The way that you arrange your retail store sounds like a fairly simple task. Obviously, you want your store to flow well; you want customers to be able to find what they need; and you’d like there to be an aesthetic benefit to the overall look.
There’s no denying that the aspects described above are important, but they’re not the full story when it comes to the organisation of your retail store. In reality, the way that you lay out your store could be the difference between your store being successful and your store floundering to stay afloat— shop floor organisation really is that crucial. So if you want to be sure you’re always making the most of your display, here’s the “dos” and “don’ts” you need to keep in mind…
DO: Separate the displays
An endless row of shelves is not how you want your retail store to look. This kind of arrangement is dull, uniform, and oddly industrial. It also means that customers can just walk up and down the aisles to find exactly what they need, which isn’t ideal; you want customers to browse, to be tempted by items they hadn’t been intending to buy.
Instead of simple rows of shelves featuring your products, opt for a range of different display units like cardboard display stands. Some rows are fine, but you’re also going to want to integrate a POS display stand to draw the customer’s eye to particularly successful products, as well as small “pop up” units that can be used to showcase seasonal items.
DON’T: Obstruct the walkways
As useful as displays are, they shouldn’t obstruct the walkways around your store. Customers need to be able to move freely in general, but they also need the space to actually be able to look down and study the different display options in front of them. It’s important that you space your displays so that they’re comfortable to view even if the store is crowded.
DO: Provide seating
Many stores don’t provide seating as they wish to keep customers browsing, but this is an exclusive policy that does your store no good. People with disabilities, older shoppers, and parents will all appreciate a store that provides some form of seating in the layout. Of course, you’re going to want to ensure that your seating is positioned within a sightline of a display stand, so even customers who are resting for a moment are still able to browse your products.
DON’T: Forget to provide guidance
The larger your store is, the more likely you are to need directional guidance on your layout. A few arrow signs indicating the way to the nearest checkout, exit, and fire escape can increase the usability of your store and make it more customer-friendly.
In conclusion
The organisation of your retail store’s layout is crucial to the success of your overall enterprise. If you keep the above “dos” and “don’ts” in mind, you should be able to create a fantastic store experience that helps to both drive sales and provide a welcoming atmosphere for your customers.