Businesses require a refined store layout to ensure their customers can find the product they need with ease, to direct the flow of traffic through the store, and to ensure effective promotion of priority items. Our team has many years’ experience helping retailers and merchandisers create highly effective layout plans for their stores, and in this latest post we present our five tips for a smart store layout.

1) Place Seasonal and New Products in Prime Locations

Exciting items should be placed in high-traffic locations throughout the store. The right front of the store is the ideal location for those seasonal items that are currently popular. New items should also be placed in this area of the store, to help gauge customer response and to build interest in the product for the future.

2) Incorporate “Speed Bumps” in the Store

As customers enter the store, it’s important to draw their eye and their attention to something that will encourage them to slow down and enjoy their shopping experience. Strategically place a “speed bump”, in the form of a display or a fixture, immediately before customers enter the first aisle. Specialty fixtures that highlight new and compelling seasonal items work well as speed bumps, and will draw the customer in.

3) Place Registers at Natural Stopping Points

Registers should be placed in an area of the store where they don’t distract shoppers. It’s important that shoppers are focused on buying products as they make their way around the store. However, registers should be located within an easy-to-find location that is a natural stopping point within the store. Most experts agree that front left of the store is the optimal placement for a register within retail locations.

4) Leave Room for Important Additions

Within a smart store layout plan, companies should leave room for additions to their business. ATMs, seating areas and customer service desks might be added to the layout at a later date and leaving some space within the store will allow for a seamless update when changes must be made.

5) Store Necessities at the Back of the Store

Necessities should be placed as close to the back of the store as possible to ensure customers make their way through the entire store to get to them. Whether the necessity is underwear or milk, placing it in this location will help companies attract buyers to other products by placing their required item in a location deep within the store.

Our team of store layout specialists are available now to answer any questions business owners might have about the layout process. To learn more, call our offices today.