By The appeal of a brand and its products or services draw customers into high street stores. From window displays to promotions, even pop-up shop events, the attention and interest of customers are a constant consideration. However, once they are inside a shop, the store design itself becomes the most significant influencer of browsing habits.
For retailers, this means that their interior design and retail furniture should not only serve to offer products but also to cultivate a comfortable space that encourages shoppers to spend longer periods of time browsing. By achieving this, retailers are able to not only increase their sales but also have greater reach with advertising and influence.
Ease Of Browsing
One of the most straightforward ways shoppers can be encouraged to spend a greater amount of time browsing is by making the experience of navigating a shop space simple. The moment shoppers feel uncertain or disoriented, stress begins to occur and the likelihood of them leaving the shop increases.
As such, interior design should be focussed on the ease of browsing, making particular routes clear and with due organisation. Shop counters, for example, should be easily locatable from all positions within a store, as they are a key part of the shopping experience that each customer will seek to use. If they are challenging to locate, shoppers tend to become flustered.
Ease of browsing does not entirely rely on sign fittings either. In fact, many stores are able to support customer navigation through lighting and displays, both of which can be designed in such a way that naturally suggests directions to customers.
Points Of Respite
Cafes inside bookshops and seating areas within clothing stores are part of the same design to accommodate points of respite for shoppers. While it may seem counterintuitive to encourage customers to spend a great deal of time within a shop space without spending, these areas of respite actually benefit brands overall.
Being able to sit down and take a break in certain stores allows customers to slow down and even potentially enjoy a break from the pace of shopping. Such an opportunity allows retailers to advertise their brand and aesthetics to customers by cultivating a comfortable atmosphere, one that will leave shoppers with a positive and more informed understanding of the brand.
Hero Products
The products that are highlighted by window displays, spotlights, and even specific furniture, such as greeting card units, are automatically given an extra impression of value. This means that certain items a retailer wishes to promote or sell can be incorporated into a shop’s design for emphasis.
Supermarkets have long celebrated this method of store design by placing promotional items at the end of each aisle, which works not only to encourage the sale of these items but also to encourage customers to visit each aisle, so as to find the best deal.
For others, a simple and central display can help to disrupt any potential monotonous flow of browsing, calling attention to certain products and making the experience of shopping more exciting.
