Sept. 3, 2025

FALL MERCHANDISING SECRETS — SHELF TALK WITH CO-HOST SUSAN ESAYIAN!

FALL MERCHANDISING SECRETS — SHELF TALK WITH CO-HOST SUSAN ESAYIAN!

Susan and Michelle reconnect for another insightful episode of Shelf Talk! They start by sharing their experiences from recent gift shows in Vegas and New York, and how they both took the time to decompress and recharge at home. Susan reveals the challenges and excitement of managing holiday decor for new stores, including dealing with inventory mishaps.

The duo dives deep into merchandising strategies, emphasizing the importance of sales reports in driving successful displays and the value of consistent visual storytelling. They share their favorite fall display elements such as faux fur, wrapped boxes, books, wood boxes, and natural items like corn stalks and pine needles — all perfect for creating inviting and cohesive displays.

Susan and Michelle then answer listener questions, covering topics like maintaining high-end jewelry displays in busy boutiques, balancing decor without overshadowing products, when and how often to refresh displays, tips on folding clothing for consistency, introducing higher price-point lines, and creative ways to pull together vignettes for add-on sales.

Ask Michelle and Susan for Shelf Talk! Michelle and Susan will be co-hosting an episode every month! We’re diving into all things design, display, and merchandising—and we want to hear from you! Got a question? Submit it by going to theretailwhorepodcast.com, clicking on SHELF TALK, and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Let’s talk shop and bring your ideas to life!

What's inside:

  • Managing holiday inventory and overcoming shipping challenges
  • Favorite fall display props and natural elements for store ambiance
  • Creative vignette ideas for increased add-on sales and storytelling

Mentioned In This Episode:

susan@ruepatois.com
Ruepatois.com
Rue Patois on Instagram
MC Design Collaboration on Instagram

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