A properly planned Retail Store Layout is very effective to increase customers and enhance sales. Therefore in case retailers have not paid attention to their Retail Store Layout in a while, they must start working on it. In this article, the Teranoid team has come up with some effective Retail Store layout tips that retailers need to implement in their stores.
Implement Appropriate and Effective Retail Store Layout Plan
There are different kinds of Retail store layout and floor plans. Let’s discuss a few of the retail store layout types. Firstly, there is the straight floor plan. As the name suggests, the straight floor plan places the shelves in a straight order. Further this layout plan focuses more on convenience than beauty and décor. That is to say, it makes the items reachable to the customers. Moreover the store layout is the simplest and most economical of all. However there are other layout plans as well such as the loop floor plan, Angular plan, geometric and free flow plan and several others. Therefore retailers can decide which of these Retail Store Layout plan best suits their business.
Consider the Customers while planning Retail Store Layout
Retailers should monitor the way the customers move in the store. Consequently retailers will be able to know the direction that customers turn towards as they enter the store. Therefore retailers can design their retail store layout according to their customers demands and wants. For example, retailers can place their popular products in the direction where the customers turn. Therefore retailers should analyze their store and see if it is corresponding to the customers’ needs and desires.
Floor mapping for Retail Store Layout
Mapping the floor is also a significant layout tip that helps retailers immensely. Therefore it is through the paper map that retailers are able to view the store’s layout properly and work on the areas that need improvement. Further retailers will be able to know how the traffic flows and the place where the products should be placed. Moreover it is a lot easier to move the products in store by following the map. Above all, it has become very easy these days to make maps through floor map tools.
Focus on the Decompression Zone
Certainly, retailers should not place their essential products in their decompression zone. In other words, the decompression area of the store is the one where the customers adjust to the surroundings of the new store. As a result, the shoppers seem distracted. Therefore they must lose focus and probably will not notice the items that are placed in the very beginning. Therefore retailers are suggested that they keep this place simple and with very few items.
Adequate Space in the Retail Store Layout Plan
It is essential that the store’s cupboards and fixtures should have adequate spacing so that customers can move freely in the store. Further, it makes the store look attractive. Moreover, it is through ample space that the products are given value by the customers. That is to say, the products placed in the form of a clutter are not noticed the way individual products are. Therefore retailers need to take care of the fact the customers do not bump into each other and with the shelves and fixtures. As a result, consumers get distracted and irritated which results in loss of sales and customers.
Speed Bumps
Speed bumps are meant to slow down the speed of the customers in the store. That is to say, the purpose of these speed bumps is to get the customer attention towards certain products of the store. This includes attractive displays. Further, these speed bumps can also set the customers in motion. For example, some form of activity that encourages them to participate. Therefore retailers should implement the speed bumps in their store to grab customer attention towards products. For this purpose, firstly retailers should focus on lighting. In other words, lighting is great to grab customer attention. Therefore it is one of the most effective ways to get customer attention. Secondly, there should be enough speed bumps in the store.
Provide exceptional Experience
When retailers design the store layout, retailers should ensure that their store layout provides exceptional experience to their customers. That is to say, not just the store display matters but also the customer experience is equally important. For example, retailers can spare a part of the store for testing products or providing space to sit and relax.
To conclude, retailers should revamp their stores if they have not focused enough on their store layout for a while. Philip Rist has rightly said;
“Shopping is a sensory experience. People are subconsciously recording things like the layout of the store, the lighting, whether the aisles are overflowing, whether the prices are clearly indicated and how easy or difficult it is to find a product every time you visit a store.”