Whether you’re selling fresh deli goods or designer handbags, you want an attractive display when designing a shop. An eye-catching window display and well-presented shop front are absolute must-haves to lure customers in through your doors.
But just how do you nail a retail shop design customers can’t resist? From seasonal decorations to clever paint tricks, we’ve compiled a list of 8 nifty tricks for designing a shop customers can’t resist.
Table of Contents
1: Create Your Colour Scheme
When designing a shop, the colour scheme speaks volumes. It tells customers a lot about you and what they can expect when they step inside. Rather than deciding on a set colour palette, think about what idea or theme you want and the colours that represent it.
Different colours create different effects, from calming greens and blues to fresh and modern neutrals. If you want a relaxing vibe in your shop, think along the lines of subdued lighting and muted colours to transport customers’ minds to tranquil places. After all, our brains are hardwired to associate certain colours with feelings and concepts, such as red for fire and danger, green for nature and yellow for sunshine and happiness.
Of course, you want your colour scheme to tie in with your brand and logo, so this will sway your decision somewhat. But we recommend planning a theme for your retail shop design so it reflects you and your business.
2: Entice Customers With Your Shop Front
Once you’ve settled on your colour scheme, it’s time to get your shop front looking irresistible to lure customers inside. New shop fronts always look appealing but make sure your design reflects your business. It’s going to come as a surprise if the inside feels like a totally different store altogether.
You may decide to go for a modern minimalist effect with gleaming chrome details and bright spotlights, or perhaps you prefer the traditional look with jewel-toned wooden frames and handpainted lettering.
If you go down the wooden route, it’s vital to use quality wood paint to protect the timber from the elements, and keep your shop looking more fab than drab. You won’t find many customers flocking to a shop with a chipped, flaky and peeling front! New shop fronts are one of the most fun yet essential aspects of designing a shop.
3: Find a Floor Plan To Fit Your Space
Ok, we know a floor plan doesn’t sound the most exciting, but it acts as the skeleton for your retail shop design. It creates the space your shoppers need and gives the all-important first impression when they walk through the door.
Think about the flow around the space and where people are naturally drawn towards. If there are certain displays you want people to spend time viewing, make sure there’s plenty of room for them to linger. People will soon wander off if they feel under pressure from a queue forming behind them, missing that beautiful display you spent so long crafting.
Playing around with differing heights has a big impact. If you’ve only got one large open space, break it up into smaller sections with tall shelving and cabinets. Keep anything aimed at children lower down so they can see it themselves.
Safety is crucial when designing your shop and getting it exactly the way you want. Look for quality pallet trucks for sale, to help make designing your shop a little easier and more efficient.
Don’t be afraid to test ideas out when designing a shop. Ask for feedback from customers and friends until you nail the perfect look.
4: Utilise Seasonal Window Displays
Your window display is a living, breathing advert for your shop. It can persuade people to take time out of their busy day to pop inside, or it can go totally unnoticed as shoppers walk on by. New shop fronts catch people’s eye as their brain realises something’s different and try to place why.
Regularly refreshing your window with seasonal designs keeps your shop looking fresh and on-trend. Here are our main pointers for perfect window displays:
- Place your focal pieces at eye level (from the street, not in-store)
- Don’t clutter! Keep it simple and striking
- Tie your displays into the seasons, making a special effort for holidays
- Be innovative rather than following predictable trends
- You don’t have to spend a fortune to create a dazzling display. Stick to products from your store and simple decorating ideas
5: Appeal to People’s Senses
Designing a shop isn’t just about how the space looks. There are other senses you can appeal to, creating an entire experience for your shoppers.
Explore ways to incorporate sound, smell, touch and even taste into your retail shop design. Why not try some hands-on displays with tactile products to get customers involved? If you sell beautifully fragranced cosmetics or delicious baked goods, your aromas are probably taken care of. If not, it’s worth adding air fresheners or scented products to entice people in and make them want to stay there.
Of course, the sound is another biggie to get right, whether that’s vintage jazz, bouncy pop songs or even some good old relaxing whale sounds. Have you ever been in a silent shop with just yourself and the shopkeeper? It’s not exactly an inviting prospect, so create some ambience through sound.
6: Create a Welcoming Environment
Once you’ve got customers inside your shop and enjoying your products, you want to keep them there. A welcoming environment is the best way to do this, and it doesn’t cost you a penny. We’re going back to the basics of shopkeeping here: service with a smile.
A friendly shopping experience makes people feel more comfortable, so they’re more likely to stay in your shop and, hopefully, buy something. They’re also far more likely to come back again if they felt welcome!
Enjoy Your Shopping Venture
Your brand image, theme and values are all essential to keep in mind when designing a shop. You want your retail shop design to reflect who you are while also piquing shoppers’ interests and enticing them across the threshold.
We’ve put some of our favourite tips on this list to help you get started, but it’s not exhaustive. There are endless things you can try when designing a shop customers can’t resist.
