Merchandising Displays: Behind The Scenes with Rothley

Successful merchandising displays require much more than simply placing products on a shelf. Learn how Rothley's in-house merchandising team plans layouts, installs displays and creates engaging shopping experiences for customers...

Updated on June 10, 2026 by

Charlotte Bolton

At Rothley, we are very lucky to have our own in-house team specialising in merchandising displays. When products/displays need to be installed in a store, we dedicate our time to getting out on the road to visit customers up and down the country. Because of this, we get to spend a lot of time with our customers and see how products are displayed in person.

But there is so much more to merchandising than putting a couple of profiles onto a shelf. Let's take a deep dive into what goes on behind the scenes with our merchandise team.

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Merchandising Displays: The Planning Stage

Once we have spoken to the store owner about which products they would like in their store and which display option they are interested in, there's another step that has to happen before we hit the road. Planning.

Every successful merchandising project starts with planning. The placement of every single product is carefully thought out and considered by our Senior Merchandiser, Dan. He takes into account how customers will interact with the stand, what products we want to push the most on the stand, and how we can make the entire display neat and compact.

'Planning, installing and merchandising our stands takes a lot of preparation before we even arrive at the store. We organise the products in advance, plan the layout and priorities for the day, and often leave very early to make sure we can complete installations before peak shopping times. A lot of the role is about being efficient, adaptable, and making sure every stand is presented to the highest standard.' - Dan, Senior Merchandiser.

Preparing Our Space

Now that the preparation is complete, and we have made it to the store, it's time to create ourselves a workspace. All of our merchandise displays are pre-made in our office workshop located at our head office in Wolverhampton. This allows us to get the bulk of the work pre-done, so when we arrive in-store, the installation time is practically halved. When we arrive at the store, no matter if it is a large chain hardware store or a small DIY business, we do not want to be taking up valuable time and space where customers will be browsing. We want to be in and out.

A photo of a Rothley merchandising display outside, ready to take in-store.

Flooring needs to be cleared, products have to be organised in order of how they will be installed onto the stand, and stock needs to be counted to ensure nothing is missing. This sounds like a very simple step, but if our merch team is working in a very tight aisle space, it can become tricky.

A picture taken of the floor, with Rothley stands in the corner, and a member of staff hoovering the space, to keep it clean and ready for customers.

The Installation Process

And now it's time to finally get on with the main event. And this is easily the longest and tiring part. For this specific installation, our merch team was focusing on profiles and metal sheets. These two products often go hand in hand, so we like to display them next to each other and install them at the same time whenever we can. Both these product types come in a variety of finishes, sizes, and materials, so our previous organisation step was crucial.

A picture of several of Rothley's metal sheets and profiles propped up against a white brick wall

On the merch stand, our products and their labels are colour-coordinated... each colour represents a different material or finish. If the product doesn't align with the correct label, this can make the shopping experience for customers very confusing.

Whenever possible, we like to use lifestyle imagery on our stands to help explain to shoppers where the products can be used in real-life situations. These small touches can really help persuade a customer to make that purchase.

A before photo of Rothley's in-store stands, before any products have been added and it's just the stand

A picture of Rothley's in-store merchandising displays, after it's been filled up with several products.

Merchandising is incredibly important because it directly impacts how customers see and engage with the Rothley brand. A well-stocked and visually appealing display helps our products stand out, improves brand visibility, and encourages customer interest and sales. Strong merchandising also helps create a consistent brand presence across different stores and locations.' - Dan, Senior Merchandiser.