There are three main types of retail store layouts: grid layout, racetrack layout, and free-form layout. Each layout has advantages and disadvantages for product placement and guiding customer traffic flow. The grid layout provides order and structure but can look busy. The racetrack layout funnels customers around merchandise areas but places popular items in the back. The free-form layout encourages browsing but risks customer confusion and inefficient space use.

1. Store design elements
 Retailers use three general types of store layout design.
 Each of the these layouts has advantages and
disadvantages

2. Different kind of store layouts
 The Grid Layout
 The Racetrack Layout
 Also known as the Loop
 A Free-form Layout
 Boutique Layout

3. Grid Layout

4. Grid Layout

5. advantages
 Clarity/Order — Grids bring order to a layout making it
easier for visitors to find and navigate through information.
 Efficiency — Grids allow designers to quickly add
elements to a layout because many layout structure.
 Economy — Grids make it easier for other designers to
work and collaborate on the design as they provide a plan
for where to place elements.
 Consistency/Harmony — Grids lead to consistency in the
layout of pages across a single site or even several sites
creating a structural harmony in the design.

6. Disadvantages
 Visually, space grid structures are very 'busy'. They are rarely seen in
plan or in true elevation and at some viewing angles the lightweight
structure can appear to be very dense. Grid size and depth as well as the
grid configuration can have considerable influence on the perceived
density of the structure.
 The number and complexity of joints can lead to longer erection times
on site. This is obviously very dependent on the system being used and
the grid module chosen.
 When space grids are used to support floors some form of fire
protection may be required. This is difficult to achieve economically
due to the high number and relatively large surface area of the space
grid elements.
 The standardised modular nature of most space grids can impose a
geometric discipline of their own. This sometimes makes difficult the
use of irregular plan shapes and imposes control on the location of
supports.

7. Racetrack Layout/ Loop

8. Racetrack ( Loop) Layout

9. Advantages
 Facilitates the goal of getting customers to see the
merchandise available in multiple departments
 Provideds a major aisle that loops around the store to
guide customer traffic around different departments
within the store
 Point of sale terminals are typically located in each
department bordering the racetrack

10. Disadvantages
 The more popular department are placed in the rear of
the store
 Has merchandise lay out for unplanned spending
 Might have to walk a long way to get to were your are
going because of how store is layed out.

11. Free form layout / Loop Layout

12. Free Form ( Boutique Layout)

13. Advantages
 Allowance for browsing and wandering freely
 Increased impulse purchases
 Visual appeal
 Flexibility

14. Disadvantages
 Loitering encouraged
 Possible confusion
 Waste of floor space
 Cost.
 Difficulty of cleaning