A buyers guide to purchasing a mannequin

Price plays a big part in any modern retail business. For most retailers, the bigger picture is about building a good looking, practical kit which ultimately increases sales. Here we look at how to make the best purchase you can within your budget.

Getting value for money on a limited budget

• Before you purchase a mannequin, assess whether a much cheaper headless body form or mannequin might fit the bill. And if you’re really on a tight budget, have you considered just hiring mannequins in for special displays such as Christmas?
• Is the price inclusive of the extras you’re going to need to buy? For example does it come with a stand or hanger? If it has covers, are any spares included in the price?
• If your mannequin is going to be in the window of your retail outlet, it’s worth being aware that less expensive models can turn yellow from UV rays or shrink around the wrist joints because of the heat.

Buying used products

• If you want the benefits of displaying clothing on mannequins but don't have the budget, look into buying a used mannequin or another alternative. These include half round display forms, which are injection molded plastic and can be hung from almost anywhere.
• If you’re buying something that’s had that bit more wear and tear it’s worth asking if it comes with a repair kit.
• Where clearance products are concerned, there’s no problem if they’re simply end of line ranges (although you should ask yourself why they’re end of line), but just make sure that if it’s being cleared from stock because it’s faulty, the fault doesn’t render it unattractive.
• Most used mannequins don’t come with a base as fewer retail stores use them. If the bases were made of glass, they tend to get broken over time.

Ease of use

• If you’re buying a mannequin which comes in several parts, how easy is it to assemble?
• Once it is assembled, the mannequin may be dressed by people with varying physical abilities so it needs to be lightweight and easy to move around and transport.
• Regardless of how often you’re going to be changing your mannequin, it needs to be as quick and easy to dress and undress as possible.
• Dressing mannequins isn't easy and can take some time. The posture and construction of the mannequin can have an impact on how easy it will be for you to dress it. Seated and reclining mannequins look dramatic, but are time-consuming to dress.

• Willyou have to detach the feet to dress it in shoes? Mannequins which are supported by a calf spigot rather than through the foot tend to make this easier.
• Does it have any features that will make your life easier? For example a neck-lock system where a head can be added if required?
• Most mannequins are constructed to separate at their seams. The hands detach at wrist, the arms detach at the shoulder, the torso detaches at the waist and the legs either split in half or just one leg detaches from the lower waist. Some mannequins don’t have legs that separate which means you will have less maneuverability when putting on tight trousers or skinny jeans.
• Some mannequins are constructed as all one solid piece, only their arms detach. As long as you are displaying dresses, gowns or coats they’re easy to dress, but if you want to display trousers, shorts or knickers you’ll need to maneuver the entire mannequin, not just the legs. If you’re dressing the mannequin without assistance this could be a deal-breaker.
• Some mannequins, usually the abstract style, have hands that don’t detach from the arms. This is an important element to note if you are putting on garments with a tight-fitting sleeve. With hands that detach from the arm you can put the sleeve on the arm and then attach the hand.

Location Location Location

• If it’s directly under bright lights, matte white is very durable and looks great, but for something more sophisticated, go for a ‘wet look’ reflective finish or one of the pearlescent or opalescent finishes that have recently become available.
• If there isn’t much display lighting in your retail outlet, a glossier, more iridescent finish might be more appropriate
• If your mannequin is going to be in the window of your retail outlet and you want to avoid the yellowing effect of UV rays, invest in a model made of epoxy or resin, which resist fading even under constant exposure.
• Is the mannequin sturdy? From a health and safety perspective, stability is essential. Make sure that the mannequin comes with a stand or hanger or buy one separately
• Don't have room for full-size mannequins? Consider body forms, including torso forms, hand forms, head forms and leg forms. Space-saving body forms can be placed on countertops or tabletops and can be used to sell clothing, accessories, sporting goods and more.
• You could also consider a wall-mounted form if you’re limited on space.

Versatility

• Is the mannequin adjustable? Some have twistable arms, hands and head to create different poses, whilst some bendable products have infinite possibilities.
• For most retail environments, mannequins with positionable arms and legs will provide you with a variety of poses.
• Some have a telescopic pole making them adjustable in height
• If the calf spigot can be adjusted, the mannequin can stand on or off its base yet remain totally stable
• Will you be able to add and take away from the mannequin to suit your needs in the longer-term? For example, some mannequins come headless but have a neck-lock system where a head can be added if required.
• For petite sizes or vintage clothing it might be advisable to buy a junior rather than woman's size mannequin

Buying a stand

• Mannequin stands are either made of a commercial glass, (very contemporary looking but breakable), Plexiglas (very functional but can get easily scratched) or metal (very durable but can be heavy which might be an issue if you plan on taking the mannequin to tradeshows).
• Most glass and Plexiglas bases are round and while the metal bases are square or rectangular. The shape of the base could impact how much space you need to allocate on the floor or store window.
• You might decide not to use a base and put the mannequin’s rod directly into a flange that is permanently affixed to the floor.