Part 2 : How to lay out your shop ?

What are the most profitable areas?

4. Perfect the layout of the “hot area” of your shop. 70 % of turnover comes from products located in the front half of the shop, or (“hot area”), compared to 30% in the rear half, or (“cold area”). 

5. Make sure there is an easy access route to the right-hand side of your shop. The wall on the right as you enter is the best selling in the entire shop. When entering any space, the majority of people tend to head right. After scanning the area from left to right, the gaze tends to settle on a vanishing point situated to the right, at a 45 degree angle from the entrance. This is called “the right turn preference”. For example, in a fashion boutique, the wall on the right as you enter is used to present the latest collection. If you have a narrow space, avoid obstructing the customer’s access to this wall.

 

How to encourage customers to step inside?

6. Mark the contrast between the outside space and the entrance to your shop. Symbolically emphasising this transition psychologically encourages people to step inside. A simple change of material or colour will make customers feel comfortable and sheltered from the outside world.

7. Make sure to respect the following regulations on shop doorways: 

•       The open width of your doorway (passing space) must be at least 95 cm;
•       The turning area must be at least 1.50 m, or 1.20 m if the turn is a right angle;
•       Your door handle must be easy to use;
•       If you have automatic doors, they must remain open for at least 6 seconds.   

8. Make sure the ground is flat, with no major defects (no cracks wider than 1 cm), even, non-slip, opaque and non-reflective. In short, the ground must not be an obstacle, or a hazard, to movement. Be careful: a doormat can be dangerous if its edges become curled. 

9. A slab or rug placed at the threshold symbolises safety and will put passers-by at ease, unlike the pavement, where they are constantly alert to hazards such as loose paving slabs.

10. Make sure the doorway and window display are well lit. A clear view of your products will encourage passers-by to come inside, while inadequate internal lighting will give the impression that your shop is shut.

11. Increase the appeal of your shop by ensuring the entrance is clear. If you have a clear space between the pavement and the door, do not fill it with racks of merchandise.  

12. Avoid covering your door with visual obstacles, such as an excess of stickers. Symbolically, this sends the message that your door is difficult to open, or that you have something to hide. Stick to the essentials: opening hours, visibility stickers for glass doors, etc.

13. There is no point leaving your door open: a study carried out in Antwerp in 2015 and 2016 proved that customers numbers and sales do not suffer from a closed door. Not to mention the impact of an open door on your energy consumption!  

How to make a good first impression ? 

14. The first few metres inside the doorway should be left clear. This area, known as the “decompression zone”, is where customers get their first glimpse of your shop. To allow them to acclimatise, avoid bombarding them with products. 

15. Keep it subtle! Do not overload your customers as soon as they arrive: music volume, fragrance, temperature...  

16. Shelves throughout your shop must be accessible to all customers. Make sure they are between 70 cm and 1.30 m in height, giving people with reduced mobility greater autonomy.

17. 70% of turnover comes from products in the front half of the shop, (the “hot area”). 

So make sure not to neglect it! Why not consider:

• Using it for products that encourage customer interaction, such as testers.
• Setting aside space for impulse buys  (gadgets, on-trend items, small gifts, etc…).
• Using it for events and promotions, the latest trends, sales, etc.   

18.If you have a wide space, and the right-hand wall is a considerable distance from the entrance, consider positioning a table or display unit in this area, showcasing your new collection, or a range you want to highlight. 

 

How to make the most of your till area ?        

19. Ideally, position tills towards the end of the customer journey.  A simple rule: place them on the left-hand side as you enter, around one-third of the way into your shop.     

20. Never position the tills to the right of the entrance. If your customers are confronted with the tills as soon as they enter the shop, they are immediately reminded that they have to pay... 

How to encourage customers to explore the whole shop ? 

21. Position “destination products”: the products on which your reputation is based, and which customers travel specifically to buy, in the cold area at the back of the shop. As long as these products are clearly visible and accessible, your customers won’t mind crossing the whole shop.

22. If you have a fashion boutique, position the fitting rooms in the cold area. This will force customers to cross the shop (and discover every department) to access them. 

23. If you have fitting rooms, follow a few simple rules to make sure they are accessible to people with reduced mobility: an unobstructed 1.50 m turning space inside and outside each door, and doors measuring at least 85 cm in width.