If you own or manage a retail store, you may be concerned with how to best set up your space to encourage visitors to buy from you. Additionally, the way you arrange your floor can play a big role in how comfortable your visitors are and how well certain products will move. And while you might not want your store to look like everyone else’s, there are design principles that should be followed in order to maximize the visitor’s experience while still having strong branding for your company. So to help you strike this balance, here are three ways you can make your store reflect your specific business while still adhering to layout best practices.
Be Careful With The Threshold
The threshold of your store is one of the most important areas to perfect. Because this is the first section that your visitors will pass through, you may be tempted to fill it with all the items you want to move quickly. However, according to Humayun Khan, a contributor to Shopify.com, the threshold is also known as the decompression zone because visitors need a few feet of space to transition from being outside your store to inside your store before they get in shopping mode. This means that you don’t really want to have too much in the threshold area or else you run the risk of it being completely overlooked while the customer transitions. Knowing this, be careful with that you choose to put near the front door of your store.
Only Have The Counter Space You Need
While you might like the idea of having a lot of counter space where you can help customers complete purchasing transactions, this may not actually be the best idea. According to Intuit QuickBooks, the more counter space you have, the more your customers will feel separated from your employees. This can make it hard for the customers to connect personally with your staff and be encouraged to spend more time in your store. Because of this, you should try to only have the counter space that you actually need to conduct the necessary work.
Set The Mood With Sound
If you’re starting to feel like your store is laid out just like everyone else’s and that there’s nothing that truly sets the floor plan apart, you may want to look beyond just the physical design and start engaging your other senses. According to Anna Dizon, a contributor to Fit Small Business, you can also use scent or music to help make your store unique and give your customers a unique experience. Depending on what you choose to use, you may be able to influence shopping behavior as well.
For retail businesses looking to create the best floor plan and set the right mood in their store, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do just that.
