TOPIC 1: STORE DESIGN AND LAYOUT

1.1 Describe exterior design: structure as a part of the image

1.1.1 Define exterior design
 Store exterior is the external view of the store. It’s comprises the
external environment, external architecture, external features, entrances
and also signage.
 The major considerations in the exterior design are the store’s position,
architecture, marquee, and frontage.

1.1.2 Identify an aspect of the exterior design

 We can divide the store into two aspects: the external store and the
internal store.
 The external store is important in attracting customers and informing
them of where the store fits into their aspirations and lifestyles.
 The internal store provides in-depth information on how the retailer’s
products fit with their aspirations and lifestyles and complete the
process of persuasion and selling that begins when customers are first
attracted to the store.
 The external store comprises the exterior of a store and its surrounding
area (or environment). It has the following aspects, which affect
consumer perception of the store:

External Environment
This determines the setting for the store and it includes:
1. The location of the store, such as in a shopping center, high street or
local parade.
2. The surrounding area

External Architecture
The external architecture of the store building. This includes:
1. Physical dimensions, such as height and depth of the building.
2. The visible materials used, such as brick, stone, metal and or glass
3. Structure and shape of the fascia or storefront.
4. Windows and window displays.
 External Features
1. Car parking
2. Horticulture, sculpture, and lighting.
3. Other external buildings.
4. Outdoor seating, trolley parking, and other miscellaneous works.

Entrances to the Store

1. Number, size, and location near parking and other pedestrian traffic
flow.
2. Walkways to and around entrance flooring, lighting.

Signage
1. Marquee or logo that is displayed over the storefront:
2. Other signs and signals.

What is signage?
 Signage refers to the collection of signs, posters, and labels that the
retailer uses outside the store to guide customers in their use of the
store.
 These elements together fulfil a number of different function:
1. Organizational
2. Locational
3. Category signage
4. Promotional
5. Point of Sale

1.1.3 Identify requirements of the exterior design

 The external store is the first part of the store that the customer sees
and has a significant on the consumer’s image of the retailer.
 It can entice the consumer to enter the store, create empathy by
adapting to consumer moods and introduce new products and
categories.
 The retailer can use the external store to best effect by relating its
design to the following principles:
a) Visibility
b) Suitability
 c) Accessibility
d) Welcoming
e) Security

A. Visibility
 Visibility is the prime mover in attracting customers in most retail
situations.
 The only exception to this rule would be where invisibility is an important
factor in maintaining the sense of status and exclusivity that the rich or
members of an exclusive group may wish to foster, as with high-class
bespoke tailoring or jewellery.
 The store retains its physical visibility through a location that conforms to
the mindset of the appropriate group of people.
 The retailers can increase visibility in a number of positive ways, such as:
o Using features to make the store stand out.
o Giving the store a distinct identify by use of materials .texture and
colour.
o Having a fascia that is distinctive and appealing.

B. Suitability
 The retailer needs to take into account the external physical and social
environment of the store and present an image to customers, employees
and the community that is appropriate to those surroundings.
 For instance, the store should adjust its external fabric, shopfront, and
signage according to:
o Its situation within the shopping centre, retail park, high street or
local shopping parade.
o The images presented by surrounding stores, such as modern or
traditional: high or low price.
o The general perception of the local shopping area.

C. Accessibility
 Store accessibility allows customers to get to the store and evaluate the
merchandise.
 This spills into 3 considerations: parking, congestion, and entrances.
o Parking
 I. For some stores such as supermarkets, a high percentage of
customers travel by car, often to the edge of town facilities.
They require plenty of free parking nearby with adequately
spaced places for easier parking.
II. There is a limit to the distance people will walk from public
parking places. Poor or costly parking facilities within a
shopping centre will also deter customers from the centre and
reduce the time spent shopping there.

o Congestion
I. A congested area can frustrate, injure and harass customers
and makes them less likely to enter a store. Some stores,
situated in new development blocks or in retail parks, can
reduce congestion by implementing suitable walkways that
guide people in and out of the store and to and from the
access point.
II. Town centres usually have crowded walkways. Where
customers need to browse, as jewellers, retailers can make
use of recessed entrances. These give potential customer
relief from the sense of congestion and provide browsing
space within the storage space. At the same time, they relieve
pressure on selling space and on the within the shop proper.

o Entrances
 A little attention to detail in the design of entrances can relieve
stress on customers. This includes the provision of ramps instead
of stairs where necessary for wheelchairs, safely opening doors
protect against young children and space for parking pushchairs in
small specialist shops.

D. Welcoming
 The external architecture can be inviting or intimidating. Retailers can
design or refurbish their exteriors to make them more inviting.
 For instance, they can:
I. Use various forms of exterior decoration to lower the apparent
height of an existing building to make it less daunting.
 II. Use fascia materials and colours suitable to the age group that
they hope to attract.
III. Widen entrances and walk away to reduce the sense of crowding
and provide a more comfortable atmosphere.
IV. Use window displays to promote seasonal empathy or lifestyle
concepts, but maintain a balanced window display and entrance.

E. Security
 Security considerations are important in an era of increasingly organized
shoplifting. However, modern technology means that they do not need to
be forbidding or intimidating to the consumer.
 Some retailer uses open door system for their stores within shopping
centres these to prevent an accidents at the entrances when there is high
traffic flow into the store.
1.2 Describe interior design
1.2.1 Define interior design
 Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interiors,
sometimes including the exterior, of a space or building, to achieve a
healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the end user.
 It includes the architectural elements and finishes on all surfaces, such
as wall coverings, floor covering and ceilings.
 The internal store comprises the interior of the store that customer sees
once he or she has entered the store.

1.2.2 Identify physical attributes

a) Envelope
 The internal structure and decoration of the building that
provides the physical boundaries within which shopping takes
places.
 Floors and ceilings are part of the store envelope and have an
integral role in conveying the image of the image of the store.

b) Internal layout
 Refers to the experiences of retailers in managing customers
and merchandise.
 Widening aisles allows for browsing behaviour and inspection
before purchase. This is useful where customers like to look at
the merchandise adjoining the aisle.
 E.g The internal paths customers may use in order to view the
merchandise.

c) Display
 Image as well products displayed is important in attracting many
customers and selling to them .Appropriate and imaginative
displays are very important in developing customer enjoyment of
the retail process and in supporting their interaction with the
sales staff.
 Sound, smell and lighting are all contribute to the atmosphere of
that store and are important in enhancing the consumer
experience.
  It’s include the fittings and fixtures, their positioning and the
colour and texture within the merchandise themselves.

d) Signage
 The colour, the messages and the visual sensory.

e) Visual merchandising
 Displays of items on sale together with models (e.g. mannequin).
Pictures and other items that illustrates product use or create
lifestyle impressions relating to their use.
 It refers to displays to increase consumer interest in and desire
for the product offered for sale. It includes the use of fixtures,
decorations, signs and samples of the merchandise to create
window and floor displays.
1.3 Illustrate store interior and exterior
1.3.1 Plan interior store

Interior Store Design

Store aesthetics Store Planning Store Layout

 Size  Space  Merchandise
perception utilizations location
 Shape  Space  Sales floor
perceptions productivity arrangement
 Colour  Space
perception organization
 Space
allocation

Free Flow Layout

 Fixtures and merchandise grouped into free-flowing patterns on the sales floor, no
defined traffic pattern.
 Works best in small stores (under 5,000 square feet) in which customers wish to
browse
 Works best when merchandise is of the same type, such as fashion apparel
 If there is a great variety of merchandise, fails to provide cues as to where one
department stops and another starts.
Advantages of Free Flow Layout
 Allowance for browsing and wandering freely
 Increased impulse purchases
 Visual appeal
 Flexibility

Disadvantage of Free Flow Layout

 Loitering encouraged
 Possible confusion
 Waste of floor space
 Cost
 Difficulty of cleaning

Grid Layout

 The Grid Layout has parallel aisle with merchandise on shelves on both sides of the
aisle.
 Cash registers are located at the entrances or exists of the store
 A grid layout does not provide a visually exciting design, but it’s well suited for
shopping trips in which customers need to move throughout the entire store and
easily locate the products they want to buy.

Advantage of Grid Layout

 Low cost
 Customer familiarity
 Merchandise exposure
  Ease of cleaning
 Simplified security
 Possibility of self service

Disadvantage of Grid Layout

 Plain and uninteresting
 Limited browsing
 Stimulation of rushed shopping behaviour
 Limited creativity in décor

Racetrack Layout

 Major customer aisle(s) begins at entrance, loops through the store (usually in shape
of circle, square or rectangle) and returns customer to front of store
 Exposes shoppers to the greatest possible amount of merchandise by encouraging
browsing and cross-shopping

Advantage of Racetrack Layout

 Allowance for browsing and wandering freely
 Increased impulse purchases
 Visual appeal
 Flexibility

Disadvantage of Racetrack Layout

 Loitering encouraged
 Possible confusion
  Waste of floor space
 Cost
 Difficulty of cleaning

Spine Layout

 Variation of grid, loop and free-form layouts

 Based on single main aisle running from the front to the back of the store
(transporting customers in both directions)
 On either side of spine, merchandise departments branch off toward the back or side
walls
 Heavily used by medium-sized specialty stores ranging from 2,000-10,000 square
feet
 In fashion stores the spine is often subtly offset by a change in floor colouring or
surface and perceived as an aisle.
1.3.2 Plan exterior store

Exterior Store Design

Store Position

 Store visibility
 Site
compatibility
 Consumer
convenience

Store architecture

 Promotion
facility
 Functional
facility

Store marquee

 Identification
role
 Attraction
function

Store frontage

 Storefront
configuration
 Window
displays
 Store entrance