Fitting out a new shop is always challenging. You start with an idea in your mind that seems like it should be easy, only to discover there are way more challenges in your way than you thought there would be.
So, what should you be doing if you fit out your shop? What approach should you take?
Ignoring Customer Flow
The first mistake businesses make is to ignore customer flow. They get so side-tracked with making everything look beautiful, that they forget the purpose of the store to increase the bottom line.
Improving customer flow isn’t easy, that’s true. But it is something you’ll want to consider from the outset. You need a way of moving people around while encouraging spending on high-value items at the same time. Don’t allow any cramped spaces in your store. Instead, focus on ensuring that everything is slippery and that even at checkouts, people can move through quickly.
Overlooking Accessibility
At the same time, you want to be mindful of accessibility. You want to make sure that people with disabilities can also access your store.
It’s not just about getting money from these people, either. Being more accessible gives your business a modern vibe and can be an excellent way to attract a certain type of high-value client.
Poor Lighting
Poor lighting choices can also be your undoing when you’re fitting out a retail unit. Getting the illumination wrong is often massively harmful to your bottom line.
But why?
Mainly, it comes down to the atmosphere it creates. If the lighting is too dim and cool, it will push people away, whereas if it is warm and bright, they will be more likely to want to experience what you have to sell.
Ignoring Branding
Ignoring branding is also an issue. If you don’t get it right, you can quickly run into problems.
Therefore, think about how you’re going to brand the shop and tie it into what you sell. You don’t want to be in a position where people look at your store from the outside and expect one thing, and then walk inside and get another.
Therefore, ensure that the exterior reflects the image you want to portray. Then, ensure that you fulfill expectations when people walk inside. It should be obvious what you do.
Not Building In Flexibility
Not building flexibility in the infrastructure is also an issue. You don’t want to complete a fit-out that can only arrange things in a specific way. Therefore, bring in an electrician to ensure that you have board-based systems that can accept wiring from multiple locations and angles. Also, set up your lighting so you can point it in whatever direction you want. Don’t lock yourself in.
Finally, on this point, don’t be a business that builds things into the structure of the unit. Make sure you can move everything around, including storage. This will give you the ability to change tack if you learn a new strategy or something you tried before didn’t work.
