We have changed the main display of our book sale for the third time in just over two weeks and one of my shops. Experience has shown that regular refreshing of the display which faces into the mall is crucial to drawing new traffic. We have a plan and are cycling through popular categories: food, children’s, self help, fiction and men’s. The latest changes put children’s titles on display. As is often the case, while making the display passers-by are drawn in and make a purchase.
Our experience with books is that they are not a set and forget category. The more attention you provide the better they perform. In addition to regularly reconfiguring the display (by taking everything off and rebuilding), we tidy every couple of hours for the duration of the sale.
Book sales are up 15% on a year on year same store basis.