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Store Layout

Written by: Nilesh Shah

Article Overview: A Customer’s buying decisions primarily depends on Store’s Layout or Ambience and how well the products are placed. Other aspects like price, brand, etc. comes at a second stage. Maximum of the time, store itself serves as a products. The design of the store is traditionally made in an ambience that attracts targeted customers.

Store Layout

Considering following factors while deciding a Store Layout can be useful.

1. Effective Use of Space - Space needs to be used effectively, with all the areas planned properly to break up the store into logical and functional areas such as POS, Back Office, Chaging Rooms, Pantry, Toilets, etc.

2. Inviting Customers - Layout is desinged to attaract the targeted audience. It should speak on its own and guide customers to all the areas of merchandise.

3. Interiors - Interior arrangements - appearance, walls, sections, areas should be planned and positioned well. Lighting and Music arrangement needs to be taken into consideration while planning a layout. It should be placed to suit the kind of shopper. These arrangements can be changed during different hours in a store.


Following are the types of Layout found in Retailing

1. Mouse Trap Layout:
It follows a specific walking area. This layout is one of the initial layouts of retail. This traditional format is longer in use in modern retailing.

2. Express Highway Layout:
The concept needs to be used widely as it has 50-50 positive and negative impact. If the floor length is 2000 sq ft, put a mirror to make it appear double. If the floor length is 10000 sq ft, it needs to be broke into halves using racks or piles of merchandise.

3. Grid Layout:
The rows of Gondola directing towards checkout is the layout called Grid Layout. This is commonly used in Provision and Grocery stores.

4. Block Layout:
Entire store is broke into blocks and each area is alloted to specific category of merchandise. This layout is used in Department Store, Garments Store.

5. Race Track Layout:
This kind of layout has a center point that directs towards various sections of the store.

6. Geometrical Layout: The floor area is used as is and it is in a specific shape. The floor area is square, rectangular, triangle, circle, etc.

7. Diagonal or Angular Layout: Diagonal placement of Grid Layout is angular layout. Grids or Racks are placed diagonally to enhance the arena of the store.

8. Free Form Layout: This type of layout is a retailer’s primary choice when it comes to Layout Planning or Designing. These layout makes you feel where and what are you shopping. The store area is designed in a fashion that it appears to you as a bedroom, kitchen, dining room or study room.

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Article Tags: block layout, department store, functional areas, garments store, grid layout, grocery stores, guide customers, interior arrangements, layout grids, layouts, mouse trap, music arrangement, negative impact, pantry, piles, rectangular triangle, space space, sq ft, store layout, track layout



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