Retail Store Design Ideas to Boost Sales

Retail store shopping took a huge hit in 2020 due to the pandemic. It should come as no surprise that e-commerce increased significantly during this time. However, things are beginning to change. Retail business sales in the US reached $6.6 trillion in 2021, and in-store sales are actually up 13.7 percent compared to the year before the pandemic.

With that in mind, it’s essential that retail store owners make their stores more appealing and inviting to boost sales. That’s especially true as more retail stores open and competition increases. As such, the following are 11 retail store design ideas that can help boost your sales:

1. Use Colors to Your Advantage

Human beings are highly visual, and research shows that 80% of the sensory information the brain receives comes from the eyes. So, if a retail store wants to attract and retain customers’ attention, it should show them something visually attractive and stimulating.

Color is one of the crucial aspects of retail store design. Your choice of colors can make or break your retail store outlook. For example, bright colors can help create an inviting and visually appealing environment that encourages customers to browse and make purchases. In addition, colors, when used correctly, can subtly influence customer behavior. For example, studies have shown that red is a color that can stimulate appetite and encourage impulse purchases. Using colors associated with your branding can also help strengthen your brand identity.

2. Create an Engaging Entrance

The storefront entrance is important because it’s the first thing customers will see when they arrive. Make sure the entrance is well-designed and inviting so that customers will want to come in and browse. In addition, consider using eye-catching displays and signage to grab attention and entice customers to enter.

3. Make the Most of Your Floor Space

Your retail store’s floor space is valuable real estate, so it’s important to make the most of it. Be strategic with your retail store layout and design to help customers easily navigate the store and find what they need. For example, you may want to place the best and most enticing products on the shelves or displays nearest to the entrance.

In addition, keep in mind that customers tend to browse counter-clockwise, so make sure your layout design takes this into account. Studies show that the traffic flow in a retail store may have something to do with vehicular patterns on the road. Herb Sorensen, in the book “Inside the Mind of a Shopper,” says that the movement patterns in a supermarket in the US are counterclockwise. However, there is a greater tendency for consumers in the UK, Japan, and Australia to move clockwise, patterns that are closely related to traffic circles in the respective countries.

With that in mind, you can make the most of your retail store floor to direct customers where you want them to go. All the same, don’t base your merchandising decisions on external studies alone. Ensure you study your shoppers and figure out the best patterns for traffic flow.

4. Use Lighting to Your Advantage

Lighting is critical to the success of any type of interior design, but it’s particularly important when it comes to the design of your store interior. The right lighting can create a warm and inviting atmosphere to help improve the customer experience, while also helping to highlight product displays to help move new products. Also, effective lighting can help you establish focal points throughout your store.

5. Use Digital Signage

Digital signage is a great way to add functionality to your store. Digital signs are helpful because you can update the content you’re displaying quickly and easily, which is ideal for sales and promotions. In addition, digital signage can be used to deliver targeted content to specific demographics, which can help boost sales. Finally, you can use your digital signs to provide product information, display a floor plan map of your retail space, and more.

6. Create an Experiential Store Design

Your retail store design ideas shouldn’t be just about attractive visual merchandising or well-curated displays. Instead, it should be about the experience you deliver to your customers using the various store components When thinking of retail store design ideas, consider the overall experience you’d want the shoppers to have and the emotions you want to evoke. With the answers you get, you can come up with an experiential store design.

An experiential store design immerses customers in the brand and allows them to interact with products in a fun and engaging way, thereby creating a better retail experience. This type of store design is particularly effective in promoting sales of products that are difficult to sell online, such as clothing, cosmetics, and home decor.

7. Set Up Window Displays

Window displays are a great way to grab attention and promote your store. A good window display can help to entice potential customers outside your store, while also giving them a taste of what they can expect to find inside. You might want to consider using mannequins, props, and lighting to create an eye-catching display.

8. Use In-Store Displays

In-store displays allow you to promote new products and encourage sales. Make sure your displays are well-designed and effective in drawing customer attention. Where you place your in-store displays is also important. For example, placing displays near the entrance of the store can help to entice customers to get inside, while placing them near the register can help to encourage impulse purchases.

9. Don’t Put Too Many Products on Display

One trick to getting your displays right is to avoid having clutter or too much merchandise and clutter. Doing so only makes it tough for your customers to navigate the store or find the things they need. Besides, it also takes their attention away from their purchasing objectives.

So, it’s essential to determine the most appropriate quantity of merchandise for your retail store and display. High-end clothing stores, for example, can consider showing fewer items, leaving more unoccupied floor space. Doing so will boost the perceived impression of the value of the merchandise and make buyers more willing to buy.

On the other hand, big-box or cheaper retailers should make the most of every square foot available. That would reinforce the idea that customers are getting a fair price, encouraging more purchases.

10. Create an Inviting Checkout Area

The checkout area is one of the most important parts of your retail shop design. This is because it’s where customers will make their final purchase decision. Make sure the checkout area is well-designed and inviting so that customers will want to complete their purchases. In addition, consider using technology, such as self-checkout kiosks, to make the checkout process more efficient and convenient for customers.

11. Add a Decompression Zone

A decompression zone is an area near the entrance of the store where customers can take a breather and adjust to the new environment. This type of zone can help to reduce customer anxiety and encourage them to stay in the store longer. Make sure the decompression zone is well-designed and inviting so that customers will want to stay.

By following these tips, you can create a retail store design that is both effective and inviting. Keep in mind that the goal of your store design should be to increase sales and encourage customer loyalty. Therefore, make sure your store design is strategic and well-executed. In addition, don’t forget to incorporate technology into your store design to help reduce customer anxiety and promote sales.