1. Store Exterior , Interior Layout, Visual Merchandising
Important Information :-
2 basic types of customer
Browsers
Transactors
Browsers :- want to spend more time in the store shopping at leisurely pace
Transactors :- want to get in & out fast , they want to find what they
want quickly

2. Objectives of a Good Store Design
Design should be consistent with image & Strategy
i.e define the target customer & then design a store that compliments
customers needs . Store’s image is portrayed by the physical aspects of the store .
Design should positively influence Consumer Behavior
-Store layout & space-planning issues . Ex:- Grocery stores should display as much
as merchandise possible .
Note: Customers purchasing behavior is also influenced, both positively
& negatively , by stores atmosphere . – ex:- Signs , Smell etc .
Design should consider costs versus value
- Retailers develop maps called planograms that prescribe the location of
merchandise based on profitability and other factors .
ex:- Food & Grocery :- are placed near the entrance
- Retailers must weigh the costs along with their strategy
Design Should be Flexible
should be able to accommodate the seasonal flux , flexibility lies in innovative
fixturing , ex:- Provogue Lounge
5. Design should recognize the needs of the disabled

3. Racetrack Layout or Loop Layout Free Form Layout or Boutique Layout
STORE LAYOUT
Ease of finding merchandise & providing a varied and interesting layout is determined
By the needs of the customers shopping at the store .
For example :- Supermarket Shoppers :- are goal oriented
Department Store Shoppers :- are not goal oriented & want to explore
Types of Design
Grid Layout
Racetrack Layout or Loop Layout
Free Form Layout or Boutique Layout

4. Grid Layout :- Arrangement of merchandise in which customers need
to move throughout the entire store and easily locate products they want to buy .
Useful for :- Grocery & drugstore
Advantage :-
Less wasted space
More amount of merchandise can be placed – enhancing space productivity
Fixtures cost are reduced due to standardized and repetitive in nature
Disadvantage :- Customer not exposed to all the merchandise
Checkout

5. Racetrack Layout or Loop Layout :- store design which felicitates
customers to explore and seek out new and interesting merchandise .
Advantages :-
Provides assess to all departments .
Encourages impulse buying
Checkout

6. Free Form Layout or Boutique Layout :- arrangement of fixtures asymmetrically.
Used primarily in small specialty stores or within departments of large stores .
Advantages :-
Relaxed environment
Facilitates shopping & exploring or browsing
Disadvantage :-
-Fixtures are expensive
-Personal selling becomes more important
Theft are high
Need to create more spacious environment due to this space cannot be fully utilized.
Jeans
Casual Wear
Pants
Open display
window
Storage , Receiving
Accessories
Checkout
counter
Clearance Items
Dressing Rooms
Open display
window
Tops
Belts & Handbags
Skirts & Dresses

7. Feature Areas :- areas designed to get the customers attention .
Important terms in Store Layout
Feature Areas :- areas designed to get the customers attention .
They include:-
End Caps
Promotional Aisles or areas
Freestanding Fixtures
Mannequins
Windows
Point-of Sale or cash wraps , checkouts, Point of Purchase
Walls

8. SPACE PLANNING Allocation of Space Important Ques :- What items ?
How much of each items ?
How much space ?
Where to be located ?
Factors effecting the store planners :-
Profitability of Merchandise
Seasonal Demands & Stok to sale ratio i.e. proportion of merchandise kept
On display versus backup stock
3. Location of merchandise draw the customer through the store falicitating purchases.
4. Merchandise & Fixtures :- ex:- Shirts on hangers or shelves ?
5. Items the retailers wish to emphasize.

9. Few important concepts in Store Planning
Location Advantage :- ex: Men don’t like to browse but women do .
Impulse Products :- Products purchased without prior plans .
Therefore placed near the front of the store
Demand/Destination Areas :- demand for their products or services
is created before customers get their destination .
Seasonal Needs
Physical Characteristics of Merchandise :- ex:- Furniture shop,
Curtain needs wall space
Adjacent Departments :- ex:- skirts need matching tops
Grocery Shops :- fruits & vegetables need to be placed togetehr,
butter, milk, cheese etc need to be placed near the refrigeration area
so that customer can easily judge .

10. Location of Merchandise within departments :- Planogram
A Planogram is a tool used by the retailer , and it helps determine the
location of merchandise within a department .
For retailer who has a number of stores spread over various locations :-
When products are presented in the same manner across locations,
the customer feels familiar and comfortable at each location.
Advantage :-
- This helps to build brand loyalty & customer trust .

11. Merchandise Presentation Techniques
Idea Oriented Presentation
Style/Item Presentation
Color Presentation
Price Lining
Vertical Merchandising – using walls & Gondolas
Tonnage Merchandising – large quantities of merchandise are displayed together.
Frontage Presentation – to catch the customers eye
Fixtures
Straight racks
Rounder
Bulk fixture/ capacity fixture
Four-way Fixture – also called feature fixture
Gondolas

12. Atmospherics
Refers to the design of an environment via visual communications, lighting , colors , music and scent to stimulate customers perceptual and emotional responses and ultimately to affect their behavior
Visual Communications
Signs & Graphics to inform customer
Keep signs fresh
Create theatrical effects
Carefully done calligraphy
Lighting
Highlight Merchandise
Capture a mood & Maintain an image
Downplay features
Color , Music, Scent