Retail design

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Retail design is a creative and commercial discipline that combines several different areas of expertise together in the design and construction of retail space. Retail design is primarily a special practice of architecture and interior design, but also incorporates elements of interior decoration, industrial design, graphic design, ergonomics, and advertising.

Retail design is a very special discipline because heavy demands are placed on retail space. Since the primary purpose of retail space is to store and sell products to consumers, space must be designed in a way that promotes a fun and hassle-free shopping experience for consumers. For example, research shows that male and female buyers who were accidentally touched from behind by other shoppers left the store earlier than the untouchables and evaluated the brand more negatively. Space should be specifically tailored to the type of product sold in the room; for example, bookstores require many large shelving units to accommodate categorically manageable small products while clothing stores need more open space to fully showcase the product.

Retail space, especially when they form part of a retail chain, should also be designed to draw people into space to shop. The storefront should act as a billboard for a store, often using a large display window that allows shoppers to look into the space and products inside. In the case of retail chains, each space must be unified in its design.

Video Retail design

Histori

The first retail design began to grow in the mid-19th century, with stores like Bon Marche and Printemps in Paris, "followed by Marshall Fields in Chicago, Selfridges in London and Macy's in New York." This early retail design store was quickly relayed with an innovation called chain store.

The first known department store store was founded in Belgium in 1875, when Isidore, Benjamin and Modeste Dewachter combined the Dewachter frÃƒÆ'Ã‚Â¨res (Dewachter Brothers) which sold ready-made clothing for men and children and special clothing such as rising clothing and swimsuits. The company opened in four locations and, in 1904, Maison Dewachter (Rumah Dewachter) owns stores in 20 cities and towns in Belgium and France, with several stores in several cities. Isidore's eldest son, Louis Dewachter, manages the chain at its peak and also becomes an internationally known landscape artist, painting under the pseudonym Louis Dewis.

The first retail chain store in the United States opened in the early 20th century by Frank Winfield Woolworth, who quickly became a franchise throughout the US. Other chain stores began to grow in places like England a decade or more later, with stores like Boots. After World War II, a new retail design building known as a shopping center emerged. This type of building takes two different paths in comparison between the US and Europe. Shopping centers began to be built outside the city in the United States to benefit suburban families, while Europe began to place a shopping center in the middle of the city. The first shopping center in the Netherlands was built in the 1950s, when retail design ideas began to spread to the east.

The next evolution of retail design was the creation of boutiques in the 1960s, which emphasized the retail design run by individuals. Some of the earliest examples of boutiques are the Biba boutique created by Barbara Hulanicki and the Terence Conran Habitat store line. The emergence of the boutique was followed, within the next two decades, with an increase in overall consumer spending across developed countries. This increase makes the shift of retail design to offset the increase in customer and alternative focus. Many retail design stores redesign themselves during that period to keep up with the changing tastes of consumers. This change yields one side with the creation of some "expensive designer, one-off" stores that serve fashion designers and specialty retailers.

The advent of internet and internet retailing in the latter part of the 20th century and into the 21st century saw another change in retail design to compensate. Many different sectors unrelated to the Internet reach out to retail design and practice to attract online shoppers back to physical stores, where retail design can be properly utilized.

Maps Retail design

Usage

Role

A retail designer must create a thematic experience for consumers, using spatial cues to entertain and attract consumers to buy goods and interact with space. The success of their designs is not measured by design critics but rather records from stores that compare the amount of pedestrian traffic to overall productivity. Retail designers have an acute awareness that their stores and designs are a backdrop for merchandise and exist only to represent and create the best possible environments to reflect merchandise to target consumer groups.

Design elements

Since the evolution of retail design and its impact on productivity has become clear, a series of standardization in engineering and design quality has been determined. This standardization ranges from changes to the perspective of space structures, entrances, circulation systems, atmospheric quality (light and sound) and materiality. By exploring these standards in retail design, consumers will be given thematic experiences that persuade them to buy merchandise. It is also important to know that retail space should incorporate permanent and non-permanent features, allowing it to change as consumers' needs and merchandise change (eg per season).

The structure of retail space creates overall design constraints; often space already exists, and has had many uses before. At this stage logistics must be determined, structural features such as columns, stairs, ceiling height, windows and emergencies should all be taken into account in the final design. In retail, one hundred percent of space must be used and have a purpose. The floor plan creates a circulation which then directly controls the direction of traffic flow based on the psychology learned from the pattern of consumer movement in retail space. Circulation is important because it ensures that consumers move through the store from front to back, guiding them to important displays and ultimately to the cashier. There are six basic store layouts and circulation plans that all provide different experiences:

Straight plan: this plan divides the transition area from one part of the store to the other by using a wall to display merchandise. It also leads consumers to the back of the store. This design can be used for a variety of stores ranging from pharmacies to apparel.
Planning paths: best suited for single storefronts. In this plan there is a path that is not blocked by store fixtures, this smoothly guides consumers to the back of the store. This is perfect for clothing department stores, because clothing will be easily accessible.
The diagonal plan: uses a perimeter design that causes an angular traffic flow. The cashier is in a central location and easily accessible. This package is best suited for self-service retailing.
Curved plan: aims to create an intimate, inviting environment. In this plan there is an emphasis on the structure of space including walls, angles and ceilings this is achieved by making the structure curved and enhanced with circular floor fixtures. Although this is a more expensive layout it is more suitable for smaller spaces such as salons and boutiques.
Various plans: in the attention of this plan are drawn to a special focus area, as well as having a storage area lining the wall. This is best suited for retail stores footwear and jewelry.
Geometric package: using retail floor racks and flooring equipment to create geometric plan and circulation movements. By lowering the ceiling part of a certain area can create the specified retail space. This is perfect for an appeal store.

Once the overall structure and circulation of space has been determined, the atmosphere and space thematic must be created through lighting, sound, materials and visual branding. This cohesive design element will have the greatest impact on consumers and thus the level of productivity that can be achieved.

Lighting can have a dramatic impact on space. It should be functional but also complement merchandise as well as emphasize key points throughout the store. Lighting should be layered and various intensities and fixtures. First, check the natural light and what impact it has on space. Natural light adds to the interest and clarity of space; also consumers also prefer to check the quality of merchandise in natural light. If there is no natural light, the sky light can be used to introduce it to retail space. Ceiling and roof lighting is the next thing to consider. This lighting should wash the structural features while creating a vector that leads consumers into the main merchandise sales area. The next layer should emphasize the sales area. These lights should be straight but not too bright and rough. Poor lighting can cause eye strain and an uncomfortable experience for the consumer. To minimize the likelihood of eye strain, the luminance ratio should decrease between the merchandise sales area. The next layer will complement and bring the focus to the merchandise; This lighting should be flattering for merchandise and consumers. The last layer is to install functional lighting like a clear exit sign.

The atmosphere can then be developed in the atmosphere through sound and audio, the music played inside the store should reflect what your target market will be interested in, it will also be developed through the merchandise being marketed. In clothing stores, music should be soft, feminine, and romantic; where in the music technology department will be more vibrant and more masculine.

Materiality is another major selling tool, the choices made must not only be aesthetic and persuasive but also functional with minimal maintenance requirements. Retail space is a high traffic area and therefore exposed to a lot of wear and tear, this means that the possible settlement of the material must be durable. The warmth of the material will make the space more inviting, the floors are sturdy and somewhat buoyant will be more comfortable for consumers to walk and thus this will allow them to take longer while exploring the store. By switching materials across store zones/areas can be determined, for example by creating a single material path and comparing it to the others for the sales area, this helps to guide consumers through the store. Colors are also important to consider, should not be too powerful or contrary to merchandise but create a complementary background to the merchandise. Because merchandise will change seasonally, interior colors should not be trend-based but have a lasting appeal like neutral colors.

The visual branding of the store will ensure an unforgettable experience for consumers to take it with when they leave the store to make sure they want to return. The key factor is the consistency of exterior branding and signage should continue into the interior, they must attract, stimulate and dramatize the store. To ensure consistency of fonts should be consistent with changes in font size. Interior imaging should allow consumers to easily direct themselves through the store, placing the right sales marks that will attract consumers and pinpoint where the cashier is. Branding should reflect what the merchandise is and what the target market will be.

Perspective

The last element of well-run retail space is the staging of a consumer perspective. It is the role of retail design to have complete control over the view that consumers will have retail space. From outside retail stores, consumers must have a clear and unobstructed view into the interior.