Store Layout
What are the implications of perception on retail store layout and ambiance? Fully explain why you think this is important to consider
Shopping in a retail store is being widely practiced everywhere for ages. But due to recent technology booms, the popularity of online shopping has been growing at a fast pace, and attracting more and more shoppers to shop online. This is not because the Internet has conquered the market. It is due to the fact that modern-day shoppers are going for alternative and more convenient ways of shopping. People are finding all kinds of excuses for avoiding the retail store, including time saving, the trouble to travel, parking-problem, and the hassle of queuing up to pay for the items. This is why the layout and ambiance of a good retail store are important aspects to attract consumers back to the old shopping style. Base on a recent survey which was conducted to find out how shoppers feel about the joy of shopping at retail store, surprisingly, there are lots of negative feed-back and complaints by shoppers on the present-day retail stores. The survey was extended to cover the opinions and comments of suppliers and promoters of the various products, and it was found that they also have a lot of complaints, including the shortage of space in the store, for them to display and to occupy strategic locations for their products. Other factors like lighting, music, housekeeping, windows and signage are also important to boost the perception of the customers, and to attract them towards the store. Retailers should actually treat and present the store as a ‘good story’ with a beginning, middle or body, and an ending. The entrance of the store represent the introduction of the story and must be impressive enough to create expectations, contains promises, entices, hints and teases for the customers. While the inside portion of the store is the middle section of the story where it should start slowly and uncluttered, in order to allow consumers
Shopping in a retail store is being widely practiced everywhere for ages. But due to recent technology booms, the popularity of online shopping has been growing at a fast pace, and attracting more and more shoppers to shop online. This is not because the Internet has conquered the market. It is due to the fact that modern-day shoppers are going for alternative and more convenient ways of shopping. People are finding all kinds of excuses for avoiding the retail store, including time saving, the trouble to travel, parking-problem, and the hassle of queuing up to pay for the items. This is why the layout and ambiance of a good retail store are important aspects to attract consumers back to the old shopping style. Base on a recent survey which was conducted to find out how shoppers feel about the joy of shopping at retail store, surprisingly, there are lots of negative feed-back and complaints by shoppers on the present-day retail stores. The survey was extended to cover the opinions and comments of suppliers and promoters of the various products, and it was found that they also have a lot of complaints, including the shortage of space in the store, for them to display and to occupy strategic locations for their products. Other factors like lighting, music, housekeeping, windows and signage are also important to boost the perception of the customers, and to attract them towards the store. Retailers should actually treat and present the store as a ‘good story’ with a beginning, middle or body, and an ending. The entrance of the store represent the introduction of the story and must be impressive enough to create expectations, contains promises, entices, hints and teases for the customers. While the inside portion of the store is the middle section of the story where it should start slowly and uncluttered, in order to allow consumers
References: Assael, Pope, Brennan, Voges (2007), CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR: First Asia – Pacific Edition, John Wiley & Sons Australia , Ltd Chuck, G 2002, Store Layout and Design, viewed 20 May 2008, http://classes.bus.oregonstate.edu/ba495/Materials/ch13.ppt Neal, C., Quester, P., and Hawkins, D (2004) Consumer Behaviour, Implications for Marketing Strategy. Enhanced 4TH Edition. McGraw Hill Australia Pty Ltd Paul, T 2006, Retail Location Management, viewed 19 May 2008, http://soba.fortlewis.edu/mcgurr/ba342ppt/342ch13.ppt Rajan, K 2007, Store Layout, Design and Visual Merchandising, Knowledge Of Retail, viewed 19 May 2008, www.knowledgeofretail.com/session4workshoponStoreLayoutDesigna.ppt Store Layout and Design 2005, viewed 20 May 2008, www.cfquesnel.com/bank/Documents/%7BAD7FA8F4-93EB-426F-9F01-028571798FD1%7D_Store%20Layout%20and%20Design.doc Visualize store layout and design project success 2005, Electronic Data Systems Corporation, viewed 18 May 2008, www.digitalartforms.com/transfer/index/Videos/Configurator/Virtualstore.pdf Zafar,U, Morry,G, Zainurin,D 2006, ‘Malaysian shopping mall behavior: an exploratory study’ Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 331-348, viewed 18 May 2008, www.emeraldinsight.com/1355-5855.htm