It’s a pretty obvious fact that psychology plays an important part in consumer behavior. As a retail manager, or general store manager, you are probably aware of how and where the various products and displays in your store are set up. However, you may not realize how big of a phenomenon and how much of an industry there is behind the layout of stores. Focus groups, sales data and psychologists all work in conjunction to create the optimum store layout for higher sales. These various entities interpret shopper habits and based on how people usually buy things in a store (especially those that aren’t one-stop-shops), the store will be set up to accommodate maximum purchasing. The setup is created for the goal of keeping the customer in their store and not just keeping them there, but having them spend the most money! There are several components to a great store layout. They include: an experience that engages the senses, staples (key, common items) in the back, including an easy to follow perimeter via strategic aisles, having the most sought after goods at the center of the store and utilizing psychology and other data to determine how the shelves are stacked (in terms of bottom shelf, top shelf, middle shelf and kid’s shelf). In this informative blog post, Excellence Industries will delve into the aforementioned themes to discover how to best plan your store layout to ensure optimum sales and money for you! Of course, having a beautiful display for your dairy items or other refrigerated products can’t hurt either. Check out Excellence Industries for state-of-the-art refrigeration and display systems that are sure to draw customers into your store and keep them there! Now, on to store layout.
Regarding the sensory experience, a big store will want to feature the bakery, produce and flower departments at the front, as they are the most engaging to the senses. The bakery features the delicious, wafting smell of breads, produce features bright colors that excite consumers and the floral department offers beautiful colors and amazing smells. The next theme of effective store layout is packing the back of the store with the most necessary items. This is because you don’t want the consumers to be in and out, you want them to have to take their time, even if their original plan was simply to head to the store for staples. Regarding the perimeter of the store, creating an effective path is so key because store managers want you to maximize your time. Namely, they want you to see as much merchandise as possible in the smallest amount of time, as everyone is in a rush these days. The center aisles should also be stacked as you want to lead the shopper to the heart of the store. Regarding shelving, stores generally put the leading brands at eye-level, with generic brands at the bottom, gourmet items up top and kid’s items at kid eye-level.
