Offering products that consumers want is great. But if you don’t set up your store in a way that makes the shopping experience a good one, or display your items in an effective manner, getting customers in your store becomes difficult, and your sales will suffer. Knowing how to set up your store’s layout is important. A successful layout will get them in the door, keep them there and encourage them to buy. Here is the science behind a great retail layout design.
It Starts with the Entrance
The entrance of your store, which is often dubbed the “decompression zone” is where your customers transition from the outside (the interior of the mall or the street) to the inside. This is where you make your first impression, and first impressions are everything. Customers will get a feel for the environment of your store, the organization, and the coordination. They most likely won’t pay too close attention to items or signs that are placed there. The entrance is where customers get to see what you’re all about.
The Path of Your Store
Approximately 90% of all shoppers unwittingly turn right when they enter a store. It just seems to feel more natural. For this reason, the first wall on the right should be considered carefully. Use the right wall to entice your customers to travel further, bringing them in with high demand and seasonal items.
As you draw customers further into your store, you are going to want to create displays that provide them with as much exposure to what you have to offer as possible. This can be done with using colors and textures or by creating displays apart from one another that continually grab attention.
Encourage Loitering
Entice your customers to linger a bit longer at strategically placed stops throughout your store, this way they don’t just hurry along and miss anything. This can be done by using well conceived signage or displays that encourage impulse buying. These displays should complement the products around them, so when customers see them, they want to find the other products you have to go along with them. You should change up these displays periodically, however. Otherwise your customers will become bored.
If you want your customers to linger and shop, you’re going to want them to be comfortable. Customers, even if they really want a particular product, are going to be less likely to go after it if they feel cramped or have to continually bump into others. Not many people like their personal space invaded. To make sure your customers feel comfortable enough to browse, make sure all of your displays offer plenty of breathing and navigation room.
End on a Good Note
Knowing exactly where to place your checkout counter can be difficult. While it would seem natural to end on the left side of the front, since most customers turn right, being able to do this really depends upon how much space you have to work with. Wherever you decide to place your counter, make sure that it’s big enough to accommodate products. And, you can use your counter as a last-minute sales opportunity. Place a small seasonal display nearby to encourage impulse buys. And don’t forget to change it up every once in a while, which can greatly help retain interest.
Setting up your store to generate maximum interest and sales is an art form, and one that requires constant changes to keep customers coming back and buying more. InStore Design Display can provide you with all of your display needs – slatwall, gridwall, tables, shelves, racks, showcases, tabletop displays and even checkout counters. Start browsing today!
