- Retail store design must cater to customers' needs and provide a comfortable shopping environment to attract customers and drive sales. This includes factors like layout, lighting, signage, and merchandise placement. - The store's exterior and interior design help create the store's image and differentiate it from competitors. Elements like the building design, window displays, and interior fixtures and signage influence customers' first impressions and shopping experience. - Proper space planning and layout are important to efficiently utilize space, showcase merchandise, and guide customer flow through the store in a way that encourages browsing and unplanned purchases.

1. Retail Store Design
• Retail store exists to cater the needs of their customers.
• Certain needs ,anatomical abilities ,tendencies, body limitations
r common to all customers of the store.
• Retail store environment has to fulfill above needs of customers
• Differences in shoppers environment requirement bound to
exist in particular store's catchments area, still stores needs to
b designed to reflect an environment in which majority shoppers
can feel comfortable.
• Creating a suitable design for the store and provide a feel good
shopping environment becomes a competitive edge for the
store in retail market. Retailer first needs to catch the C’ eye
and draw his attention to their store to keep him staying away
from other stores.
• In most cases it is the image and perception of the store that
sets one store apart from other.
• Shopping today has become sensory experience, and while
other components like merchandise mix also plays in building
image of the store it is the manner and store environment which
differentiates based on sensory appeals like sight, touch,
sound, and smell which makes shopping experience for C.

2. • Shopping experience thru store design ,image has to b in
tune with merchandise, advertising and services offered by
the store. Mix of all elements of design attracts C and brings
profit to store
• Importance of store design-
• Store design and layout tells what the store is all about. Like
giving a personality to store. A very strong tool in the hands of
a retailer for communicating and creating the image of the
store in the minds of a C.
• It is the creation of store image which is a starting point in any
marketing efforts.
• Store design important not only from retailer's perspective but
also for consumer.
• Retailer looks at store design from view point of target
audience ,their needs , buying habits, and merchandise which
is going to sell.
• Consumer feels store design should b simple to move
,navigate, must b appealing to his sensory perceptions,
create a sense of belongings, a sense of relationship-
security-assurance and a pleasure in shopping experience.

3. • Merchandise in store, sales people, location and pricing all
works towards creating an image and physical attributes of
store affects sensory perceptions of C thru which C relates the
store in a particular manner.
• Elements of exterior design
• Many a times exterior draws attention and provides first
impression to C.Intresting window displays, an impressive
building, and inviting entrance all entice C to enter store. Even a
style of shop sign/name board forms an input for C, Retailers r
aware today about impact of exterior for favorable image of
store
• Exterior store design is a function of 1-location and combination
of facilities like site, ease of access, parking,2-building
architecture,3-frontage and entrance,4- exterior display space,
5- health and safety provisions mainly in west. Some retailers
use frontage to showcase campaigns or use heritage buildings
for a look of store. Theme for exterior depends on target to
serve and merchandise mix to b offered.( fig)

4. • In case store located in mall or center overall look of the mall
or center, its image decides the exterior. Store located in Taj
also gets same tag.
• Exterior store design –a combo of store
windows+lightings+identity, commonly known as ‘marquee’
• Elements of interior design-
• Aesthetics form s integral part of interior design
1- fixtures- used for storing and displaying merchandise, either
wall or floor fixture ,Racks, stands ,shelves r made of wood or
glass, steel ,synthetic.Usualy fixtures r flexible so as to adjust
size to suit merchandise.
2- Floorings and ceilings- lighting r at ceilings,a,c, ducts, floorings
could b changed to suit image, e.g. jewelry needs carpets and
super market easy maintenance floor.
3-Lighting.- as per theme, kind of products sold for favorable
impression of merchandise
4-Graphics and signage-Meant for informing C’s about products,
special offers, prices. If signage's used in windows it entice C
to enter in store. E.g.. enlarged photos, posters r used and
merchandise is kept ear to enhance product look.

5. • Graphics and signage used inside store can help 1-identifying
brands, 2-indicate –new arrivals/releases,3-offer directions to
various departments ,4-helps customer to locate products
while seeking.
• Graphics classified as-1-Theme graphics-fallowed in store or
in chain,2-campaign- related to current ad campaign,3-
promotional-related to promotional campaigns to particular
dept.
• Signage's used as-1-merchandise related- to inform C abt its
location, prices ,features etc.2-directional signs- to direct C for
cash counters, wrapping areas etc,3-Instructional signs- to
inform C that store having electronic survillance,lift under
repairs etc,4-courtesy signs—to say thank u, visit again etc,5-
srore directory-inform C location of various departments
placed near entrance, staircase or lifts
• Food stores use best graphics and signage-fast food
restaurant for quick guide what to buy e.g.mac-donalds shows
meal combinations graphically with price and product name. C
while waiting in Q decides his order or get induced to
purchase more

6. • 5-Atmospherics-An imp element of interior store design. Design
of an store environment thru,1-visual communications,2-
lightings,3-color,4-music and scent. Mainly meant for
stimulating perceptual and emotional response of C. to offer
pleasant, on-intrusive atmosphere to C to feel relaxed from
worries of wrong measurement,fittings,and color combo etc.
weekend music etc
• Store layouts-
• Integral to interior store design is layout. The manner in which
merchandise or products arranged in store. It affects movement
of C in store. Ideal layout provides a balance between
Merchandise displayed and productivity.
• To facilitate movement and flow of C in entire store. Areas
demarcated 1-prime selling ,2-impulse merchandise areas,3-
seasonal merchandise areas.
• Entrance as “decomposition zone' Transition to new
environment. Rarely buying occurs at entry point as C takes
time to adjust. guys say May I assist u but usually NO as C still
adjusting as per predefined list of items to buy. C needs time
before attempt to sell products. Use entry zone for deep
discount merchandise or flowers, seasonal like umbrellas,
artificial flowers etc.

7. • Types of Layouts-
• 1-Grid, 2-Race track, 3- Free form.
• Grid- mostly used in super mkts and discount stores. One area
along the wall and other in parallel display strips to facilitate
easy within movement and space utilization. Preferred in many
stores.
• Racetrack-also called as Loop, popular in departmental stores
to link individual merchandise while walking in store.
• Freeform-arranged in asymmetrical manner to encourage more
browsing in shop ,takes more space
• Functional layouts- to suit available space, right merchandise at
right place, ensure guaranteed visibility, closer inspections like
in book stores, cooking oil cans in food store, U shaped
counters than l shaped to facilitate groups/family to stand.
• Circulation Plan or directing flow of traffic-
• Every retailer wants C to enter and circulate thru entire store.
Most adopt placing strategically demand and impulse products
at various points in store to encourage move and browse in
store. Many provide separate entrance and exit to make C to
cover before leaving. Grocery as demand at end to encourage.

8. • Layout selection-chief consideration
• Every retailer wants to use available space in
most efficient manner with the help of suitable
layout. 1-layout which allows complete
presentation of merchandise to C.which
encourage moving complete store to tap
unplanned purchase. so many keep separate
entry and exit.
• Right balance between space for displays and
service areas to maximize ROI
• Layout design to take care of all age groups,
including wheel chairs ramps, seating for aged
as long standing .
• Layout to suit intended merchandise to sell and
target audience. Look for Below 25 and above
30 age can b casual and formal

9. Space planning-
• space planning helps retailer determining 1-available space
allocation for storage and selling purpose,2- location of various
departments,3-location of various products within department
i.e. creation of Plano- gram,4-destinatin areas, seasonal
products, impulse products, complementary goods i.e. adjacent
dept,5-relationship of space to profitability.
• Space planning is element not only of retail design and also of
merchandise and category management as these functions r
responsible for overall profitability linked to space.
• Factors considered in locating various departments- 1- amount
of traffic generated by that department and the potential sales,
items with high demand and fairly good traffic need not occupy
space near entrance.fragerence, jwelary,cosmetics, being
impulse items may b placed near entrance, whereas men's
wear, casual wears r places on 1st or 2nd floor, crossword
children corners to encourage footfalls.2-an analysis of footfalls
in department, sales potential, basket analysis of C likely to
buy. Coordinated approach rather than departments e.g. ladies
footwer,handbags with dresses if placed is better.3-cross-mix
merchandise-C is able to visualize together. E.g. home section-
bathroom accessories.4-niche area for similar goods

10. The planogram
• A tool used by retailer to determine locations of
merchandise within departments in a diagram form
which communicates how merchandise and props
physically fit onto a store fixture or window to allow for
visibility and price point options.
• It is created taking into account product sales, movement
of products within particular category and space required
for the various products. Exact area in sq ft for various
products to b displayed in particular area.
• It helps retailer how displays to b made, consistency of
presentation across locations C feels familiar,
comfortable when products presented in same manner
across locations of chain of stores, Helps in brand
building, loylty,trust.
• I.T. is models r being used to create Plano grams

11. Visual merchandising
• The orderly,systematic,logical and intelligent way of
putting stock on the floor.
• Involves SKU planning, store windows, floor
displays,signs,space designs, fixtures and hardware,
props and mannequins.
• Retailing becoming complex creating right atmosphere
and presenting merchandise in right way becomes
necessity.
• Good understanding of products and customer is vital for
visual merchandising means a selling space that is neat,
easy to see,folow and shop, It enables C to buy quickly,
efficiently and comfortably.
• Methods of display- 1- color dominance-associating color
for display of particular merchandise2- co-ordinate
presentation-All garments ,all home items etc 3-
presentation by price-Inexpensive, bargain or sale
merchandise is displayed
Store designs – being used as competitive advantage

12. • Retailing image mix -thru coordination of
fallowing elements with store design and
maintain image-1- signs and graphics a) use
signs as informative to customers, b) use of
signs and graphics as props, c) keep sign and
graphics fresh, 2- Lighting- a) to highlight full
merchandise, b) popping the merchandise– i.e.
focusing lights only on special features of item.
c) to capture moods –warm ,cozy ambience ,d)
to downplay features-Lighting can hide errors,3-
Color- cool colors, red colors increase blood
pressures, warm colors to attract attention,4-
Music- suitable to customers, evening for young
crowd , afternoon for middle aged, 5-Scent-
smell impacts emotions- feeling of, happiness,
hunger.