Guide to...
SEPTEMBER 2020
SHOPFITTING
Contents Fall in love with your visual merchandising
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Choosing POS furniture to grow your business
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How to design a store 20 5 ways to make a small shop look bigger
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Top tips to create more attractive retail displays
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Hol group - helping you keep your customers and staff safe
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Create eye-catching window display and design in 5 steps
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Shopfitting on a budget 48 Window tinting in retail: The benefits
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Queue? What queue?
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3 ways to make your store more inclusive for children with autism 64 Closing the loop on sustainable retail displays
Contributors
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Credits
Thanks
Managing Editor
Many thanks to all those who provided editorial content or images, helping us to compile what we hope is a useful and informative read! Please send any comments or suggestions to rob@modernretail.co.uk.
Rob Gamage - rob@modernretail.co.uk Content Editor Holly Worthington - holly@modernretail.co.uk Sales Director Jamie Ezekiel - jamie@modernretail.co.uk Business Development Manager Holly Worthington
Emma Mjekiqi - emma@modernretail.co.uk
Holly brings a wealth of experience in both print and digital publishing. As Modern Retail’s Content Editor, Holly is passionate about helping independent retailers to thrive in today’s ever-changing market.
Sales Executive
Modern Retail is published by Ricochet Media Services Ltd (Registered Company: 6043446). 1st Floor, Building 2, Croxley Park, Watford, WD18 8YA.
Debs Harbron debs@modernretail.co.uk Client Services Executive Beki Rodrigo - beki@modernretail.co.uk
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Fall in love with your visual merchandising 6
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Ultimately, success in retail can rely
Group products
on visual merchandising. If items
Inspire your customers by grouping products together. This can be done by style, purpose, price, or colour. Draw customers in by creating eye-catching displays, clearly linking relevant products. An example of this would be to have mannequins wearing summer clothes, also displaying sunglasses, a beach bag and a sun hat. A display with a message or theme, such as summer, is much more effective with the use of product grouping.
aren’t made to look appealing, passers-by won’t come instore, let alone make a purchase. These top tips will help you to rethink your store design, helping you, and your customers fall in love with your visual merchandising.
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Contributor:
Give customers a sign
Holly Worthington
Use signage to inform and excite customers. Tell them about promotions and new ranges in shop
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windows. Give signage instore to various sections, changing rooms and checkouts. Great signage is the silent salesperson; enticing and directing customers as they browse. It can also stop lost revenue through frustrated customers leaving your store when they can’t find what they came in for.
Keep it exciting Regularly rotate displays, showcasing new stock and ranges to remain current. If your window display is identical every day for 6 months, people who pass by regularly are unlikely to suddenly be tempted to come instore. You also run the risk of being seen as outdated, for example, if you have a Christmas
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“If items aren’t made to look appealing, passers-by won’t come instore, let alone make a purchase.”
display after December, or have a window display with summer clothing when the weather turns cold. Tap into trends, seasons, promotions and holidays to reinvigorate your visual merchandising.
Tap into the senses Sight – Make your store visually appealing. Make sure it’s well enough lit for products to be clearly visible, and use lighting techniques to emphasise specific displays. Hearing – Make customers’ visits enjoyable with music suited to your target market and desired atmosphere. This can keep people instore longer and enhance their experience. Touch – One of the main benefits of retail instore is that customers can feel products and see them in person. Place items in locations which are easy to reach, letting customers experience the textures where possible. Smell – The scent of a store can enhance enjoyment, and also create a lasting memory. Most of us will remember Lush for its sweet scent or bath bombs, which makes its way
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throughout shopping centres and high streets around the country. Don’t go too daring, but remember that a memorable and enjoyable scent can entice potential customers instore. Taste – If you stock products that are edible, give samples. Simple things like this can encourage purchases, with a ‘try before you buy’ approach proving very popular.
Make it Instagrammable Instagram has become a fantastic form of marketing when utilised correctly. Make your displays attractive and picture-worthy, or include hashtags, increasing the likelihood of people sharing pictures of your store with their followers. Not only is this a free form of marketing, it will attract potential customers instore and help you to reach a new, larger audience with attractive displays.
HOW TO OVERCOME THIS RETAIL DISASTER Covid-19 has left a major mark on retailer and landlords. Whilst e-commerce is propping up retailers, it is not a sustainable long-term solution. Physical retail is still the best way for brands and customers to connect, especially in fashion and apparel.
Retail real estate has unfortunately seen more and more vacancies due to shops closing during this challenging time. Northbanks had already been looking for solutions as we foresaw this as a problem even before the pandemic, and it will sadly continue to be more acute in the following months, if not years. Landlords (who we so readily complain about with their high rents) and commercial property investors, are also in trouble and have portfolios of empty properties, business rates and council liabilities. Physical retail is not dying. In fact, many of our clients and other global future-forward brands such as Nike and Burberry are investing heavily in in-store innovations. A shop is the ideal environment to communicate the brand or retailers’ personality and unique authentic story that people now crave. It is a curated insight into the ethos of the brand. This is hard to achieve in a crowded digital world. With our expertise, we know that a store with its soft selling approach to product merchandising, window displays, life style decoration, characteristic shop design and assisted shopping with fellow humans we can relate to, are indispensable ingredients to a successful brand. We have all witnessed retailers with stores having to cut back, limiting their physical footprint. However, online sales are not guaranteed to fill that gap. Digitalfirst retailers are perhaps in the best position but many of them know that a physical presence, which is hard to do online, is vital in connecting with their brand followers. But, committing to a long-term lease is much less viable now.
At Northbanks we’ve created exciting retail environments for global clients such as Ralph Lauren, Lego, Vivienne Westwood, Converse and Alfred Dunhill to name a few. With over 25 years of experience, we know exactly how to create retail environments that best reflect an ever-changing society.
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We see in the ‘new normal’ that brands may be less likely to take out a typical five-year lease, and shorter temporary leases might be beneficial all round, making pop-up stores more appealing. Cost effective pop-ups can appear anywhere - and go wherever your customers are! Retail space, train stations, piazzas…the ability to be agile and ‘pop-up’ in different locations or even different cities is a really exciting solution for reaching a wider customer base.
In February 80-95% of purchases were still made offline, with that in mind both landlords and retailers are in need of flexible solutions. Short term rentals fill empty real estate and as such there is a huge opportunity to take advantage of the reduction of business rates until March 31st 2021. Northbanks is working alongside our clients to take full advantage of this opportunity, allowing brands to test new markets and product launches, personalise buyer experiences and ultimately sell more. Temporary retail creates physical spaces that deliver a cohesive brand message that ties into marketing campaigns. A pop-up builds brand awareness, attracts positive PR and puts your brand in front of new shoppers. With that in mind, a real focus for Northbanks is creating pop-ups which provide landlords and retailers with that necessary flexibility. We create pop-ups that maximise the buying opportunities to ensure the brand followers get the best experience.
Let’s find the best solution for your retail needs, whether you are a landlord, shop owner or brand wanting to immerse customers in your brand. Get in touch! Give us a call on +44 (0) 207 993 8066 (we’re really nice!) Or email hello@northbanks.co.uk if you’re feeling shy!
Creating shopper experiences that better your brand
Concepts / Design / development / manufacture / Installation for : retail environments / displays / fixtures / retail VM & props
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Choosing POS furniture to grow your business
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Your point of sale (POS) furniture plays a vital role in encouraging
Here’s how you can choose POS furniture that grows business:
customers to increase their spend.
Look at available space
It’s your opportunity to tap into
The first step when deciding POS furniture is to understand the area you would like to dedicate to this. Consider the direction you would like the queue to form and the impact this will have on shoppers that are browsing.
impulse buying, meaning furniture must be chosen strategically, designing an area that boosts profits and impresses customers.
Consider specific requirements Not every retailer needs the same kind of checkout area. While many choose a point of sale counter in the corner of their store, brands like Apple have led the way with mobile POS systems. Take time to think about the type of POS area that you would like to create.
Choosing furniture
Contributor: Holly Worthington
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Now you know the space available and the type of checkout experience you would like to provide, it’s time to look at different types of furniture. These questions will help you to choose POS furniture that matches your vision:
- How many people will be served? Look at the number of customers you serve at any one time, as well as the number of staff you typically have available. POS furniture should enable you to meet customer demands, serving the required number of people without becoming wasted space. If you experience long queues at peak times, it could be worth investing into POS furniture with multiple cashier areas, while quieter shops could benefit from installing smaller counters. - How much space do you need for equipment? There is nothing worse than an overcrowded checkout area. Make sure there is plenty of space for POS systems and any other necessary equipment such as protective screens or hand sanitiser dispensers, leaving room for cashier staff to work comfortably. - What is your visual theme? Consider your brand guidelines, any colour schemes, or imagery that you
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would like to include. POS furniture should fit in with the rest of the store, making it an enjoyable experience. Choose furniture that matches the theme you are looking to create. - What would you like to display? Think about the products you would like to display and the units that can present this in an attractive way. This can vary greatly depending on a shop’s offering and preferences. As an example, a jewellery store may choose enclosed glass cases to display higher priced items, while a discount store may look to feature baskets of lower priced items. Understanding customers’ expectations and preferences plays a large role in knowing how to display items. Your POS furniture should have space to facilitate any products that you would like to display. These can include shelves, cases, counter tops and buckets, to name just a few methods of presentation.
explain information such as loyalty schemes or social distancing rules, saving staff time as they do not have to explain it repeatedly to customers. Consider any space that you need to make for signage, whether it’s small messages that are displayed on counter tops, or larger posters on the sides of POS furniture.
The benefits of choosing the right POS furniture By choosing POS furniture that meets your objectives, you are able to provide shoppers with an experience that is second to none. Creating a cashier area that attracts customers, encourages them to make impulse purchases and enables great customer service is a winning combination, driving sales, loyalty and engagement.
- Do you need space for signage? Signage can make an enormous difference when convincing a shopper to make an impulse buy. It can also
“Creating a cashier area that attracts customers, encourages them to make impulse purchases and enables great customer service is a winning combination.”
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How to design a store
Today, more than ever, it is important to create retail spaces that are designed in a way that is not only safe, but promotes a hassle-free and enjoyable experience.
Whilst the essence of a retail space is to sell, the goods and services aren’t always a necessity and as such, in many cases shoppers need to be drawn in, or encouraged to enter. Now that non-essential retail has re-opened, this has never been more relevant than today – we cannot be complacent and merely expect shoppers to return and resume normal shopper behaviour. We have become all too familiar with ‘shopping for pleasure’ but for many months only essential shops were allowed to open. For everything else, we resorted to online retailers and this is likely to profoundly effect on the shopper psyche.
Contributor: John Abbate of Northbanks
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Prior to the current pandemic, we were already seeing the power of ‘aware’ shoppers who voted with their feet. These are shoppers who aren’t attracted by cheap prices but instead value non-monetary factors such as provenance or good environmental or ethical practices, as well as ones who favoured the comparative ease of online shopping and only used physical shops for ‘showrooming’. Retailers were quick to blame declining sales on the death of the high street and the rise of e-commerce rather than questioning why shoppers were abandoning them. They weren’t critiquing themselves and identifying contributing factors such as dated or ineffectual store concepts and doing something about it.
Human beings are visual, with one of the most basic and cost-effective visual merchandising tactics being a new store layout. Research shows that regular passing trade will notice this change, take advantage of this and give retailers the greatest chance of drawing them in. We at Northbanks know that successful retail design or a great store concept increases footfall. Successful retail design is about creating a customer experience. It gives them a reason to cross the threshold, it guides a shopper’s interaction with the retail space, it entertains as well as entices, it encourages browsing and converts it into buying. Research has shown that shoppers buy with their heart and justify with their head – 95% of decisions are based upon emotion and 5% are based upon rational decisions. Northbanks is passionate about creating shopper experiences that better brands. We want to share why store design is so important to retailers, how it can be conceived, factors that might influence it and how and where this might come from…
“Successful retail design is about creating a customer experience.”
Why is the store concept so important? Put simply, it is the canvas to the goods or services in the store. But it’s more than that, it ties everything together, meaning it must be the best representation and the best possible environment to reflect the brand and relate with the target consumer group. Great store design echoes, reinforces and resonates with the brand story, the ethos and the demographics, i.e. the shoppers. The store interior design tells a story. It’s an extension of the brand personality, as well as being the visual identity communicated to the customers… and first impressions count! When developing a physical store concept, the technical requirements of selling and displaying can be executed in unlimited ways. Many individual design elements and aspects need to be considered to create the overall store concept. The interior fit out, the floor, wall, ceiling
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and lighting design, to name just a few, can be in any number of styles. The fixtures and furniture that display and promote the product are hugely important; with key considerations including how flexible and how functional they are, as well as the materials, finishes and execution. Retail and retail design is hugely interactive. Designing a store is a well thought out and complex process, arguably more so than residential or commercial interior design, which are only concerned with ‘living’ or ‘working’ environments. There are only ever two starting points for the interior aesthetic; an existing
brand formula, or a new one. Some relish the challenge of developing an existing one, whilst others might find new concept projects more exciting, citing originality as the holy grail for design agencies. We at Northbanks love both! A sometimes frowned upon approach is to mimic other brands, or adopt certain design cues – after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This might be a starting point for some retailers who find it beneficial to be closely associated with a highly recognisable and successful brand in order to attract or poach their customer.
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There are many approaches to the creative process and conceiving of a creative direction. We want to start with one that is popular at the moment and is particularly relevant to aspirational or lifestyle brands: interior design trends led. Retail is just one part of a customer’s life. A lifestyle approach to retail design looks at other areas of the customer, how and where they live, where they go on holiday or to socialise, what they value and put importance on, how they aspire to live and what styles they may associate with. Knowing and understanding the target demographic is essential to focusing on the interior design style that best suits the retailer. The key is mirroring the brand identity with that of their customers. This is often why brand concepts are not always consistent between the shops and often change. They are creating an environment that inspires their customers whilst constantly trying to stay one step ahead of their competition. Store design can explore different angles of the same design story. An analogy would be that of someone with multiple homes…
would they all look the same? It’s likely each one would be adapted to the location and environment they are in. Layered on top of this is the visual identity and personality of the retailer or brand. Here is where consistency might be desired to reinforce brand recognition. The brand’s strategy will dictate whether they choose individuality or consistency. However, in the age of discerning shoppers, the days of a one-size-fits-all store design is long gone.
materials and contrasting neon signs, we have created a chic and lux, yet understated interior, that is in tune with their brand identity and ethos, and that of their followers. The use of pink, round arches, neon, plants and simple geometric design is a design trend in both residential and commercial environments, as you can see in the images. We definitely think this trend will continue to influence the design of their future retail stores.
Successful brands and retailers combine their brand DNA with design trends and their customers’ aspirations, tastes and expectations. An example of this is our partnership with renowned London based jewelry brand Astrid & Miyu to create their new completely Instagrammable permanent store at 31 Neal Street in Seven Dials, Covent Garden. The store has been created with the same passion and quality as Astrid & Miyu’s products themselves. By harmonising colours and textures, using soft blush tones, minimalistic
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5 ways to make a small shop look bigger
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“Strategic placement of mirrors can work to carry light throughout a shop with minimal natural light.”
Not every retailer is able to have large premises, but this doesn’t have to be seen as a bad thing. In fact, there are many ways to make smaller retail spaces look large
The following tips and tricks will help you to maximise the retail space you have, creating an airy feel while enjoying the same benefits as those with larger spaces, without the additional cost!
as reflecting space, they also work to reflect and distribute light, creating a brighter, more spacious feel instore. Strategic placement of mirrors can work to carry light throughout a shop with minimal natural light.
1. Make the most of light
4. Look up
Dim lighting and dark colours make a space feel smaller, so these should be avoided at all costs.
If you have high ceilings, you should make the most of this and utilise every inch of height. Signage, products and displays can be placed up high, allowing more products to be on display without overcrowding eye level shelves.
Begin by letting in as much natural light as possible, having clear lines of sight to windows and doors. Next, you should use light, bright colours in your shop’s colour scheme, creating an exciting and welcoming feel.
2. Choose furniture carefully
Contributor: Holly Worthington
When deciding on furniture, you should be careful to not choose any items that are too bulky. Every single shelving unit, bookcase, desk and chair will make the space appear smaller, so choose wisely, using light colours and being minimalistic wherever possible.
3. Install mirrors It’s a well-known fact that mirrors can make any space look larger. As well
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5. Avoid clutter Keeping your store organised with space between products will help to make it look more spacious. In a small space, only a little mess can make the entire shop look cluttered. Encourage staff to tidy products on a regular basis, keeping areas spotless to maintain tidiness and make the space feel larger. Regardless of how big or small your store is, you can use these five methods to maximise space and create a great instore experience.
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Top tips to create more attractive retail displays
Retail displays should be exciting, capturing shoppers’ attention. Whatever you sell, whether it is jewellery, cosmetics, or bespoke gifts, there is the need to design attractive retail displays.
You should begin by planning, understanding the props you have as well as upcoming events and potential themes. For those who struggle to come up with concepts, it can be worth getting inspiration from other shops and seeing what you like most. These are just some of the ways that you can create more successful retail displays:
1. Regularly update displays To continuously attract new and regular customers, you must change your displays often, reminding shoppers that there is always new stock and that there are plenty of reasons to come instore.
Contributor: Holly Worthington
This doesn’t have to be an expensive task, especially if you get creative and reuse the props you already have. Props can include mannequins, ring boxes, shelving units and more. Moving items into different positions to accompany various ranges of
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products is another great way to completely transform a shop’s appearance, enabling updated displays on a budget.
2. Highlight fresh stock Over time, displays will look less attractive. This can be as stock depletes, as boxes become damaged, or as products begin to gather dust. Make sure stock looks appealing and not aged, removing unattractive products, cleaning them and adding in freshly packaged products to reinvigorate displays. If a particular range of products no longer looks desirable, switch it for different products, or move them to a less focal point in the store. You should also be aware that some manufacturers offer to send replacement packaging upon request, making sure that damaged stock can still be displayed and sold.
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3. Invest in lighting It is worth investing into lighting as it can draw shoppers’ attention to specific items and products. Strategically placed lighting has been proven to increase sales and enhance display. Lighting should be used to make all products visible, while accentuating some of the most important items. Quite literally, it works to show your products in their best light. Top lighting tips include: - Lighting from all angles to reduce shadows - Contrasting bright and soft light to draw attention to specific areas - Using cool, white coloured lighting to make areas feel larger
- Installing lighting in shelving units and cases to make all products visible - Adding accent lighting to highlight window displays
4. Capture shoppers’ imaginations Display products in the way that they will be used, for example, showing jewellery being worn by a mannequin, or placing tableware on a dining table. Giving customers the opportunity to imagine the items in real-life situations can increase the likelihood of them making a purchase. These top tips will enable you to create more attractive retail displays, improving the appearance and desirability of the items you stock.
- Using warmer lighting to make spaces feel more comfortable and cosy
“These top tips will enable you to create more attractive retail displays, improving the appearance and desirability of the items you stock.”
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A MODERN APPROACH TO VISUAL MERCHANDISING
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Floor standing hand sanitation tower
Our stylish hand sanitisation points are available in a variety of models from floor standing contactless towers, counter top and wall mounted options. All styles do not require an electrical supply or power source. Next-day delivery has become a huge incentive for consumers to shop with specific retailers, with 52% of consumers preferring this over any other delivery option, as well as being willing to pay extra for nextday delivery.
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Create eye-catching window display and design in 5 steps Every brick-and-mortar retailer aims to tempt shoppers instore using their visual merchandising. Having a physical store creates the opportunity to capitalise on
However, unless retailers make the most of their window displays, they are throwing away an opportunity to increase footfall and create excitement around their products.
display; something that the world
Here’s how you can make the most of your window display:
of ecommerce cannot offer.
There should be three focuses The first thing to do when creating a window display is to answer the following three questions: - Where do you want the shopper to look first? - What is the focus of your display? - How can you engage the shopper? Once you have decided your answers to the above three questions, you are able to start designing your dream window display.
5 steps to captivating window displays These five steps will help you to stop passers-by in their tracks, capturing their attention and drawing them instore:
Contributor: Holly Worthington
1. Choose one item to focus attention on Your window display should be centred around one main product. This must be a visually appealing item, chosen because it will captivate
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shoppers’ imaginations and make them want to see more. Whichever product you choose should be attractive and of a reasonable size, instead of only being chosen as it is the most expensive item instore, or one that is on sale.
2. Choose two more items for the display Choose two more products that will compliment your primary product. It’s important to choose items that won’t completely detract attention from your main product, but will look appealing beside it.
3. Place your focus product at eye level People shop at eye level, so this is exactly where you should place your best product. Take note of the height of most people and centre your display around this point. If you’re not sure what height this should be, stand outside and place tape on the window at your own eye level, using this as a guide while creating your window display.
4. Add additional props Other props should then be added to capture shoppers’ attention. These don’t necessarily have to be linked to the products on display, with floral displays, vehicles and many other
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“These five steps will help you to stop passers-by in their tracks, capturing their attention and drawing them instore.”
themes often being seen in window displays. These typically add colour, engage passers-by and compliment your visual merchandising.
5. Consider backdrops Backdrops can make or break a window display. Take time to consider whether you are happy to block out shoppers’ view into the store, whether you would prefer to use smaller backdrops behind individual products, or would rather not use one
at all. Backdrops can work to promote messaging or specific themes, however when used unnecessarily, they can deter shoppers as they cannot see instore.
- Small products
Mistakes retailers often make
- Little differentiation between products
Here are some of the most common window display mistakes to avoid: - No clear focus point - Overcrowded displays
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- Focusing on products instead of shoppers’ experiences - Lack of contrasting colours
- Over-complicated colour schemes - Obscuring shoppers’ view into the store
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Shopfitting on a budget
Whether you’re renovating an
Outline your budget
existing retail space, or starting
The first way to keep costs down is to set a budget. This should be a simple and realistic budget, accounting for every addition that you would like to make. Begin by planning for the essential fixtures and fittings, as well as lighting and paint.
from scratch, this is a process that can quickly become expensive. Taking the following steps can help you to design your perfect shop within a set budget.
Be careful not to add unnecessary fixtures and fittings into the plan, as this can easily break the bank, particularly if you are working with a smaller budget.
Work with a reliable shopfitting partner Many retailers choose to work with professional shopfitters. There are many benefits to doing this, tapping into their expertise for ideas, including design recommendations and awareness of potential hazards or safety requirements. In addition to this, professional shopfitters may have contacts, enabling them to negotiate discounted rates on fittings, electrical equipment and furniture.
Contributor: Holly Worthington
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If you are working with an external shopfitting partner, it’s important that you can trust them to be honest and keep within your budget. Make sure you work with somebody who is able to create your vision within your means, being conscious of overspending.
The best way to make sure you are working with a shopfitting partner that will deliver in line with your expectations, is to speak to others who have worked with them previously. Most shopfitters will have a list of businesses that they have previously worked with. Take time to read through testimonials and speak to these businesses when deciding whether they can offer what you are looking for.
Plan timescales One of the most common reasons that shopfitting exceeds the budget is because it takes longer than originally anticipated. Timescales should be realistically planned, allowing for unexpected complications and delays. Items not arriving on time, difficulties installing fittings and incorrect orders are just some of the reasons that shopfitting can overrun. If you are working with an external shopfitter, you should also discuss costs, should you require their help for additional days. By planning timescales accurately and understanding costs of overrunning, you are able to allocate budget accordingly.
Buy carefully Once you have outlined your budget and timescales, it is time to begin making your purchases. Having outlined exactly what you plan to
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How do we ‘measure’ our success? Continuous repeat business from clients is a good ‘rule’ of thumb!
“Begin by planning for the essential fixtures and fittings, as well as lighting and paint.”
buy and researching the cost of this, providing you stick to the initial plans, you should not exceed your budget. An effective way to cut costs is to consider second-hand shop equipment. In many cases, this is in great condition and reduces the cost of fittings significantly. Used display equipment can even be customised to fit your shop’s decor.
Window tinting in retail: The benefits
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Many shopfitting upgrades require significant investment, however one that can be done on a budget is the addition of window tint film.
Tinted windows can come in a variety of appearances, working to protect products from sun damage, reduce costs, intrigue customers and more. Here are just some of the ways that you can benefit from the installation of window tint film.
Shoppers are more comfortable instore when they are not in direct sunlight. Tinted windows can stop irritating glare, prevent shoppers from standing in direct sunlight and create a more enjoyable instore experience.
Prevent UV damage
Attractive windows
Sunlight coming in through windows can cause damage, discolouration and fading of flooring, furniture, products and packaging. Installing window film can block as much as 99.9% of UV rays, as well as reducing the amount of solar heat that comes through the window.
Window tint can come in a range of designs, including opaque, reflective, frosted and different levels of transparency. This can be used by retailers to create their desired appearance, with many using it to fit their shopfitting theme and branding.
The cost of replacing products, redecorating and fixing cracked fittings can be incredibly expensive, making window tint film a costeffective method of protecting your store’s interior and the items within it.
More privacy
Lower energy costs
Contributor: Holly Worthington
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Comfortable shopping
Window tint film works to prevent heat loss in the colder months and keep heat out in summer. This means that there is less need for air conditioning when the weather is warm, and less need for heating in winter, saving significant amounts of money on energy bills and providing an ongoing return on investment.
Window tint can also create more privacy for shoppers and staff instore, without stopping enormous amounts of natural light coming in. This can be ideal for shops that require more privacy or wish to keep the interior more of a mystery until customers enter.
Points to consider Think about the aesthetic you are looking to achieve, making sure the window tint you choose aligns with your store’s branding and appearance.
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“Tinted windows can come in a variety of appearances, working to protect products from sun damage, reduce costs, intrigue customers and more.�
You should also consider quality, as high quality window tint can last for around 10 years, while the cheapest tint can require costly annual replacements.
Summary Retailers can still enjoy natural light, using window tint film as a costeffective method of saving money, making customers comfortable and elongating the life-span of products, displays and interiors.
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Queue? What queue? Customers can be easily deterred by a long queue, particularly if it is visible from outside a store. Think about the last time you told yourself “I’ll come back later” after seeing the length of a queue. Usually, this will be when you have noticed it from outside.
By the time customers have chosen their products and then joined a queue, they are typically more committed to making a purchase, bringing benefits to the retailers who draw shoppers’ attention to the store, as opposed to the queue.
returns, increasing staff numbers and working as efficiently as possible.
There are many ways that this can be done, beginning with carefully planning the store’s layout.
Locating POS at the back of your store gives shoppers the opportunity to browse, without being put off by any queues. In addition to this, it keeps the queue away from shop windows, allowing passers-by to clearly see products when they look in.
Reduce queues Contributor: Holly Worthington
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With many stores limiting the number of people they let in at any one time, queues are becoming commonplace. Implementing ideas to reduce queues is the first way to battle lengthy lines of people, having separate areas for
However, this is not always possible, so here’s how you can distract attention away from your queues.
Put tills at the back of the shop
Obscure view of queues Eye-catching displays can draw attention away from queues, meaning
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“By the time customers have chosen their products and then joined a queue, they are typically more committed to making a purchase.”
people are enticed to come instore, instead of being put off by a line of people inside. Creating separate sections, or using signage and fitting rooms to block the view of queues can also make shopping more enjoyable, preventing the line of people from frightening off potential customers!
Use mPOS systems An mPOS system is a ‘mobile point of sale’ system. These enable retailers to serve customers anywhere in the store, reducing the appearance of a queue, while also creating more space due to the lack of POS furniture required.
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Keep customers entertained Well-placed products and informative signage can work to keep queueing customers entertained. Many retailers get creative with their signage, including funny quotes, mini quizzes and many other innovative ideas that make queueing an enjoyable experience. After all… time flies when you’re having fun!
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3 ways to make your store more inclusive for children with autism
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It’s no secret that different shoppers prefer different types of checkout experience, so your target market’s preferences should play a large role in deciding which you fit in your store.
Diversity and inclusion are very important for those within the retail industry, as customers place their loyalty with businesses that celebrate accessibility through their services, products and their campaigns. In fact, in the last year, 41% of shoppers have moved away from a retailer that does not reflect these values, so it’s more important than ever to make sure your stores do offer such inclusion. There are around 700,000 adults and children in the UK on the autistic spectrum. These people often have more complex needs to those generally provided to customers, and activities like shopping can be extremely stressful, especially for young children. While many shops recognise and cater for these children by taking part in events like Autism Hour, business owners should strive to adapt even further and support children with autism all year round. Here are three of the best ways you can make families and children with autism feel more comfortable shopping in your store.
Avoid sensory overload Contributor: Rachel Clinkard of Charles Clinkard
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Environment is very important to shoppers, and those on the autistic spectrum can struggle if the
atmosphere of your store puts them off. In particular, loud music, bright lights, and busy displays with all the bells and whistles can cause sensory overload in a child with autism. They deal with this in a range of ways, from outbursts to shutting down completely. One of the ways you can avoid causing distress and make your store more inclusive for children on the autistic spectrum is to have a designated quiet room or area children with autism can go to decompress away from the crowds. Put some comfy beanbags, books, colouring kits, or toys out so they can distract themselves from sensory overload. Low or dimmed lighting in this area can also help keep them calm.
Offer a bespoke service Your staff also need to be trained and educated in how to avoid causing stress to children on the autism spectrum, including giving them plenty of space, talking them through the different products you sell, and explaining how to choose between them or try them on. This is because a child with autism not knowing what will happen when they go shopping can cause anxiety, especially when it’s outside of their normal routine, so understanding the process can help.
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“Raising awareness about the needs of children with autism is just as important as creating safe spaces for them to shop with their families.”
You should also make sure you have enough staff for them to spend time building rapport and providing a tailored service to each family in your store. If you can, try to keep track of who serves who, so they can have the same staff member each time they visit, as a familiar face can help make shopping feel more like a routine. You should have ways for parents to get in touch with your store before they visit so they can tell you about any special requirements their child might have. That way, you can make the necessary preparations and provide the best service possible.
Educate others about your process Raising awareness about the needs of children with autism is just as important as creating safe spaces for them to shop with their families, as it’s one of the most commonly misunderstood conditions. Parents of children with autism often have to suffer criticism from other parents
who may not understand why their children behave a certain way, so making all of your customers aware of what you do and why it’s important, can help make sure nobody has to feel uncomfortable in your store. You need to make other businesses as well as customers aware of the changes you are making to your shop and the services you provide by including plenty of information about it on your website, social media, and other marketing channels. That way, you can inspire others to do the same, and more retailers will have autismfriendly ways to shop available.
The tips in this guide can help you make the necessary changes to your store to appeal to a diverse range of families. Focus on reducing the risk of sensory overload, offering a tailored service to all your customers, and raising awareness of the needs of children with autism.
It can also help to create some resources that families can use to help prepare their children for a trip to your store. These can be books, videos, or other methods of explaining how to shop in your store, so they know what to expect when they arrive. This may help them feel less anxious and those resources can be used and shared time and time again.
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Closing the loop on sustainable retail displays Specialists in graphic and display retail installation, 100% Group, recently conducted a survey of over 200 retail professionals with the responsibility for the creation, manufacture, management or implementation of brand retail displays, to assess how sustainability falls into their overall brand. Founder and Managing Director of 100%, Dan Williams, explores the findings:
Contributor: Dan Williams, Founder and Managing Director of 100% Group
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It is now common knowledge that sustainability is key for brands to maintain their competitive edge, which is why it’s not surprising that our research found that 78% of consumer electronics brands now have an environmental sustainability policy in place. However, it is no longer enough to simply show good intentions through professional communications. Brands must take a holistic approach to sustainability by building it into their strategies and business models. While brands may enforce sustainability principles through product design and manufacture, another key factor that they must consider if they wish to create a circular economy, is the visual merchandising of these products. Not only is this vital to taking steps towards a greener planet, implementing comprehensive sustainability practices, specifically in visual merchandising, can have a positive effect on their bottom line. Our research found that,
while implementing sustainability programmes on retail displays can seem expensive, incurring an average 18% rise in costs, doing so can reap benefits for the brand, producing an average 23% increase in sales. It could be argued that sustainability is the greatest challenge to present and future management practices. Understanding the concept of sustainability should be the first step to the implementation process. To put it simply, sustainability should be seen as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The best way to achieve this goal is by looking beyond current straight-line practices and creating a circular economy by gradually decoupling the design, manufacture and display of products from consumption of non-renewable resources and creating viable end of life solutions. Combining digital prowess with sustainable processes
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should be at the forefront of any business strategy. This helps brands to differentiate themselves and gain long-term viability in regard to the geographical area and communities in which the business operates as well as customers and stakeholders – something that is essential to the success of the brand. There does appear to be some confusion in the market about who to go to or where to get help when it comes to building circular sustainability into retail display installations. While we know that efforts are focused on the inputs to the display such as raw materials, of the third of respondents who don’t have a recycling policy for their end of life retail displays, 41% were unaware of any services that could recycle end of life retail displays. Our research also found that retailers are more likely to use recycling services for retail displays provided by their display manufacturer than their installation partner.
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With vast amounts of retailers overlooking the end of life options available to them, it is important that the option of recycling is not only communicated to them, but that they are provided with other options such as reuse and repurpose. This involves giving fixtures and fittings a second life by building on the value that the product already has. Recycling is less effective than redeployment in terms of profitability and resource efficiency. It is possible to find innovative new applications for retail materials that would have otherwise be thrown away. While our research shows that there are viable opportunities for more sustainable practices in retail display, the challenge is creating a fully circular economy, rather than just putting focus on the input of raw materials. It is crucial that we work together to close the loop on sustainability. There are plenty of options available to brands – from remodelling displays into something that will be useful elsewhere, to redeploying
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“22% of retailers already have sustainability measures initiatives in place and a further 43% are planning to introduce them with a year.”
the fixture and of course, as a last measure, recycling it. However, there is evidently some confusion about the options available to brand and retail display owners. These options must be communicated clearly in order to increase their accessibility and ultimately to help brands close the loop faster and more easily so that each and every retail display created and installed has a sustainable endof-life plan already mapped out for it. Going forward, we can see that 22% of retailers already have sustainability measures and initiatives in place and a further 43% are planning to introduce them with a year. It is crucial now that we enforce a change across the board – from the design, manufacture and installation up until the end of product life – dedicating the appropriate time and resources to sustainability. This is essential to the success of brands today, and it’s
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only likely to become more important as the issue gains more traction in parliament, in the news and on our high streets.
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