Creating the shop layout is one of the first steps to take when planning a retail business. Although many business owners place less emphasis on this, it is critical to a business’s revenue generation. Whether the business is online or physical, it’s essential to consider what the shop would look like to visitors.
A retail shop layout determines if a prospect will become a long-term customer or not. This is why brilliant retail store designs are both beautiful and functional. To achieve this, visiting a firm dealing with retail space planning in Las Vegas will significantly help. However, these eight steps should help every business owner get the best shop layout.
Pick The Layout That’s Best For The Business
Creating a retail shop layout comes with a series of decision-making processes, and this is the first of them. There are several factors to consider when picking a design for a retail business. Some of them are the business’s industry, the space available, the products sold, and even existing competition. Based on this, there are different types of retail store layouts businesses can choose from. The common retail store layouts businesses can choose from include:
- Grid – This is mainly used by grocery or convenience stores.
- Mixed – Boutiques have to take on a creative look. Therefore, they’re usually a mix of the others.
- Forced – This is mostly for businesses where the customer has to be taken through a nurturing path.
- Angular – The Angular retail store layouts are adopted mainly by bespoke or high-end retail collections.
- Loop – This is for retail businesses that sell apparel and specialty items.
- Diagonal – This layout supports products that customers have to test on the spot.
Get A Picture Of What The Store Would Look Like
After picking the layout that suits the business, the next step is architecture. This stage is commonly known as the pre-implementation stage. The template must embody the important things the store will contain. It must portray what the store will look like when it’s ready.
If this is done correctly, it will serve as a guide during installation. It is important to know that all layouts have templates. The business owner can print this template and then modify it. If several modifications are needed, the business owner is better off drawing out its blueprint.
Determine How The Products Will Be Arranged
Once the store blueprint is ready, product placement comes next. Map out a plan of how the products will be arranged in the physical store. Product mapping is critical because it determines several things. These include if the customers will find the products they’re seeking, engage with them, and get them to buy.
It also contributes to the overall customer experience, which is a factor for constant revenue. This is why businesses need to be creative about how their products are arranged. One way to do this is by making the best-selling products conspicuous. Business owners can also use urgency as an appeal. An example is creating a display for limited stock or products on sale.
Consider Fixtures And Other Accessories
At this point, the business owner decides on the right additions to complement the store. These additions are what define the store’s aesthetics and functionality. They are divided into fixtures and accessories.
The fixtures are permanent and can include wall furniture, dressers, and lighting. Accessories, on the other hand, are removable. They include tables, chairs, clothing racks, etc. There are things to consider when picking accessories and fixtures. For fixtures, they should communicate the business’s message, while the accessories should highlight the products on display.
Create A Strategic Place For Checkout
A store’s layout determines how customers come in and leave the store. However, the best position to place the checkout point is on the customer exit side. This allows the customer to make payments and leave easily. It also prevents theft, miscalculation, and mixing of products.
Although many retail stores widely use this method, it is not the only way. Some large retail stores also place their checkout towards the end of the store. The most important thing is to make checkout easily accessible to the customers while protecting the shop. A firm that offers commercial design in Las Vegas can proffer checkout solutions after checking the business’s layout template.
Use Customer Behavior As A Pointer
Most businesses carry out in-depth market research before starting anything. This includes customer behavior which can be discovered by studying the competition. From watching how customers interact with a similar retail shop, new retail shops can structure theirs better. Some shopping behaviors common to customers are:
- Turning right when they enter a shop. Therefore, most retail businesses try to maximize the store’s right side.
- Walking on the aisle. If the aisle is not wide enough, customers may bump into each other.
- They also check out the shop from the entry point. This is why the entry point must be spacious to give customers a good view.
Ensure The Store Is Accessible To Everyone
When drawing a retail store layout, businesses should not forget to make provisions for people with disabilities. The store should be easy to navigate regardless of the customer’s disability. To enforce this, the Americans with Disabilities Act has a checklist that retail shops must follow. Some of the things to follow to ensure a retail store is ADA compliant are:
- Space: the store should have enough free space between fixtures and must have aisles that are wide enough.
- Accessible rooms: fitting rooms and restrooms must be convenient for disabled people.
- Parking lots: retail stores should have parking lots designed for disabled people. They must be clean and easy to navigate.
Do Not Forget Customer Service
Overall customer experience determines if customers will keep visiting a retail store. And one way to leave an impression on customers is by having impressive customer-friendly amenities. This includes comfortable seating, dressing rooms, clean restrooms, etc. What’s important is that the amenities are essentials that customers need. The retail shop layout must include these details to increase customer satisfaction.
Having a suitable retail shop layout contributes positively to a business’s image. This increases the business’s chance to make more revenue and leave a lasting impression on the customers. The layout might influence customers to become loyalists and even business referrals. Creating a retail shop layout takes a lot of time. However, business owners that follow these eight steps will find the process easier. But they may still need to visit a commercial interior design firm in Las Vegas at some point in the process. Professional commercial design firms know what is in vogue and will also propose conventional designs that suit the business.