Visual Audit Report: Zara's Merchandising Strategies Analysis

This report presents a visual audit of Zara, a prominent fashion retailer, focusing on its visual merchandising and styling techniques. The report begins with an introduction to visual merchandising and its importance in retail, followed by an overview of Zara's brand and target demographic. The main body includes a detailed analysis of Zara's floor plan, showcasing product placement and store layout to attract customers. The report examines the external facade, window displays, signage, and in-store design elements, including lighting, wall design, and pathways. The report also includes a reflective summary based on the Gibbs model, detailing the auditor's experience, feelings, and evaluation of the store's merchandising strategies. The report concludes with recommendations for improving the customer experience, particularly regarding staffing levels at billing counters. The report also includes appendices and references.

Visual Merchandising and
Styling

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
A floorplan indicating where the product can be found on the shop floor..................................3
Reflective summary.....................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Visual merchandising is a marketing practise where it includes the activities which can
easily influence and attract the customers in definite manner. This kind of practise is implements
at the retail industry where the organization approaches the consumers by adopting the good
knowledge of floor plans, lightening, displays and usage of the technology in fine manner from
which an individual organization can boost up their sales definitely (Brydges, Henninger and
Hanlon, 2022). Zara a renowned fashion retail organization who deals in apparels, footwear,
beauty and personal care products and accessories. Zara is a fast fashion industry who follows
the ethic of reducing the quantity production of the particular style and create a trend on regular
basis as they consider the consumer satisfaction as their priority.
This organization is confident, trendy and provides unique products and services which
creates a differentiation from other fashion retail companies and supports them to develop their
brand image and reputation. Zara focuses on demographical segmentation which includes the
children, men and women between the age of 18 to 40 years with a mid-range income and
delivers their products and services all over the world. The present report will illustrate the
concept and usefulness of the visual merchandising and styling areas and highlights the floor
plan in definite manner. Also, it will include the reflection part which will demonstrate the
proper planning process of the floor plan and provide an appropriate knowledge.
MAIN BODY
A floorplan indicating where the product can be found on the shop floor
A floorplan is a process of indicating the particular product which can be founded on the
shop floor or an organization where it helps to attract and approach the new customers at their
store place. Zara, a fast fashion retail organization who uses the different techniques and actions
to develop their brand image more successful and reputed where an auditing or an inspection
should be done which will demonstrate the appropriate areas of strength and weakness of the
store. Zara created its own online website where they can approach and deliver the new
customers in definite manner and can boost up their sales accordingly (Airey, 2019).

The website contains the loads of images, sizing tips and information and a proper
navigator which helps the customers to identify their needful product. By the development of the
online website, it helps the company to increase their sales which results in higher productivity
level. The external facade of the Zara is unique and classy which attracts the customer in every
possible manner. The term façade simply means a front side of the building which covers the
overall design architecture including the shapes and sizes which showcase the talent by bringing
a building to life. Window display is the fine art of showing the store merchandise in store
window where it has been considered as a dynamic form of advertising and promoting. It is an
effective tool for the company as it determines the image of the store which needs to be changed.

The signage of the company Zara is on the top of the racks and suspended from the
ceiling where it also includes the lightening and a simple design which is visible and comfortable
for the customers to visualise as it includes stainless steel waterproof LED modules and usage of
galvanized sheet painting colour.
However, the company runs the software system for the POS terminals off where
currently working on the DOS platform (Perdana and Tan, 2022). The in-store display of the
Zara is containing the flooring of white and cream ceramics where it also involves the
combination of the ambient and track lightening features where the yellow hue lights have been
displayed. The walls are plain where designed and textured walls are avoided by the store to
concentrate the customer interest and centre stage. A temperature of the store is always
welcoming and cool as it also architecture the trial rooms which are located at the side, away
from the entrance area. A company also focuses on the cleanliness and hygiene. The atmosphere
of the store is very cool, pleasant and a good fragrance is spread over which makes the customer
to feel comfortable and with a good mental peace. A store covers the lightening of yellow hue
colour and a pleasant music is played by the store which attracts the customer in finely manner.
The lightening should be bright where the store has kept their focus on this perspective and apply
the lightening in beautiful and attractive manner.

In addition, the company pathways are quite excellent as wide passages is kept between
the racks and shelves and other kinds of fixtures which provides a proper space to the customers
to explore the store and grab the product they want. The best-selling merchandise is placed
towards the right side of the main entrance of the store as according to the research, customers
move right side when they enter any shop. The fixtures have been placed in proper manner
where it helps the customers to see and grab the products without any difficulty and can increase
the customer satisfaction level in fine manner (Bourabain and Verhaeghe, 2019). A company
Zara always focus on the customer satisfaction area where the appropriate merchandize strategy
is required to be conducted in effective manner.

Zara has chosen the colours s such manner from which they can attract the consumers in
wider manner where the colour scheme of the Zara is unique and effective for them. Company
also offers the multiple payment options at the counters of the store where customers cannot get
difficulty in maximum order and can increase their sell accordingly. Also, the company uses only
black and wooden colour hangers as it suits the internal environment of the store (Hasenstab,
2018). However, Zara product labelling has a shape circle for women products, square basic and
triangle TRF where the employee is able to identify the sizing and can hang it in the store
accordingly. Zara manufactures the products in limited stock as they prefer to launch new trendy
products on regular basis which creates a unique and wider demand among the customers.
Reflective summary
Reflective practise is an ability where it helps an individual person to demonstrate their
experience in definite manner from where other people can be aware of that particular situation.
Being a visual auditor, I went throughout merchandize journey of the company Zara from where
I want to share my auditing experience in well-structure manner. Here, mentioning a reflective
model named as Gibbs which will help me to share my experience in definite manner.

Description: Being a visual auditor, I experienced the situation where I was hired to do the
auditing of the Zara in relation with its merchandising strategies which enable the company to
grow and attract the customers effectively (Koumbis, 2021). When, I was selected for the
merchandising auditing I was not sure that I can be able to do this working activity in successful
manner or not where I have to do for development of my knowledge and my progress
respectively. Through the entire journey, I saw good and bad both parts and situation where I
also grabbed the new knowledge and skill which will be very useful for me in my upcoming
future pathways. I saw that Zara has a well-structured architecture and its excellent ambience
which approaches the customers in maximum manner. Thus, auditing the company Zara was a
good experience for me which will help me out in further situations as well.
Feeling: Auditing is not that much easy as it looks where being an auditor of the retail
organization leads me to went through so many mix feelings. When I was hired to audit the
company strategy, I felt so nervous and it seems to finalize the work as impossible and difficult
for me but I had to perform the activity for the betterment of my future and career growth.
However, I prepared myself and started to learn and research more about the company which
will provide me to understand more about merchandize strategies of the Zara. With my efforts, I
got the online website platform of the company which highlights each area of the company and
enable me to feel good and calm to grab the knowledge more about the services.
Evaluation: Evaluation is the process which demonstrates the good and bad both situation where
while auditing the Zara store, I saw different services and implementation of the rules and
policies which makes the store more unique and different from others. Zara's store do not allow
to click the picture of the store where I also saw that they only allow the students to take the
picture for the educational purpose only (Höllerer, van Leeuwen and et.al., 2019). Visual
auditing of the company was quite a good experience where this differentiation of not allowing
to click the photos was a good strategy the company implements as it will maintain the decorum
and uniqueness of the store. Also, I evaluated that the staff service the store offers should be
more effective, or they should hire more people as their employee because at the billing counter
there was a rush due to lack of staff availability where customers have to stuck in a row for the
billing process where it was a quite bad situation I noticed.
Analysis: During the analysis, I noticed so many things like exterior of the building, its window
display strategy and a signage colour, material and lightening was perfect and makes a unique

from other stores. Furthermore, I saw that internal architecture and designing of the store is vert
attractive, the graphics and technology they use, ambience, the peaceful atmosphere and an
overall surrounding including the music and lightening was perfect. Zara has chosen the yellow
hue colour in the lightening which influences the customers finely. I visualized that the product
branding and labelling was done so accurately which allow the consumers to grab the product
and service which overall result the company in beneficial manner.
Conclusion: From the auditing, it has been concluded that the Zara store is providing all the
essential services and ambience to the customers where I also analysed that the experience was
quite for as when I interacted with the manager and staff of the store they were so polite and
helpful to me from which I was able to audit the store effectively (Cooper and Shoolbred, 2019).
I realized that I am required to improve my communicating ability as it was quite difficult for me
and was very nervous while communicating which I founded that this skill should be improved.
Action plan: Overall, I am required to improve my communicating ability or a skill from which
I can convey the speech to the people in definite manner and can build up the good relation
among the people. For the improvement of the skill, I will join the online courses and also
interact with the people in maximum way which will help me to communicate definitely.
CONCLUSION
The above mentioned report has concluded the visual auditing report of the mentioned
company who is able to approach the maximum number of customer at their store by utilizing
merchandize strategies. However, it has recommended that the store has required to increase the
number of staff for the billing counter as it provides issue in the billing area due to lack of staff
members. The report has performed the whole floor-plan of the store and also included the
reflection part for better understanding.

APPENDICES
Swot analysis
Strength
I believe that I am quite good at visualizing the
current location and providing the accurate
information.
Weakness
I am weak at communication, which I need to
improve for better growth.
Opportunity
By the effective auditing skill and ability, it
will provide me an opportunity in definite
manner and leads me to obtain growth and
development and leads to success.
Threat
Having a threat of lacking in communication
skill which can become an issue in my career
progress.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Airey, D., 2019. Identity designed: The definitive guide to visual branding. Rockport Publishers.
Bourabain, D. and Verhaeghe, P.P., 2019. Could you help me, please? Intersectional field
experiments on everyday discrimination in clothing stores. Journal of Ethnic and
Migration Studies. 45(11), pp.2026-2044.
Brydges, T., Henninger, C.E. and Hanlon, M., 2022. Selling sustainability: investigating how
Swedish fashion brands communicate sustainability to consumers. Sustainability:
Science, Practice and Policy. 18(1), pp.357-370.
Cooper, H. and Shoolbred, M., 2019. Using Feedback to Boost Your Grades. Bloomsbury
Publishing.
Hasenstab, A.N., 2018. An exploration of reflective practice in security risk management: how
senior security managers experience reflective practice. Reflective practice. 19(4),
pp.522-529.
Höllerer, M.A., van Leeuwen, T., and et.al., 2019. Visual and multimodal research in
organization and management studies. Routledge.
Koumbis, D., 2021. An Introduction to Fashion Retailing: From Managing to Merchandising.
Bloomsbury Visual Arts.
Perdana, A. and Tan, J., 2022. Performing business risk assessment with real-world data set and
data visualization. Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases. 12(1), pp.96-
101.