There are many elements that can make or break your retail store, including interior design. Good interior design can increase sales while bad interior design can put you out of business in no time. You can have the best product in town but if no one can navigate your store without getting a headache they are going to shop elsewhere. In today’s day and age the competition is heightened in every last aisle, which is why every decision that goes into your interior build out is fundamental to overall success.
Answer the following questions to help determine if your interior build out is moving in the right direction.
Are the colors used throughout your store harmonious?
Color is incredibly important when it comes to making your mark on customers. Colors need to be in synch with one another, speaking the same message so as not to confuse. Don’t be afraid to go bright, but don’t over do it by using a bunch of bright colors that don’t go together. Consulting with a designer is a wise idea in order to create a look that compliments the style and motto of your business, all while making customers feel compelled to shop.
Is your store easy to navigate, even if someone has never been there before?
No one wants to feel like they are lost in a maze wandering through your store. Not only is this frustrating but it’s time consuming—and no one has time for that! One study surveyed 1,000 consumers, all of which agreed that ease of navigation is incredibly important when it comes to choosing where they shop on a regular basis.
Make your store less complicated by clearly labeling sections or stations and avoiding cluttered and disorganized displays. For instance, in a grocery store there is the deli, bakery and frozen food sections, all of which are clearly separated and marked. The same is true for clothing stores where clearly marked stations separate different types of clothing. Clothing is also generally grouped by gender and age.
What’s located in the front right corner of your store?
Humans might seem complicated but they are highly predictable. In fact, there are certain parts of your store that’ll naturally produce more sales, namely the front right corner. This part of the store tends to get the highest foot traffic because people tend to move counterclockwise through any physical space.
Knowing that shoppers are automatically drawn to the front right side of your shop gives you a huge advantage. This is where you should stock your best selling items and products with the highest profit margins.
What’s located at the back of your store?
What is your easiest item to sell, or rather your “bread and butter”? Grocery stores put staples, like bread and butter, at the back of the store for a reason. No matter what, people are going to come in wanting these basic goods. By placing them at the back of the store customers must walk through countless other displays, often enticing an additional purchase or two. Anything that sells itself and ultimately drives customers into your store should be placed at the back of the store.
Does your shelving and hardware tell a story about your brand?
What type of shelving, hardware and decorative accents fill up your shop? Don’t skimp out on these items as they play an important role in creating a nice looking storefront people trust and are naturally drawn to. Even the smallest details can make a big difference, prompting customers to place a greater value on your product.
Is your storefront bold enough to draw in new customers off the street?
The front of your store is the easiest way to draw in new customers. That means your storefront needs to boldly advertise what you offer and why you’re the best in the business. Appropriate signs, window displays and other creative measures can help you secure more foot traffic.
What kind of lighting does your store have?
Several studies have found that adding lighting to a store can boost or decrease sales. One study in particular used different LED-based lighting patterns to see how it impacted customer behavior. The results showed that implementing AmbiScene-controlled lighting increased sales on average by 1.93% per customer when compared to traditional lighting. Researchers also found that customers spent more time in parts of the store with warmer light settings as opposed to cooler settings.
Quick tips for good lighting:
-Use natural lighting wherever possible. It may serve as a good investment to add windows during your interior build out.
-Place lighting in desirable locations so that it helps customers as opposed to blinding them.
-Make sure lighting is evenly dispersed throughout the store.
-Use shelf-integrated lighting to highlight products.