The Silent Salesperson

Can Improve Your Sales

Sometimes, you simply need one. For example, in order to:

• Make a dress that fits well, if you are a tailor.
• Check how folds envelop a human figure, if you are an artist.
• Demonstrate first aid, if you are a medic.
• And, of course, to display the clothes you are selling.

We are, of course, talking about mannequins. As you can see, they have a variety of uses. In this article, however, we will focus on the role mannequins play in the world of retail, because they are (or should be) an obligatory implement for a serious fashion seller on Bob Shop.

There is a very good reason why mannequins are known as “silent salespeople”. To put it simply, any garment tastefully draped around a human-like form looks more appealing, and is more likely to be sold, than the same garment spread on the floor.

Think about that the next time you are about to photograph a dress or a jacket that’s to be listed on Bob Shop!

Now that we’ve convinced you of the need for a mannequin, another question arises: what kind of mannequin do you need? It all depends on your business and your budget. Here are some of the options you have.

Modern day mannequins are usually made from fibreglass or plastic, or a combination of the two. The plastic ones are more durable, while the fibreglass mannequins are more impressive and, as a rule, more expensive. 

Full body mannequins (with or without head) look stunning and can present an item of clothing in the best possible. On the downside, they tend to be expensive – and difficult to dress, especially if they are made with non-detachable arms and legs.

Three-quarter figure forms have a head, arms and separated legs that end in the vicinity of the knees. In brick-and-mortar stores, it is usually displayed in the spots that cannot accommodate a full-standing mannequin.

Torsos are a full round, headless and armless body form with parted legs that end around the knees or mid-tight. This is a less expensive variety of mannequinsthat will work wonderfully for sellers who specialise in bathing suits, lingerie, sportswear, etc. It can also be used to display shirts, blouses and jackets, although the sleeves are not shown well on a torso mannequin.

Dress forms, also known as dressmaker's mannequins are basically torsos by another name. Even though the curves of a dress form are less articulate than those of a torso, dress forms are very good for showing off a dress or a coat when you want all the attention to be on the item of clothing.
Trunk forms are as a rule masculine. They extend from above the waistline to mid-thigh or to the knees and is suitable for displaying shorts, swim trunks and briefs.

Full leg mannequins extend from waist to toes. They are used to display leggings, pantyhose, pants, skirts and similar items of clothing.

Hanging mannequin forms are probably the most affordable, as well as one of the most versatile. They consist of a headless, armless, moulded front view of the body, up to about mid-tight, with a detachable metal hook attached to the neck.Half form style (no back side) hanging forms are light weight and easy to store. They are for you if you are just starting out selling clothes on Bob Shop. You can use your hanging form to display most items: tops, coats, jackets, etc. However, you won’t be able to show the rear view or the sleeves!

There are also bendable mannequins, as well as a variety of body parts mannequins: heads, hands, legs, and so on). 

Before you make a buying decision, here is a rough list of things to take into consideration when acquiring your first display in a human form:

• How will the items I usually sell look on this specific mannequin?Or, to put it differently: does my business justify an expensive mannequin, will a cheaper torso form do?
• Is the mannequin easy to dress? Full length mannequins with detachable body parts are much more manageable when it comes to getting them into garments with tight-fitting sleeves, for example.
• Do I have adequate storage space?
• How sturdy is the mannequin?
• Is it easy to clean?
• Can the seller help if I need repair and maintenance?

If you need to ask the seller any of these (or different) questions before ordering on Bob Shop, open the relevant listing and click on the Ask the seller a question link, to be found in the top right section.

And when you unpack your newly acquired mannequin, all that remains is to organise a fashion photo shoot of all the items you intend to list on Bob Shop. Good luck!