Every consignment, resale and thrift shop on the planet, it seems, needs more space. Space for merchandise, space for marketing, advertising space. Space to impress and lure shoppers inside.
And yet, so many shops don’t use the 45 to 120 or more square feet right in front of their noses. And more importantly, in front of their potential customers’ noses.
What am I talking about? Your windows!
Whether they’re extravagant floor-to-ceiling glass in a typical strip center, or cute mullioned panes in a cozy cottage, these “blank canvases” are all too often left blank, their marketing possibilities unrealized. So here’s some ways you might be able to get full value out of this under-used retail space:
Use your windows for your name and tagline.
The shop name’s at pedestrian level in this strip center.
Or even for a tempting call-out about what customers can find inside.
Notice the lettering’s up high so it can be seen above any parked cars.
Use your windows for seasonal decor, to get passers-by thinking about what treasures will make their enjoyment even greater.
Source: Uploaded by user via Kate on Pinterest
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Or use your windows to make a branding statement.
Source: missmatildasboutique.co.uk via Kate on Pinterest
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Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
After expanding my store this year, I really need to add lettering to my windows. I just haven’t been able to figure out exactly what I want it to say. Thanks for the great examples you posted. It really helps to see what others are doing.
Glad it helps, Julie. First decide whether the lettering needs to be at pedestrian eye-level or higher up, to show past parked cars. The decide on what will make people WANT, DESIRE, indeed *LUST* to come in. If her style suits your shop’s image/branding/personality, ask Kate Buck for the great wording she used a few stores back… I remember “cheeky” was part of it 🙂
Since we are no longer able to sell cribs, we took the last one we owned and turned it into a window display for our nicer crib and bedding sets!
Great lemons-into-lemonade, Stacy! Have you seen the benches made of cribs? If it suits your shop’s situation, could be a great word-of-mouth sidewalk bench!
We use ours for vinettes, or large displays of furniture. This morning we sold 2 wicker chairs that has a whought Iron set of nesting tables and a fern. Super simple. Sold the entire set in the first hour of business. Yahoo!!!
Oh, darn, and I just spent the morning LOOKING for 2 wicker chairs ;)… did you use any of the Pinterest window-painting/ lettering ideas to use the actual glass of your window… which is what I meant by neglected real estate?
I have a beautiful location in a small town with flower-filled sidewalks and olde town street lamps. My shop has a huge window that gives me about 100sf of space. I have my logo reproduced on the window in white, using the same font and style as my logo on my business cards. It seems to draw people in, combined with the super cute dresses and other odd items (Tory burch shoes!) in the window. I hear all the time that girls are making their moms drive by to see what’s new in the window, and everytime they see my phone number and soon, my website addy. It’s a bit OT, but I was so thrilled today when I overheard two moms talking and one said “my daughter would not leave me alone until we came in” and the other replied, “I’ve been hearing about this shop for months! It’s really cute and I know X (daughter) is so excited to be at Abigails Closet!!” Then they went on to buy $400 of clothing and stuff between them. BIG SMILE!!