To create an effective shop design, you first need to consider your goals. Some stores are looking to accommodate and offer a substantial number of products, delivering an extensive range to customers. Whereas others might wish to minimise their stock levels, prioritising, instead, their brand and style. To achieve either of these effects requires drastically different store design. Many shops that struggle to reach their goals or satisfy their customers fail to consider this.
While retail goals might differ between businesses, there are essential retail design considerations that support an optimal, well-designed shopping experience for the majority of brick and mortar stores. These designs, whether involving lighting or shop furniture, each contribute and, by incorporating them into your store, you’ll soon find yourself with better business.
Echo Your Product
Your store’s design should complement the aesthetic of your product. By doing so, you create a more immersive experience for customers. For example, healthcare stores often benefit from having clean and sparse interiors, those that destress customers and appeal to a sense of wellness.
By designing their store this way, healthcare retailers are able to suggest the type of lifestyle associated with their product. That is, by using our product you will feel this good. For some businesses, this can be harder to pull off but you should consider your demographic and product appeal nonetheless.
Clarity of Direction
As a customer, navigating a store should be effortless. Once any sense of confusion occurs, frustration soon follows. At a time when store directions are in abundance, with many telling of social distances and sanitising stations, having clarity is important.
Displaying and mounting your signs and posters clearly is essential. They can be supported with dedicated sign fittings that elevate their design and information while adding a respectable consideration to your interior design details. Conversely, try not to overcomplicate the information you display, since too much of it can work against customer understanding.
Consider Decompression
The decompression zone is an essential part of every store, one that allows each customer to transition from the outdoors and begin navigating a store’s layout without stress. Without this space, or by having it filled with products, customers can not only become fluster but can even prevent others from entering. Additionally, any items that are displayed by a shop’s entrance are usually overlooked as customers prioritise getting further within a store than waiting by the door.
Choose Specific Displays
While you may feel every product your store offers is valuable, only a few should be displayed. Having infrequent but dedicated displays not only benefit the products they showcase and those nearby but they help customers to navigate the shop.
If you are advertising sales or specific services, consider giving the information a dedicated area too, such as with cable displays, as these offer direction for the attention of customers, drawing them toward your essentials.
Don’t Deny Social Media
By making your store photogenic, you’re encouraging customers to photograph and share images of your brand and product. In addition to this form of advertising, you’re also encouraging customers to browse for longer, becoming more familiar with your product as they try to capture the right photo.
