This post first featured in the Modern Retail Guide to Shopfitting July 2019. To read the full ebook click here, or scroll to the end of the page to view on page-turning software.
High street shops and independent retailers are taking a more simplistic approach to presentation, cutting the clutter and looking to create a cleaner experience instore.
Carlos Castelán, Managing Director of the Navio Group, explained: “Whether through email spam or the five-second trailer in front of a music video, consumers have information thrown at them regularly and, in response, we’ve seen brands increasingly move towards simplicity.”
Retailers often make the mistake of overcomplicating a welcome or cashier area, filling it with items in the hope of making an easy sale. This can, however, have the opposite effect where customers switch off because of the overcrowding. Retail design consultant, Seanette Corkill said: “You put too much up there all at the same time, and customers are just going to ignore the white noise of all that stuff.”
Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, explained the logic behind creating more of an experience and encouraging longer periods of time to be spent looking at specific products. He said: “By the time the person is starting to engage with the physical environment, some of the stuff you’ve put by the door is blown past.”
To combat this, retailers are opting for a more simplified presentation instore design, creating clear separations between areas and focusing on an experience-led approach, as opposed to presenting large quantities of items.
One of Underhill’s recommendations for retailers is to display a small number of priority items, using lighting and flooring which differ greatly from the outside environment. This approach has been proven to raise customers’ levels of awareness and concentration, making them slow down and pay more attention due to the shift in texture and colour.
This technique in shopfitting is becoming more common, proven to be successful by many of the world’s best-known brands and independent retailers alike. Quality is becoming more important than quantity, demonstrating the clear benefits of displaying items with a purpose.
Remember, when looking to create your own stress-free shopping experience for customers, sometimes, less is more.
Read the full Modern Retail Guide to Shopfitting July 2019 below
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.
