Success by Design tips for refixturing your store

II/ILL YOUR business be ready

V V to compete in the year 2OOO?

As unpredictable consumer spending makes the retail environment fiercely competitive, it is becoming increasingly difficult for retailers to retain old customers and win new ones.

How your store is designed can make a significant difference. GlobalShop has compiled l0 tips for evaluating your store and fixtures, and preparing to compete in a new retail environment:

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J/ Many stores builr in the'70s, '80s - and even the early '90s feel "walledin." A store should be inviting, offering customers broad, open vistas which allow a commanding view of the merchandise.

Look around your store from multiple angles to see if all the walls are necessary and if space could be used more wisely. Allowing customers a panoramic view also encourages them to visit parts of the store they might otherwise miss.

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clear view of merchandise across all departments, but they should also get a taste of what your store has to offer before they enter. As time becomes more and more limited, consumers are spending less time strolling in and out of stores. Many simply drive by or look in the window to see if the store has what they're looking for.

Can customers tell what your business is about from the outside? Bv its signage, outdoor displays, "u"n becoming increasingly important. Many retailers already offer interactive displays for customers to test a product prior to purchase.

Providing customers an opportunity to test electronic or other merchandise can be very effective, but it also can be frustrating if the equipment is malfunctioning. It's imperative that all in-store displays work correctly and consistently. Store managers need to work closely with employees to develop a system for checking and monitoring displays on a regular basis.

Consider displays or kiosks that allow customers to place orders for merchandise. This service cuts down on the time sales associates spend with customers and allows the customer an efficient means for purchases.

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Retailers should make shopping as easy and painless as possible by grouping complementary items together. Commonly called "strike points," visual displays that feature several items that can be used together are helpful for busy shoppers.

Using strike points saves customers time and encourages additional purchases.

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f According to a recent study, - retail design and fixturing improvements can increase sales and strengthen ties between retailers and customers.

Store fixtures should encourage customers to interact with merchandise. A store should not feature a group of mismatched fixtures, but rather a mix of fixtures that complement each other and match the overall personality of the store. The trend in store fixtures is moving toward elliptical shapes, raw woods, galvanized steel and lacquered medium density fiberboard.

"It's important to invest in highquality fixtures and to have a longterm plan when purchasing them," said GlobalShop producer Doug Hope. "Renovations are a large investment and you want to make them wisely so they'll last long into the life ofyour store."

Consumers also must connect with the retail environment. Since merchandise among stores is very similar, retailers must differentiate themselves by design. Retailers should.strive to become the customer's destination store. Since most consumers have limited time, they leave their homes with a particular purchase and a particular store in mind.

Becoming a destination store is a matter of offering a narrow product category with a broad mix of merchandise. Consider your target customers' needs and provide them the selection and service they require. Ensure that they'll automatically think of your store as the place to find the items on their list.

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92 S"un your store for unused or - poorly designed areas and use the space to create a seating area for customers. A few strategically placed chairs and tables do not require extensive merchandising floor space, yet offer tired and weary customers an escape from the pressures of shopping.

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Customers should have a clear path by which to navigate the store. From the moment they enter, customers should be directed through all departments and given access to the most merchandise possible.

Story at a Glance

Ways to update your store's design ... make your fixtures and displays look better and work harder.

of their customer base and know how to meet or exceed expectations.

However, while most consumers feel they have less time for shopping (down from an average 4.3 hours a month in 1995 to 3 hours a month in visuals throughout the store.

Visuals should make stores easier to navigate by directing customers to different departments and complementing the store's personality and merchandise.

GlobalShop's Hope suggests race- DOES yOUR retail business need a malor refixl track-style walkways which lead customers through each of the departments and 8 to lO-ft.-wide walkway 1996), they still value service. So it's to allow a comfortable amount of imperative that retailers place a space without taking away valuable greater emphasis on training their merchandising space. associates about the merchandise they

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I-igttting should complement the \ - store's overall personality and allow fi1M1rc Vrsuers Merren customers to see the true color of the \!2 Retailers spend more than $8 bilmerchandise. There should be a con- - lion annually remodeling and building sistent level of brightness throughout store interiors. About $2 billion is the store, yet enough variation to cre- spent on visual merchandising and $6 ate focal points directing customers' billion on fixturing, walls, floors and eyes to certaln areas.

For specialty displays, move away other types of interior products.

Visual displays were used heavily from the bland, industrial lighting of between the'50s and'70s. In the '80s, the '80s to a softer-edged, bathed-in- however, many retailers removed light look, using fewer lighting their displays to create austere, indussources but brighter bulbs. trial-type environments. In the '90s X*o*rnvcusrounn Slli#TT;':"j::':TJll'.ffi' f\nnenernrc

Seasonal visuals are also useful. Many props can be used for 30-, 60or 90-day periods.

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While the amount of U.S. retail space per capita increased from 8 sq. ft. in 1972 to more than 18 sq. ft. in 1993, sales per sq. ft. have dropped from more than $200 per sq. ft. to just over $120 per sq. ft. With consumers spending less at the retail site and competition continuing to increase, retailers must do everything they can to attract and retain customers.

V fo build a strong identity, retail- uncrowded shopping atmosphere - ers must have an intimate knowledge while featuring strategically placed

"In order to make an impact, retailers must renovate for the right reassns-u5u3lly proactive rather than reactive," Hope said. "Understanding consumers' shopping preferences and patterns is integral to implementing appropriate store renovations. "