Retail Displays and Systems

Skyline Retail Moves!

2009-06-05T13:49:00.001-07:00

Skyline Retail Environments has now returned to the Mother Ship!

Skyline Retail Environments can now be contacted within Skyline Exhibit's corporate facility:

3355 Discovery Road
St. Paul, Minnesota 55121

NEW PHONE: 651-234-6000

www.skyline-retail.com

FREE GlobalShop Pass

2009-02-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

Today, February 23 is the last day to get your FREE GlobalShop pass.

www.skyline-retail.com

FREE Apple iPods

2009-02-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

Visit Skyline Retail Environments at Globalshop (booth #3818) March 23-25 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas to enter your name to win a FREE (Product) RED iPod nano.

We will be giving away 2 each day so get your name in early.

Look for the big Skyline Retail Environments logo hanging over our booth then stop by and say hi to us and enter your name for our drawing.

www.skyline-retail.com

GlobalShop 2009

2009-02-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

Skyline Retail Environments will be exhibiting at GlobalShop this year!

Please stop by booth 3818 to see first hand a selection of our retail fixturing and merchandising products. There will also be plenty of "solutioneers" available to discuss any up-coming projects you may have.

We will also be drawing names twice a day for free Apple iPods.

Six shows in one:

The GlobalShop show floor is conveniently divided into six sections of the retail design industry so you can find your specialty and learn about others:

The Store Fixturing Show Sponsored by A.R.E.
The Visual Merchandising Show Sponsored by A.R.E.
At-Retail Marketplace Sponsored by POPAI
Store Design and Operations
The Digital Store Sponsored by POPAI and A.R.E.
Retail Marketing Services Sponsored by NARMS

venue information

Sands Expo & Convention Center
201 Sands Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada 89169
Phone: 702.733.5556
Fax: 702.733.5568
www.sandsexpo.com

why attend?

GlobalShop brings you the latest in retail design and the best technology for the in-store experience. You won’t want to miss GlobalShop 2009 returning to Las Vegas March 23-25…

See nearly 900 exhibitors specializing in store fixturing, digital signage, lighting, flooring, point of purchase displays and more…
Six shows in one: six pavilions and over 300,000 square feet of show floor ensure you will find everything you are looking for and more.
The GlobalShop 2009 conference program promises to be the most inspirational event of the year. This is the best opportunity to gain insight, receive advice, and learn practical application from experts in the retail industry.

who should attend GlobalShop 2009?

Visual Merchandisers
Brand Marketers
Store Designers
Store Planners
Retail Architects

for more info about GlobalShop: www.globalshop.org

for more info about Skyline Retail Environments: www.skyline-retail.com

Be Creative - wikiHow

2009-02-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

How to Be Creative

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Can creativity be taught? That’s a question without a simple yes or no answer. Creativity may not be able to be taught directly, but what what you can get better at is frequently aligning the circumstances of life which foster the greatest chances for true creative expression. Creativity is not like a lightning strike, but more like something which manifests itself inside those who learn to foster it and create the right conditions for it to prosper.

Steps

Ruthlessly limit your selection of tools to only the most vital. The more limited your set of tools is, the more creative the output will be. Having a limited set of vital tools forces creativity and really challenges you to use what you have to produce the desired results. As a byproduct, you’ll get incredibly good with that small set of tools and refine your use of them to a point you can literally do anything you like with them. You’ll be far sharper than someone who merely dabbles with a larger set of tools. Learn How to Be Resourceful.
Don’t listen to feedback, keep following your own path. The problem with asking for feedback is invariably the feedback will be given infused with that person’s preconceived notions of what the outcome should be. Others will unconsciously push you in a direction that they see as best. This is done with good intentions, however it actually hurts your internal creativity. Now this is different than sharing your work - by all means share, but listening to feedback is not a good decision if you want to truly find your own path of creative self-expression. Once you're finished with your creative work, whatever it may be, then you can listen to feedback. Just don't let criticism (even the constructive type) stifle your creativity during the creative process.
- Keep in mind that people will generally display resistance to your idea, because good ideas change the existing dynamic, and people, for the most part, like things the way they are. When you present something that challenges the status quo, many people (friends, relatives, co-workers) will feel threatened.[1]
Having a routine is actually not a bad thing. Routines are positive if they reinforce a healthy, creative consciousness and negative if they destroy that. While breaking your routine once in a while to force new ways of thinking is good, what if growing/learning/experiencing new things was built into your routine as a given? The people who get stuck in a monotonous existence and speak negatively about routine have simply not developed a routine that puts them on a path of internal growth. The key is to discover creative rituals that put you in a more creative mindset.
- Many writers not only have a minimum number of words they must write each day, but they also have almost superstitious requirements for the circumstances under which they write. The 18th century German writer Friedrich Schiller, for example, kept rotten apples at his desk and soaked his feet in a tub of ice water while he wrote![2]
- Set aside a block of time each day to foster your creativity. Kick the session off with a creative exercise or ritual that triggers a flexible state of mind. Whether it's meditating, freewriting, listening to a particular song, or rubbing your lucky rock--do whatever gets you "in the zone" and set a daily goal (e.g. one sketch per day, 1000 words a day, an invention or song a day).
Let go of perfectionism. Your natural output uninhibited by concern for creating something correct or incorrect will always produce creative results. There are limitless paths to achieve creative success; there are so many shades of gray. Imperfection is human, and sometimes the most creative artists leave mistakes unfixed on purpose. Nature itself is beautifully imperfect. Many try to be so perfect that they scrub away what made their work special in the first place. In a world saturated by overproduced, unnaturally perfect, and clean - the unpolished is the most creative and in many cases most inspirational.
- Work on the "bad" ideas – even if you are only coming up with what you feel are "bad" ideas, you are still being creative, so develop them, and it could turn into a great solution!
Ignore trends. If you want to be truly creative, you absolutely must ignore trends. Block them out - pay zero attention to them. Trends are the polar opposite of creativity. In many forms of art (especially music) the masses of artists are following whatever the hot trends set forth are. Then there is the other, smaller group of artists that are pursuing their own path and not really paying attention to external trends in their form of art of choice. There is certainly more money, fame and instant notoriety for following trends, but most of what is popular is hardly creative. If you want to make something truly unique, trends are irrelevant. Looking inside yourself is where you will discover a greater wealth of creativity than available in any hot trend. Here are some more suggestions for insulating yourself from trends:
- Don’t watch TV, don’t listen to the radio, and remove the vapid elements of popular culture from your life. These things aren’t bad for you in moderation, but they are great at normalizing your thoughts with the rest of society, and do not foster true internal creativity. Realize everything that you experience, every piece of content you consume plays a role in shaping your personality, even if at a subconscious level. It is all influence one way or another. You are in many ways a product of your experiences and stimulus. In one sentence, your creative output can be thought of simply as a personal interpretation of external stimulus. The best part about this is you get to control the input.
- Don’t try and fit into a genre. Actively trying to fit your art or work into a genre is severely limiting and a detriment to its quality, if creativity is desired. Don’t try and write for a genre, don’t try to follow trends within a genre, in fact don’t even consider genre when working. Labeling it in a genre is a necessary evil for people to be able to find your work, and you will probably have to do this - but it shouldn’t be something that crosses your mind when trying to work. Genres, styles and methods don’t matter for creativity and originality.
- Spend a lot of time alone. You don't have to be anti-social, but many people find their creativity really starts to open up when they are removed from others and able to have quiet focus for their creative work.
Ignore the past. Want to be really creative or original? Ignore or forget the past, ignore what the world has created up until this point. Sometimes considering the past will make you place a sort of unconscious time stamp on a style. That’s the antithesis of creativity and originality. Create things from within yourself that don’t draw inspiration from what has come previously or even consider it, and you’ll be on a path to creative output. In a creative state of mind, time doesn't exist - a few hours can feel like seconds, a moment can seem to last for hours, and you're completely immersed in the present.[3] Learn How to Live in the Moment.

Creative Exercises

Think for a half hour a day exclusively on one subject. At first, this might be very hard to do. You can start off by thinking about a single subject for five minutes a day, then increase the period daily until you reach a half hour. At first it is wise to practice this when alone, but eventually you should be able to do it even in the midst of distractions, such as when traveling to and from work.[4]
Write a letter or speak for 15 minutes without using the words I, me, my and mine. Make it smooth and keep it interesting, so that someone reading or listening would never notice anything odd about it. This forces you to turn your mind outward, and give up the preoccupations and obsessions of your own life.[4]
Have someone doodle a line for you, then challenge yourself to make a variety of cartoons based on that one line. Don't resort to drawing faces, though - those are usually too easy![5]
Take a familiar outline and challenge yourself to come up with drawings that could fit within that outline.
Combine ideas. Choose two random objects, and describe each one in detail. What does it look like? What is it used for? How is it made? Then substitute one object with the other objects description. How can I make object A feel like object B? Or do what object B does?[6]
Keep a journal, describing everything you do and feel with metaphors. Each day, challenge yourself to come up with new metaphors. (After all, how many different ways can you symbolize brushing your teeth?) See How to Write a Metaphor.
Write a list of basic questions, such as 'What is your name?', 'Where are you from?', What did you do last Thursday?' Try to come up with at least 10 questions. The more you ask, the better! Whatever question comes to mind, write it down, even if it seems foolish. Answer the questions with song lyrics. (Try not to use the same song too often.)
Play word association games. It helps to have someone willing to play along, but if no one will, you can do this alone. If you're doing it solo, write down your beginning word and spend 10 minutes or so just saying the next word that comes to mind. Compare the beginning word to the final word. They should be pretty diverse. This loosens up your mind to allow free association of ideas.
See how long you can talk (and make sense!) without using a common word, like 'and','but', 'the' or 'that'.

Video

Tips

Spend time around creative people. The most reliably creative people are children. Their imaginations aren't boxed in, and "mind merging" with them can remind you of what it's like to think outside the box.
Whenever you're challenged to create something, ask yourself: What's the most outrageous, preposterous, and nonsensical thing I can come up with?

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

TheFutureBuzz.com - Original source of content, shared with permission.

↑ http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000932.html

↑ http://lateralaction.com/articles/creative-rituals/

↑ http://www.wishfulthinking.co.uk/2006/04/24/creative-flow/

↑ 4.0 4.1 Dorothea Brande, Wake Up and Live!, first published in 1936 (public domain)

↑ http://creativecurio.com/2008/09/exercises-to-cultivate-your-creativity/

↑ http://www.creativethinkingwith.com/Combine-Ideas.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be Creative. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Merchandising for Sales and Profits: Promoting Impulse Sales

2009-01-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

The presentation of your store's merchandise will either serve to reinforce the customer's confidence in the product choice or cause them to second-guess their need to buy. In a split second, a sale is either realized or lost.

Generally, there are three ways to present product. You can:

Shelve it on a table, platform, riser, fixture or wall shelf.

Hang it on a wall bracket, peg hook, hangar, panel or floor fixture.

Combine shelving and hanging in a multiple presentation.

Given these simple choices, the decision might appear to be a no-brainer. An unexpected reversal in the presentation method, however, can often make the product not only more appealing, but also more saleable.

Read the whole article by Donna Geary on The Sideroad

Top 10 Ways to Turn Off Customers

2009-01-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

Came across this article recently by Shari Waters on About.com and thought it might be relevant:

As individuals, we all have our own little pet peeves. What may turn off one customer may not bother another. As retailers, we can't afford to turn off a single customer and image is everything. Keeping our stores neat and clean is not only easy to do; it is generally an inexpensive way to attract customers and create a pleasant store atmosphere.

Take a look around your retail store. Do any of the following situations exist? If not, look harder. Your store may be exhibiting some other offenses you haven't noticed until now. Here are ten ways your store may be turning off customers:

1. Dirty Bathrooms

This customer pet peeve clearly deserves the number one spot on this list. Retail store restrooms should always be sparkling clean, whether they are open for public use or not. Make sure to stock the bathrooms with plenty of paper products, soap, trash receptacles and clean it daily.

2. Messy Dressing Rooms

Keeping the dressing room area free of discarded hangers, tags and empty packaging goes beyond creating a neat store appearance, it is also a good step towards loss prevention. Take a quick look for out of place items after each customer uses the dressing room.

3. Loud Music

Playing music in a retail store can help create a certain atmosphere for our shoppers. Music that is too loud, inappropriate or of poor quality can run a positive shopping experience.

4. Handwritten Signs

In this era of technology, there is no excuse for displaying handwritten signage. It is too simple to print a sign from our computers or use pre-printed signs. Printed signs simply look more professional and signs with hard-to-read handwriting can be a customer turn-off.

5. Stained Floor or Ceiling Tiles

It is true, accidents happen. However, our customers don't have to see them. Dirty carpet, stained flooring and ugly ceiling tiles can turn off many shoppers. Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping should be done on a regular basis. Consider hiring a professional cleaning crew to polish tile floors. Replace stained portions of carpet and ceiling tiles where possible.

6. Burned-out or Poor Lighting

Replace any burned out light bulbs as soon as possible. Make sure all customer areas of the store have ample lighting and take into consideration shoppers with aging or less than perfect eyesight. Your store should be well illuminated for all customers.

Read on. . .

Online Catalog Now Up and Running

2008-11-26T09:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, for the first time in the 28 year history of Skyline Exhibits, an end-user can now purchase products directly from our web site with no dealer involvement.

Skyline's worldwide network of dealers and distributors is their primary point of contact and sales avenue for those in need of tradeshow products and services.

With Skyline Retail Environments however, an end-user has several options available to them. 1.) purchase directly from our online catalog 2.) contact your local Skyline dealer or 3.) contact Skyline Retail Environments directly.

To see first-hand any of our retail displays, tables, sign holders, merchandisers or kiosks just contact your local Skyline dealer to see if they currently have any samples on display from the Retail Environments product line. A local dealer will be able to work directly with you on your current project to arrive at the best solution and the best price should you need consultative advice and up-close visual aids.

Our catalog makes our products directly available to the end-user that is ready to buy immediately. We currently offer 4 product lines through the online catalog: Sign Holders, Kiosks, Tables and Merchandisers. Of the 4 product lines there are also various sub-categories or "Series" to choose from such as Sign Holder 100, 110, 200, 500 & 510. Under certain product series you will also see options for purchasing "base models", sytem components, accessories or other options. Base models are pre-configured packages ready to purchase as-is, some offering a variety fit and finish choices. The system components options allows you to configure or amend your own "custom" solution should one of the base models not quite meet your exact need.

How to Order

Simply go to http://www.skyline-retail.com and click on "Shop the Catalog."
Once in the catalog choose from the product lines on the left side.
After clicking a product line choose a series.
Some series' will offer base models or component options while others may not.
Along the bottom of the page is a row of links where you will find Art Guidelines, Lead Times, Quantity Discount info, Sell Sheets, a shipping estimator and our warranty info.
Products with graphic options will be able to be purchased with or without the graphic. You must choose the graphic option from the "mfg parts" table in the lower portion of the screen.
Clicking on the "Info!" question mark in the mfg parts table will reveal an image and more details about that particular part.
Products with base models may also have further options to choose from before a preview of that product is shown.
Choose from each of the options available for a particular product. Once you have made a selection from each of the available options a preview image should appear.
In the mfg parts table click the "GO" button under "Price" to see your final price (excluding shipping).
Click the "Add to Cart" button to place that product in the currently selected configuration into your shopping cart.
Once you are finished shopping, from the "Begin Checkout" page, verify everything in the cart is correct (base models will also show some of the included parts and assemblies)
From the Cart page you can print a copy of your order, email a copy of your order to yourself or someone else, save the cart for future use, or view any uploaded files.
Be aware that the Shopping Cart will time-out after 10 minutes of sitting idle and the cart will be emptied so it would be wise to save the cart whether you are ready to proceed or not.
Click the checkout button and setup an account or login with your previously established username and password.
Select a shipping option
Finalize your purchase by entering your payment information.
If you have associated artwork for your purchase you may upload a low-resolution proof by clicking the "add file" link.
An email will be sent to you with your order and order number and any further instructions.

If you are a value-added reseller or agency we do have dealer opportunities available with wholesale and quantity discount pricing.

The catalog is a great way to order from our stock supply of "standard" retail display, merchandising and kiosk products, however if you don't see something that hits the nail on the head please call us at 1.888.695.7550, email us directly or contact your local Skyline Representative to discuss a custom solution. We have a great team of experienced and creative Designers, Engineers and Project Managers that would be glad to assist you.

Start Shopping

The Ten Demandments

2008-07-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

	Earn my trust... This is about respect, integrity, advocacy, and quality. Forget all the others if you can't master this one.
	Inspire me... Craft meaningful emotional connections with your consumers through immersive experiences, motivating messages and relevant philanthropy. Inspirational brands transcend their own products and services become greater than the sum of their parts.
	Make it easy... Simplicity, speed and usefulness are the keys to consumer ease. Don't confuse complexity with progress. The best things in life are often the easiest.
	Put me in charge... Consumers expect choices and control, particularly from service organizations that can enable self-paced self-service. Put consumers in the driver's seat or they'll peel out of your parking lot without a second thought.
	Guide me... Too much white noise, too little context - that's the problem. So filter the chaos with expert advice, education and information. And stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your consumers as they move through the decision-making process and beyond.
	24/7... anytime, anywhere access... that's the ticket in this 'round the clock world. 9-5 hours won't cut it for consumers who expect companies to be there for them all the time, no matter the channel.
	Get to know me... You can't win consumer loyalty without understanding what consumers want. Listen, learn and study up on their real lives, don't just dive into the data pool, to get to know your consumers in a whole new light.
	Exceed my expectations... Even demanding consumers can be wowed, so woo them by over-delivering through uncommon courtesies, surprising services and go-the-extra-mile efforts that show you really care.
	Reward me... Treat your consumers like the VIPs they are to you - acknowledge and build their loyalty by rewarding them with points programs, privileged access or other winning ways.
	Stay with me... Relationships are built not in a day, but in a lifetime, so stay with your consumers if you want them to stay with you. Deliver on post-purchase promises, stay in touch in meaningful ways, and evolve your brand to meet your consumers' evolving needs over time.

- from the book: The Ten Demandments

Retail Display Concepts Slideshow Video

2008-07-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Check out the short promo video up on Youtube showcasing some of our Retail Display and Merchandising concepts. Some of these are actual fulfilled projects and some are still in the concept phase.

Digital Signage Expo 2008

2008-07-07T10:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, so this might be a little outdated but we thought we'd post some photos from the 2008 Digital Signage Expo held in Las Vegas back in February anyway.

This was the first trade show for us to introduce Skyline Retail Environments. Obviously Skyline is not new to trade shows so it was nothing new to us but it was a great chance for us to introduce ourselves to the industry while showing off some of our great signage and digital signage capabilities. Most of the show featured vendors specializing in actual digital signage and technical solutions but few had real nice retail application fixtures and displays so we felt we were a great fit for this show.

The Funrise display shown in the photo is our "Mobile Merchandiser" technically known as the Merchandiser Series 100 and features a lot of graphic options, merchandising options as well as Digital Signage capabilities - not to mention it has casters so you can move it wherever you want it. The version we had at the show was only 1 sided but the unit is actually capable of becoming 2 sided and is even expandable to include larger shelving for increased merchandising.

The table with the pole is known as the Table Series 100. It features a graphic wrap (other options available) with a laminate top and display pole that can hold hard graphic panels and digital signage at the same time. The table top is available with various hole configurations and the table itself is available with or without lockable doors and interior shelving.

The backwall structure of our 20' wide display was made of Skyline's Tube Ultra and the graphic is a stretched die-sub fabric print.

Our team had a great time in Vegas and we will be attending many more similar shows in the near future so stay tuned to this blog to find out where you can meet us next and see our great retail and merchandising products up close and in person.

Day 1

2008-05-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new Retail Displays & Systems blog.

The intention here is to highlight trends and designs in the Retail Display and Merchandising world - with an emphasis on but limited to systems approaches. We've been looking high and low for a blog like this but have yet to find one that really spoke to us, what we do and where we want to go in the retail displays and merchandising world - thus we feel there are probably others out there in the same boat.

Hopefully this blog will get updated regularly but right now there's no guarantee of that - but our hopes are to keep it as current as possible - mostly likely on a monthly basis moving toward weekly.

More to come soon.

For now please check out the Skyline Retail web site to learn more about us: www.skyline-retail.com