The retail industry is highly competitive, meaning you must go the extra mile to offer your customers what your competitors don’t. While there are several ways to accomplish this, you may want to spruce up your retail store to stand out. An impeccable retail store captivates anyone who walks in, convincing them they’re in the right place and influencing them to purchase a product or two. Below are tips for creating a standout retail store:
- Use a high-traffic and convenient location
Location is critical to your business’s success. ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ perfectly applies to retail stores. If your shop is hidden in a lonely street where people hardly pass by, you may never make enough sales to earn a decent income.
You’d want to set up your store in an area with high foot traffic. The good thing is you don’t have to commit to long-term leases, given the abundance of ephemeral commercial spaces. By booking a short-term retail space in Melbourne or other high-potential cities, you can test the market’s reception of your products. If the demand is high in the test location, you can consider leasing a commercial space there for several years. But if customers aren’t plenty in the area you’re assessing, you can close your retail store and test another location.
- Ensure consistency between your online and land-based retail store
82% of smartphone owners search online for products they want to purchase in-store. You probably have an eCommerce store on top of your brick-and-mortar one. It’d help to have seamlessness between the two. The customer purchase journey that begins online shouldn’t be disrupted once they come to your retail store.
Maintain a consistent brand message both online and offline. If your website emanates a friendly vibe, buyers shouldn’t step into your store and meet inhospitable attendants. Likewise, the visual appearance of your store and products should be depicted in the online images. Any differences will breed confusion and frustration among the clients, and they’ll feel cheated. So, ensure that whatever you post online accurately represents your physical store.
- Cater to the senses
Emotions significantly influence buyers to make the final purchase decision. Anyone walking into your retail store already has some interest in your products. Therefore, you must convince them to buy. You can cleverly play around with their emotions to your advantage.
One emotion influencing buying decisions is greed. A customer may make an immediate purchase because of the promise of a reward. In this case, you may want to offer discounts. Ensure the discount messages are displayed in bold and enticing stickers around the store, perhaps in red and yellow colors, known to spark an adrenaline rush.
Additionally, you may want to place enticing low-priced products around the clutter. While they may not be what the buyer intends to purchase, they can impulsively decide to buy them too as they pay for their main items.
- Make the space comfortable
Customers like it when they walk into a homely retail store. They can spend as much time as they wish to assess the products before buying. Contrarily, a shop offering no comfort will quickly drive away customers the moment they walk in.
One way to make your retail store comfortable is by leaving enough space to walk around. Spacious shops allow customers to inspect every shelf or display area. On the same note, don’t clutter the shelves. Strategically display a few highlight items, so your customers don’t feel overwhelmed. While offering several options is essential, overdoing it makes customers confused, and they can abandon the purchase altogether.
It’d also help to have a rest area where your clients can have a seat as they speak to you or wait for their friends as they shop. Such kind gestures go a long way to enhancing customer experience, which leads to business growth.
- Master product placement
Arranging your retail store isn’t all about placing a product on a shelf. Go beyond the basics and learn some buyer psychology. For instance, products placed at the buyer’s eye level are more likely to catch their attention. Consider this as you arrange the products on the shelves.
And while you may want to maximize the use of your space, avoid cramming too many items together. Visual clutter is a sure turn-off to customers. It’s better to have ample space around products to avoid clouding the buyer’s mind. Also, consider grouping products of similar colors and gradually transitioning the hues for an attractive and comfortable visual experience.
Conclusion
A standout retail store can influence in-store buyers to close the deal. Don’t assume that everyone walking into your shop will purchase your products. The persuasion isn’t over yet. Arrange your retail store in a manner that emotionally convinces the buyer to pick up and pay for the items.
