♬ Deck the Halls - Lofi - Gentle State
7. Create an optical illusion
Use 3D and augmented reality (AR) technology to create optical illusions that intrigue passersby. With a digital-first display, you can create all-out experiences, like this giant 3D screen illusion visible from the street. 
@mister_illusions #mister_illusions #giant #3D #screen #led #opticalillusion #outdoor #street #illusion ♬ original sound - sk1ttle
8. Integrate AR technology 
Retailers are using augmented reality more and more to enhance the shopping experience and expand their brand's reach. AR elements allow customers to use their smartphones to see exclusive content or virtual try-ons when they view your display.
@coach Make this your (artificial) reality 💫 stop by the Coach SoHo store to try on our Tabby bag IRL and AR 🤳👛 or head to the @ZERO10: AR Fashion Platform app to try it on mobile #CoachNY #InMyTabby #TabbyBag #ArtificialReality ♬ Infinite - Tarik
Holiday and seasonal display ideas
9. Dive into the season
Putting extra resources into your window display at certain times of year can pay off big. Winter holiday windows attract extra foot traffic as holiday spending increases year over year . 
Design the window using appropriate colors, props, and products for spring, summer, fall, or winter. Consider themed decorations and products for upcoming holidays like Halloween, Valentine's Day, or Christmas . This is another opportunity to leverage your brand. Is your brand cool and sophisticated with snowy fir trees and silver and gold ornaments? Or is it bright and fun with eye-popping colorful decor?
In the example above, Oak and Ivory chose a fall theme to reflect the season. 
10. Showcase art
Use your window display space to showcase beautiful art. Collaborate with artists to create a unique art piece that incorporates your products. 
Or commission someone to paint an inspired mural on your storefront. This also supports your local community, which may inspire shoppers to support you in return. 
@byclaireschorman do you want to see how you can create a window mural? 🎨 I painted this Summer Seafood window display for a local restaurant yesterday🦞Watch along to see my process 🤗 #windowmural #windowpainting #windowpainter #howtopaint #communityart #poscapaintpens @posca_uk  @POSCA USA ♬ Makeba - Jain
11. Have fun with lights
A bright and well-lit window display is always eye-catching, especially at night. "By lighting it properly, you avoid negative shadows that can make garments look small or dowdy," Mujica advises. 
There are lots of inexpensive, programmable LED options available to create vibrant, dynamic displays. Just be careful with harsh effects, like strobe lights, that some passersby find hard to look at.
@diorbeauty Dior Beauty magic overtakes Soho in New York for this Holiday season. Visit us at 109 Greene Street New York. #DiorBeauty #DiorHoliday #GiftTheDiorDream ♬ son original - Diorbeauty
12. Showcase endorsements
If you work with influencers, celebrities, partners, or other types of endorsers, feature them in your window displays. Print images or quotes or highlight a curated collection from a specific collaborator. There are so many ways you can tap into this opportunity for your retail window displays. 
Storytelling and narrative displays
13. Showcase your mascot
Your retail store may not have a mascot like a professional sports team, but if you have any unique branding element, tap into it for a creative window display. 
Take a look at ALE-HOP below. The retailer has their branded cow in a front window display, almost making "eye contact" with people walking in Lisbon's busy city center. 
ALE-HOP storefront featuring products and its cow mascot at eye level with pedestrians. Photo by Alexandra Sheehan
14. Offer collections and bundles
Use window displays to group products into themed collections. Create a display for travel essentials at the start of summer or back-to-school supplies in July and August. 
Primark showcased their collection of baby products in similar colors in their window displays, as seen below. 
Primark's closed back window display shows baby clothes collections with a 3D-like puffy cloud backdrop. Source : VGL
15. Showcase the value of your products
Provide more information about your products with your window displays. Creativity is important, but for smaller retailers, it's crucial to have clear product presentation. You want to target the right buyer as well as let passersby know what you're selling.
Window display illustrating the elements that make up the product's price. Photo by Alexandra Sheehan
Use your window display to educate customers while selling products. For example, link QR codes to landing pages explaining the creative process behind your products.
16. Highlight deals and promotions
If you have any timely deals, sales or promotions going on, use your window displays to highlight them. Some displays use retail signage or decals to draw attention to the deals inside. This invites foot traffic to enter and explore more of what you have to offer. 
Accessorize's window display uses bright sale sign against a background of rainbow prisms and their products. Photo by Alexandra Sheehan
17. Show products in action
Show products being used in real-life scenarios, such as kitchen gadgets in a kitchen setting or camping gear in a mock campsite. Toronto apothecary Leaves of Trees unveiled a window display featuring oversized tubes of their skincare products suspended upside down with cascades of dried roses, grapefruit, and lavender "pouring" out.
Leaves of Trees window display using oversized tubes of their skincare with faux plants representing their products' ingredients. Source: WindowsWear
It's a striking display because of the props' scale, and it highlights the natural ingredients in the retailer's products.
Bold color and prop-heavy displays
18. Go all-in on color
Color is a key component of visual merchandising and helps influence buyer behavior. If your primary goal is to attract customers, red and orange in your window displays draw attention. It's the reason they're used for fire trucks and safety cones.
Use a bold and vibrant color scheme to make your display stand out from afar. Or go for pastels and subtle hues to appear approachable or make shoppers feel relaxed. Regardless, consider how the color makes people feel and if it matches your retail experience. 
Lacoste used color theory when they went all-in on the color red before opening a new location. They actually blocked off the windows with bold red before the store was open. 
Lacoste leverages vibrant red and eye-catching graphics to tease a new store opening. Source : VGL
19. Feature real people
Use live models in clothing or accessories to create a dynamic and engaging experience. Customers expecting to see mannequins will do a double take! If you sell apparel or accessories, set up a mini fashion runway with mannequins posing in your latest collection.
It's not sustainable, but it's a great window display idea for busy or important selling periods. Consider partnering with a local nonprofit or service club aligned with your brand. Members could be your models and combine live action, philanthropy, and community involvement.
20. Put in a carousel
How's this for a whimsical and fun window display idea? Freehold Raceway Mall in New Jersey has a carousel that draws shoppers. You'll also find a nonfunctional but decorative carousel in many of the window displays at The Fantastic World Of Portuguese Sardines shops. 
Mechanical model trains or animatronic figures in holiday windows use a similar concept.
A charming carousel in the Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines window display. Photo by Alexandra Sheehan
How to create a window display 
Setting up your first retail window display may sound a little daunting. Luckily, you don't need a design background to create a compelling store window display. Even if you don't have the budget to hire a retail designer, it's possible to DIY your own display.
Use these steps to guide you through the process of assembling your unforgettable store window display:
1. Define your target audience
Your audience impacts the products you choose to display, the colors you use, and the stories you tell in your windows. 
Keep your ideal customer at the forefront of your strategy. You'll draw those people in and get them excited to shop with you. If you try to create a display that appeals to everyone, you'll end up watering down your design and appealing to no one.
2. Assemble your retail window display toolbox
Before brainstorming complex ideas for your first retail window display, collect the tools for success. You don't want to be halfway through the process only to notice you don't have a tape measure or another essential tool.
Here are basic components you'll need to get started: 
Tape measure
