A stand with empty pockets or hooks where products were located can be off-putting to shoppers.

Messages they are likely to take away from seeing this is: “oh the best items have been sold” or “the business can’t afford to top up their stock” or “that’s a messy and incomplete stand”.

My experience is a full stand works better than a half-empty stand. This is why it is good practical to keep a stand of good-selling items at near full capacity.

A full stand also presents a more positive view of the business.

While I understand the challenges of managing cash and that it can be necessary to not always order when we want, it is important to prioritise the buying that will give you the best return. This is where knowing your business performance data comes in.

I took this photo in an Australian newsagency, but saw similar display poorly fill displays on my recent visit to the UK. The retailer had delayed ordering replenishment stock for items that had sold out in a few weeks because they had spent money on new speculative items. Replenishing the items on this stand would have provided a more certain return on their investment.