Merchandising is an integral part of every retail business and its importance to the sector continues to grow. This one-day workshop is designed to give hardware store owners the skills to give their store the competitive edge through visual merchandising techniques and strategies that will make their customers stop, look and buy.
Date: Thursday, 15th October 2026
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise.
Duration: One day
Cost: HAI Members: €275; Non Members: €325
For more information please contact Aoife at [email protected] or 01 2980969.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this Workshop participants will:
- Understand the importance of Merchandising in business
- Learn how to effectively plan the use of available space
- Be able to explain the fundamentals of traffic flow
- Be equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop their own merchandising plan for their store
Course Content
- What is Merchandising?
- Why is it important to our business?
- Planning the use of space
- What are the different types of space available in your store
- How can these spaces be best used?
- Which space is most significant to Merchandising?
- Traffic Flow
- What direction do Customers take in your store?
- Plan accordingly
- Shelf Merchandising
- Feature Displays
- Visual Merchandising
- Tips and tricks to make the Customer STOP and LOOK!
- Examples of Good & Bad Merchandising discussion
- Practical Exercise – examples (if available):
- Review of a video-based tour of a selection of hardware/DIY stores
- Feedback session
Who Should Attend
This workshop is tailored towards the owner/managers of hardware retail stores, builders merchants or agri-stores who are looking to improve and enhance their merchandising efforts.
Methodology
This is a classroom-based training session in the morning, with the afternoon session given over to practical exercises via a video-based exercise.
About the trainer
Originally from Bantry James spent over 23 years in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sector, the majority in Superquinn (now part of the SuperValu group), James is now Ireland’s leading consultant within the retail sector. He was also appointed to the Board of Superquinn during his career there.
In his current role as business consultant and training facilitator, James provides strategic advice and business planning for some of Ireland’s best-known retailers. He has an extensive knowledge of the hardware, builders’ providers and DIY sectors.
He is a regular contributor on retail topics for The Sunday Times, RTE Radio One, Newstalk, etc. He holds an MBA in Retailing and Wholesaling from the University of Stirling in Scotland.
For more information please contact Aoife at [email protected] or 01 2980969.