High street retailers continuously seek out ways to improve their sales figures. Traditionally, this has meant hosting sales and promotions or advertising exciting new products. Now, there are a number of digital tools too, including social media campaigns and influencer collaborations, both of which are provenly successful. 

However, another effective method of increasing shop sales is found within interior design. Changes made to shop layouts and aesthetics, as well as even relatively minor changes, can lead to improved customer satisfaction, better brand recognition, and, ultimately, increased sales. So, before you begin investing in new marketing campaigns and online promotions, it might be worth reviewing your shop design.

High Street Presence

Visibility on the high street is important and even well-established brands can fall into a period of low sales if their presence isn’t recognised by customers. Brands must ensure that their exterior design is eye-catching and intriguing, without overstepping the mark and becoming garish. It can be a difficult task but is nonetheless important. 

Window displays, shop shelving, and advertisements all play significant roles. Not only should each aspect serve to attract the attention of new customers but they should also communicate a brand effectively. Customers that pass by should be able to understand a brand’s intention with only a glance, recognising the type of product or service they might offer as inferred by displayed products, messaging, and even brand colours.

Curated Browsing

Not all shop layouts suit each brand. Depending on the type of experience retailers wish to offer, as well as the type of products being displayed, certain layouts and designs should be considered. Brands may, for example, want to create slower and more spacious shop spaces, encouraging customers to spend more time in store, potentially creating greater interest in products. This works particularly well for bookstores and clothing stores, giving customers a better opportunity to familiarise themselves with products.

Others may benefit from more regimented and faster-paced shopping experiences, with energy and efficiency leading to increased sales. Such a shop layout is perhaps best recognised within supermarkets, which have cultivated an optimal design over decades, one that encourages customers to purchase the products they need while simultaneously being exposed to as many other products as possible.

Brand Advertising

Shop space is also an advertisement for the high street. Customers who enter should gain a more complete understanding of what is being offered through a brand’s interior design. Sustainably made shop furniture can, for example, demonstrate a brand’s environmental efforts, while high-quality and even decadent shop fittings can help to emphasise product quality.

Advertisements can also be more literal and direct, with posters and displays helping to showcase new products or promotions. The effectiveness of these displays, however, often relies upon both location and quality. As such, it is paramount that retailers consider where they are placing their in-store signs and displays, as well as the fittings and furniture being used to present them.