RETAIL STORE DESIGN AND

LAYOUT
 A retail store layout is the strategic use of space to influence
the customer experience. How customers interact with your
merchandise which affects their purchase behaviour.

 The interior retail store layout has two important components.

 Store Design

 Customer Flow
 Store Design Elements

 Layouts

 Signage and Graphics

 Feature Area
 Store Layouts
• Store layout needs to guide the customer silently about where
he/she wants to go and for exposing him/her to the entire store
offering.

• The store itself it’s the most meaningful communication

between the retailer and the customer.
 Types of Store Layouts
• Grid Layout

• Free Flow Layout

• Race Track ( Loop)

• Spine Layout
Grid Layout
 Grid layout has parallel aisles with merchandise on shelves on
both side of the aisles
 Cash registers are located at the entrances/exits of the stores
 Easy to locate merchandise
 Cost-efficient
 Most supermarkets and full-line discount stores use the grid
layout

 Limitation
 Does not encourage customers to explore store
Free Flow Layout
 Fixtures and Merchandise are grouped in Free-flowing
patterns on the sales floor
 This layout is used in specialty stores like-: Reebok, Nike
 Provides an intimate, relaxing environment that facilitates
shopping and browsing
 Advantage : Increased impulse buying
 Disadvantage : Possible confusion and waste of floor space
 The major customer aisle begins at the entrance, loops through
the store and returns customer to the front of the store

 Draws customers around the store

 Provide different viewing angles and encourage exploration,

impulse buying Used in department stores

 Used in departmental stores such as-: Shopper’s Stop, Ritu

Wear.
Spine Layout
• The major customer aisle runs from the front to the back of the
store, with merchandise departments branching off to the back
side walls

• Heavily used by medium sized specialty stores ranging from

2,000 – 10,000 square feet

• Example-: United colors of Benetton, Footwear etc

 Signage and Graphics
• Help customer locate specific products and department

• Provide product information

• Suggest item or special purchases

• Category Signage - identifies types of products and located
near the goods

• Promotional Signage - relates to specific offers sometimes in

windows

• Point-of-sale Signage - near merchandise with prices and

product information

• Digital Signage - More effective in attracting the attention of

customer and helping customers recall the messages
displayed.
 Feature areas
 Areas within a store designed to get the customer’s attention

 Feature areas :

• Windows

• Entrances

• Freestanding displays

• Promotional aisles

• Walls

• Dressing rooms
Thank You