As permanent retail shops and pop-up shops adjust to the current consumer climate, owners are looking for unique and exciting ways to personalize their guests’ experiences while also implementing pragmatic solutions for their businesses. Between customer retention in a competitive market and the demand for immediacy, retail companies are faced with challenges on several fronts.
At PureAlchemy Design we believe an updated retail space can make a world of difference. The following blog post covers retail design innovations that put the customer first for the sake of brand impressions and, of course, the driving of sales. Here is one of our favorite retail space projects.
#1 Design for a Good First Impression
Installing an eye-catching storefront display is a simple yet impactful change that can exhibit company values, branding elements, and product promotions. While marketers set up the storefront content to highlight seasonal merchandise or campaigns, it’s your retail space designer whose design choices can craft this display for success. Store displays can’t realize their potential if they’re inadequately lit or not supported with the right layout.
#2 Emphasize the Brand as an Experience
On the topic of guest impressions, the memorability of your retail store design will hinge on each phase of the guest experience. Beyond the display, this sense of branding and store values should be carried throughout the space. Design experts suggest that “consumers want to associate with brands and shopping experiences that fit into their values and into their lives.”
What does this look like? Modern designers will often suggest artwork and brand-relevant aesthetics on walls along with unique displays that highlight causes retail companies are passionate about. Doing so allows for the opportunity to connect personally with a customer, which is a growing factor in consumers’ shopping decisions.
Other ways to add to the experience include:
- Creative videos involving company leadership and employees
- Displays that show company history
- Intentional color palettes that influence the space’s overall energy
#3 Embrace Technology
As retail companies look for more ways to engage with customers, new technologies continue to provide avenues for that engagement. Shops install touchscreens, for example, in various locations for customer convenience. These screens assist customers by providing access to online catalogs, store inventory details, and company news among other features.
While expenses for technological additions may elicit sticker shock, providing at least some technology integration is a great way to think customer first and you’ll probably find the price is worth it. Furthermore, the future of retail is growing more and more digital. Embracing technology can help retail shops keep up with the times and offer customers amenities they’ve grown accustomed to.
#4 Plot Out the Customer Journey
As merchandise marketers know, a strategy in plotting out the customer journey can make all the difference. What are they seeing when they walk in? How are they led to experience the shop? Is a story being told through visual and experiential elements?
Of course, you wouldn’t want to plot out the customer’s journey to such an extent that every moment is accounted for. But the methodology behind plotting out the customer journey has long been an asset to the retail world, and your retail store design innovations should work in tandem with that methodology. At the very least, consider whether your current design encourages your customers to interact with the products and salespersons.
Retail Interior Design & Solutions That Elevate the Human Experience
PureAlchemy Design offers retail and commercial office designs that are both functional and driven by the human experience. We are passionate about utilizing spaces to improve individual wellness through purposeful decision-making at every phase of the design. To learn more about our story check out the recent article in Artful Living Magazine.
Looking to learn more? Connect with us online to schedule your consultation.