Brand owners and shop managers stock the premises with the latest products and designs but often overlook retail mobile shelving. No customer would want to dive into a heap of clothes and look for the best colours and designs. Presentation matters, and you can’t deny it. Displaying products correctly and in proper lighting gets customer attention and increases the chances of sales.
The global retail shelving market is valued at USD 2643.22 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 5170.83 million by 2031 (8.89% CAGR growth between 2024 and 2031). The pandemic may have led to a massive increase in E-commerce sales, but many people still like to feel and touch products before buying them.
With the proper implementation of shelving and storing strategies, brick-and-mortar stores can boost impulse purchases, enhance visual appeal, and improve efficiency. A report indicates that retail companies that leverage retail mobile shelving have increased sales by 5% to 15% each year. This blog will shed light on the different retail mobile shelving solutions types.
10 Most Popular Mobile Shelving Solutions for the Retail Sector
Below are some of the most common retail mobile shelving options. We will discuss them in detail.
1. Modular Corner Units
As the name suggests, modular corner units are shelves that make excellent use of corner space. Owing to their modular nature, employees can add or remove sections of these units to store different types and sizes of products. Corner spaces in shops and stores often stay unutilized. These modular corner units make optimum use of corner space. They enhance the store’s look and feel while facilitating easy movement of customers and employees.
Most importantly, these corner units serve multiple purposes. One can use them to highlight new products, especially those suitable for vertical stacking. Businesses that want to stockpile other items like store pamphlets, flyers, stationery, or clearing suppliers can use these units and keep them away from public view.
Which Businesses are Modular Units Most Suitable for?
Although it depends on product type and local regulations, modular units are most suitable for pop-up shops, temporary and seasonal stores, kiosks, and franchise businesses.
2. Illuminated Displays
Illuminated displays use lighting to capture visitor attention and highlight products. These illuminated shelves come in different shapes and sizes, including light boxes, shelf lighting, signage, display cases, interactive displays, and more.
Besides attracting customer attention, these illuminated displays highlight text or graphics, allowing walk-in customers to read and understand the finer details. Additionally, businesses can use illuminated displays to alter the lighting and color to suit the ambiance, occasion, and product type.
Which Businesses Are Illuminated Displays Most Suitable for?
Businesses that can make the most of illuminated displays are brands selling high-end items like luxury watches, cosmetics and beauty products dealers, electronics stores, and seasonal retailers.
3. Wall Shelving Units
Wall shelving units are made of various materials, including wood, acrylic, and metal. Wooden shelves lend a natural, rustic feel to the premises, while metal shelves are perfect for modern interiors. Acrylic units are glossy and luxurious, making cleaning and maintenance effortless.
The best thing about wall shelving units is that they make the best use of wall space. Businesses with limited floor space opt for these units. Versatility is another plus point of these shelves. Employees can arrange and rearrange them to fit in products of different shapes and sizes. Furthermore, customers can find products easily on wall shelving units without having to exert themselves.
Which Retail Businesses Are Wall Shelving Units Most Suitable for?
Pharmacy stores, clothing brands, bookstores, hardware stores, and convenience stores are among the retail businesses that can most benefit from wall shelving units.
4. Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are shelves fastened to a wall without any visible support. It gives people the impression that they are floating in the air. The shelves have internal brackets fitted with two rods from the inside.
Screws under the shelf help fasten them to the wall. Installing various floating shelves vertically allows for maximum space usage. Their versatility means you can stock different products on these shelves and make the premises look more organized.
Lastly, businesses can easily remove these shelves and fit them elsewhere to suit business demands.
Which Retail Businesses Are Wall Shelving Units Most Suitable for?
Retail businesses that favour wall shelving units include bookstores, clothing brands, home goods stores, convenience stores, and electronic stores.
5. Gondola Ends
Gondola ends, also known as end caps, are shelves at the end of shelving units. They look more like extensions. The main objective of gondola ends is to highlight new arrivals, special offers, or promotional items. Besides grabbing customer attention, gondola ends also increase item sales.
Customers will instantly notice items displayed attractively at the end of the aisle.
Employees can even place discounted products or ones nearing expiry on gondola ends to speed up sales. Placement is critical with gondola ends. When placed near entrances, walkways, and checkouts, they yield the best results. Choose the products carefully and experiment with colours, layouts, and presentation.
Which Retail Businesses are Gondola Ends Most Suitable for?
Retail businesses like convenience stores, pharmacies, liquor stores, department stores, cosmetic stores, jewellery, and toy stores will benefit the most from gondola ends.
6. Gondola Displays
Gondola displays are freestanding units in stores and malls that display merchandise. With flat bases, these gondola units are connected with other gondola units to form large aisles, or they can be single standalone units. Big retailers like Costco, Walmart, Kroger, and others have multiple interconnected gondolas, whereas the smaller stores have separate, single gondolas.
Businesses can customise their gondolas using shelves, hooks, baskets, and other display attachments to house products of different sizes and shapes. Gondolas allow businesses to make optimal use of floor space and display large product quantities. Customers can walk over to these displays and pick up their favourite products. Most retail giants use the units to set up separate aisles for different product categories. Businesses can also customise these units to promote new products or seasonal offerings.
Which Retail Businesses are Gondola Displays Most Suitable for?
Gondola displays are ideal for businesses selling small to medium-sized products and relying on visual merchandising for sales. They are not suitable for bulky or oversized products.
Businesses that can benefit from gondola displays include grocery, convenience, hardware, pharmacy, and department stores.
7. Gridwall Displays
Gridwall displays are a versatile option to showcase products. These displays have a metal grid-like structure made of steel or wire mesh. Attaching these grid wall displays with various attachments allows businesses to fit in different kinds of products and display them attractively.
The attachments with these grid wall displays include baskets, bins, shelves, hooks, arms, and brackets. Besides its modular design allowing businesses to accommodate diverse products, it offers greater flexibility to alter shop layouts and promote new products. Most importantly, these grid wall displays are economical and last for years. Even if some parts get damaged, store employees can replace them easily. Cleaning these grids is also pretty simple.
Which Retail Businesses Are Gridwall Displays Most Suitable for?
Clothing, convenience stores, electronics, hardware, crafts, sports, toys, and bookstores are among the businesses that benefit the most from grid wall displays. Party supply stores and pharmacies also use grid wall displays to showcase their products.
8. Slatwall, Mesh back, and Pegboard Shelves
In simple language, slat walls are vertical boards with horizontal grooves. These grooves are compatible with hooks, shelves, and other attachments to facilitate easy customization. Most slat walls are made of acrylic, metal, plastic, or steel. Durability is one of the most salient features of these slat walls. They can hold heavier objects compared to other shelves.
These shelves are not only reasonably priced, but they also offer a simple customization process to suit your bespoke business needs. With slatwall displays, you get a cost-effective solution that doesn’t require a toolbox. All you need to do is assemble the fixtures and panels, and your products can be stacked.
Which Retail Businesses Are Slat Walls Most Suitable for?
The most common users of slat walls are workshops, garages, sporting goods shops, hardware, electronics, convenience stores, craft, toy, and pet stores.
9. Mesh Back Shelves
Mesh back shelves, aka gondola shelves, are popular storage shelves used by industrial and retail companies. They are flat platforms made of wood or metal. Businesses choose from different varieties of mesh back shelves. They consider factors like weight-bearing capacity, air circulation, adjustability, durability, and ease of cleaning.
These shelves feature upright posts that provide sturdy support, ensuring the shelves stay in place. The back panel, a grid made of fused metal wires, offers a unique adaptability. This see-through design allows for 360-degree visibility, excellent airflow, and light penetration, making it a versatile and flexible storage option.
Most importantly, mesh back shelves are lightweight and cost-effective. One can move them around and transport them easily.
Which Retail Businesses Are Mesh Back Shelves Most Suitable for?
Mesh-back shelves are popular in grocery, convenience, hardware, clothing, and electronics stores. Businesses choose mesh-back shelves based on their product range and specific objectives.
10. Pegboard Shelves
Pegboards have a flat board with holes in them at regular intervals. Pegs and hooks can fit in these pegboards. Businesses can store different kinds of objects on these shelves. The thickness of the pegboard depends on the material used. Acrylic shelves are perfect for lightweight objects and a multi-level display. Most pegboards come in rectangular or square shapes.
There are different types of pegboard shelves. The ones with hooks are ideal for displaying items like mugs, tools, or mugs. On the other hand, businesses selling clothes, souvenirs, or other lighter objects use straight pegs. If businesses require additional storage space, they can consider attaching bins or shelves to pegboards.
Which Retail Businesses Are Mesh Back Shelves Most Suitable for?
Due to their versatility and customization options, mesh back shelves are popular with toy stores, merchandise sellers, and accessories sellers. They are commonplace in educational institutions, workshops, and studios.
Final Thoughts
The above shelving solutions are just a few examples. Businesses can get creative and use multiple shelving solutions to improve their operations. However, companies must ask themselves a few questions before choosing a shelving solution.
- What is the size of my business space?
- Why do I need the shelves?
- What is it made of, and how much weight can it hold?
- Is it suitable for my business type?
- Can I install it easily?
- Does it fit in my budget?
Every retail shelving solution has pros and cons. By considering the above questions, companies can analyse their business requirements and make the right decision. Do not choose shelving solutions solely based on their appearance or aesthetics. A shelf that ticks all the boxes for a hardware shop may not be practical for a pharmacy store. Consult an expert if you need help with installation or choosing the right shelving solution for your business.
