Avoiding Retail Disaster Zones

When a customer enters a shop, it takes a good few steps before they actually start engaging with the store and the surroundings. As important as that first impression is, it’s also important to help the customer “decompress” and take note of your goods. It therefore makes sense to not overload the customer by placing masses of products at the entrance - many of these will only get overlooked anyway as the customer walks past before they’ve started to properly engage. It’s better to place a few key items near the entrance and focus on using lighting and flooring that contrasts the outside environment. This will help the customer slow down and help them adjust to the store, to help them start processing what they see.

Make sure you pay close attention to your checkout area. Too often these are overcrowded and overloaded, so make sure the last impression a customer gets of your store is a good one. Although it’s tempting to place lots of items at the checkout to encourage impulse-buying, if you put too much up there, customers are more likely to ignore the white noise of too many products. Instead place a few well-signed items to get the customer’s attention without blinding them with too much. Make sure your staff have enough space too, while making sure your countertops are of high quality, attractive materials. You don’t want your customers to take away a claustrophobic and cheap feeling when they leave your shop!

When planning your aisles and space, take care to make sure pathways are left unobstructed and gaps are big enough to pass by without a customer accidentally brushing against another. Most people are quite particular about their personal space, and no one wants their intruded upon when they’re shopping and minding their own business! So ensure no one is put off buying by having their personal space invaded when browsing your products.

If you need any further help or advice feel free to visit our website or come and see us at our showroom.