Have you ever thought about the psychological strategies at play when you walk around a supermarket or retail shop? From encouraging customers to take a specific walking route to creating custom displays that increase sales of certain products, there is a lot of planning and techniques that go into a retail shop fit-out. Let’s take a look at some of the key strategies and how they work.
Right Handed Layout
When customers enter a supermarket, retailers want them to take a specific route around the store. This is to make sure they see as many products as possible, increasing the chance of impulse purchases.
Most supermarkets encourage customers to walk to the right once entering the store. And this is done with clever layout alterations. Either aisles are installed in a layout that encourages browsing, or displays are added to control the flow of footfall.
Whatever the plan, it’s down to the design process of the fit-out to make sure customers are seeing as much as the store as possible.
Considering Height
In small retail shops, owners often want to install tall shelves to pack as much merchandise onto the shop floor as possible. However, having tall shelves or aisles can make the space feel cramped.
The fit-out will involve maximising the floor space to allow as much merchandise as possible to be visible, without compromising the experience of customers. This could involve installing custom-fabricated wall units to maximise shelf space. Or even creating custom displays that are the right height for the space.
Premium Eye Level Products
In retail stores, premium products are always placed at eye level so they get as much attention as possible. This is an important consideration during the fit-out because you need to ensure there is enough eye-level space for these products.
This will involve careful planning of the layout of displays, shelving, walkways, and product placement with your fit-out team. Custom fabricated furniture is usually the best option for making the retail space as effective and professional-looking as possible.
Aisle breaks
You’ve probably noticed in large retail spaces that aisles are split in half with a wide walkway between the two halves. This is a purposeful design feature that gives customers a break from merchandising.
Having long aisles with no breaks feels tedious to customers and can actually make them rush past many products to get out from the restriction of the aisles. In fact, in stores with long aisles, around a fifth of products are totally overlooked.
Get Professional Fit-Out Advice
Retail store fit-outs need to be professionally managed to get right. From the most effective layout, to controlling footfall, to creating displays that make products shine, many factors need to be carefully planned.
If you’re planning a retail shop fit-out, our team at Creative Edge can help. We are leading designers, manufacturers and installers of commercial interior spaces across the UK. We’ll set up a consultation to give you our expert advice on the best use of your space and a free quote for the entire project.
