Most retailers want to earn more income by providing quality products; however, they also ignore its layout. Most don’t maximize the area well or cut corners in designing the property. One example of that is choosing the wrong lighting fixtures or not having enough space for inventory. Not addressing these will affect your store.
More and more customers depend on online stores in this digital era, so you’ll have to be strategic. If you want to succeed, you’ll have to avoid particular mistakes that can affect your business, especially driving away customers. Below are nine errors that you’ll have to stay away from when building or designing your store.
Not Using the Right Lighting
Installing the wrong lighting is the first mistake entrepreneurs can make. You’ll need bright lights to let your customers check your products and build the ambiance you’re aiming for. Using the right light fixtures will also make your products look good, but a few products will require different kinds of lighting.
Installing spotlights for specific displays around the store will further highlight them.
Not Maximizing the Layout
Your customers tend to first visit the aisle with great deals. It’s standard practice. It’ll be a huge problem if a customer quickly finds what they’re looking for. Instead, you should place more common products or popular purchases at the back of the store so that they can pass on other products that might pique their eyes. If that happens, they’ll likely add a few items to their cart, allowing them to spend on add-on purchases.
Getting the Location Wrong
Your chosen location is another crucial component. Building your store on the wrong side of town or the wrong street will decrease your profitability. You must look for a bustling street or place for a store because that’s where your potential customers will always pass by. Gathering more information about your general location will help you compare data against other factors, allowing you to weigh your options.
If you’ve already found a location for your store, the next thing you’ll have to worry about is getting business property insurance. Investing in one will protect your leased or owned property that’s essential for your business, including:
- Personal property
- Furniture
- Inventory
- Tools
- Equipment
- Building
Not Thinking of the Theme
Your store’s aesthetic theme will make or break the ambiance people get upon entering the building. For example, the ambiance similar to a warehouse might cause confusion or uneasiness during their shopping experience. Instead, choose a pleasant theme for your store. It should make a customer’s shopping experience fun. For example, picking warm, vibrant decorations for your small boutique.
Installing the Wrong Shelf
You’ll also have to use the right shelving solutions. Other kinds of shelving will not help a customer. One example is a high shelf that a customer can’t reach or a frame that will not promote your products. Using the wrong brackets can cause potential accidents, forcing you to face a lawsuit. Make sure to assess the different shelving options available. For example, you can look into wire shelving units.
Not Checking Beforehand
Your chosen building might seem like the best fit your needs, but you might have missed a few problems. That can range from poorly designed HVAC units to incorrectly placed fixtures. Fixing such problems can be expensive if you miss them before signing a long-term lease agreement. Bring an inspector or architect to inspect the place first.
Ignoring an Inventory Turn
Most manufacturers will also not think about the store’s design in terms of product turns. Before thinking about the design elements you want to incorporate, calculate how much inventory you’ll need and how many products you’re going to sell. Most will not check the number of products they need to sell to cover the expenses of managing the store. Find the answers to these questions before designing the store.
Ignoring a Checkout Area
You also make one huge mistake not thinking about the checkout area, but it’s best to give it some thought. That will ensure that you have suitable space for returns and storage so that your store doesn’t get cluttered. Your checkout area is another part of the store that will leave a good impression on customers upon leaving. Think about its design carefully to prevent it from getting messy while running your business.
Ignoring Overall Flexibility
Your customer’s purchasing habits are constantly changing, meaning your store will have to be flexible. Incorporate flexibility into your designs. Even if having flexible shelving and display options requires more money upfront, it’ll make your life easier if you want to be flexible with your store offerings.
Your store isn’t only a building for your business. If you thoroughly plan the store’s design, you can find the solutions that will drastically increase your profitability.
