Retail Merchandising & Store Design Strategies
Retail Merchandising and Store Design Insights
Customer Shelf Scanning Behavior
Mainly, customers look horizontally. Most of our eye muscles are designed for horizontal movement, then the scan becomes vertical for specific brands or products.
Understanding Store Districts
A store district is a part of the store where similar merchandise is grouped, and that is positively recognized by the customer, for example, as a bakery, butcher, or fishmonger.
The Scarcity Principle Explained
It’s a principle based on the idea that as valuable objects are rare, limited in their range or availability, this fact increases their perceived value for the customer.
Elements for Effective Store Design
Understanding that the image the client has of us is important, the visual cues from which buyers make these judgments include:
- The quality of the store’s materials
- The lighting
- The store’s finish level
- The display accessories
- Orderly presentation
- Pricing techniques
- The items for sale
Strategic Placement of Popular Bakery Items
If you have a bakery inside a supermarket with shelves for different kinds of bread, I would place the most popular kind at the bottom. Less popular items would be positioned at eye level to showcase other bread varieties for promotion.
Point-of-Purchase (POP) Displays & Key Elements
A POP display is a flexible unit used to present merchandise. The unit can be a bin or a kiosk. The four essential elements are:
- Merchandise
- Props and colors
- Lighting
- Show cards
Tips for Attractive Merchandising
- Be clear about what you are focusing on selling.
- Visible merchandising. Tactile interaction is even better.
- Maintain tidy merchandising. While cultural norms vary, a tidy display often conveys a sense of good presentation.
- Make the purchase easy. Prices and all available information about the item should be clearly visible to the customer.
- To enhance attractiveness, use mannequins, displays, and varied presentations.
Forced Path Design: Pros and Cons
A forced path is a store layout design that guides buyers along a specific route through the store.
Advantages:
- Allows the retailer to plan a script for the shopping experience.
- Customers will have increased contact with more products.
Disadvantages:
- Customers may feel stressed and leave the store without making a purchase.
Advantages of Physical Retail Stores
Retail stores have the significant advantage of direct customer contact, allowing them to listen to needs and offer tailored solutions. This direct interaction provides insights into customer satisfaction through expressions, actions, and gestures, aiding future improvements.
Designing Stores to Engage Shoppers
In a small-sized store, interesting merchandise displays should be located immediately adjacent to the store’s entrance. When designing large stores, it is important to create a sense of free access between the various departments.
Fragrance Influence on Customer Behavior
Yes, even if customers are not consciously aware of a scent, it can evoke emotional effects and serves as a powerful tool. There are two ways of influencing shoppers with odors:
- Conspicuous odors: Using recognizable scents to evoke pleasant emotional sensations in shoppers. This relaxes customers, creates a particular mood, and can influence purchases.
- Subliminal smells: Fragrances used in small, almost undetectable quantities. The scent doesn’t need to be related to the product being sold. These odors help shoppers feel relaxed, encouraging them to stay longer and increasing the possibility of purchases.