WHAT IS RETAIL?
PROJECT NO.1
WHAT IS RETAIL?
Retail: the sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for
resale.
Retail design is primarily a specialized practice of architecture and interior design involved in the design
of spaces that serve the retail business.
A retail store’s interior design must:
• Align with and represent the brand’s personality and values.
• Support marketing and sales activities, and facilitate commercial transactions.
• Enable customers to view merchandise and inspect its fit, feel and function, and consult with in-store
experts.
• Provide a positive environment for shoppers and staff that encourage them to want to be in the
space.
• Facilitate efficient workflows and enhance productivity.
• Display merchandise effectively and accessibly.
• Ensure the safety and security of workers, shoppers and merchandise.
• Afford adequate space for merchandise storage and non-customer-facing staff activities.
Retail stores patterns
•
Welcoming entry
•
Display fixtures
•
Store system
•
Props
•
Display Design
•
Easy access
•
Customer attraction
•
Store Front
•
Signage
•
Working place
•
Indoor/outdoor connection
•
Storage
•
Fitting Rooms
•
Support services
•
Colors
•
lighting
•
Kids Area
•
Bringing them all together
Welcoming Area
The main entry is a very important element of retail shops design, first and foremost, the entry
should be welcoming. It should be inviting and friendly, this welcoming aspect has to be balanced
by the need to guide the client into the store and attract him to navigate into the store
comfortably.
• The counter:
• Most of the owners prefer to locate the counter near the entrance where the clients can come
and purchase the products, the counter is a focal point and should be easy to be found by the
client.
COMFORT IS KEY – ERGONOMICS
Signature element:
A welcoming and inviting in a retail store should contain the signature element that speaks to what makes this shop
special.
display fixtures
The island fixture:
is a three-dimensional counter used for the display of a wide variety of accessories such as jewelery, scarves, and
handbags as well as cosmetics.
The slat wall fixture:
is useful in displaying a variety of merchandise including apparel. Brackets of different kinds are used with the slat wall
to display many kinds of merchandise.
Freestanding fixtures:
Freestanding fixtures provide customer access from all sides.
The most standing fixtures are:
1- Two way
2- Four way
The different types of store layouts
1.
Grid
2.
Herringbone
3.
Loop, or racetrack
4.
Free-flow
5.
Boutique
6.
Straight, or spine
7.
Diagonal
8.
Angular
9.
Geometric
10. Multiple, or mixed
GRID
In a grid layout, merchandise is
displayed on displays in long aisles
where customers weave up and
down, browsing as they go. The grid
maximizes product display and
minimizes white space—nearly every
convenience store, pharmacy, and
grocery store utilize this familiar layout.
The grid is all about product, product,
product. A standard grid layout looks
something like this:
GRID
Pros
•
Best for stores with lots of merchandise, especially when
products are varied
•
Lots of exposure to products, as the layout encourages
customers to browse multiple aisles
•
Familiar for shoppers
•
Predictable traffic flow means you can put promos where you
know customers will see them
•
Lots of infrastructure suppliers, such as shelving, are available as
this layout is used so much
•
Best practices within this layout are well researched
Cons
•
Least likely to create an experiential retail space; this layout is a
dime a dozen
•
Customers may be frustrated they can’t shortcut their way to
what they need
•
Customers may not understand your product groupings, leading
to frustration and questions (or worse, departure)
•
Few visual breaks and lots of merchandise can make customers
feel overwhelmed
•
Cramped aisles often lead to customers bumping into one
another
HERRINGBONE
If you think the grid may be best for your merchandise but you have a very
long, narrow retail space, the herringbone layout is one to consider.
•
Pros
•
Suited to stores with lots of product but minimal space
•
This layout often works well for warehouse-style stores open to the public
•
Cons
•
Limited visibility down “side roads” can increase shoplifting opportunities
•
Can feel cramped, and customers easily bump into one another
LOOP
The loop, racetrack, or forced-path store
layout takes the grid’s fairly predictable
traffic flows a step further and creates a
deliberate closed loop that leads customers
from the front of the store, past every bit of
merchandise, and then to the checkout.
Customers are exposed to the most
merchandise this way, but the path they
take is controlled.
LOOP
•
Pros
•
Maximum product exposure
•
Most predictable traffic pattern; easiest to
place promotions and have highest assurance
they’ll be seen
•
Can be experiential—may work with retail
where a journey makes sense and time spent in
store doesn’t need to be brief
•
Cons
•
Customers don’t get to browse at will
•
May waste the time of customers who knows
what they’ve come for; they may avoid this
shop in the future when buying intent is specific
•
Not suited for shops that encourage high traffic
turnover or carry products people need to
spend little time considering before purchase
FREE-FLOW
•
The free-flow layout philosophy is almost a rejection of the
others. With free-flow, there is no deliberate attempt to
force customers through predictable traffic patterns:
wandering is encouraged. Therefore, with free-flow, there
are far fewer rules, but that doesn’t mean there
aren’t any—don’t forget about the commonalities that
are based on natural human behavior.
•
Pros
•
Great for small spaces
•
Also works within areas of loop and spine layouts (more on
that below)
•
Creates more space between products
•
Less likelihood customers will bump into one another
•
Better suited to higher-end shops with less merchandise
•
Most likely to create an experiential retail space
•
Cons
•
Often less space to display product
•
Easy to forget there are best practices that still should be
followed; breaking the unwritten rules can turn people off
and away from your store
•
Can be confusing for customers
BOUTIQUE
•
The boutique store layout, also known as shop-in-shop or
alcove layout, is a commonly used type of free-flow layout.
Merchandise is separated by brand or category,
encouraging shoppers to engage with complementary
items in designated areas. Walls, product displays, and
fixtures divide areas and create the feeling of small shops
within one store.
•
Pros
•
Sparks curiosity in shoppers
•
Highlights different brands and product categories
•
Helps with cross merchandising and cross-selling
•
Cons
•
May limit the total display space for merchandise
•
Shoppers may not explore the entire store
•
Customers may be confused
•
STRAIGHT (SPINE)
•
The straight store layout, also known as the spine layout, is easy
to plan, effective, and creates space for customers to peruse
your store. A basic straight design can help lure customers all
the way to the back of the store, ensuring that all featured
merchandise is seen. This is done with signage, product displays,
and strategically placed merchandise to keep customers
interested and moving down the main aisle of the shop.
•
This store design works for small markets, food stores, and
department stores that use the spine as a main aisle to connect
the various sections on each floor.
•
Pros
•
Customers are more likely to make it to the back of the store
•
Shoppers have space to look around
•
Allows for space to display merchandise
•
Cons
•
Shoppers may move quickly down the main aisle and
merchandise at the front or sides of your store will go unseen
•
A straight aisle may not lend itself as well to exploration and
discovering new products
DIAGNAL
•
Exactly as the name suggests, the diagonal store
layout incorporates aisles placed at an angle to
expose more merchandise to customers as they walk
through the shop. It’s a variation of the grid layout and
can help guide shoppers to the checkout counter. This
store design is helpful for space management, making
it a good option for retail stores with limited space. It
also encourages more movement, so customers can
easily circulate through the store and see all of the
products you sell.
•
Pros
•
Better customer circulation
•
If the checkout counter is located in the center of the
store, the diagonal layout provides better security—
you’ll be able to see more throughout the store
•
Cons
•
Shoppers cannot take a shortcut to specific products
•
Narrower aisles are common in the diagonal store
layout
ANGULAR
•
A better name for angular store layout would be “curved
store layout.” “Angular” is deceptive, as this store layout
includes rounded product displays, curved walls and
corners, and other curved store fixtures to maintain the
customer flow.
•
The angular layout uses free-standing product displays
and can create the perception of higher quality
merchandise, making it a good retail design option for
luxury retailers and boutiques.
•
Pros
•
Creates a unique retail store design
•
Elevates the in-store experience
•
Cons
•
Rounded displays eliminate wall shelf space
•
Less inventory can be displayed
GEOMETRIC
•
The geometric store layout is a great way to combine
creativity and functionality. It’s commonly used by
retailers selling products targeted at stylish millennials and
Gen Z. If your shop has a unique interior including support
columns, wall angles, and ceiling design, a geometric
layout can enhance the look of your store.
•
Pros
•
Creates a unique store design without a high cost
•
Helps make a statement about the products
•
Cons
•
May be too eccentric for less “trendy” products (or
an older audience)
•
It may not be the best option to maximize space to
display merchandise
MULTIPLE
•
You don’t have to select just one store layout. Some
retailers use elements from multiple layouts to create
a flexible store design, also known as a mixed layout.
A dynamic mix of diagonal, straight, and angular
store layouts can help you create a compelling instore experience where customers naturally flow
from one area to another.
PROPS
• A prop is something used with a product in a display
• that clarifies the function of the merchandise being sold
• or the story being told.
•
Props are an integral part of a display.
• They are used in visual merchandising to tell a
• story about the product, the merchandise concept or the
• store itself.
EASY ACCESS
• 1. Easy access from the store entrance to all sales sections is very important.
2- The most valuable space is near the front of the store
3- Space on the first floor is more valuable than basement or upper floor
4- The space along the aisles is more valuable than the peripheral corner space , central aisles are
more valuable from the peripheral or sides aisles
5-Eye-level space is more valuable than the space above and below eye level, especially for new
items.
QUESTIONS?