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.

6 Types of Rotating Racks for Your Floor Displays

Rotating racks for floor displays are ideal for nearly every kind of retail business. These racks help store owners make the most of the floor space they have to work with, and they offer extra convenience to customers because they enable customers to view all sides of the racks without having to move!

Below are five of the most common kinds of rotating racks you can use for your floor displays. Consider the kinds of items you want to showcase and the amount of space you have to work with as you learn more about each one.

1. Bucket Display Racks

Bucket display racks are some of the most versatile racks available. The revolving versions of bucket racks can include as many as thirty buckets and can hold anything from edible items like wrapped candies to small novelty toys for children.

2. Jar Display Racks

Think of jar display racks as siblings to bucket display racks. Jar racks come with numerous “jars,” rather than “buckets,” and these jars most often have lids to help keep food items such as candy safe and small merchandise like hair accessories or toys safe from sticky fingers.

3. Wooden Display Racks

If jar displays are the siblings of bucket racks, wooden display racks are definitely their cousins. The main difference between bucket racks and wooden racks is the fact that the racks and buckets are wooden!

Many store owners use these delightful display fixtures to add charm to their merchandise displays, and they work well for everything from bags of chips and candy to children’s toys and trial-sized hygiene products.

4. Pegboard Display Racks

As the name suggests, pegboard display racks are designed showcase merchandise that hangs from pegs or “hooks”; however, other accessories such as pegboard trays, divider bins, and pegboard buckets work well with these racks and expand the possibilities of the kinds of merchandise you can showcase.

Pegboard racks generally have two sides (though sometimes you can find slightly larger versions with four sides) and spin from the base. Depending on the overall feel of your store, you can even add some flair to your display when you choose pegboard racks in fun neon colors.

5. Wire Display Racks

Like pegboards, many kinds of wire display racks come equipped with their own kinds of pegs from which you can hang different kinds of merchandise.

Wire racks offer different kinds of rotating options, as well. For example, some wire racks allow customers to rotate the entire display, while others are designed to rotate at each level (spinning one “row” of items while leaving the others untouched).

6. Clip Display Racks

Clip display racks are very similar to wire racks, with one major difference: Rather than using any variation of a “peg” from which to hang merchandise, clip racks use “clips” from which to hang merchandise. You can fasten such items as bags chips or other bagged treats to the clips, and customers can spin the rack to see all the goodies you have to offer.

It’s easy to find sturdy clip racks, but you should be conscious of the weight of your merchandise. It’s best to save small and lightweight items for these racks.

Choosing Racks for Floor and Countertop Displays

Whether it’s a convenience store, bookstore, or gift shop, nearly every kind of retail store uses display racks to showcase its merchandise.

As you’re determining the kind of display racks that will work best for your store, keep three things in mind:

1. The merchandise you plan to display.
2. The amount of display space you have to work with.
3. What will be the most convenient for your customers.
   

1. Consider Your Merchandise

The first thing you should consider as you’re thinking about the kinds of racks to use for your floor and countertop displays is the merchandise you plan to display.

Some items, such as small bags of chips, peanuts, or trail mix, are designed with holes at the top the bags to hang from pegs. Pegboard floor and countertop racks work well for these kinds of merchandise.

Other kinds of items, such as liters and cases of soda, are heavier and work best with traditional convenience store racks with sturdy shelves.

If you plan to display small items like wrapped candies, children’s toys like bouncy balls, or craft items like beads, containers of glitter, or spools of lace, display racks with buckets might work best. Like many display racks, bucket racks are available for both floor and countertop displays and designed to hold as few as four buckets or as many as thirty buckets.

2. Consider Your Display Space

Considering your display space will help you determine whether you need to use fixed position or revolving displays, and whether those displays would work best on the floor or on your countertop.

No matter what kind of rack you want to use, chances are you can find it in a model that will work best with the space you have to work with. Most racks for displays are designed with two versions in mind: One that will work well for countertop displays and one that will work well for floor displays.

For example, you can find both fixed position bucket racks and bucket racks that rotate. The same is true for traditional convenience store racks, wire display racks, and pegboard racks.

3. Consider Your Customers’ Convenience

In the end, no matter how attractive your display is and no matter how well it works with the flow and space of your store, if it’s inconvenient for customers, it’s a failure.

Follow these tips to make sure you showcase your items in a way that’s as convenient for customers as possible:

• If you’re using fixed position racks, make sure the side that doesn’t hold any merchandise is facing away from the customers. For countertop racks, this means the empty side should face your side of the counter. For floor racks, this means situating the empty side against or close to a wall or another stationary display.

• If you’re using rotating racks, make sure the racks are situated far enough away from other displays that customers can easily spin the racks without the merchandise getting caught on other items.

• Regardless of what kind of rack you use, make sure it’s never situated in a place that blocks a customer’s path.

Showcasing Merchandise: Fixed Position Versus Rotating Display Racks

Racks designed for countertop displays and floor displays are available in a wide variety of shapes, styles, and sizes and perfect for retail businesses, restaurants and specialty food shops, bookstores, gift shops, and hospitality establishments like hotels and motels.

It’s important to think about the kind of merchandise you want to display as you’re considering the kind of display racks you should choose for your business. Obviously, small and lightweight items will work well with small display racks, while larger and heavier items will work best with larger, sturdier display racks.

However, you must also consider the amount of display space you have to work with, and this is when you need to think about whether fixed position display racks or rotating display racks will work best.

Using Fixed Position Display Racks

Fixed position display racks are ideal for both countertop displays and floor displays.

If you want to use a fixed position rack for countertop displays:

• Choose a rack designed to showcase merchandise on only one side. Some fixed position display racks are designed to hold merchandise on all sides, and these racks are inconvenient if you plan to situate them on your checkout register’s countertop because customers can’t move to the other side.

• Choose lightweight items you can easily display on the particular fixed position rack you’re using. For example, some fixed position countertop racks are designed to hold plastic containers or buckets, and some are designed to hang merchandise from pegs.

If you want to use a fixed position rack for floor displays:

• Choose a rack designed to showcase merchandise on just one side, or on three sides (depending on where you plan to situate your rack).

• Situate your rack in a place where the back of the rack isn’t visible, such as against a wall or at the end of an aisle rather than in the center of your store.

• Feel free to choose either lightweight or heavier items to display on your rack. Some fixed position floor racks are designed to hold plastic containers and bucks or hang items on pegs, just like countertop racks, and some are designed with sturdy shelves for display heavier and larger items like family-sized bags of chips and liters or cases of soda.

Using Rotating Display Racks

Like fixed position display racks, you can find rotating display racks designed for both countertop displays and floor displays and perfect for either small and lightweight merchandise or large and heavier merchandise.

Still, there are a few points you should keep in mind as you’re determining whether revolving display racks will work for your display.

• Spinning display racks are best situated in open spaces where the merchandise is least likely to get caught on anything as your customers rotate it to see each side.

• Like fixed display racks, there are revolving display racks designed to be sturdy enough to hold heavy merchandise. However, you must be careful not to overstock the rack; otherwise, the rack will be at risk for toppling over and possibly harming customers. If you want to display quite heavy items, choose a fixed position display rack.

• Be careful about display items on top of the rack, as these items could fall off as customers rotate the rack. If your spinning display rack has a flat surface at the top, it’s best to either leave that space clear or – at the very most – securely fasten a display sign on it.

3 Tips for Using Wire Display Racks

Wire display racks are some of the most common display tools available to store and business owners. They’re generally lightweight, versatile, durable, and lend themselves to a wide variety of uses for an even wider variety of businesses.

Consider these kinds of stores and businesses that use wire display racks as you’re determining whether they’d be the right display tool for you:

• Convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores of both the “mom-and-pop” and national chain varieties.

• Specialty food shops like candy stores, yogurt shops, ice cream parlors, and bakeries.

• Specialty retail shops like accessories boutiques, toy stores, bookstores, gift shops, and hobby shops.

• Movie theaters and movie rental businesses.

• Travel and hospitality industry businesses like hotels and motels.

1. Use the Wire Rack Designed for Your Display Location

The two most popular places for displays in any kind of retail business are:

1. The countertops (which usually puts them close to the registers).
2. Somewhere on the business’s floor (generally at the ends of aisles, near deli-style areas, close to the countertops and registers, and sometime near the business’s entryways).
   

Wire display racks designed for countertop displays and near registers are great ways to make the most of your countertop space while providing your customers with an attractive, convenient selection of merchandise. You can place merchandise like bags of chips and trail mix directly on the rack’s shelves, or you can display edible merchandise like wrapped candies and gumballs or non-edible items like pens, key chains, and lighters in plastic containers situated on the rack’s shelves.

Wire display racks designed for floor displays are basically larger, more durable versions of the countertop display racks. You can use these racks for the same kinds of purposes, or you can display larger merchandise like liters and cases of soda.

2. Match Your Wire Display Racks with Your Permanent Displays

Because countertop displays tend to include add-on merchandise for customers to see as they’re checking out, this tip especially applies if you plan to use wire display racks designed for floor displays.

Chances are the bulk of your business’s merchandise sits on larger, more permanent shelves throughout your store. Wire display racks designed for floor use are great ways to compliment your permanent displays and offer extra convenience to your customers.

For example, if your store sells full-sized hygiene products like shampoo, soap, lotion, toothpaste, hairspray, and deodorant, you can use a wire rack to create a display of travel- or trial-sized hygiene products and position it close to your permanent shelf.

3. Create Mobile Displays with Rolling Wire Display Racks

To attract potential customers walking by, some store’s regularly showcase merchandise outside the establishment’s doors, while some business’s have occasional “sidewalk sales.”

Rolling wire display racks make it easy for storeowners to move their merchandise outside at the store’s opening and back inside once the store closes. For these purposes, you can find a wide variety of wire rack styles, from racks designed to hang apparel to racks designed to hold cases of soda.

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!