Store Exterior , Interior Layout, Visual Merchandising

1. Store Exterior , Interior Layout, Visual Merchandising • Important Information :- • 2 basic types of customer • Browsers • Transactors Browsers :- want to spend more time in the store shopping at leisurely pace Transactors :- want to get in & out fast , they want to find what they want quickly

2. STORE DESIGN • Design should be consistent with image & Strategy • i.e define the target customer & then design a store that compliments • customers needs . Store’s image is portrayed by the physical aspects of the store . • Design should positively influence Consumer Behavior • -Store layout & space-planning issues . Ex:- Grocery stores should display as much • as merchandise possible . • Note: Customers purchasing behavior is also influenced, both positively • & negatively , by stores atmosphere . – ex:- Signs , Smell etc . • Design should consider costs versus value • - Retailers develop maps called planograms that prescribe the location of • merchandise based on profitability and other factors . • ex:- Food & Grocery :- are placed near the entrance • - Retailers must weigh the costs along with their strategy • Design Should be Flexible • should be able to accommodate the seasonal flux , flexibility lies in innovative • fixturing , ex:- Provogue Lounge • 5. Design should recognize the needs of the disabled Objectives of a Good Store Design

3. STORE LAYOUT Ease of finding merchandise & providing a varied and interesting layout is determined By the needs of the customers shopping at the store . For example :- Supermarket Shoppers :- are goal oriented Department Store Shoppers :- are not goal oriented & want to explore Types of Design • Grid Layout • Racetrack Layout or Loop Layout • Free Form Layout or Boutique Layout

4. Grid Layout :- Arrangement of merchandise in which customers need • to move throughout the entire store and easily locate products they want to buy . • Useful for :- Grocery & drugstore • Advantage :- • Less wasted space • More amount of merchandise can be placed – enhancing space productivity • Fixtures cost are reduced due to standardized and repetitive in nature • Disadvantage :- Customer not exposed to all the merchandise Checkout

5. Racetrack Layout or Loop Layout :- store design which felicitates customers to explore and seek out new and interesting merchandise . Advantages :- Provides assess to all departments . Encourages impulse buying Checkout

6. Free Form Layout or Boutique Layout :- arrangement of fixtures asymmetrically. • Used primarily in small specialty stores or within departments of large stores . • Advantages :- • Relaxed environment • Facilitates shopping & exploring or browsing • Disadvantage :- • -Fixtures are expensive • -Personal selling becomes more important • Theft are high • Need to create more spacious environment due to this space cannot be fully utilized. Jeans Casual Wear Pants Open display window Storage , Receiving Accessories Checkout counter Clearance Items Dressing Rooms Tops Open display window Belts & Handbags Skirts & Dresses

7. Important terms in Store Layout • Feature Areas :- areas designed to get the customers attention . • They include:- • End Caps • Promotional Aisles or areas • Freestanding Fixtures • Mannequins • Windows • Point-of Sale or cash wraps , checkouts, Point of Purchase • Walls

8. SPACE PLANNING Allocation of Space • Important Ques :- • What items ? • How much of each items ? • How much space ? • Where to be located ? • Factors effecting the store planners :- • Profitability of Merchandise • Seasonal Demands & Stok to sale ratio i.e. proportion of merchandise kept • On display versus backup stock • 3. Location of merchandise draw the customer through the store falicitating purchases. • 4. Merchandise & Fixtures :- ex:- Shirts on hangers or shelves ? • 5. Items the retailers wish to emphasize.

9. Few important concepts in Store Planning Location Advantage :- ex: Men don’t like to browse but women do . Impulse Products :- Products purchased without prior plans . Therefore placed near the front of the store Demand/Destination Areas :- demand for their products or services is created before customers get their destination . Seasonal Needs Physical Characteristics of Merchandise :- ex:- Furniture shop, Curtain needs wall space Adjacent Departments :- ex:- skirts need matching tops Grocery Shops :- fruits & vegetables need to be placed togetehr, butter, milk, cheese etc need to be placed near the refrigeration area so that customer can easily judge .

10. Location of Merchandise within departments :- Planogram A Planogram is a tool used by the retailer , and it helps determine the location of merchandise within a department . For retailer who has a number of stores spread over various locations :- When products are presented in the same manner across locations, the customer feels familiar and comfortable at each location. Advantage :- - This helps to build brand loyalty & customer trust .

11. Merchandise Presentation Techniques • Idea Oriented Presentation • Style/Item Presentation • Color Presentation • Price Lining • Vertical Merchandising – using walls & Gondolas • Tonnage Merchandising – large quantities of merchandise are displayed together. • Frontage Presentation – to catch the customers eye • Fixtures • Straight racks • Rounder • Bulk fixture/ capacity fixture • Four-way Fixture – also called feature fixture • Gondolas

12. Atmospherics Refers to the design of an environment via visual communications, lighting , colors , music and scent to stimulate customers perceptual and emotional responses and ultimately to affect their behavior • Visual Communications • Signs & Graphics to inform customer • Keep signs fresh • Create theatrical effects • Carefully done calligraphy • Lighting • Highlight Merchandise • Capture a mood & Maintain an image • Downplay features • Color , Music, Scent