can create is nearly endless. You can create fun displays of colored acrylic containers filled with food-related items like candy, breath mints, and bubblegum, or you can arrange a number of containers on your countertop to display nonfood items like small children’s toys, souvenir items like key chains, and convenience items like lighters.

However, if you don’t have much available countertop space to work with, you might still have enough room for one or two small plastic containers filled with add-on items. Depending on the kind of store you run, these add-on items might include small kinds of merchandise such as candy, key chains, or bookmarks.

Does Your Store Use Display Racks?

If you use display racks anywhere in your store – such as near the countertop and register, throughout the aisles, or close to the entryway – chances are you can increase the number of items you display on these racks by placing them in plastic containers.

Obviously, you can situate stand-alone plastic containers on racks with built-in shelves; however, you also have options if you use pegboard racks. Pegboard displays are designed to accommodate acrylic buckets and bins with pegs that fasten them in place. These kinds of displays are great for organizing and displaying a specialty shop’s hobby and craft items like beads and buttons, as well as an accessory boutique’s costume jewelry pieces like rings and hair accessories.

Keep in mind that small display racks are ideal for countertop displays, too. Regardless of your countertop’s size, these racks can help you make the most of the space you have.

Does Your Store Sell Any Kind of Food Items?

The phrase “food items” includes many different kinds of merchandise.

For example, your store might not sell meal items, but it might sell candy, in which case you need plastic containers of various sizes to organize and display the different kinds of candy. Your store might be a deli or bakery, and you need food grade acrylic containers with lids to store and display sandwich toppings or bagels, donuts, brownies, or cupcakes. You might manage an ice cream parlor or yogurt shop and need acrylic bins with handles or scoops for your toppings.

Simply consider the kinds of food items your store sells to determine the kind of plastic containers that will best do the job.

Using Plastic Containers in Your Restaurant

You might think plastic containers are only for businesses that sell non-edible items customers can access themselves, but this simply isn’t the case.

Restaurants of all sorts depend on acrylic containers for a number of food and nonfood storage and display purposes, and three of the most common areas where restaurants can use these containers are the kitchen, the dining room, and the register and checkout area.

Your Restaurant’s Kitchen

The most common kinds of containers you’ll need in your restaurant’s kitchen are food grade acrylic containers. Think of “food grade acrylic containers” as an all-encompassing name for containers designed to keep food fresh, clean, and safe for consumption. Most food grade containers come with attached lids or lids designed to snap or spin, and many times you need to pair these containers with accessories like aluminum or plastic food scoops.

The kind of food grade containers you choose for your restaurant’s kitchen basically depends on the kind of food and food preparation goes on in the kitchen. You might need bins with lids, dispensers designed to mount on the wall, or a combination of both styles.

Your Restaurant’s Dining Area

You can use plastic containers in your restaurant’s dining area in numerous ways. For example, if your restaurant is one of those that keeps its tables covered in paper for children to draw and color on, you can use acrylic containers to hold the crayons. If your restaurant serves coffee or tea, you can use small plastic containers to hold packets of sugar and sweetener and stir sticks. Of course, if your restaurant is a buffet or offers any kind of additional meal item outside of the kitchen, you’ll need food grade plastic containers to hold and display your these food items.

Keep in mind that if your restaurant is more of a fast food or deli-style establishment, you can use these containers to hold additional items customers will need during their meals such as:

• Edible items like packets of condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, as well as seasonings like salt, pepper, and sugar.

• Non-edible items like straws, coffee stir sticks, cups, lids, napkins, and hand wipes.

Your Restaurant’s Register and Checkout

Just because your customers are getting ready to checkout doesn’t mean your need for acrylic containers is over. You can use plastic containers near your register and checkout area in a variety of ways!

Depending on the kind of restaurant you own, you might want to use these containers to:

• Display additional food or other related items like breath mints, lollipops, bubblegum, or even toothpicks.

• Act as tip jars or places for professionals to drop their business cards for any promotional drawings your restaurant holds.

• Display non-edible merchandise like matchbooks or key chains with the restaurant’s logo.

Remember, you can easily use colored acrylic containers near the register and checkout areas if you’d like. Think about your restaurant’s theme or color scheme and have fun with your plastic container displays in these areas!

Plastic Containers: Choosing the Best for Your Business

Plastic containers are some of the most common tools businesses use for their merchandise and storage needs, and nearly every kind of business can use them! Consider these examples:

• Retail Stores: Most kinds of retail stores can use plastic containers to store, organize, and display both edible and non-edible kinds of merchandise. These stores include everything from convenience stores and gas stations to bookstores and gift shops.

• Restaurants: All restaurants can use food grade acrylic containers in their kitchens, and depending on the kind of restaurant you own you can use traditional round and square plastic containers up front for holding everything from dining utensils and napkins to breath mints and tooth picks.

• Amusement Parks: Amusement parks, theme parks, and carnivals can use acrylic containers to hold tickets and tokens, small prizes, and candy.

• Hotels and Motels: Not only can hotels and motels use food grade acrylic containers in their kitchens and dining areas, but they can also use regular acrylic containers in their lobbies for holding complimentary items like breath mints or bubble gum.

Now that you know how plastic containers can benefit your business, it’s time to figure out which kind of container you need. In order to do that, you have to first think about two factors: the kind of merchandise your store sells and the amount of space you have to work with inside your store.

Consider Your Merchandise

The first thing to consider as you’re thinking about your store’s merchandise is its size. Do you plan to store and display large items or small items? Maybe a mix of various sizes? For all storage and display needs, you need appropriately sized plastic containers.

The second thing to consider as you’re thinking about your store’s merchandise is whether it’s edible or non-edible. For edible items, choose food grade acrylic containers with accessories like lids, handles, and aluminum or plastic scoops. You can find these kinds of plastic containers designed to stand alone on countertops, work with other containers on display racks, and even hang on walls. For non-edible items, you can use more traditional plastic containers, such as round or square containers without lids.

Consider Your Space

You might know exactly the kind of merchandise you plan to display and exactly the kind of plastic containers you need, but everything hinges on whether you have enough space for your plans. Therefore, as you’re determining the kinds of containers that will work best with your merchandise, also consider the kinds of containers that will work best with the space you have.

If you want to create a countertop display, make sure you choose plastic containers small enough to fit on your store’s countertop but large enough to allow your customers easy access to the merchandise. If you plan to place your containers on display racks throughout your business, make sure you choose containers appropriately sized for the racks you already have – or order racks that will both meet your store’s space needs as well as your container display needs.

Choosing Accessories for Your Display Racks

If you manage any kind of retail business or are just thinking about opening a retail business you’re probably already well aware of how useful – and most times necessary – display racks are.

Display racks – such as those found in convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, and even retail chains where food items aren’t sold – are available in a wide variety of sizes and types and are designed to hold and display an even wider variety of merchandise. You can find racks designed for floor displays as well as racks that are small enough for countertop or other table displays.

Because of their versatility and the convenience they offer, it’s pretty safe to say display racks are crucial items when it comes to showcasing your store’s merchandise.

However, the process is a bit more involved than just ordering a few display racks for your store. Depending on the kind of rack you want and the kinds of merchandise you plan to display, you also need to order accessories.

Trays

Trays are common accessories for display tools like pegboard racks and slatwall panels. These trays are available in numerous sizes and colors and are designed to fit in the rack’s pegs. Depending on the size of the merchandise you want to display, you can situate these trays as close together or as far apart as necessary.

Containers

If you’re using pegboard racks with acrylic trays, you don’t have to haphazardly scatter your merchandise on those trays. If you purchase trays for your pegboard rack, you can also purchase acrylic or plastic containers or bins to place on top of them. Trays are available in many sizes, as are plastic containers, so it’s easy to find containers that will sit neatly on top of your trays.

Plastic containers are available in many shapes, sizes, and colors, and they also come in handy in places other than your pegboard racks. You might want to use these containers with regular convenience store racks, such as those that have built-in shelves, or you might want to create a countertop displays using the containers.

Hooks

Wire or plastic hooks are another kind of common accessory for pegboard racks, but you can also use them with slatwall panels. If you want to hang merchandise from your display rack, hooks are necessary accessories.

Extensions

Extensions help you increase the amount of space you have to work with regarding your display rack. When you attach an extension to the top of a pegboard rack, for example, you can gain as many as twelve or more inches of display space. Extensions are especially helpful for stores that often change their displays around but don’t want to purchase – or don’t have the space to store – many different sizes of racks.

Sign Holders

True to their name, sign holders hold the signs you want to place on top of your display racks. So customers can easily read your signs, clear is the best option for sign holders. You can find sign holders in a variety of shapes and sizes to best fit your rack, but rectangle and half-circle shapes are probably the most common variety.

Choosing Candy for Countertop Displays

Candy is one of the most common items included in countertop displays. There’s plenty to choose from, so it’s easy for storeowners to choose a selection that will please their customers, and it’s popular among a wide variety of customers, which means you’re just as likely to please a shopping grandmother as you are to please the grandson she’s with.

As a business owner, maybe you’ve already decided what kind of candy your store will sell, as well as the kind of candy you’re going to display on your countertop; however, if you need some help, consider these two factors: the kinds of customers your store will attract and the countertop space you have to work with.

Consider Your Customers

Because they cater to a wide variety of customers, retail businesses like convenience stores and grocery stores tend to include just as wide a variety of candies in their countertop displays. For example, bulk wrapped candies like Laffy Taffy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Starlight Mints, Jolly Ranchers, and Atomic Fireballs tend to satisfy the masses, as do bulk unwrapped candies like Mike & Ike, Good & Plenty, Hot Tamales, Jelly Beans, Skittles, M&Ms, Runts, and Sprees.

However, if your business deals with a more mature demographic, you might want to consider candies like European-Style Gold Label Chocolates and Rich’s Gourmet Chocolates. These kinds of candies work well to make your countertop displays more appealing for customers who’ve outgrown the days of Jawbreakers and Tootsie Rolls. While they’re popular in convenience stores and grocery stores, they’re also well received in more formal restaurant settings and hotels.

Consider the Size of Your Countertop

Countertop displays that feature candy require containers to organize, store, and showcase that candy. You have many options to choose from including colored and clear plastic containers, food grade plastic containers, and glass jars. The kind of containers you choose will depend on the kind of candy you sell as well as the overall environment of your convenience store.

If you have ample countertop space to work with, you can display several different kinds of candies using numerous medium-sized or small candy containers or a few large candy containers. You might want to situate your candy bins atop countertop racks, or you might want to get creative and play with the positions of the containers to form your own display.

However, if your store’s countertop isn’t very large, you’ll probably need to use small glass or plastic containers; you might also be able to situate one or two large candy containers on your countertop. Keep in mind that countertop display racks work well to make the most of the space you have to work with.

Also remember that if you opt to include unwrapped candies in your countertop display, you should store them in glass or plastic containers with lids and make sure your customers have access to aluminum or plastic scoops. The lids help keep the candy fresh and clean, and the scoop makes it possible for your customers to easily dig out the amount of candy they want without contaminating the rest of it.

Where to Position Your Convenience Store Racks

No convenience store is complete without a few display racks. Convenience store racks are ideal ways to organize and display a store’s merchandise, and because these racks are available in an assortment of styles and sizes, there’s virtually no end to the list of display and location possibilities.

Depending on the size of your convenience store, you might be able to use display racks within your store’s aisles, on the countertops, in the deli-style area, and even near the main entries and exits.

Situate Display Racks Near Your Store’s Aisles

One of the most popular places for storeowners to place convenience store racks is at either end of their stores’ aisles; sometimes, if there’s enough room, they can even place racks in the aisles.

There’s really no limit to the kinds of merchandise you can display using these racks. Some ideas might include bagged items like potato chips, peanuts, and trail mix, as well as other wrapped items like granola or breakfast bars, candy bars, and cookies. Some storeowners like to use these racks to display cases of soda and liters too large to fit in the refrigerated section of the store.

Choose Smaller Racks for Registers and Countertops

Another common place for storeowners to use convenience store racks to display merchandise is on the countertops near the registers. These displays offer customers a sort of “last chance” buying option for add-on items.

Usually, merchandise in these kinds of displays includes small, edible items like pieces of candy, gumballs, and lollipops in colored or clear plastic containers. If the countertop offers enough space, you might want to display slightly larger items like candy bars and single-serving bags of chips; with this kind of merchandise, you can generally just place the items directly on the display racks or place the entire box – such as is the case with candy bars – on the rack.

Deli-Style Areas Offer Numerous Options for Display Racks

If your convenience store provides a deli-style area, you can use display racks to organize and offer everything from sandwich dressings and condiments to trays of baked goods like cookies, brownies, and breakfast biscuits. You can also use convenience store racks to hold plastic containers of napkins, straws, and packets of coffee sweetener and creamer, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Be Careful With Merchandise Near Entries and Exits

Because it makes it easy for thieves to make a quicker getaway, positioning convenience store racks near a store’s entries and exits is tricky; however, it’s not impossible. Some stores like small gas stations and even larger convenience stores have to make the most of the floor space they have to work with, and many storeowners choose to situate merchandise-laden display racks near their establishments’ doorways.

If you choose your store’s entries and exits as locations for your display racks, make sure to choose merchandise too large for someone to easily walk away with, such as the same kind of items you’d place in your aisles – large bags of chips, cases of soda, and the like.

Preparing Your Countertop for a Candy Display

Countertop displays of candy are essential for convenience stores, and they also work well in grocery stores, restaurants and hotels.

However, whether you want to create an elaborate display along your countertop or one that includes just a few simple add-on items, you need to consider three things before you start thinking about what kind of candy you want to include in your countertop display: the about the amount of countertop space you have to work with, the difference kinds of candy containers that are available to you, and whether countertop racks would benefit your display.

1. Amount of Countertop Space

The amount of countertop space you have to work with is the key to how everything else regarding your countertop display will play out. If you have plenty of room, you’ll be able to display a much wider variety of candies using more – or larger – candy containers than you would if you only have a small space to work with.

2. Different Kinds of Candy Containers

Once you have a good handle on how much countertop space you have to work with, you can start thinking about the kinds of candy containers you want to use.

• Plastic Candy Containers: These containers are probably the most popular kinds among convenience stores, grocery stores, and other fast pasted retail settings. These containers are quite sturdy, so they’re less likely to break if you or a customer accidentally bumps into them. Clear plastic containers are common choices, but don’t forget about colored acrylic containers. These bins can help you have fun with your countertop displays!
• Food Grade Plastic Containers: Not to be confused with regular plastic containers, food grade plastic containers are designed to keep food fresh and safe from contamination. These bins generally come equipped with lids that you can either snap or screw in place or that are already hinged on the container, as well as plastic or aluminum scoops for customers to get the candy.
• Glass Candy Jars: Though they’re not quite as popular as plastic candy containers, glass candy jars are stylish alternatives for businesses that aim to give off a sense of elegance or charm. Glass jars especially work well for establishments that don’t see high volumes of rambunctious traffic, like hotels and restaurants.
  

Regardless of what kind of candy containers you think will work best in your store, remember to keep your countertop space in mind as you’re selecting them.

3. Using Countertop Racks

Countertop racks are available in a variety of styles and are ideal for countertops of nearly every size. As long as you select racks designed to hold the kind of candy containers you want to use in your display, these racks will help you make the most of your countertop space.

Once you’ve evaluated your countertop space, selected the kind of candy containers you want to use, and determined whether countertop racks will benefit you, you’ll be ready to choose the kind of candy you want to include in your countertop display!

Countertop Displays: Consider Bulk Candy Wholesale

Countertop displays are staples in many retail settings. For businesses like convenience stores, grocery stores, and even some restaurants, countertop displays often consist of wrapped and unwrapped candies purchased in bulk at wholesale prices.

Ideas for Countertop Displays of Bulk Unwrapped Candies

If you plan to store and display your unwrapped candies using a countertop display, there are two tools you should become familiar with: gumball machines and food grade plastic containers.

You don’t have to use gumball machines strictly for gumballs; these machines can hold an assortment of small, unwrapped candies. Many gumball machines are attached to tall stands, but you can also find smaller, standless gumball machines that are perfect for sitting on convenience store countertops.

Food grade plastic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Lids designed for the customer to screw or snap on and off, or lids designed to stay attached to the containers with hinges, help keep the candies protected from contamination, and plastic or aluminum scoops make it easy for each customer to get the exact amount of candy he wants without touching the rest of it.

Ideas for Countertop Displays of Bulk Wrapped Candies

When it comes to creating countertop displays of bulk wrapped candies, traditional acrylic and plastic containers are very durable and glass candy jars add an elegant charm to your display. Consider the following factors as you decide how to create your countertop display of bulk candies:

• Countertop Space: The number and size of the candy containers you use depends on how much countertop space you have to work with. Regardless of the size of your countertop, you might consider using countertop racks to hold your containers. Small versions of convenience store racks, or c-store racks, help you make the most of the space you have and include even more candies in your display.
• Store Traffic: If your store is quite busy, plastic or acrylic containers will work best. They’re durable and less likely to break or cause harm to anyone if a customer accidentally knocks them off the counter. If your store has a slower pace, or your displays are located in a place where they’re less likely to experience passing traffic, you might want to use glass candy containers.
• Store Theme: You can find acrylic and plastic containers in a variety of shapes and colors to add pizzazz to your countertop theme! If your store has a more muted atmosphere, glass containers are a stylish solution for holding and displaying your bulk wrapped candies.
  

You can find containers with lids if you want to help protect the candy from theft or if you like the visual appeal some candy bins with lids provide, but because these candies are wrapped, the lids aren’t necessary as far as protection from contamination is concerned.

Buying Bulk Candy Wholesale Helps You Save Money

Aside from helping you create attractive countertop displays and making sure your store is always stocked with your customers favorite items, buying candy at bulk wholesale prices helps you save money.

Wholesale prices are less expensive than retail prices, and when you buy in bulk your getting more candy than you would if you spent the same amount of money on candy set at retail prices. Plus, buying in bulk means you won’t have to order as much candy as you would if you purchased smaller quantities.

Before you place an order for bulk candies, make sure you shop around and compare prices. Some companies might claim to offer bulk wholesale prices but actually charge higher prices than what is considered “wholesale.”

Bulk Wrapped Candies: Essential for Any Retail Business

Because they’re small, available in an assortment of brands, and wrappers protect them from the elements, bulk wrapped candies are ideal for virtually every kind of retail business. Consider these ideas:

• Convenience stores can create a number of different kinds of displays for wrapped candies.
• Grocery stores often display these kinds of candies along their checkout aisles.
• Gas stations can create small countertop displays near their registers for wrapped candies. Restaurants, like gas stations, can create small displays of wrapped candies by their registers.
• Hotels often have snack bars and dining areas, which lend themselves to wrapped candy displays.
• Amusement and theme parks, as well as carnivals and fairs, can display wrapped candies in small bins at venues throughout the entire park.
  

What Kinds of Bulk Wrapped Candies Are Available?

Retail business can order virtually every kind of wrapped candy that’s available in bulk! This wide assortment of candies makes it easy to add variety to your candy displays as well as offer something for all of your customers.

You can find wrapped candies in bulk such as:

• Atomic Fireballs
• Lemonheads
• Jawbreakers
• Laffy Taffy
• Smarties Rolls
• Root Beer Barrels
• Starlight Mints
• Sunkist Fruit Gems
• Tootsie Roll Midgees
• Jolly Ranchers
• Bit-O-Honey
• Sour Lemons
• Squirrel Nut Zippers
  

If you already know what kind of candies your customers prefer, those are the kinds of candies you should order in bulk; however, if you’re not sure which candies will be popular and which ones won’t, consider order small quantities of several different kinds of candies. Once the candies have been available in your store for a significant amount of time, you will then be able to determine which ones your customers prefer and you can order those wrapped candies in bulk.

Where Can You Display Bulk Wrapped Candies in Your Store?

Due largely to the fact that wrappers protect these candies from dust and debris, you can display them in so many places throughout your store! Consider these options:

• Countertop Displays: These displays are perfect, no matter how big or small your countertop is. You can use clear plastic containers for these displays, which make it easier for your customers to see the candies they want, or you can use colored acrylic containers that add extra visual appeal to your display.
• Floor Displays: These displays are ideal for stores that have plenty of space to work with. You can situate floor displays near your countertop and register or throughout your store near aisles, deli areas, or fountain drink machines. If you opt to display your wrapped candies in floor displays situated near your store’s entryway, though, make sure you have a clear view of the displays to help prevent theft.
• Wooden Basket Displays: Like plastic container displays, wooden basket displays are extremely versatile. You can use two or three wooden baskets to create your own stand-alone countertop display, or you can display your candies in wooden basket racks.
  

Add Extra Charm to Your Candy Display with Saltwater Taffy

If you have ever been to the beach – whether on vacation or simply because you live near one – chances are you are familiar with the extremely popular candy saltwater taffy.

Saltwater taffy (which you might be surprised to learn does not actually include saltwater in its list of ingredients) is a popular candy throughout America and, because of its popularity, it only makes sense to include saltwater taffy when you are considering that candy display in your store, restaurant, amusement park, or even hotel.

Ordering Saltwater Taffy for Your Store

Saltwater taffy is available in a wide assortment of flavors! As you plan your taffy display, you can keep things simple with traditional cherry, strawberry, orange, grape, watermelon, raspberry, banana, vanilla, and peppermint flavors, or spice things up with saltwater taffy flavors like caramel swirl, berries and cream, butter popcorn, caramel apple, chocolate cinnamon, and root beer float. Of course, you could always include a mix of both traditional and more interesting flavors!

Although saltwater taffy got its start in New Jersey, it is very popular in all American states – especially those located to tourist attractions like beaches. This might be because of the use of “saltwater” in its name. It is rare to visit a tourist attraction like a souvenir shop near the beach and not see a saltwater taffy display.

However, regardless of the size or location of your store, it is always best to order bulk saltwater taffy. This candy is highly popular throughout the country and is generally always a quick seller. Ordering saltwater taffy in bulk is an especially good idea for businesses located near the beach because many vacationers and tourists like to purchase large quantities of the taffy to take home – yes, it is that popular!

Displaying Saltwater Taffy Throughout Your Store

Obviously, you can display saltwater taffy throughout your store in plastic bins. Plastic candy containers are versatile, sturdy, and reusable for years after you order them.

If you decide to go this route, it is best to choose clear plastic containers. Saltwater taffy comes in a variety of flavors and colors, and clear containers allow your customers to see exactly what they are reaching for, as well as add to the visual appeal of your taffy display.

However, if you would rather go with colored acrylic containers, you can think about choosing containers in colors that “match” the flavors of the taffy you are displaying. For example, you can choose translucent containers in red or pink for strawberry-flavored taffy, and translucent yellow containers for banana- or lemon-flavored taffy.

Of course, you should not forget about wooden baskets for displaying your saltwater taffy. These baskets are versatile because you can find them in an assortment of sizes and either display them alone or attach them to wooden basket racks for your countertop or floor. These baskets also add a rustic charm to your saltwater taffy display that regular plastic containers – regardless of their size or interesting shape – just can’t match. Wooden basket displays work well whether you are running a convenience store, restaurant, or hotel snack counter!

Candy Containers: Plastic vs. Glass

Whether you’re getting ready to open a convenience store or you’re thinking of redecorating your bagel shop, chances are you need to think about the kinds of containers you’ll use to store and display your merchandise.

The two basic kinds of containers you have to choose from are plastic (or acrylic) containers and glass containers. Each kind offers its own benefits, and depending on the kind of store or business you manage, one kind of container will probably work better for you than will the other kind of container.

Benefits of Plastic Candy Containers

Plastic candy containers are probably the most popular kinds of containers for storing and displaying a variety of merchandise. This is largely because plastic containers generally offer:

• Extreme durability. It’s nearly impossible to break a plastic container just by dropping it, which makes these kinds of containers ideal for fast-paced environments like convenience stores, or retail settings where children are very likely to try to pick up or bump into the containers.
• A variety of color options. It’s usually easier to find colored acrylic containers than it is to find colored glass containers. You can order wholesale plastic containers in a variety of colors, making it easy for you to create attractive countertop displays that match your store’s “theme,” your state colors, or even the current holiday season.
• Convenience. Acrylic containers are much more lightweight than glass containers, which makes it easier to transport them, clean them, and even display them on racks.
  

Benefits of Glass Candy Containers

However, even though they’re breakable, heavier, and are more often clear than colored, glass containers offer a few perks plastic containers don’t. For example, glass containers:

• Usually don’t show scratches. They might not break when you drop them, but plastic containers show their age much quicker than do glass containers.
• Offer a visual appeal acrylic containers can’t. Glass containers are a throwback to charming old candy stores and general stores of the past.
• Provide an elegant look. Upscale stores often prefer glass over plastic; therefore, stores that use glass containers generally provide a sense of elegance for customers.
  

Look for These Benefits in All Candy Containers

Whether you choose plastic or glass candy containers, there are a few features you should make sure you get:

• If you plan to store unwrapped candy, make sure you containers come equipped with lids. You can find containers with snap-on or screw-on lids, as well as containers that come with attached, hinged lids.
• Choose containers that add to your display’s visual appeal. Colored acrylic containers allow you to add extra pizzazz to your candy display, but glass containers add an elegant charm. Choose whichever kind of container fits best with the “feel” of your store or business.
• Select containers sizeable enough for your merchandise, but small enough for the space you have to work with. You don’t want to sacrifice your customers’ convenience just so you can fit as much merchandise as possible on your countertop.
  

Organizing Your Home Kitchen with Plastic Containers

When you think of plastic containers, you probably think of the kinds of containers filled with candy, gumballs, or travel-sized bottles of lotion or shampoo you see in convenience stores. Or, you might think of the kinds of food grade containers you see in restaurants, hotels, or commercial kitchens. However, these containers are ideal for home settings, as well.

Homeowners can use round or square plastic containers to organize their home kitchens and maximize space as well as preparation and cooking time.

Create a Countertop Display for Your Kitchen

You use your kitchen’s countertop more than you use any other surface or appliance in your kitchen. Your countertop acts as a place for storing food and nonfood items, preparing food, and showcasing decorations. You can use clear plastic containers to better organize your countertop as well as make the most use of your countertop space and add to visual appeal.

Plastic containers are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, so choose the containers that best suit the kinds of items you want to store as well as how much countertop space you have to work with.

Consider these examples of common uses for kitchen countertop displays:

• If you want to store baked goods and treats (like cookies, brownies, muffins, donuts, or bagels), choose a plastic container with a lid. It’s important to store these kinds of food items in containers with lids in order to keep them fresh and safe from debris and other contaminants.
• If you want to store non-food items that you’ll need quick access to when you’re on-the-go (such as packs of chewing gum or breath mints, car keys, lighters, matchbooks, or cards for local businesses you use), choose a plastic container with a wide opening. Depending on the amount of countertop space you have to work with and the kinds of items you want to store, you might be able to use one large plastic container or several small containers.
  

Remember, you can display these containers in any manner you feel is most attractive for your kitchen – have fun with your countertop displays!

Use Plastic Containers to Organize Your Kitchen Pantry

Food grade acrylic containers are excellent tools for organizing your kitchen pantry. Consider using plastic containers with lids to store:

• Baking ingredients like flour, cornmeal, and cake, brownie, or cookie mix.
• Seasonings and spices like sugar, salt, and pepper.
• Dry breakfast items like cereal and oatmeal.
  

Clear containers are ideal for these kinds of uses because they allow you to see what kind of food item is in each bin. This is ideal for homes with young children who aren’t yet able to read. Of course, you can always take extra caution and streamline your cabinet’s organization even more by labeling each container.

You can also find acrylic containers with hand grips to help you easily lift the containers when you need them and replace them when you’re finished, and keep in mind that plastic spoons are good tools to include with your containers so that you’ll never waste time looking for a way to scoop your food.

Using Plastic Containers In Your Specialty Shop

Plastic containers are excellent ways to display merchandise throughout your specialty shop. Not only do these containers organize and conveniently present items for sale to your customers, but they also lend themselves to easy storage should you decide to take the merchandise off the floor.

Read on for ideas for how you can use these containers in your specialty shop, no matter what you sell!

If Your Specialty Shop Sells Food Items

Specialty shops like bakeries, delis, ice cream shops, and yogurt shops, can use plastic containers in a variety of ways that are helpful to both the shop’s employees and customers. Food grade plastic containers are great for acting as ice cream topping dispensers or yogurt topping dispensers, and they can also hold the day’s fresh bagels, donuts, or croissants. You can arrange these containers to act as counter top displays so customers can easily access the food items.

These kinds of shops can also use plastic containers for nonfood items, because with every meal comes the need for things like:

• Silverware.
• Napkins, clothes, or hand wipes.
• Drinking cups, lids, and straws.
• Ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise packets.
• Seasonings like sugar, sweetener, salt, and pepper.

If you plan to use these containers for food items or for storage, make sure you look for plastic containers with lids and handles for safe storage and easy managing.

If Your Specialty Shop Sells Nonfood Items

It’s easy to find acrylic food dispensers, but note that there are many types of plastic containers that work well for nonfood items, too. Many stores prefer to keep their smaller merchandise close to the register to offer add-on items to their customers as they check out, as well as keep these items in view and less likely to get stolen. These kinds of containers are perfect for creating counter top displays for the merchandise. Convenience stores are especially fond of these kinds of displays, but any kind of specialty shop can use colored or clear plastic containers to create a display of merchandise on their counter tops.

Depending on the kind of merchandise your shop sells, you might want to:

• Create a counter top display of small children’s toys like bouncy balls, figurines, or play jewelry.
• Arrange collector or hobby items like sports cards or souvenirs specific to your area.
• Showcase specialty items specific to your location such as key chains, bottle openers, or lighters that feature the name of your state or city.
• Display helpful items like small maps or travel-sized hygiene items a customer may have forgotten to pack for his trip.

Be sure to choose containers that will work with your counter top’s space, as well as lend themselves to easy storage and handling. Check for plastic containers with hand grips if you anticipate you or your customers will ever need to pick them up, and make sure you select dispensers with lids if you think you will ever need to remove the container from the front of the store in order to use it to store certain items.

Unique Counter Top Displays for Stores and Restaurants

Counter top displays are great ways for any storeowner to showcase additional merchandise. These displays – generally constructed of colored or clear plastic containers – offer customers a look at extra items while allowing those smaller items to stay in clear view of the store’s employees and safe from sticky fingers.

Whether your store sells food, non-edible merchandise, or a mix or both, you can use these displays. Below are some of the most common places you can use counter top displays in your store, as well as ideas for the kinds of merchandise you can display.

Convenience Stores and Specialty Shops

Convenience stores are probably the most popular location for counter top displays. Convenience store customers can find a wide assortment of food and nonfood items like within these displays. Gumballs, bulk candy, children’s toys, travel-sized hygiene items you might have forgotten to pack – you can find them all within the plastic containers that make up convenience store displays.

However, specialty shops that don’t focus on convenience items can also use counter top displays. Jewelry boutiques, for example, might arrange these displays to hold samples of jewelry cleaner or small clothes designed to clean rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. At the same time, hobby shops like those that sell sports memorabilia might use counter top displays to offer customers a look at key chains or cards that feature their favorite team or player as they check out.

Bakeries and Delis

Bakeries and delis – like yogurt shops, ice cream shops, and bagel shops – can use counter top displays made of plastic containers to both display and store their food items. Deli-style restaurants can use the containers to hold and store their sandwich makings, but yogurt and ice cream shops can make extra use of these containers when they use them as yogurt topping dispensers and ice cream topping dispensers. They can position these dispensers into attractive counter top displays that are convenient for both the shop’s employees and customers.

These kinds of shops can also use clear plastic containers to hold nonfood items like utensils, napkins, and drink-related items like cups, lids, and straws. Chances are that every customer is going to need these kinds of items, and counter top displays make it easy for customers to get what they need without waiting in line or asking wait staff for assistance.

Cafeteria Environments

In most cafeteria environments – such as those you’d find in a hotel, hospital, school lunchroom, and institution – food preparation and storage goes on behind the scenes. Plastic containers are helpful in these situations – as well as for buffet-style cafeterias that place all food items out for customers – but counter top displays come in especially handy for showcasing additional food items for which customers or diners don’t need a server. Such items might include:

• Additional meal items like bags of chips, dinner rolls, and fruit.
• Dessert items like brownies, pieces of cake, cookies, or candy bars.
• Nonfood items like utensils, napkins or hand wipes, and drinking cups, lids, and straws.

How to Use Gumball Machines In Your Store

You might think gumball machines are only appropriate for convenience stores, but in reality gumball machines are classic tools for displaying merchandise in a variety of retail settings. If you own or manage any of the following kinds of retail locations, you can benefit from gumball machines:

• Convenience stores designed for travelers and on-the-go shoppers.
• Video arcades.
• Restaurants.
• Large stores part of national chains.
• Specialty shops specialize that concentrate on particular types of food and nonfood items.

Below are a few ideas for using gumball machines in your store or restaurant. You Can Place Gumball Machines Throughout Your Store Gumball machines are convenient for customers because they generally only require depositing a coin or two and spinning a lever. Customers don’t have to deal with employees when they want to make a purchase from a gumball machine, and they can make a purchase at any point during their time in the store or restaurant. If you want to use gumball machines within your store or restaurant but aren’t sure where to place them, consider these locations that make gumball machines even more convenient for customers:

• Near the entryways and exits of your store or restaurant.
• On counter tops throughout your store or restaurant.
• Near your store’s registers or the area where your restaurant customers pay.
• On either end of the aisles in your store or close to your restaurants booths.
• Near any video games or jukeboxes within your store or areas within your restaurant designed to entertain children.

Gumball Machines Come In a Variety of Shapes and Sizes Gumball machines have come a long way since the days of the classic single head gumball machines. These days, you can find gumball machines and gumball displays with as many as six heads of various shapes, sizes, and colors. These gumball machines may come attached to a single stand, or you might find them set on more elaborate metal or plastic frames. Gumball machines with multiple heads are great if your store is small and you want to keep your gumball machines close to one another, or if you’d just rather have all your gumball machines in one location rather than spread out across your store. Gumball Machines Hold an Assortment of Merchandise Naturally, gumball machines are perfect for holding gumballs, other small candy items, and even food items that aren’t candy such as trail mix. You can even order gumball machines that are already stocked with gumballs or other food items. However, gumball machines are also useful when it comes to nonfood items. Whether you run a large national chain store, a small convenience store, or a restaurant of some type, you can use gumball machines to hold and display nonfood items like children’s toys. Some ideas might include:

• Small bouncy balls.
• Plastic jewelry like rings, necklaces, and bracelets.
• Stickers and stick on tattoos.
• Little toy figurines.

You might even be able to order these kinds of gumball machines already stocked, too.

Using Food Grade Plastic Containers In Your Restaurant

Whether you already own a restaurant or you’re thinking of getting into the restaurant business, you’re probably already well aware of how useful food grade plastic containers are in any restaurant’s commercial kitchen. However, you also need to think about the wealth of possibilities these plastic containers offer once you step away from the kitchen and our into the restaurant’s actual dining and checkout areas. If you’re considering how clear plastic containers, such as food grade plastic containers, can help your restaurant, take the following three steps:

Step 1: Take a Look at Your Restaurant

Every kind of restaurant can use food grade plastic containers. Consider these possibilities:

• Fast Food Restaurants: Even if the majority of your customers use the drive-thru or simply order their meals and leave, food grade plastic containers are great for holding and storing sandwich dressings, condiment packets, napkins, straws, and coffee stir sticks.
• Buffet Restaurants: Food grade plastic containers are essential for holding and storing the food you set out along your buffet.
• Formal Restaurants: Even if your restaurant has a formal dining environment, you can still use plastic containers to hold items like silverware settings and extra napkins or clothes.
• Specialty Restaurants: Many restaurants specialize in a certain kind of food item. Yogurt shops, for example, can use food grade plastic containers as yogurt topping dispensers, while ice cream shops can use them as ice cream topping dispensers. Even bagel shops can use clear plastic containers to organize, display, and store their various types of bagels.

Note that some specialty shops, like those that offer yogurt and bagels, sometimes also offer additional breakfast items like cereal. For these restaurants, cereal dispensers are extremely useful. They hold and display the available cereals, as well as allow restaurant owners to conveniently store them when the restaurant is closed.

Step 2: Consider the Additional Food Items You Offer

Depending on the kind of restaurant you run and its layout, additional food items might include:

• Extra meal add-on items like bags of chips and candy bars.
• Seasonings and spices like salt, pepper, sugar, and sweetener.
• Packets of condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.

Of course, your restaurant might also offer additional nonfood items that require plastic containers, such as:

• Plastic or metal utensils.
• Napkins or hand wipes.
• Straws or coffee stirs.
• Styrofoam, paper, or plastic drinking cups and lids.

Step 3: Don’t Forget Extras On the Way Out

If your restaurant is designed for customers to pay on their way out, plastic containers set on counter tops near your register are perfect for offering customers items like chewing gum, breath mints, toothpicks, and packets of hand wipes. Some restaurants, like those located in popular tourist areas, even sell additional nonfood items like souvenirs, maps, and small toys bearing the restaurant’s name or logo. Additionally, there are restaurants that act as distributors for national product lines and these restaurants can use clear plastic containers to display these items near their checkout areas.

Commercial Kitchen Use for Acrylic Dry Food Dispensers

Commercial kitchens across the board depend on clear plastic containers, such as acrylic dry food dispensers, to keep operations running cleanly and efficiently. When you think of commercial kitchens, large kitchens in restaurants and hotels – the kinds of kitchens we use when we prepare food for sale – probably come to mind; however, because of their functions – and often their sizes – other kitchens like those in schools and other institutions require the same kinds of equipment, and this equipment includes plastic food containers.

Below are a few ideas for how you can use these containers within your commercial kitchen setting.

Using Food Grade Plastic Containers Behind-the-Scenes

Food grade plastic containers are essential when it comes to keeping a commercial kitchen clean and organized. You’ll need these kinds of containers to:

• Keep food that you’ve prepared until you’re ready to serve it.
• Hold food that you’re ready to serve, and hold it while you’re serving it.
• Hold leftovers suitable for upcoming meals.
• Store ingredients when you’re not using them.

Generally, you’ll want to choose food grade plastic containers with lids for these kinds of uses. Plastic containers with handles might also work well depending on the kind of food item you’re preparing and storing.

Display Food Along A Buffet

Your commercial kitchen might be part of a buffet-style restaurant or a cafeteria setting like the kind you might see in a hotel, school, or institution. Displaying food close to the dining area means plastic food grade containers play just as important a role up front as they do in the actual kitchen.

Think about the last time you dined at a buffet-style restaurant. Most of the food items – including the main dishes, side dishes, and deserts – were probably in some kind of plastic container or acrylic dry food dispenser. A buffet-style restaurant depends on these kinds of clear plastic containers to safely hold and display nearly every kind of food item the restaurant offers customers.

Keep in mind that many food grade plastic containers come with lids, and these are especially important when you’re transporting the food to and from the dining area, or want to keep the food covered when it’s not in use. For smaller food items, you might even find you need plastic containers with handles so your staff and your customers can easily access the food.

Showcase Goods In or Near the Dining Area

Even if your commercial kitchen isn’t part of a buffet-style setting, there are still plenty of uses for acrylic dry food dispensers in or near the dining area. Depending on the kind of serving and dining areas you have, these containers might sit alone or atop wire displays for counter tops, and are perfect for food items your customers can select and retrieve themselves such as:

• Breakfast Items: Acrylic dry food containers are ideal for holding food items like cereal, donuts, bagels, biscuits, and muffins.
• Lunch Items: Extra items that customers might want to add on to their meal purchases, such as bags of chip, candy bars, and bottled or canned drinks, fit conveniently atop wire displays for counter tops.
• Dinner Items: Clear plastic containers are great for extra dinner items like rolls.
• Desert Items: You can place desert items like brownies, cake, and ice cream toppings such as sprinkles in a variety of clear plastic containers and acrylic dry food dispensers.

You can also use these dry food dispensers and other clear plastic containers to hold utensils, napkins, straws, coffee stirs, and packets of seasonings, salad dressing, sugar, and sweetener.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t offer food items in or near the dining area, you can always use small plastic containers to hold items like breath mints, chewing gum, and toothpicks near the register.

Would a Plastic Container Display Benefit Your Store?

Simply put, yes – a plastic container display would benefit your store. Whether you run a small convenience store that caters to travelers or a large chain that offers everything from grocery items to clothing, a plastic container display can help you better organize your merchandise and making shopping more convenient for your customers.

However, before you decide whether to utilize plastic containers and how you can go about creating a display, you need to think about the kinds of merchandise your store sells and how much room you have to work with inside your store.

Consider Your Store’s Merchandise

Because they’re available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, plastic containers can help you better organize, store, and display your store’s merchandise. Convenience store displays that incorporate plastic containers help keep containers of related merchandise close to one another, thus helping customers have a more convenient shopping experience.

As you’re deciding whether to use a plastic container display for your store’s merchandise, consider both the size and weight of the items. If the products are fairly small and lightweight, keeping them in plastic containers and arranging those containers on a rack similar to a convenience store rack makes sense for both you and your customers.

On the other hand, if your items are larger and you require sizeable plastic containers to hold them, a rack might not work for you; however, that doesn’t mean you can’t create an attractive display with your plastic containers by arranging them for convenient accessibility.

Consider Your Store’s Space

Plastic container displays, including wire display racks, are versatile enough for nearly every kind of store. The key is to choose a way to display your plastic containers in such a way that fits your store’s space. Oftentimes this means choosing convenience store racks or wire displays in sizes that comfortably fit in your store’s aisle, on the countertops, or near the register.

For aisles, you can find plastic container displays in a wide variety of sizes. If your aisles aren’t very wide, you might want to look at tall, narrow racks for your display. If your aisles offer more room, consider winder racks that might allow space for more plastic containers. Remember, you can also situate your plastic containers at the beginnings and ends of aisles if you don’t have enough room in the actual aisle themselves.

Countertops and spaces near cash registers generally require small display racks for plastic containers. Depending on the length of your counter, or how much space you have around your register, you might be able to get away with a slightly wide plastic or wire display rack; however, more often than not, if a store’s plastic container display is located on the countertop and near the cash register it will need to be short. This allows your customers to see any kind of merchandise you might keep on shelves behind the counter as well as keeps your view of the store clear.

Most stores can benefit from at least one plastic container display. To create the right display for your store, simply think about the kind of merchandise your store sells as well as how much space you have to work with.

Making the Most of Your Store's Plastic Containers

Whether you’re running a convenience store, thinking of opening a specialty shop, or manage a hotel’s dining hall, plastic containers are beneficial for your business. Before you start shopping for wholesale plastic containers, though, you must first determine how you can make the containers work best for you. This includes choosing the plastic container most appropriate for your merchandise and the location where you plan to place it.

Choosing the Appropriate Plastic Container

The first thing you must do is think about which of your store’s merchandise you plan to hold and display in plastic containers. If you own a convenience store, you might purchase bulk candy wholesale which means your merchandise might include candy or bubblegum. If you own a specialty shop, you might want to place some of your shop’s smaller items in the clear plastic containers.

Once you’re sure about the merchandise to put in the containers, consider the following factors:

• Size: Choose plastic containers in sizes that work with your merchandise and the space where you plan to display the containers. Small plastic containers are great for countertops and checkout aisles, while containers made for wire display racks are ideal for displays in other parts of your store.

• Shape: Most plastic containers are round, square, or some variation of the two, but you can also find containers in common shapes like stars as well as holiday-inspired shapes like Christmas trees. Choose shapes that will work best with your merchandise, but keep in mind you might want to add a bit more visual appeal later on.

• Color: Clear plastic containers are probably the most common kind; however, colored acrylic dispensers are certainly popular choices for convenience store displays and you can find colored containers that are translucent enough for your customers to see the merchandise inside.

Location, Location, Location!

Your store is a piece of real estate property, so treat it as such. This includes realizing the benefits, or perks, of each location within your store. Where you place merchandise throughout your store will depend on the merchandise itself and the various spaces you have to work with.

Consider these possible locations throughout your store as you decide which kinds of plastic containers will work best for your store and its merchandise:

• Registers: Placing merchandise near registers is a popular choice among convenience store owners. Make sure you choose plastic containers and wire displays that are small enough to effectively showcase the merchandise and not get in your or your customer’s way.

• Countertops: Your countertop might be large enough so that the merchandise isn’t directly beside the register, which means you can store and display larger items. You might choose more sizeable plastic containers and wider wire display racks for these areas.

• Aisle: If your store has an aisle or two, this is a great place to utilize large convenience store racks to display multiple plastic candy containers or wire display racks for bagged items like chips.

• Entrances: Because you don’t want to make it difficult for your customers to enter and exit your store, choose displays for this area that take up little space and discourage thievery, such as gumball machines.

• Delis: Many convenience stores have deli areas to serve customers fountain beverages and quick snacks. In these situations, small plastic containers are ideal for holding condiments, utensils, straws, stir sticks, and napkins, but you might find that small wire displays and cereal dispensers work well for certain items, too.

Creating Stylish Displays with Inexpensive Plastic Containers

Convenience store plastic containers are inexpensive, easy-to-use solutions to organizing a variety of merchandise types; however, rather than purchasing the most common kind of container, tossing your merchandise in, and slinging it all up on your countertop, why not have some fun?

Below are three tips to help you get started creating stylish displays with inexpensive plastic containers.

1. Make Your Store’s Space Work for You

Plastic containers come in a variety of sizes and shapes, which makes it easier for you to choose the containers that will fit best in the space you plan to use. For example, if you want to create a display on your convenience store’s countertop, you might want to choose a few small, square plastic containers. On the other hand, if you have a large space to work with, you might want to choose several large plastic containers.

Also keep in mind that your plastic containers don’t have to stand alone. You can display them on convenience store racks designed specifically to hold plastic containers. Just like the containers themselves, these plastic or wire display racks come in numerous shapes and sizes. You can find convenience store display racks for countertops as well as taller and wider wire displays perfect for placing in the floor near your register, the door, or throughout your store’s aisles.

So, you can make your store’s space work for you in three easy steps:

1. Look at the kind of merchandise you want to display.
2. Choose plastic containers that are both big enough to hold the merchandise and small enough to work with the space you have.
3. Determine whether a wire display rack would better hold and display your plastic containers.

2. Keep Your Displays Organized

This might seem like common sense, but customers appreciate when similar items are grouped together. Grouping similar items together in your displays makes it easier for customers to locate merchandise, so make sure each of the plastic containers within your display holds the same kind of product.

If you haven’t yet decided where you want to create your display, take a walk through your store. Pay attention to the sections that feature numerous similar items and include several smaller items within that group.

For example, if your convenience store sells hygiene products for travelers who forgot to pack them or locals who live close to your store, consider leaving the full-sized items on the shelves and creating a plastic container display for the travel-sized items. Or, leave all the liquid items like shampoo, condition, soap, and shaving cream on the shelves and put the non-liquid items like tissues, razors, combs, and toothbrushes in the containers.

3. Have Fun with Your Plastic Containers!

Square or round clear plastic containers are the most common kind you’ll see in convenience store displays. This is because they’re the most reliable and effect when it comes to clearly showcasing your merchandise and providing customers with convenient access to the items.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t shake things up here and there! Consider these ideas for having fun with your plastic container displays:

• Choose colored acrylic containers: Not all plastic containers are clear. You can choose colored acrylic containers that are translucent enough to clearly display your merchandise but different enough to add some visual appeal.

• Look for plastic containers in fun shapes: Round and square are the most common plastic container shapes, but you can find containers in other shapes like stars, hearts, and hexagons, as well as holiday-themed shapes like Christmas trees, Santa Claus boots, and Halloween pumpkins.

• Consider wire display racks: As mentioned above, wire display racks help you make the most of your store’s space; however, they also allow you to organize your containers in visually appealing, and convenient, ways. Look for wire racks that fit the space you have to work with as well as the plastic containers you plan to use.

Convenience Store Displays: Ideas for Showcasing Your Merchandise

Many convenience store patrons are interested in only three things: Paying for gas, grabbing a quick snack, and picking up whatever items they forgot to pack or don’t feel like traveling far to purchase. As a convenience store owner or employee, one of your jobs is to make sure you showcase your merchandise in such a way that grab a customer’s attention and be convenient for that customer to purchase.

Some of the most common places to display your merchandise include registers and countertops, aisles, entryways, and deli-style areas. Below are suggestions for making the most of those areas by creating appropriate and effective convenience store displays.

Registers and Countertops

Placing merchandise on countertops and near registers is one of the most common ways storeowners choose to display their merchandise. Not only do these locations help prevent theft, but the also help ensure customers will see the merchandise.

Convenience store displays on countertops and near registers most often include small items like candy. Plastic containers work well with these kinds of displays. Of course, you can also find convenience store racks small enough to fit comfortably near your register or someone atop the countertop and these racks lend themselves to slightly larger items like bags of candy, chips, and trail mix.

Aisles

Convenience store racks like wire displays are great for showcasing merchandise in your store’s aisles. Many storeowners choose to use these wire displays for items like bags of chips and candy, but they’re functional for displaying a variety of products like maps, toys, and personal hygiene items a traveling customer might have forgotten to pack. You can even find wire displays made for holding acrylic dispensers for both your edible and non-edible merchandise.

Make sure you choose wire displays that will comfortably fit in your convenience store’s aisles. If you have a lot of room, you might want to choose wider displays to showcase more merchandise; however, if your aisles are narrow, it’s a good idea to choose narrow wire displays. These displays also come in a variety of heights, so if you must choose a narrow display you might be able to supplement the space by also choosing a tall display.

Entryways

Many convenience stores don’t generally offer an abundance of space, and sometimes you must get creative in order to effectively and attractively display your merchandise. Entryways – just inside your convenience store’s main door – are great places to store merchandise within space-saving, enclosed displays to protect the items from sticky fingers and the elements that might travel in each time a customer opens the doors.

Gumball machines are especially popular displays for convenience store entryways and you can choose from a wide selection of styles. Some gumball machines are traditional in that they are fairly tall, thin, and offer one plastic bubble filled with gumballs; however, gumball machines have come a long way over the years, and now you can select machines with two or even three plastic bubbles as well as small gumball machines designed to rest on multi-leveled wire display racks.

Deli-Style Areas

If your convenience store includes any kind of deli-style area, there’s no question about whether you need plastic containers for holding items like napkins and hand wipes, straws and stick stirs, and condiments and seasonings. However, depending on the kind of foods you offer in your deli, you might also require displays designed for containers like cereal dispensers.

Clear Plastic Containers: Not Just for Your Checkout Counter Anymore

While checkout counters are notoriously popular for convenience stores to showcase their merchandise within clear plastic containers, these containers are extremely versatile and can hold and display a wide variety of items throughout the entire store.

Consider Wire Display Racks

Clear plastic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes; fortunately, so do wire display racks. You can use wire display racks to hold your plastic containers and create convenience store displays for an assortment of your store’s merchandise. Combining your store’s plastic containers and wire display racks is a great way to organize a variety of items, including:

• Edible items like candy, breath mints, and chewing gum.

• Fun and souvenir items like key chains decorated with personal names or the name of your city or state.

• Useful items like lighters, small packets of tissues, or lip balms.

• Personal hygiene items like shampoos, conditioners, soaps, razors, and shaving creams in travel sizes.

Reintroduce Yourself to Gumball Machines

As a convenience store owner, you probably purchase bulk candy wholesale, and among that candy is probably gumballs. Many stores choose to display and sell their candy from traditional gumball machines. Not only do these machines help protect the gumballs from dust and other debris, but they also help keep the gumballs safe from theft and are quite convenient for customers to use.

In the past, gumball machines have varied in height and have typically consisted of one stand and one plastic bubble. Today, convenience store owners can choose from a wide array of gumball machine styles. As your shopping for gumball machines, keep these varieties in mind:

• More than one plastic bubble: These gumball machines are space savers that allow you to organize your gumballs by flavor, size, or price.

• Various sizes: Gumball machines come in a variety of sizes, so choose the size that will work best with your store’s space.

• Standless machines: You can purchase gumball machines without stands, and these machines are perfect for displaying on convenience store racks. Choose a rack that’s sizeable enough to hold as many machines as you want, and one that will allow you to group the machines close together for convenience.

Keep in mind you don’t have to fill your gumball machines with actual gumballs. These machines are suitable for a variety of small candies – be creative!

Don’t Forget Your Store’s Hot Food Items

Many convenience stores go above and beyond simply offering their customers quick snacks like chips, candy, and bottled water or soda. These stores also provide a deli- or restaurant-style area where customers can purchase hot food items like hotdogs, corndogs, hamburgers, and nachos, as well as coffee, fountain drinks, and even ice cream. Little extras like condiments, seasonings, toppings, creamer, sugar, and sweetener, as well as non-edible items such as utensils, cups, straws, stir sticks, and napkins, also fit nicely in clear plastic containers.

Your store might actually employ individuals to prepare deli-style sandwiches for customers, and clear plastic containers are useful for storing and showcasing the kinds of sandwich meats and dressings available. And, if you offer dry food items like cereal, don’t forget to look for acrylic or plastic cereal dispensers that will comfortably fit in your store’s deli area.

Of course, what’s a hotdog or hamburger without a bag of chips and a piece of candy for dessert? Here you can use small wire displays and convenience store racks to display bags of chips and candy, as well as breath mints and chewing gum.

Which Plastic Candy Container Is Right for Your Business?

For many businesses, plastic candy containers are convenient; for some, they’re even essential! But before you start shopping for the best plastic candy containers for your business, you must first think about two points.

First, understand that not all plastic candy containers are the same. What works for one business might not work for another. Second, realize that what is labeled as a plastic candy container doesn’t necessarily have to store candy. There are a variety of uses for these containers.

Below are some of the most common kinds of businesses that can use these plastic containers and the kinds of containers that work best for each business.

Stores and Restaurants

Because of the kinds of merchandise and products they sell, store and restaurant owners are high on the list of people who can use plastic containers for their businesses.

Whether they simply place them near the cash register or create an elaborate display with wire racks and coordinating colors, convenience store owners and employees are notorious for using clear plastic containers to display food items like candy and chewing gum, as well as other small merchandise like children’s toys.

Some restaurants require food grade plastic containers to store their menu items, but many can find other uses for these containers as well. For example, a restaurant that sells items like breath mints or lollipops near the checkout counter might use a round plastic container to display these items. Similarly, bar-and-grill restaurants might use mini plastic containers as tip jars. Some restaurants even keep small plastic containers near their registers for their customers to drop business cards for future prize drawings.

Amusement Parks and Carnivals

From collecting tickets and displaying small prizes to storing candy and other food items, there are a variety of uses for plastic containers for amusement park and carnival owners and employees. Wholesale plastic containers can come in an assortment of colors, which allows festival workers to have fun with their displays.

If you own or work for an amusement park or carnival that often relocates, remember to search for lightweight and small plastic containers to make moving and resetting your booth more convenient.

Hotel Industry

You might not think people in the hotel industry need plastic containers, but many hotels and motels offer customers continental breakfast services. Food grade plastic containers with handles and lids come in handy for displaying and storing items like cereal, bagels, donuts, and fruit, as well as other breakfast-related items like packets of creamer, sugar, sweetener, straws, and stir sticks.

Fundraisers

Some of the most common types of fundraising events focus on raising money for charities, community clubs and organizations, school activities, and church events. Many people rely on fundraising activities like car washes, bake sales, and raffles to raise money for their particular causes or events, and regardless of what kind of fundraising event it is, there are an assortment of plastic containers that can help out.

For example, people organizing fundraiser events might choose plastic containers to collect tips or store raffle tickets until it’s time for the drawing, or they might need plastic containers to display small dry food products, napkins, utensils, straws, and condiments.

Learn How to Recycle Your Old Plastic Containers

The "green" movement is in full swing, and many people are thinking twice before they toss anything in the trash. People are constantly finding ways to reuse and recycle old items in order to keep them out of landfills – and possibly help out someone in need – and you can do the same with your old plastic containers.

Before you start shopping for new plastic containers, check out the five ways you can reuse and recycle your old containers below.

Donate Your Plastic Containers

There are several ways you can donate your old plastic containers:

• If you’re a business owner who’s looking to purchase new wholesale plastic containers, chances are you might know another business owner who could use your old containers.

• Charities like your local Salvation Army or Goodwill can use plastic containers to better organize their merchandise.

• If you or someone in your family belongs to a sports team, special interest club, or religious organization, your old clear plastic container might come in handy the next time a fundraiser rolls around.

Plastic Containers Make Great Gifts

If your plastic container is still in pretty good shape, consider using it as a gift box the next time you have a birthday, anniversary, or holiday gift to give. Traditional cardboard gift boxes have their uses, but many people damage them when they’re opening the gift or toss them in the trash because they don’t have room to store them until they can reuse them.

Plastic containers, on the other hand, are durable and present a world of storage possibilities to the recipient. Square plastic containers are especially good for holding gifts because they’re as easy as regular gift boxes to wrap, and small plastic containers are lightweight and easy to handle.

Move Your Plastic Containers to the Garage

You might be in the market for new plastic containers, but that doesn’t always mean you have to get rid of your old ones. Actually, several spaces throughout your house – such as your basement, your garage, and your attic – might be screaming for a little help with organization and your old plastic containers can provide just that.

Give Your Plastic Container a Face Lift

If you don’t have any family or friends who could use the plastic containers and you can’t think of anything you could organize with the containers, you still don’t have to toss them in the trash. Clear plastic containers offer many possibilities when it comes to crafts! For example, you could decorate your plastic container using nontoxic art supplies and begin reusing it as a food scoop for your pet’s dry food. This kind of project works especially well when you use plastic containers with hand grips.

Bring Your Old Plastic Containers to a Recycling Center

Reusing your plastic containers, or donating them to someone who can use them, is great; however, if those aren’t options for you, you can always bring your plastic containers to your local recycling center. Be sure to check the bottom of your container for a recycling code; if there is no code or you’re unsure about whether you can even recycle your particular kind of container, make sure you call your recycling center for details.

Find a Variety of Wholesale Plastic Containers

Shopping for wholesale plastic containers often means finding exactly the quantity and quality you want at a price your business can afford. Yet, because many companies sell a wide variety of plastic containers, diving into the market might feel overwhelming if you’re not sure of exactly what you want and need.

Before you start shopping for wholesale plastic containers, familiarize yourself with the different shapes, sizes, and colors available to you, as well as all the little extras that might make your containers even more useful and convenient.

Shapes

Probably the two most common shapes of plastic containers are round and square. Plastic containers that are round or square are generally the most convenient for a variety of business needs, but sometimes you might want to shake things up with a different style.

Fortunately, many companies that sell wholesale plastic containers offer an assortment of shapes to choose from including universal shapes like stars, hearts, and hexagons as well as holiday-inspired shapes like Christmas trees, stockings, Santa Claus boots, Easter baskets, pumpkins, and even cornucopias.

Sizes

Wholesale plastic containers can range from extremely small to rather large and the sizes you choose depend on what you plan to keep in them and where you plan to display them.

Mini plastic containers and small plastic containers tend to work best if you want to collect tips or display small food items on the countertop or near the register of a convenience store or restaurant. Large plastic containers are best for bigger merchandise that you’ve set aside plenty of room for display.

Colors

Clear plastic containers are popular because they are so functional. When the container is clear, customers can easily see what’s inside. Keep in mind, though, that you can also purchase wholesale plastic containers in a variety of colors. Because these containers remain translucent, your customers will still have clear views of the merchandise.

When you opt for colored plastic containers, you can use them to increase the visual appeal of your display. For example, you might want to use red and green plastic containers for Christmas or orange and black plastic containers for Halloween. If your business is located near a high school or a university, you might want to show support with plastic containers in the school’s official colors. You can even use colored plastic containers to better organize your merchandise, keeping lemon-flavored candy in a yellow container and spearmint-flavored chewing gum in a green container.

Extras

You can determine the shapes, sizes, and colors you want when you think about how you plan to use your plastic containers. However, before you make your purchase, dig a little deeper and think about the extras your wholesale plastic containers might need.

For example, if you’re selling a food item without a protective wrapper of some sort, or you want to discourage thievery, look at plastic containers with lids. If you need to frequently lift or rearrange your plastic containers, find versions with handles. You can even find plastic containers with grooves that make it easy for you to stack and create attractive displays or optimize the space you have to work with.

Discover Many Storage Uses for Clear Plastic Containers

If you’ve ever been inside a convenience store or stood in line at a grocery store, you’re probably well aware that clear plastic containers are valuable items for people who run businesses. They offer convenient, attractive ways to store and display merchandise as well as ways to keep perishable food items clean and safe from contamination.

However, storekeepers aren’t the only folks who can benefit from these products; whether you’re running a business or running a home, there are numerous uses for clear plastic containers.

Food Products

Several kinds of business use plastic containers to store and display food products. For example, convenience stores typically keep candy in plastic candy containers, but these kinds of containers are also perfect places for:

• Condiments like ketchup and mustard packets, if the convenience store includes a deli.

• Packets of creamer, sugar, and artificial sweetener as well as stir sticks if the store sells fresh coffee.

Some restaurants, including buffet-style establishments, might rely on food grade plastic containers to store and display certain menu items or dinnerware, and similarly hotels and motels might use food grade plastic containers to hold their continental breakfast items as well as any treats and snacks they might have available throughout the day.

Nonfood Products

Whether they’re mom-and-pop shops or part of a national chain, most stores have uses for clear plastic containers. In addition to the food products mentioned above, these containers can hold and display the kinds of small toys and novelty items sold everywhere from convenience stores to shops in the mall.

Many stores also choose to place these plastic containers along their checkout aisles so customers can make one last decision about small items such as:

• Maps of the area (an especially popular idea among convenience stores along highways and in vacation hotspots).

• Hygiene products like disposable razors and nail grooming kits.

• Eyeglass repair kits.

• Sports cards.

Tips and Donations

Plastic containers are perfect for collecting tips and donations. Consider these ideas:

• Establishments like restaurants, bars, and night clubs might place small plastic containers on they’re tables, counters, or somewhere near their registers to collect tips from patrons.

• Fundraising organizers can use these plastic containers to keep the money they raise until the end of the event.

Home Items

Plastic containers are ideal tools for better organizing your home. You might use these containers as places to organize, store, and display:

• Cooking items like flour and sugar.

• Hobby and arts and crafts items like glitter, beads, straight pins, safety pins, scissors, buttons, sewing needles, and thread spools.

• Office items like pens, pencils, paperclips, staples, highlighters, and correction fluid.

• Home repair and improvement items like nails, screws, bolts, and tacks.

• Hygiene and health items like cotton balls, cotton swabs, bandages, and gauze.

• Odds and ends like loose change, coupons, and business cards.

Clear plastic containers are also great ways for people to organize small items at yard sales, garage sales, and flea markets.

Choosing the Best Plastic Container for Your Needs

Plastic containers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and can benefit everyone from convenience store owners to people interested in better organizing their home kitchens.

However, before you begin shopping around for the best value for plastic containers, you should first determine:

• How the container size you need compares to the space you have to work with.

• How you want to present your containers, and the items, to your customers (or, how the container will work with your home or office décor).

• How it will all work together to provide you and your customers with convenience.

Space and Size

You obviously need a plastic container that’s large enough to hold your items, but you shouldn’t forget about how the size of the container will affect the rest of your space. If you plan to place the container on a convenience store counter, for example, you want to make sure it’s small enough to not only fit comfortably on the counter but also allow room for the transactions that take place over the counter.

Small plastic containers generally work well in convenience stores and specialty shops, but larger businesses and even private residences usually have room to work with bigger containers. Assess the space you have to work with before you choose the size of your containers.

Display and Appearance

Keeping your items in a clear plastic container makes it easy for both you and your customers to view them; however, you don’t have to sacrifice style for functionality. Companies that sell wholesale plastic containers generally offer a wide variety of colored acrylic containers as well, which provide visual appeal and are still translucent enough to effectively showcase the items inside.

Depending on the product you plan to put in your colored plastic container, you might even be able to have some fun with it. For example, if you plan to use your containers for a candy display, you could match each piece of candy’s flavor with a corresponding color. This could even help your customers quickly find the kind of candy they’re looking for.

Containers also come in a variety of shapes. Many people choose either a square plastic container or a round plastic container with an opening at an angle for easy access, though it’s possible to find containers in other forms such as holiday-inspired shapes. Whatever shape you choose, make sure it works with the space available for the most attractive and convenient display possible.

Convenience

Choosing a container that is convenient for both you and your customers is essential. After all, it might be the prettiest, most well organized container display you’ve ever seen, but it’s useless if you or your customers have trouble accessing it.

Whether you’re storing something for future use or displaying merchandise for sale, consider your items and ask yourself the following questions:

• Does this container lend itself to an attractive display and easy access?

• Is this container the appropriate size and shape for where I plan to put it?

• Do the kinds of items I have require a container with a lid?

• Would it make sense for my container to have a handle?

In the end, you want to make sure you choose a visually appealing container that fits your environment and meets your and your customer’s needs.