When you walk into a store, what’s the first thing you notice? You probably walk inside because they’re selling something you want to buy, but what else draws you in, and what convinces you to stay? Is it the neat display window, the straightforward floor layout, or even something as simple as the right lighting and paint color? If anything about the store’s exterior convinced you to take a chance and peek inside, or even better, to buy something, then you’ve just fallen victim to retail store design.
Retail store design is more than just making your brand or product’s packaging and design look good. If you own a brick-and-mortar shop, you want to make the interior look good to entice customers in and make them look at what you have in store for them: the location and the way your store looks does matter, no matter what you’re selling. Retail store design extends even further than physical stores as well, as the layout and accessibility of your website, if you have one, can both persuade or dissuade customers from buying from you.
If you’re still on the fence about how retail store design can help your business, here are four reasons why investing in good retail store design will be worth it in the end.
1. Drives more sales
If you’ve ever been inside a shop, whether it’s a retail store or a restaurant, what immediately stands out to you is, of course, its interior. Does it have nice furniture? A clean floor? How’s the lighting? Do the colors and decor complement each other and go with whatever the shop is selling or the brand it’s endorsing? All of these help make an environment that’s pleasing to the eye and help convince customers to stay longer and buy your product.
The layout of a store and even the way products are arranged on their shelves can help consumers better navigate your store. At the same time, a clean, cohesive design—from the color of the paint or wallpaper, the patterns, and textures you use, to the kind of lights —conveys a clear message to your customer that your brand is worth investing in. Finding the right rendering supplier, paint brand, and furniture store can make all the difference, too. At the same time, designing your store around highlighting your products and putting them center stage, figuratively and maybe literally, ensures that consumers can focus on what it is you’re selling.
The aesthetic factor of a store should always be considered. Ask yourself—would you willingly go inside a shop that looks messy and dingy, no matter how good their product is? Or, more specifically, would you want to buy from a shop that looks like that if you’ve never bought their product before? A good shop layout and design can attract more customers, vastly improve customer service scores, and increase sales.
2. Makes your store or brand stand out
Whatever it is you’re selling, chances are, you’ve got plenty of rivals in the market. How do you make your product stand out among countless others just like it? One way you can do that is through retail store design. Make your shop literally stand out by creating an interior and exterior design that’s sure to grab people’s attention and separate your brand from others. It can also help to make your brand appear classy, approachable, luxurious, or acclaimed.
You don’t want your store to be forgettable or easily looked over. Investing in good retail store design gives you a leg up from your competition and could even put you leagues ahead if you do it right. What better way to differentiate your store from others?
3. Establishes an identity
You want to build brand awareness by establishing a unique identity of your own that should be completely different from others as much as possible. In the same line as wanting your brand to stand out, you want to build your brand’s identity and show consumers what it’s all about through your store’s design. Do you sell makeup or cosmetic products made from natural materials? You can reflect this asset of your business by going for a more realistic interior design—which means earthy colors, lots of indoor plants, and wooden or bamboo furniture.
Incorporate your brand’s own unique identity into your retail store, and you’ll be sure to be remembered for it.
4. Overall aesthetics
We all want to make ourselves look good, even if it’s only for ourselves. Besides establishing an identity and setting yourself apart from others, you just want your store to look good and aesthetically pleasing to your customers and employees. Your storefront is just one more way you can communicate with your customers and connect with them. A store’s atmosphere and overall design can really impact how a customer views your product and your shop and can also affect customer retention.
Conclusion
Whether you want to drive more sales, customer retention, or just want to establish your brand as different from others, investing in retail store design can help to improve both your working conditions and your brand’s sales significantly. If you have a physical store, be sure to take advantage of it and showcase just what makes your brand unique.
