Looks are important — and this applies to retail stores. The overall appearance of your shop can make or break your business. With a well-designed store, you can make customers feel comfortable and encourage them to check out your products.
If you can’t remember the last time you redesigned your shop, make the decision to overhaul the appearance of your business. Here are a few simple changes to get you started:
Improve the Store Lighting
Lighting plays an instrumental role in boosting your bottom line. The right lights, for instance, can enhance displays and showcase the benefits of a product. If you’re selling expensive items like jewelry, for instance, the lights help emphasize the sparkles of your diamonds and other gemstones.
When inspecting your store’s lighting, make sure that the fixtures are working properly. Reach out to a commercial lighting service provider if you need help keeping your lighting systems up and running for your store.
Additionally, take note of these lighting design tips:
- Match your lighting with your brand.
- Illuminate all corners of your shop.
- Use multiple types of retail lighting to highlight your products, including accent, ambient, and high-activity lighting.
Overhaul the Look of Your Storefront
Two of the things that prospective customers see when they visit your shop are the signage and the products displayed on your window. Changing these two elements will help improve your overall store design.
First, focus on your signage. If your store sign simply mentions your brand, you’ll need to make some improvements. Consider adding a short tagline that describes the brand or the products you’re selling.
Then, look at your window displays. As much as possible, redesign your displays every two months. Changing the appearance of your store windows regularly tells prospective customers that your store is up to date and professional.
Tweak Your Shop’s Layout
When shoppers enter a store, they usually look left first and then look right. They also prefer to move right and explore the store in a counter-clockwise fashion. Given this, you’ll want to change your layout to steer customers to the right.
Take Safeway as an example. As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the floral department on the right side of the entrance. The fragrant and beautiful flowers uplift the moods of visitors. They also encourage shoppers to move right and navigate through the grocery store counter-clockwise.
Make Room for “Experience Spaces”
Store owners sometimes create these spaces to attract shoppers. Nike, for instance, has stores with indoor basketball hoops that let you free throws while you shop.
The main point here is to turn an ordinary retail store into a destination. If you’re selling yoga pants, for instance, you can reserve a space in your shop for meditation sessions. Customers will be encouraged to stay on your premises longer and may even try out one of your products.
Eliminate Clutter
Clutter creates a sensory overload, which turns off shoppers. If your store is overly crowded, you’ll need to cut back on the inventory displayed in your store. If possible, display only popular items. Then, feature your other products on an e-commerce website.
These suggestions can improve your retail shop’s appearance and make your business visually appealing to shoppers. A well-lit, up to date, and clutter-free store can go a long way in increasing your store’s bottom line.
