How to Create Retail Floor Plans

Where and how you place clothing plays a major role in who buys it.

The floor plan of your retail establishment is extremely important because of the role it plays in maximizing your sales. A good floor plan strikes a balance between putting as many items on the floor as possible and making customers comfortable enough to purchase what they see. Too many items, and people will be overwhelmed; too few items, and people will have nothing to buy.

There are certain places you can put certain things to ensure profits.

Instructions

1. Place items at a 45 degree angle so people can see what is available without having to stand right in front of the item; they can look down an aisle and see everything it has to offer.

2. Plan a social area. This comes at the cost of retail space, but shopping is a social experience for many people. The longer people are in a shop, the more likely they are to buy goods. Providing them a place to relax makes them stay longer.

3. Create a transition zone. People don't immediately start shopping when they enter a retail establishment. Rather, they take a few seconds, or even minutes, to change from "walking" to "shopping." This means that the first thing they see is probably not going to be what they buy. Therefore, you should put your lower-value items that you do not need to sell right away in the transition zone.

4. Ensure there is adequate space. While it is tempting to fill your store with items, as the conventional wisdom is that the more items there are the more people will buy, this is not actually the case. If people are bumping into one another and bumping into displays they will become frustrated and leave without buying. If you ensure they have room to move, you will make them more comfortable and more inclined to buy from you.

References

• Informed Design: Shopping Behaviors: Implications for the Design of Retail Spaces