When Leatherman brings its products to retail spaces, they must strike a balance between two important considerations. On one hand, it’s important the Leatherman multi-tools (with sharp instruments) are kept secure for customer safety. On the other hand, the potential customer needs hands-on interaction with these complex products to gain appreciation for the quality and build confidence in their purchase.

This is a challenge many retailers face: working amidst safety requirements while delivering what brick-and-mortar retail does best — the chance to interact with the product. The merchandising solutions we’ve developed together solve for both to create a great experience for the customer that store associates can easily guide.

Floor and countertop display options designed for manufacturability

“We send display concepts to Platform, but we don’t always have a lot of specifics, so we need to sort it out together. They understand what we want, the look or changes we’re exploring, and make it manufacturable and cost-effective.”

Like with many of our partners, Leatherman delights its various kinds of retail buyers by presenting options to suit their unique needs. Large outdoor retailers in the US have an abundance of floor space, where the six-foot floor displays can showcase the product up top and store inventory in the lower half. Many customers in Europe, however, are working with much smaller floor plans. In their environment, countertop displays are the most efficient way to make the product safely accessible without sacrificing brand appeal. Whatever the scale, the combinations of wood, powder-coated metal, and graphics align the whole set of options with the trusted outdoor brand.

While Leatherman is always improving and rolling out new products, the general shape of the tools doesn’t change all that much. We work with them to design displays that easily accommodate the many variations. The main components of the sturdy locking cases remain constant while the strong magnets inside work for all sizes and arrangements of products. Instead of visual merchandising as another variable to account for from season to season, their go-to displays are a source of simplicity and stability in their business.

The partnership with Platform

Over the past several years working with Leatherman, we’ve laid the groundwork for long-term success in addition to meeting annual goals for display updates and steady inventory. The solid foundation of our relationship makes for an enjoyable collaboration. We understand one another’s businesses, have established communication norms, and know what to expect from one another.

“We’ve tried other display suppliers but haven’t had a lot of success. There were quality and delivery problems that we’ve never had with Platform. With Platform, it’s easy to get information back and forth. They understand our concepts, do a great job on design, and turn it quickly.”