Business Événements Published at 31 March 2025

Visual Merchandising: Why the Rule of Three is Essential?

How can you create a loyal customer base and boost your sales? According to Sophie Edery, the director and founder of the Bordeaux-based consulting agency BICHE, the answer lies in visual merchandising and its rule of three.

On January 18, 2025, Who's Next launched the first edition of WSN Academy, its new conference space dedicated to brands and multi-brand retailers. The goal? To provide solutions to their development challenges. Sophie Edery, from the Bordeaux consulting agency BICHE, opened the event. Drawing on her 35 years of experience in marketing, communication, art direction, and cultural development, Edery shared her insights.

"In Western culture, the number 3 is omnipresent because it makes decision-making easier," she explained in her presentation. "It's a major triangular system for analyzing and reflecting on purchasing behavior." More than simply advising its use, Sophie Edery applies the rule of three at Richy's, her husband's multi-brand boutique. This cool & iconic shop offers a curated selection of 40 brands for women, men, and unisex wardrobes. "Applying the rule helped the store evolve, integrating eco-friendly brands, which required more sophisticated visual merchandising," Edery noted. Let's look at how this rule of three has proven effective.

Rule #1: Define the Identity of Your Store

 

"The challenge for multi-brand stores is to act as a wardrobe. It's not enough to sell a specific brand; you need to offer a cohesive wardrobe," explains Sophie Edery. For her, a store manager or visual merchandiser (VM) must act as the artistic director of the space, giving it a unique identity and providing a specific customer experience that drives purchasing. "By showcasing your vision of fashion, you'll build customer loyalty."

 

To achieve this, you need to think about "personas" or archetypes of your customers. "You need to think of your mannequins, both in-store and in the window, as representatives of your current customers and the clientele you want to attract," the expert advises. She recommends giving personas names, ages, and habits to better define what they would wear, foster loyalty, manage inventory, and attract new customers. Communication tools like social media, newsletters, or SMS can help. "This also helps train your sales team to provide better advice," Edery adds. The goal? This is to ensure customers leave with the entire outfit you propose.

Rule #2: Stage Your Store


As its name suggests, visual merchandising is the visual and, therefore, visible application of your marketing ambitions. Two key elements are essential: color management and the customer journey.

 

Regarding color, Sophie Edery again emphasizes the power of the number 3: three color tones, three wardrobe pieces that complement each other, and three brands. Using the 12-color color wheel already provides coordination ideas that can inspire customers to go beyond their initial expectations. "White, black, and denim are not colors," she points out. "They are used to add rhythm to different sections." She insists, "A rack should showcase and organize a complete outfit. And sticking to three brands is smart because offering more choices sometimes reduces sales opportunities."

 

As for the customer journey, the founder of BICHE highlights the importance of "Wazing" the customer, referring to the GPS app Waze. "There are hot zones, which attract attention because they showcase key pieces; cold zones for staples like denim and coats, which customers naturally gravitate toward; and lost zones where mirrors and fitting rooms should be located and reflect the store's vibe." Design each area to engage the customer and spark conversations — think accessories, bags, and shoes that complement the main pieces.

Rule #3: Don't Forget the Scenography

 

"The idea is to make customers want to say, 'I'll take everything,'" Sophie Edery says with a smile. She praises &Other Stories, a flagship brand of the H&M group, as a champion of this rule, with its collections sold by theme and category. "You must consider your window displays and include at least three outfit options. Remember that items in the middle sell better than those on the top or bottom, so regularly rearranging the store layout is essential." Small decorative elements also shouldn't be overlooked, as they personalize the store and highlight selected pieces.

 

Her final tips? Don't wait for lookbooks or inventory to start planning outfits. "You need to photograph your ideas as you buy and imagine looks on the go. Also, set it up during opening hours, as it creates customer conversation points. Start with the hot zone. Once an outfit is close to being sold out, completely change the mannequin display," she advises.

 

The rule of three brings a bit of fun back to managing a store while emphasizing the core of the business: creating honest and sincere interactions with customers. "I repeat," concludes Sophie Edery, "don't apply the rule of three rigidly. Instead, think of a living wardrobe brought to life by embodied characters. And always remember that in our stores, we are artistic directors with a distinct point of view”.

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