Initial Forum Analysis

Visual Merchandising & Store Design Background:

• -not political
• published monthly. different focus each month. ex: retail makeovers fixturing, lighting...
• informative magazine. focuses on the field and subjects related to visual merchandising. tells leaders in the field and what is currently "hot". gives news about new stores and trends. Best way to display certain merchandise.

Discourse Conventions:

• type of people to write in this magazine are columnists, contributors, visual merchandise directors, mannequin suppliers, retailers...
• important stores; Marshall Fields in Chicago, NY; Saks 5th Ave in Beverly Hills, NY; Tiffany's in NY; Bloomingdales in NY. their v.m. directors would also be named.
• readers: students, those in a v.m. & s.d. team, display directors, merchandisers, sales reps, store planners, store owners, lighting directors, operations managers. reader assumed to know something of the business. Assumed to know certain fashion designers and stores, types of fixtures, types of window displays, mannequin forms, display boxes...
• not difficult reading. Assumes the reader is interested in selling and displaying goods. good displays build good store reputations and increase sales.
• topics: lighting, fixtures, contests, make-overs, calendar of events- conferences and shows, hardware, mannequins, buyers guides, business outlooks, store designs, fashion displays...
• types of articles: editorials, question and answer, events, informative. length varies from one to fifteen pages, many pictures. several monthly columns: editorials, Q&A, articles by those in the field, new books, display suggestions.
• focus= selling more merchandise and improving store appearance

Conventions of "Typical" Articles:

• information from interviews, store visits, experience, research...
• sources stated in the beginning of the article and throughout the article. if applicable, visual merchandising teams, stores, etc. stated at the end of the article also. no footnotes. no "scholarly" appearance to articles.
• much narration. opinions given. anecdotes told.
• articles organized by sections, ex: different stores, designers... some articles tightly structured, with thesis. article design reflects article topic.
• opening strategy: bold type, attention catching phrases closing strategy: sums up the idea of the entire article. gives examples of strategies that were successful. ends with a quote that sums up the idea of the article.
• tone is lighthearted, conversational, tries to draw the reader in by catching interest.. some of the articles try to be very hip and fashionable. the overall tone is friendly. it does not try to impress with big words or overwhelming ideas.