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Good
retailing is based on good layout and planning of your store,
Terri Wilson, of the Indigo Design Group, told DSB. If customers cannot
circulate through your store, they are not given the opportunity to
buy.
An easy rule to remember in terms of traffic flow is that people will
tend to move from left to right in a clockwise direction. So if you
have a left hand opening to your store, this is a good start to direct
the traffic flow throughout the store.
Try not to position your counter or cash desk directly on the left
hand side as you enter the store. Postition it to encourage circulation
through your store. Do not block your entrance with specials and promotions
and keep aisleways no less than 1000mm wide.
Cash Desk
Positioning of the cash desk and staff counters is very important
to the layout and security of the shop. Front cash areas are often
associated with self serve retailing while cash counters to the rear
of the store usually give the impression of a more service oriented
business.
Mid floor cash units often work well and free up valuable wall space.
The position of the cash desk and staff help points are on of the
most pivotal parts of the store's layout and planning.
Merchandising and Display
Walls are your best selling areas. The ideal height to display goods
at eye level at approximately 1500 to 1600mm. Merchandise above 1900
and below 500mm will not sell.
Vertical displays of stock will encourage the customer to look up
and down instead of along the shelf.
Use display points to break long runs of stock. Impulse areas work
best around the counters or change rooms where people are standing
and so may start looking at the goods displayed.
Colour
There are no hard and fast rules for either signage or colour. Each
is very dependent upon type of retailing or business. There are a
lot of rules that people think relate to colour such as a dark colour
should not be used in small spaces or painting everything white will
make a space larger and grander. This is not always the case.
Colour, if used properly, is one of the cheapest and most effective
ways of creating an image or enhancing a design.
Signage
Again, signage type varies with design. Though clear, simple, bold
signs are often the most effective, clever graphics and images are
an important way of branding and placing a business within the market
place.
Floor Coverings
Practicality and durability are the two most important aspects to
consider when choosing flooring. Many people love the texture of timber
flooring or a natural stone finish, though many are not prepared for
the upkeep and maintenance of natural products.
Today's vinyls offer a wide range and variety of finishes and have
the advantage of being easily and quickly installed. If you require
a more comfortable flooring underfoot, then carpet is an excellent
choice. Although, when choosing carpet flooring, always select a product
that has a guarantee and is recommended under warranty by the supplier
for your type of use.
Lighting
Often forgotten and under utilised, lighting is one of the most important
aspects of retail design. If your budget is tight, an easy way to
give the retail area a new lease of life is to include some low voltage
or metal halide lights in the area or simply replace existing fittings
with new globes and clean fittings.
Window Design and Exterior
Good window designs sell and attract customers into the shop. It is
a valuable investment to have windows properly merchandised. Window
displays should be changed every four to six weeks. Some forms of
retailing, such as for large electrical appliances, are better if
sight lines are not obstructed by a window display.
CASE STUDY
Dick Smith Electronics Powerhouse, Bankstown
NSW
Located in a prominent shopping complex specifically aimed at homewares,
this huge store (1424 square metres) is a sensory experience of bright
colours and movement.
Designed to send out a different message to the regular Dick Smith
Electronics stores, the Powerhouse concept is expected to have a strong
presence by 1999 with plans to open two more stores in Sydney and
one in Melbourne.
First impressions upon arrival at the complex are of a huge glass
foyer that channels customers through the IN door where they are hit
by an expanse of colour that seems to run as far as the eye can see.
Each product sector is allocated a bright colour and a cartoon like
icon to segment the store into the following zones: Communications,
Electronics, Computing, Entertainment and Music.
"The icons have been really successful in creating a mood within each
section of the store," says Robert Chippendale, Powerhouse
development manager at Dick Smith Electronics.
"They are now being incorporated into our regular stores in a less
overt way." Bright blue vinyl tiles with red footprints take
customers along a central aisle into the depths of this huge store.
Bright modern colours are used on the walls, pelmets and signage in
each zone. Above the music section is a large red 'tape worm' or race
track shaped display from which hang lights and speakers and merchandising
material. "The ceiling is often the most overlooked
area, yet this display has been a great success," Chippendale
says. "It ties in the music area and creates visual
interest."
Centrally located is a kids play area where parents can abandon their
children while they shop. It has low clear walls to allow parents
to still keep an eye on their children. "On the
weekends there can be quite a queue to get into the kids' area," Chippendale
says.
Demonstration of products is a real strength of the store. Everywhere
throughout the Powerhouse are demonstration modules, from a row of
different light globes for testing to two well fitted sound lounges
at the rear of the store. Each has its own switching panel that allows
customers to easily match the numbers on the screen to the correct
models. The lights can be dimmed in these rooms to create a movie
atmosphere.
"Customers want to experience the product, listen to what their new
answering machine message will sound like," Chippendale says. "We
have phones plugged in so customers can ring the various answering
machine brands."
Plans are underway for a major digital display using a computer and
digital camera to show the full extent of this technology.
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