Why does a countertop display stand with a mirrored back increase sales?

These regular pricing systems are attacking the perception customers have about the abundance of stock. The fuller a display rack, the emptier customers' shopping carts feel or, put another way, the emptier the display rack, the more unlikely people will buy from it. It is really obvious when a countertop display stand is designed with a reference mirror at the back, because that mirror reflects all the display items, even those that are not present. If your countertop stand has just three items, a display like that will virtually give the impression that the quantity of items is tripled.

The benefit of such a display goes beyond just the aesthetics. Customers are most prone to impulse buys when they feel something is in demand. The abundance of a display stand is the first signal to these customers. The mirror at the back of the stand gives the illusion of extra stock, so you end up with a display that meets customers' psychological needs, without the extra cost of inventory. Small vendors, who hold smaller stock more than anyone else, will greatly benefit from this because it will provide the appearance of a fully stocked, popular product line without tying up their capital in extra inventory.

Superior Lighting Means Better Quality Product Appearance

Why do some products seem to jump off the shelf versus other products which seem to have little to no eye appeal? One influencer helping the more successful products to leap off the shelf is lighting. Most retail environments have overhead lighting which leaves shadowing on the front and bottom sides of products. However, mirrored backs on countertop display stands change the lighting game. Mirrors bounce lighting forward and upward to products.

This creates fewer shadows and brighter colors. It leaves less of the product's appearance to the customer's imagination. Customers will see the details that matter. Most of the details will be overlooked if the lighting is poor. A mirrored stand will be the best lighting choice for stand lighting. Quality display stands work better with lighting and when combined with ambient lighting, the display stand quality will be most beneficial. When combined with LED lights, the display stand quality will produce the most beneficial source of quality lighting.

Customers Visualize Themselves with Your Product

Store owners often overlook a particular possibility. The customer seeing a product at a countertop display stand with a mirrored back is not just seeing the product. They see themselves alongside it. Even if a minuscule segment of their reflection is visible, their brain begins to correlate and process the product and the customer's life.

This is the same psychological principle that clothing stores have utilized for years. When you put on a coat and view yourself in the mirror, you begin to envision yourself with it at a social event or at work. The mirror induces a sense of possession before the transaction is completed. A countertop display stand with a mirrored back is doing something similar but on a miniature level. It allows the customer to see themselves as someone who owns and interacts with your product. That slight mental transformation could be the determining factor for someone at the register purchasing the item. There is research about the use of mirrors in product displays and how they impact shoppers' assessment of a product's features and their purchase intention, and the evidence suggests that mirrors facilitate a greater emotional connection to the product on display.

Perceived Value Goes Up Without a Price Change

Take a moment to consider this scenario. A watch has been placed on two displays that are equally as nice. One has a black color background, the other a mirrored design. Most people will assume the watch on the mirrored display is more expensive, and that is because, due to years of commerce, mirrors have been culturally associated with premium products. High end jewelry and watch retailers are notorious for using mirrors in their displays to signal to the consumer that products have a higher price point.

A countertop display with a mirrored back will offer the same feeling to the consumer as a premium countertop. Your display will evoke a subconscious sense of increased value, and thus, increased price. You do not have to actually increase the price of the watch, but it will make the consumer feel justified that they have to pay the price you have set. They will feel as though they are not just paying for an ordinary product, but getting a great deal on a quality product. This will lead to increased sales as people will be less resistant during the checkout process.

Small Spaces Appear Bigger

Retail space is costly. Every square foot is priced. Space is especially precious if your store is on the smaller side. A countertop display stand with a mirrored back solves the problem. Mirrors create the illusion of space. They essentially push boundaries that are near and limit what you can see in a room farther away.

This is a popular effect for many, and this is true for retail and display design. Displays with a mirrored back create the effect of the counter area being larger and more open. Leaning in to look at your product is done in a space that is not tight. Customers browse with comfort and that makes them more likely to stay. When people browse for longer, they are more likely to buy. This effect is true for a display stand with a mirrored back. It makes your store more inviting, and helps display your products better.

The Triggering of Impulse Buys

Most retail sales stem from impulse purchases. A short visit to the store may turn into a long one. This is intentional as retail display design is meant to inspire these spontaneous purchases. A countertop display stand with a mirrored back is a particularly good example of this design.

Why? Mirrors. Displays are designed to capture attention. A customer walking by might completely ignore a plain stand. But they will definitely notice a display with a mirrored surface. The eyes are instinctively drawn to reflections. And of course, bright, abundant, appealing products will catch more of their attention. Impulse buy.

Mirrored display stands are a common sight at checkout counters. An impulse buy is most likely to happen right before payment. A display stand with a mirrored back is a sure shot for sales at this moment.

The Theory Holds True in the Field

You may think all this is good in theory. But do these schemes really pay in practice? The answer is an absolute yes. Retail studies have shown that sales boost by 20 to 30 percent, and in some cases, with effective display setups, by 80 percent to an extraordinary 478 percent.

Another real world example is a big berry company who used visual attention analysis to make minor modifications to their display cases. They learned that a mirror in the case caused their customers to lose focus on the products. After altering the case's design to improve the light and rearranging the products, the case was then able to sell products. In three months, case sales increased 22 percent. This was a result of the minor design changes. A countertop display stand having a mirror at the back is not a tool that will drive sales on its own, but it is an effective sales tool when used correctly.

Final Thoughts

A countertop display stand having a mirror at the back is very multifunctional. It provides a perceived abundance of the display's products. It reduces shadows, and improves lighting. It allows customers to see themselves with the product. It raises the perceived value of the product without having to change the price. It triggers impulse buys by making small spaces feel bigger. There is real world sales data that supports all of these benefits.

If you are still using a display stand with a solid back and not using a mirror, you are leaving potential profit on the table. Changing to a display stand with a mirror is an easy and economical switch to make, but it can have a surprising effect on your sales. Try it out in your store. Place your best selling or most profitable products on a countertop display stand with a mirror and see what the results are. You will likely be amazed by the sales results that can come from a small change.