Overview of Retail Design
c 2022 William R. Green
What motivates a shopper to stop, look into a store, and then enter and purchase a product? If the shopper was not influenced by advertising and did not recognize the store name, he may have been motivated by need, or he may have made an impulsive purchase, but in either case, the store design and its presentation of merchandise were motivating factors. The store design influences him to stop, take notice, and enter the store. The success or failure of a retail store is dependent on a number of factors, including the cost, quality, and attractiveness of the products for sale. Also important are the store location, quality of service, merchandising and the store design. While many successful stores do not excel in all of these categories, their success can usually be related to the extent to which they have achieved a positive shopper response in a majority of them. The store designer typically has no control over the products for sale, the quality of service, or store location, but may have an impact on merchandising (depending on the receptivity of the client and the strength of the designer's ideas), and should have the major responsibility for store design.
A store designer can create a successful retail selling machine by following three guidelines: first, work with a client who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the store and a builder who is interested in satisfying the intent of the design to the last detail; second, create a store which emphasizes the product; and lastly, create a store that is functional. The first guideline requires the designer to have a client who is truly interested in the project design or who can be educated by the designer to realize the importance of his involvement. The best designs are not the sole product of a designer's imagination but rather are his interpretation of the program requirements of a client who knows his product and his product marketing. At the first project meeting with the client, the designer should request a detailed program indicating not only the client's functional requirements, but also his perception of the image, ambiance and materials of the store to be designed. The designer and the client must both be motivated to achieve a successful design that meets the requirements established by the client and refined by the designer. Early on, the designer should also request a construction budget from the client. It is impossible to properly design without a realistic budget. If the client submits a budget that is unreasonably low, he should be educated as to current construction costs and asked to increase his budget accordingly. Also, a schedule for design preparation, bidding, construction, and stocking should be reviewed with the client and a realistic time schedule established. With the program, budget and schedule established, designer and client will have achieved the initial "meeting of the minds" required to design the store. After the store has been designed and working drawings completed, designer and client must choose a construction manager or general contractor to build the store. The builder should be selected not only on the basis of a price, but also on the basis of past performance in the field of store construction (attention to detail, quality of construction, and ability to satisfy clients’ demands). The builder should understand the design intent; suggest realistic alternatives if budget problems are encountered; maintain close supervision over quality subcontractors; build the job on time and on budget; and work effectively with the client, designer, shopping center personnel and the local building officials.
The second guideline requires the designer to create a store that emphasizes the product. This is, after all, the most important element in the store, and this element must stand out from all others. Much like a fine painting, the product must be displayed suitably and framed with proper illumination. The materials of the store frame (which is, in fact, all the physical elements of the store other than the product) should enhance rather than detract while creating the proper image. Just as a Modernist print would not be displayed in an ornate Baroque frame, the latest in electronic equipment, with its crisp machined metal and smooth formed plastic parts should not be framed in rough-hewn, heavy timbers and stained glass. Both the print and the electronic equipment should have a simple frame. The store frame should be well detailed, for poorly designed or executed details also detract from the product. Every element of the store must have deference for the product. Products are small or large; inexpensive or expensive; and common or unique. These traits should be evident in the store design. If the product is small, expensive and unique, like jewelry, it must be brought close to the storefront and displayed like a work of art. If it is large, inexpensive and common, like fabric, it can be displayed away from the front, grouped together by color or type, and illuminated as a mass to achieve maximum impact. In all cases, the shopper should be able to quickly identify the products for sale without relying on graphics. Shoppers should also be able to discern the relative price of the product without seeing price tags. Lighting is a critical designer's tool to emphasize the product. If the lighting is diffuse, the product will appear common even if it is very expensive and unique. High-intensity lighting is particularly effective to illuminate unique, single products, and fluorescent lighting, properly shielded with parabolic diffusers can effectively emphasize grouped common products.
The final guideline requires the designer to create a functional store. Materials, traffic flow, security measures, and merchandising must all be well designed to serve the customer properly and to maintain the integrity of the store. In general, all materials for the store should be durable, cleanable or easily replaceable, and fashionable. While the storefront entrance, flooring and the sales counter may take the most physical abuse, all other store areas within the customer's reach are subject to the wearing effect of customer use. Since a typical lease term may be ten years, this should be the minimum life expectancy required of materials. Ideally, the store should look as good on the last day of the tenth year as it did on opening day. If a material, like carpeting, will not last the ten-year period, it should be designed to facilitate removal and replacement. Materials must also be cleanable by store personnel to maintain a "new store" took. Materials must be fashionable for the term of the lease, which means the designer may be more successful in the long run if he avoids the currently popular, recently introduced design trends which will quickly multiply and soon fill the mail with similar looking stores. It is best to create an exciting and individual image which successfully accentuates the product and will maintain its fashionable look. Traffic-flow into and within the store must move freely around displays and sales stations. The entry must provide a sense of store identity. Whether entering through an open or closed front, the shopper must feel he has left the common areas and entered an individual store. The stronger this feeling of entry and identification, the more successful the store recognition. Security must be considered in the earliest stages of design to permit it to work with the design. Sight lines, security mirrors, and electronic devices must be unobtrusive and not detract from the merchandising or create a "Big Brother" look. The definition of functional merchandising varies from store to store, but in general, the more the product can be displayed within customer reach, the greater the likelihood it will be purchased. Customers prefer to touch and closely examine possible purchases. If these guidelines are followed by a talented designer, they should result in a successful store design. While a quality store design may not necessarily result in strong retail sales, it can be the factor which separates an average store from one which is special both in appearance and sales. The secret of a good retail store design is to have a motivated client, designer and builder to execute a design which sells the product, not the store’s design. This will make it easy for the customer to find and purchase the product. It's as simple and as difficult as that.
Copyright 2024 William R. Green / Storedesign.tv
What motivates a shopper to stop, look into a store, and then enter and purchase a product? If the shopper was not influenced by advertising and did not recognize the store name, he may have been motivated by need, or he may have made an impulsive purchase, but in either case, the store design and its presentation of merchandise were motivating factors. The store design influences him to stop, take notice, and enter the store. The success or failure of a retail store is dependent on a number of factors, including the cost, quality, and attractiveness of the products for sale. Also important are the store location, quality of service, merchandising and the store design. While many successful stores do not excel in all of these categories, their success can usually be related to the extent to which they have achieved a positive shopper response in a majority of them. The store designer typically has no control over the products for sale, the quality of service, or store location, but may have an impact on merchandising (depending on the receptivity of the client and the strength of the designer's ideas), and should have the major responsibility for store design.
A store designer can create a successful retail selling machine by following three guidelines: first, work with a client who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the store and a builder who is interested in satisfying the intent of the design to the last detail; second, create a store which emphasizes the product; and lastly, create a store that is functional. The first guideline requires the designer to have a client who is truly interested in the project design or who can be educated by the designer to realize the importance of his involvement. The best designs are not the sole product of a designer's imagination but rather are his interpretation of the program requirements of a client who knows his product and his product marketing. At the first project meeting with the client, the designer should request a detailed program indicating not only the client's functional requirements, but also his perception of the image, ambiance and materials of the store to be designed. The designer and the client must both be motivated to achieve a successful design that meets the requirements established by the client and refined by the designer. Early on, the designer should also request a construction budget from the client. It is impossible to properly design without a realistic budget. If the client submits a budget that is unreasonably low, he should be educated as to current construction costs and asked to increase his budget accordingly. Also, a schedule for design preparation, bidding, construction, and stocking should be reviewed with the client and a realistic time schedule established. With the program, budget and schedule established, designer and client will have achieved the initial "meeting of the minds" required to design the store. After the store has been designed and working drawings completed, designer and client must choose a construction manager or general contractor to build the store. The builder should be selected not only on the basis of a price, but also on the basis of past performance in the field of store construction (attention to detail, quality of construction, and ability to satisfy clients’ demands). The builder should understand the design intent; suggest realistic alternatives if budget problems are encountered; maintain close supervision over quality subcontractors; build the job on time and on budget; and work effectively with the client, designer, shopping center personnel and the local building officials.
The second guideline requires the designer to create a store that emphasizes the product. This is, after all, the most important element in the store, and this element must stand out from all others. Much like a fine painting, the product must be displayed suitably and framed with proper illumination. The materials of the store frame (which is, in fact, all the physical elements of the store other than the product) should enhance rather than detract while creating the proper image. Just as a Modernist print would not be displayed in an ornate Baroque frame, the latest in electronic equipment, with its crisp machined metal and smooth formed plastic parts should not be framed in rough-hewn, heavy timbers and stained glass. Both the print and the electronic equipment should have a simple frame. The store frame should be well detailed, for poorly designed or executed details also detract from the product. Every element of the store must have deference for the product. Products are small or large; inexpensive or expensive; and common or unique. These traits should be evident in the store design. If the product is small, expensive and unique, like jewelry, it must be brought close to the storefront and displayed like a work of art. If it is large, inexpensive and common, like fabric, it can be displayed away from the front, grouped together by color or type, and illuminated as a mass to achieve maximum impact. In all cases, the shopper should be able to quickly identify the products for sale without relying on graphics. Shoppers should also be able to discern the relative price of the product without seeing price tags. Lighting is a critical designer's tool to emphasize the product. If the lighting is diffuse, the product will appear common even if it is very expensive and unique. High-intensity lighting is particularly effective to illuminate unique, single products, and fluorescent lighting, properly shielded with parabolic diffusers can effectively emphasize grouped common products.
The final guideline requires the designer to create a functional store. Materials, traffic flow, security measures, and merchandising must all be well designed to serve the customer properly and to maintain the integrity of the store. In general, all materials for the store should be durable, cleanable or easily replaceable, and fashionable. While the storefront entrance, flooring and the sales counter may take the most physical abuse, all other store areas within the customer's reach are subject to the wearing effect of customer use. Since a typical lease term may be ten years, this should be the minimum life expectancy required of materials. Ideally, the store should look as good on the last day of the tenth year as it did on opening day. If a material, like carpeting, will not last the ten-year period, it should be designed to facilitate removal and replacement. Materials must also be cleanable by store personnel to maintain a "new store" took. Materials must be fashionable for the term of the lease, which means the designer may be more successful in the long run if he avoids the currently popular, recently introduced design trends which will quickly multiply and soon fill the mail with similar looking stores. It is best to create an exciting and individual image which successfully accentuates the product and will maintain its fashionable look. Traffic-flow into and within the store must move freely around displays and sales stations. The entry must provide a sense of store identity. Whether entering through an open or closed front, the shopper must feel he has left the common areas and entered an individual store. The stronger this feeling of entry and identification, the more successful the store recognition. Security must be considered in the earliest stages of design to permit it to work with the design. Sight lines, security mirrors, and electronic devices must be unobtrusive and not detract from the merchandising or create a "Big Brother" look. The definition of functional merchandising varies from store to store, but in general, the more the product can be displayed within customer reach, the greater the likelihood it will be purchased. Customers prefer to touch and closely examine possible purchases. If these guidelines are followed by a talented designer, they should result in a successful store design. While a quality store design may not necessarily result in strong retail sales, it can be the factor which separates an average store from one which is special both in appearance and sales. The secret of a good retail store design is to have a motivated client, designer and builder to execute a design which sells the product, not the store’s design. This will make it easy for the customer to find and purchase the product. It's as simple and as difficult as that.
Copyright 2024 William R. Green / Storedesign.tv