CORRELATED Displays  look  best  and  are  most  productive and  convenient  to  the  customer  and  the  store operator   when   items   are   correlated.   Simply defined, this means show together items that are related in use or purpose. It is an old retail axiom that  one  item  will  suggest  another.  Therefore, when arranging displays, see that related items are put together. Set up toiletries in a compact section, cigarettes  and  tobaccos  in  one,  and  jewelry  in another. This treatment of merchandise permits easier selection, and customers do not have to scan several different areas of display to find what they want. It is much more helpful to the customer if toothbrushes are displayed near the toothpaste, shoelaces  near  the  shoe  polish.  This  correlation of  one  item  with  another  usually  acts  as  a reminder  to  customers  and  encourages  or  prompts them to select or buy items that they might have forgotten they needed. You should go through the store   frequently   and   take   a   look   at   your merchandise  arrangements,  determine  whether each  item  is  displayed  to  assist  the  customers, rather than hinder them. ARRANGING   DISPLAYS The  preceding  pages  have  been  devoted  to explaining the principles of displaying and what good  displays  should  do.  Now  that  you  under- stand that merchandise must be treated in certain ways  for  maximum  effectiveness  we  must  consider the means and devices necessary to get the desired results. Many  factors  have  to  be  considered  in  the operation  of  a  successful  and  attractive  retail store.  The  location,  layout,  and  condition  of equipment  are  the  three  elements  involved. Location The most desirable location is an area adjacent to a mess, recreational area, or other high traffic spot. Space in front should be adequate to permit free flow of traffic without disturbing shoppers. Layout Layout of equipment both inside and outside the  store  should  be  planned  to  afford  both  the customer and the operator as much convenience as possible. In this respect, the location, the selling area,  and  the  arrangement  of  shelving  for  fast- selling  merchandise  must  be  considered. Equipment Condition Equipment,    whether   new   or   old,   should always  be  kept  in  good  working  order.  Special attention  should  be  given  to  maintenance  of  locks, door   tracks,   shelf   channels,   and   so   forth. Replacement or repairs should be made without delay when necessary. Fixtures The basic fixture requirements for the ship’s store  are  quite  limited.  The  size  of  the  store  front, space between shelves, and the nature of the items displayed  must  be  considered  before  display fixtures  are  selected  for  use  in  any  store.  Fixtures considered basic for most stores are shown in the Ship’s Stores Afloat Visual Merchandising Guide. Purchase orders for display aids listed should be forwarded  on  a  DD  Form  1155  to  NAVRESSO, at which time prices will be negotiated with the vendors   by   NAVRESSO. Fixtures should be treated with care. Dust and polish  them  before  each  use.  When  not  in  use, store  them  in  a  safe  place  where  they  will  be protected  from  damage  or  breakage.  Fixtures  that have  been  damaged  or  broken  should  not  be  used, since they detract from the appearance of clean new merchandise. Head or shirt forms and other display futures made of papier-mache and coated with plaster can be easily repaired with patching plaster  or  spackle.  Glass,  plastic,  lucite,  and  metal fixtures  should  be  spotless  when  being  used. Discard  those  broken  beyond  repair. Signs Signs are the silent voice of the store operator. They tell the customer where the store is, what is or will be on sale, what the items are, and their price.   Any   other   information,   descriptive   or explanatory, that will help the customer to shop more easily and quickly should also be included. Decorations Decorations should be used in the ship’s store displays to arouse customer interest and add to the  appearance  of  the  merchandise  on  display. Decorations  will  also  alert  your  customers  to approaching events or seasons and remind them to purchase their needs in advance. The previously mentioned Visual Merchandising Guide includes information   on   procurement   of   an   all-season display  kit. 2-9