Page 70 - DMGT552_VISUAL_MERCHANDISING

Unit 4: Store Exteriors and Interiors

steps. Remember, these are simple steps that make the customer more comfortable with Notes
their environment. Retail atmospherics usually direct companies to design their retail
stores so that merchandise is on racks or on the walls. These racks should be placed in
aisles so that customers can easily walk around the racks to find what they are looking for.
There should be main aisles and side aisles so that the customers can be directed in some
kind of logical flow of the store. The less clutter around, the more comfortable the customers
will feel. All of these are aspects of retail atmospherics.

 Signage: Retail atmospherics deal a lot with signs. If a store has something on sale, it
should be clearly marked so that the customer can be directed towards that, or those,
items. Clearance should be clearly marked differently than the rest of the merchandise on
the sales floor. While retail atmospherics suggest that all items that are for sale should be
marked, many state laws take care of this issue on their own.
 Music: Most retailers have come to the realisation at this point that music calms people,
and when people are calm, they are more likely to spend more money. Retail atmospherics
teach that the music should make people comfortable, and not blow them away. If music
could be used to symbolise the product being sold in the store, that kind of music should
be used.

 Cleanliness: While you might think that cleanliness should be a basic staple of retail
atmospherics, how many times have you been in stores and seen dust? How many times
have you seen dirty windows as you walk through the front doors? How many times have
you been stuck to the floor by a spillage of pop that had not been cleaned up hours after it
appeared? Cleanliness is an aspect that is often even forgotten by the strictest of retail
stores.
 Employees: Employees are also directly impacted by retail atmospherics. Their section
deals with performing customer service to the best of their ability. They should be easy to
find and identify, and should be knowledgeable about the product that is in their
department. Maybe, employees should wear name tags, should smile, and should engage
the customer whenever possible.

It is up to the retail designer to choose appropriate elements in order to create an effect that is
suitable for the product being sold, and the type of customer.

Did u know? Out of all of the area of retail atmospherics, the employee section is the one
that is drifting further and further away. Superstores like Wal-Mart and Target are spending
less time and money on training their employees to ensure that this area of retail
atmospherics is progressed. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues, or changes
in the future.

4.1.1 Key Components of Retail Atmospherics

One of the oldest forms of retail is through stores that hold and display the goods available for
customer purchase. Through its salespeople, a store-based retailer is able to communicate directly
with its customers in real time, providing product suggestions and product information, as well
as sales service. Customers usually obtain the products at the moment of purchase. Potential
customers can be drawn into the store through advertising in various media, direct mail, or by
using physical displays such as storefronts and signs.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 65