The practicality, function, safety, and aesthetics of your store depend on your ability to maximise your available space and enhance it to its highest advantage.
Effective use of your available space is a key way to increase your sales and profitability. Moreover, customers must be able to navigate and browse your store easily and safely.
8 Tips for Improving Your Store
1. Plan
Don’t rush in! take time to plan your store’s layout, fittings, fixtures, and décor, and ensure these are all on-brand for your business, offerings, and target customers.
2. Consider Your Customer’s Experience in Your Store
Your vision must include the customer’s experience in your store – from their first impression to the completion of their purchase. How does your entrance and window display captivate them? Is it welcoming? How will they navigate your store? Where will their focus be? You need to consider every aspect of your store from this perspective – from the entrance to displays to fitting rooms to the checkout counter. This will be informed by who your target customer is, what you are selling, how you want them to experience your store, and more.
3. Avail Vertical Space
What’s on the floor (including free space to move) matters – but what about your walls? Vertical space lends itself to display cabinets, shelving, hangers, hooks, and other ways to showcase your products (and fit more in) for a clutter-free aesthetic.
4. Lighting Matters
A bright, airy space is generally much more welcoming and appealing to customers. Unless you are specifically seeking a darker, moodier ambience (e.g., for an “old bookshop” or “antiques”), maximising light (natural where possible) will give a sense of more room and display your products much more effectively. From general lighting to accent lighting used to highlight specific items or areas in the store, lights should be effective but not too harsh.
5. Focus on Flow
Navigation within your store is extremely important. Customers must have space to browse and find what they are looking for. They should also be encouraged to come right in and explore your entire catalogue of offerings. Accessibility is important too – for everyone, but especially if they are your target customer, including those using wheelchairs or pushing prams or strollers.
6. Use Your Windows and Countertop
Window displays are a fantastic way to draw people into your store through a creative, eye-catching display. Your countertop also presents a great opportunity for upselling and last-minute impulse purchasing as the point of sale.
7. Prioritise Versatility
You need to be able to adjust your store – this is a critical aspect of merchandising. It may include modular display fixtures, removable walls, and versatile furniture.
8. Organisation++
Organisation is the key to helping customers enjoy their experience in your store and easily find what they want. It’s also important for conveying a sense of cleanliness and freshness.
Could your store use a pick-me-up?
Whether you’re opening a new shopfront, or your existing store is feeling a bit outdated or bland, refreshing your retail space can pay huge dividends – and not just for your bottom line!
Any shop can benefit from a refresh and it’s amazing how you can make the most of even a very small area when you know how. From showcasing your merchandise to maximising appeal, safety, and satisfaction for your customers and staff, a savvy approach to shopfitting and interior design makes an enormous impact.
CMLS Commercial Interiors is a renowned Sydney shopfitter – and we are here to help with your project! We can perform everything from complete de-fits to fit-outs and interior design, and no job is too large or too small.
We proudly work with clients from Sydney City through to Parramatta, Penrith, and beyond.