353-16 Retail Design

RETAIL DESIGN
INDEX
Content Pages
Unit – I ................................................................................................................... 3
Lesson 1: Types of Retail Stores ...................................................................................... 4
Unit – II ................................................................................................................ 15
Lesson 2: Elements of Store Design .............................................................................. 16
Unit –III ................................................................................................................ 25

Lesson 3: Exterior Design of a Retail Outlet.................................................................. 26
Unit – IV ............................................................................................................... 34
Lesson 4: Store Layouts ................................................................................................ 35
Lesson 5: Fixtures .......................................................................................................... 40
Lesson 6: Store Displays ................................................................................................ 46
Lesson7: Lighting ........................................................................................................... 52
Lesson 8: Colour ............................................................................................................ 55
Unit – V ................................................................................................................ 59
Case Study 1 .................................................................................................................. 60
Case Study 2 .................................................................................................................. 64
Supplementary Material / Suggested Reading ....................................................... 69
Free Students Coures Material NOT FOR SALE RD/SCM/2

Unit – I
Lesson 1: Types of Retail Stores

Lesson 1: Types of Retail Stores
Objective:
1. To understand what is a retail store.

2. To understand the objectives of store design.
3. To study the various types of stores.
Structure:
1.1 Types of Retail Stores
1.1.1 Department stores
1.1.2 Outlet store
1.1.3 Warehouse
1.1.4 Boutiques
1.1.5 The Specialty Shop
1.1.6 Jewellery
1.1.7 Hypermarkets and super markets
1.1.8 Discount stores
1.1.9 Shopping Centre/Malls, Business District
1.1 Types of Retail Stores
1.1.1 Department stores:
It is a retailing giant equal in space &

size to a multitude of specialty shops and
variety stores all located under one roof. It is at
the same time a centre for display; sale &
distribution of shopping goods, a focal point in
the social & civic life of its surrounding
community. Its size & location influence the
shopping habits of the customers and the visual
character of the area in which it serves.
The department store targets the

customer who value lifestyle and economy of
time. Lifestyle shopping is an egocentric
experience because you shop for your inner
self- the real you and in a department store this
is offered keeping in view the value of time e.g.
if you have gone to any shop to buy a party

dress for the evening; after purchasing it you probably will have to go round the market
to search for a handbag and a pair of shoes to match with the dress. And by the evening,
when its time for the party, you may be too tired to go.
A department store encashes this need of the customer by offering variety of

shopper‘s goods-apparels, handbags, food items grocery etc. each of these sales division
is further subdivided.
The efficiency of a department Store depends on the quantity and quality of

services it is providing. The good department Store design demonstrates the time tested
merchandising concepts such as focus, impact and coordination can and do coexist with
more contemporary, entertainment oriented elements like movement, change and
surprise.
Effective visual merchandising concepts together with the ambience of the store
communicates freshness, excitement and change in a store. It enhances the goods and
boosts the sales. Because, when the products and store environment become truly
interdependent we create a synergy – a lifestyle - the thing that actually consumes a
consumer.
1.1.2 Outlet store

In an outlet store, the company
markets the products manufactured by its
brand directly to the ultimate shopper. A
limited stock of goods is sold at factory
prices (which generally does not include the
commissions of wholesalers and retailers).
These stores project the image of the brand
so while designing these stores not only

should the designer take care to provide the best possible ambience but should also not
neglect the minutest of the details. The designer should remember that the design of a
store is in the placement of this fixture and that light.
And Outlet store while all the little details may not be significant by themselves;
taken together and assembled in the right place for the right reason, they create an
environment that not only attracts the customers, it captures and keeps them.
1.1.3 Warehouse:
A warehouse is not a treasure trove, but an ever hanging station in the flow of
merchandise. All warehouses function as both midpoint for storage and distribution
centres; and can be organized and made efficient only in conjunction with these two
functions. The effectiveness of warehouse as midpoint storage depends upon the space
that is saves and its efficiency as a distribution centre, on the time saved. The
contradiction between two demands; the one for compact storing with short approaches,
the other for a defiant and easy to survey arrangement of commodities; determine the
development of storage organization and technique.
Since the warehouses are transits places for the goods to be merchandised; and
since there is no direct dealing with the customers; in the warehouse design functionality
takes the foremost priority and the creating of a selling environment should not be the
approach criteria. In most case the grid layout is suitable then free flow layout and the
lighting and in store graphics take a back seat.
1.1.4 Boutiques
Boutique is simply a French word for shop & a section or store was known as
boutique. Since 1960, the term got its specific meaning of a n exclusive, & for that reason
an expensive shop for selected items especially women‘s dress, shoes, leather articles etc.
Women‘s wear
merchants make their
living out of one of the
hardest jobs n the world
– pleasing women.
Women‘s shopping
habits are very different
from those of the average
man. Women are
inveterate window-
shoppers who keep going
from shop to shop – from
counter to counter –
making comparisons.
The merchants in charge
must be able to keep
ahead of seasonal and style demands – all the whims, fads, and fancies of the day, month,
or year – while satisfying the shrewdest shoppers in the world. To survive keen

competition and the high mortality rate common among women‘s shops, they must be
expert merchandisers equipped with a better than average store plant.
Goods with a short-lived seasonal sales appeal require exciting store front stage
settings and equally dramatic backgrounds on the sales floor, both properly interpreted in
terms of colour, texture, and lighting, in order to satisfy a style-conscious clientele. A
―free show‖ of shop front displays, an inviting entrance, and a well planned trip through
the store all help to make shopping a pleasure. Women, even more than men, take their
shopping seriously but they also insist that shopping should be fun – whether it is
window- shopping or trading over the counter.
Women‘s wear generally falls into three classifications – impulse or luxury

accessories, convenience or standard accessories, and demand goods that are necessities.
However, with so much emphasis on style, it is hard to draw clear-cut divisions between
the three groups. Shoes, hosiery, and lingerie – necessities – often fall into the impulse or
convenience class. For simplicity, we can divide women‘s apparel as follows: -
Impulse accessories: jewellery, cosmetics, bags, pocketbooks, and many small luxury
items.
Convenience accessories: gloves, millinery, hosiery, shoes, blouses, sweaters, lingerie,

and underwear.
Demand clothing: dresses, coats and suits, furs, evening apparel, and such specialized
items as bridal gowns.
In any women‘s wear shop, these merchandise groups must be organized into
separate well related departments – each with a different selling job, each with its own
type of equipment, displays and services, and each with its appointed place in the store
plan, properly related to customer traffic aisles, service facilities, and other sales
departments.
Fundamental planning will be the same whether the shop is small, medium, or
large, in the middle of the block or on a corner location, on one or several sales floors. In
essence, each shop‘s sales space should be treated as an indoor shopping street, each sales
department as a separate specialty shop. Following the usual rules, demand merchandise
should be farthest from the shop entrance or point of arrival on the sales floor,
convenience goods midway, and impulse merchandise nearest to the start of the shopping
tour. At the same time each sales division must be tied in with the service traffic that
links it to hidden stock rooms, work spaces, and the receiving and shipping departments.
Outside, the type of store front used is determined by the type of shop it serves. A
closed shop front with a sign, one or two show windows, and an entrance door – all set on
the sidewalk building line – may be the answer for an exclusive shop. A deep store front
lobby, lots of show windows, varied display, and a visually open entrance wall will best
satisfy those shops that sell average-priced goods to a volume trade. In any case, large
show windows with low bulkheads are needed for clothing mannequins, small eye-level
show cases for accessory merchandise.

Inside or out, the individual requirements of each shop must be studied. Exterior
displays and advertising, interior sales and service, must be fitted into or wrapped around
the available space for selling in a working pattern that will also have an individual
character all its own.
1.1.5 The Specialty Shop
Figure 1Gold Souk
The specialty shop is a store that sells a limited range of related merchandise,
such as women‘s apparel or men‘s wear, or else sells a single type of service, such as that
offered by a shoe repair shop or by a personal finance agency. Sometimes the goods on
sale are low in price and marketed to a volume trade; sometimes they are more expensive
and are sold to a small, exclusive clientele. In either case, the specialty shop depends on
concentrated sales appeal, leisurely shopping conditions, and individual attention to each
customer to capture and hold its retail market.
There are as many different kinds of specialty shops as there are different types of
goods or services sold. All of them, however, are basically organized along the same
lines. Their sales and services, advertising and displays, all follow a similar pattern,
whether they sell flowers, shoes, jewellery, women‘s apparel, men‘s wear, or service.
Fixtures: the right kind of fixtures put at the right place are going to boost the
sales.

Lighting: Light from hidden sources in ceiling or floor should bathe the sales
backgrounds in a soft glow; more built-in electric fixtures should throw a pattern of
downlight on the sales floor.
The outer shell that encloses the sales floor show – the store front – should be a
showcase on a grand scale so that the public may look into the store as they pass by. A
dramatic view of the sales space can stop them; a well planned lobby can help to draw
them in. To use a closed front would be equivalent to lowering the curtain at the theatre.
1.1.6 Jewellery
Jewellery store design is controlled by the following merchandising principles:
1. Luxury merchandise must be sold in surroundings that emphasize its value

and glamour.
2. This luxury merchandise is also impulse merchandise – buying should be

stimulated with well studied visual appeal, from the display of a single jewel in a luxury
setting to the mass display of a commercial credit jeweller.
3. Individual attention must be given to each customer – self-service will not

do.
4. An atmosphere of dignity, reliability, and style leadership must be created

as a psychological basis for trust. No one but an expert knows the worth of the
merchandise at a glance.
The merchandising principles should be interpreted in terms of a well-organized

sales floor and shop front.

A closed building line storefront, once the rule for jewellery shops, is on the way
out. Modern jewellery stores rely on varied displays, lobby entrances, and open fronts to
turn pedestrians into window-shoppers and window-shoppers into customers. Overhead
and eye-level signs are brief and simple for the refined, exclusive shop, more bold and
strident for costume or commercial credit jewellers.
Once inside, the shopper usually finds himself in a highly departmentalised gift
shop combined with a work shop – for the repair of jewellery and watches is a major
item. Departments may include silver, china, and glass, wooden salad bowls, fountain
pens, pottery, and engraved stationery. The present trend is towards locating the repair
department in the rear of the sales floor in order to expose repair customers to
merchandise displays. Other service units include credit, private sales rooms, offices,
vaults, lockers, and toilet. Reserve stocks, being small in bulk and easy to handle, are
usually kept in the sales fixtures themselves – protected by electric signal systems wired
to store front windows, doors, and fixtures.
On the sales floor, the general decorative scheme should be quiet and unobtrusive,
with simple backgrounds and rich textures, as small objects cannot compete with large-
scale wall-paper or other busy wall surfaces. Display backgrounds in contact with
merchandise are traditionally of velvet – dark blue or green for silver and diamonds, deep
crimson for gold, brass, and copper. As a compromise colour, suitable for all types of
merchandise, most jewellers pick a light French grey. Other formulas are dangerous
without careful experimentation.
Correct lighting is vital. Incandescent lighting throws a sharp beam, makes

precious stones sparkle – but, except for the best daylight bulbs, it gives a yellowish light
that is poison for silver, pewter, or platinum. Hence fluorescent lighting, with its soft
diffused glow and even colour and tone in often used in addition.
1.1.7 Hypermarkets and super markets:

Large stores that sell a
wide variety of food and non-
food items. Typical
Hypermarkets and super
markets house individual
departments that sell packaged
food; prepared foods; fresh
seafood, meat, and poultry; and
fresh-baked goods. Many also
include adjoining gas stations.
The principal difference
between the two stores is size.
Hypermarkets have a minimum
floor space of 25,000 square feet
whereas super markets range in
size from 4,000 to 25,000
square feet. Because of their size, hyper markets tend to be located on the outskirts of

towns where land is less
expensive and larger plots are
available. Conversely, super-
markets are usually found close
to the centre of town. In some
areas it may still be practical to
visit a number of stores to
complete one‘s shopping duties,
but the convenience of a large
store that sells a wide variety of
food is very tempting to the
busy shopper. The economy of
scale provided by the larger
stores tends to yield lower
prices to the consumer, making
it difficult for the smaller stores to compete.
Hypermarkets, in contrast to specialty shops, depends open diversified sales for

their existence. They offer their customers the convenience of shopping from a wide
range of merchandise under one roof. There is a minimum of personal service per
customer, a quicker turnover, and a greater number of transactions in this type of store.
Some hypermarkets, including supermarkets and five-and-dime stores, operate almost
entirely on a self-service or self-selection basis. Seldom, if ever, do hypermarkets cater to
the carriage trade; their goods are priced and sold for mass consumption. In fact,
hypermarkets are very much like department stores pared down to small store size, but
unlike department stores, they do not offer a complete selection of almost every type of
―hard‖ and ―soft‖ goods – in – eluding food, drugs, apparel, housewares, and furniture.
Instead, they are liable to concentrate their merchandising within one of these different
fields.
Convenience and not luxury is an important criteria in a hypermarket. As the

targeted customer in a hypermarket is the one who intends to buy more number of things
at a reasonable price and is not ready to pay extra for the luxuries, these are designed to
be more functional. The concept of creating a shopping environment is not as important
as is the proper signage & its clarity. The fixtures have to be designed to correct
dimensions as per the anthropometrics. Instead of accent lighting or track lighting etc
which are important design elements in
department stores, out here general lighting
becomes important. Generally grid iron or
loop layouts are followed for these stores.
1.1.8 Discount stores:
These stores are similar to

Hypermarkets and super markets, but offer a
more limited range of merchandise at lower

prices. Similar designing requirements prevail for discount stores.
1.1.9 Shopping Centre/Malls, Business District

In such premises, a designer has to consider specialized services like maintenance
and operation, security, burglar alarm, fire protection system and handling of public
assemblies and demonstration in conjunction with general functioning. The emphasis is
on making shopping a pleasurable and aesthetic experience. So all the comforts of a
department store in abundance are provided with the extra throw-in of paintings,
sculpture, graphics, fountains, landscaping etc.
As a vast number of people visits, many acquaintances and friends meet, and in
this aspect make it like a community centre. This social aspect should also be tackled.
While planning seasonal and other exhibit demands should be understood and the display
of merchandise should be turned into a movable feast. Environmental and ecological
factors should be given proper thought. Existing natural land attractions should be
incorporated in the design. Traffic and comfort and proper disposal of waste materials
should and proper disposal of waste materials should be tackled beforehand.
Loading and unloading of goods are proper entry for customers are also factors
for consideration.

Summary:
A department store encashes this need of the customer by offering variety of shopper‘s
goods-apparels, handbags, food items grocery etc. each of these sales division is further
subdivided. The efficiency of a department Store depends on the quantity and quality of
services it is providing. The good department Store design demonstrates the time tested
merchandising concepts such as focus, impact and coordination can and do coexist with
more contemporary, entertainment oriented elements like movement, change and
surprise. Effective visual merchandising concepts together with the ambience of the store
communicates freshness, excitement and change in a store
Revision Points:
Luxury merchandise must be sold in surroundings that emphasize its value and
glamour.
This luxury merchandise is also impulse merchandise – buying should be stimulated

with well studied visual appeal, from the display of a single jewel in a luxury setting
to the mass display of a commercial credit jeweller.
Discount stores: These stores are similar to Hypermarkets and super markets, but
offer a more limited range of merchandise at lower prices. Similar designing
requirements prevail for discount stores.
Shopping Centre/Malls, Business District
Key Words :
Outlet store - In an outlet store, the company markets the products manufactured by its
brand directly to the ultimate shopper.
Intext questions :
1. What do you understand by the term ―retail store‖? Explain in detail the various types
of retail stores.
Terminal Exercises:
1. What is the difference between a departmental store and a supermarket? Explain with
the help of examples.
2. What are shopping malls? Why is the concept of shopping malls becoming so popular
these days?
3. What points would you keep in mind while designing a jewellery store

Assignments / Learning Activities:
Discuss with the students the primary objectives of any retail store: to sell products.
List the various methods employed by various stores to increase their sales, such as
attractive store exteriors and front windows which first draws the attention of the
prospective customer, welcoming store interiors helping to get the customers to enter the
shop, well planned store layouts facilitating hassle free shopping.

1. Time Savers Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning
2. Time Savers Standards for Building Types
3. The Retail Store: Design and Construction by William Green
4. Retail Design by Otto Riewoldt, Jennifer Hudson
5. Visual Merchandising and Display by Martin M. Pegler

Unit – II
Lesson 2: The elements of store environment

Lesson 2: Elements of Store Design
Objective:
1. Understanding the elements of a store design.
2. Using the elements to create the desired effect in a store.
Structure:
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Space
2.3 Spatial Organization
2.4 Store Layout
2.4.1 Grid layout
2.4.2 Racetrack/loop
2.4.3 Free –flow
2.4.4 Soft aisle layout
2.4.5 Minimal layout
2.5 Presentation of the merchandise
2.1 Introduction
The elements of store design can be broadly classified into following parts:
Space
Spatial Organisation
Store Layout
Presentation Of
Merchandise
Design Of Store
Lighting
In-Store Graphics

2.2 Space
Today‘s intensely competitive retail environment is characterized by sophisticated

shoppers who no longer feel a sense of loyalty to the established retailers. To succeed in
this environment, smart retail designer‘s are utilizing store image as a means of
developing customer loyalty and creating long-term profitability. A powerful store image
creates a distinctive advantage that is difficult for other retailers to duplicate. So, while
designing the space for a retail store the area of thrust remains a quality space where the
shoppers are comfortable, where they feel that the merchant is in tune with their lifestyles
and where their needs are fulfilled. The idea is to design a space which reflects quality,
timeliness and the creativity of selection.
The fact is that the retail industry exists for the customer. The customer is the
maker and the judge. We live or die every time one walks into-or by-one of our stores.
The days of quiet, orderly little stores are gone. No longer does the customer tolerate long
lines and indifferent service – even if the prices are dynamite. The customer has come to
expect more- more creativity, more comfort, more excitement, and more value. In short,
more detail.
The great store design exists in details. It‘s in this light fixture and that flooring
treatment. It‘s this twist and that turn. And while these little details may not seem
significant by themselves, taken together- and assembled in the right place for the right
reason – they create a space, an ambience that not only attracts customers, it captures and
keeps them.
And (lest we forget) that‘s what it is all about.
2.3 Spatial Organization:

A normal retail outlet usually has the following areas:
Display area display/ show window
Sales area sales counter/s
Payment area cash counter
Delivery area delivery counter
Back-up stock storage area
Business transaction counting room
And accounts area
The bigger stores/retail houses, of course, have other areas and facilities.

General plan of a retail outlet
2.4 Store Layout

The great majority of the store buildings today are not making the most efficient
use of their space. This is due to haphazard growth and bad planning. Since the sales is a
function of equipment & layout, a designer must learn how, when and where the displays,
backup stocks and other equipments should be placed in retail store buildings to get the
best results.
The type of store layout that will suit a retail house will depend upon the type of
merchandise it is offering, the functional and convenience aspect and the kind of
ambience that needs to be provided to the targeted customer.
Various types of layouts are possible for different retail houses, a few of them
have been listed below.
2.4.1 Grid layout:

In short grid, it is systematic, efficient & straight forward. But due to its
monotonous character it creates fatigue. It also constrains further expansion or
contraction. It is suitable for grocery, drugs, discount stores etc. sometimes, it is also used
in department stores but due to the large size of retail department store the customer may
lose interest in shopping soon.

2.4.2 Racetrack/loop:
It is similar to grid layout pattern in the sense that it is also very systematic and
efficient. Here, customer is made to go round the whole space in a loop and comes back
to the starting point without missing any part of the store display in-between. The idea is
to make him see everything that is on display, so that not only should one go in for
planned shopping but also buy some impulse items or other convenience items that are
needed by the person but were not on his/her list when he/she entered the shop. In short
this kind of layout is suitable for suggestive buying. It is most suitable for department
stores which have an array of items to offer.
2.4.3 Free –flow:

Free flow planning is highly flexible permitting number of permutations of
arrangements. It produces variety which keeps the customer‘s interest in shopping for
long. These are generally used in boutiques and female accessories shops. More and more
designers are now combining the loop and free flow layouts in department stores for
increasing the sales.
2.4.4 Soft aisle layout:

In the soft aisle layout the merchandise is presented on the wall shelves or racks
near the perimeter wall. The area within the walls is kept almost free of fixtures or stands.
In this case the customer is allowed to shop on the walls and go round the shop without
any obstacles in between.
2.4.5 Minimal layout:

In the minimal layout, the designer uses ―less is more‖ as the merchandising
device. The use of minimum furniture, equipment etc. sets an ambience to present rare
and precious items. The ambience sets the mood and the observer or the targeted
customer is captured to buy the merchandise offered.
2.5 Presentation of the merchandise:

Before we foray into this topic, let us first acquaint ourselves with the types of
merchandise offered in different stores:
1. Impulse items: these are that are bought on the rise of sudden desire. Generally,
luxurious items and edible knick-knacks are included in it. For example: perfumes,
gems & jewellery, gifts, men & women‘s specialties, chocolates, nutties, wafers etc.
2. Convenience items: these are daily-consumed items like food, milk, medicine etc.
3. Demand items: these items like clothing, furniture, household goods etc. bring in a
steady flow of customers.
These groups are not absolute. One person‘s impulse may be other‘s demand item
and vice versa. All this depends on factors like individual preference, financial condition,
profession & local buying habits and other factors.

An intelligent store planner will locate the ―impulse items‖ in the high traffic
areas, leaving the customer to find his way to the ―demand merchandise‖.
The presentation of merchandise can be broadly divided into two parts:
Direct
Indirect
Direct merchandise presentation:

In this case the display areas are so designed to make it convenient for the
customer to shop by oneself and still find what is being looked for. In this case the
shopper is allowed to see, touch and feel the object by one‘s own self & then make up
one‘s mind to buy or purchase the item.
Unfortunately, theft and pilferage are the problems which the display designer
must help to control. Generally in the direct merchandise presentation, the installation of
security system in the form of TV cameras, sensor equipments may be necessary.
Indirect merchandise presentation:

In this type of presentation, the customer can see the merchandise but can‘t freely
touch it. E.g. if perfume bottles are placed on the counters, the customer is invited to
spray herself with any of the featured perfumes. In such cases large, dummy bottles of
perfume, filled with coloured water, may be placed on the counter but the actual perfume
may be kept below inside the counter.
Better jewellery & handbags are now locked in the fixture that requires a
salesperson with a key to open & to take them out of the fixture for customer‘s closer
inspection. Merchandise in pilfer proof fixtures should not look as though it has been
locked up in chains & padlocks. The security fixtures should be artfully camouflaged and
discrete.
Merchandise Placement Guidelines

Separate fashions by "end use" within each department: For example, a dress
department may carry dresses for several different end uses -- casual, career, evening,
and formal wear These different dress classifications should be presented on separate
fixtures
Separate fashions by fabrication: Each classification of merchandise should also be

separated by fabrication. Casual jumpers may be offered in both linen and cotton, and
these fabrications must be presented separately
Separate fashions by style: Casual cotton dresses may be offered in jumper styles,
and low-waisted styles. These two styles should be presented on separate fixtures, or
at least on separate arms of the same fixture.

Separate fashions by colour group: All fashions can be separated into one of the
seven groups of colour. For example, T-shirt dresses that are offered in both brights
and pastels must be presented on separate fixtures for the greatest degree of colour
impact.
Remember that neutrals can be presented separately or combined with any of the
other colour groups
Clearance Merchandise: Clearance items may be pulled together at the rear of each
department into one area of the store to form a permanent clearance department.
Clearance merchandise in specialty stores may be pulled to the front of the store for
traditional major clearance events
Some chain retailers consolidate clearance merchandise into a few larger stores (with
high traffic or ideal bargain shopper demographics), send it to a company- owned
outlet store, or remove their own tags and sell the lot to an outlet store
Clearance Presentation Guidelines

1. Present clearance merchandise on floor fixtures only.
2. Clearance product with broken styles and colour assortment cannot result in a fresh,
exciting wall presentation; wall space is best used for new stock. The exception is
when clearance merchandise is presented on an entirely separate clearance floor.
There, you may utilize the entire space-walls and floor.
3. Never feature clearance merchandise on mannequins or in displays. These are your

premium silent selling tools and must be reserved for only the newest products
clearance merchandise must be immediately available to shoppers, never out of reach
on display
4. Present clearance goods on large fixtures, such as round racks, superquads (extra
large four-way racks with arms that may be extended) or roiling rack fixtures
5. Clearance tables for foldable goods are very effective because there is a general
perception among shoppers that clearance tables hold the best bargains
6. Sort clearance garments by size (with sizing rings or hangers with built-in size tabs)
and then by colour within each size range so that shoppers can readily see what is
available. Example Size 5 (red shirts, yellow shirts, and blue shirts) followed by size
7 (red shirts, yellow shirts, green shirts, blue shirts)
7. Always clearly sign clearance merchandise with price points, percentages-off, or at

least a clearance sign.
8. Make selling floor maintenance a routine aspect of any clearance presentation.

Clearance merchandise gets handled (and mishandled) continuously as shoppers look
for bargains.

9. Store staff must check clearance areas frequently. These are aesthetic as well as
security issues that tell customers how your company feels about its image, its
merchandise, and its atmosphere.
10. Customers should see clearance merchandise as an added benefit to doing business
with your store. Even when merchandise is marked down, you should be adding value
to it through your presentation.

Summary:
Impulse items: these are that are bought on the rise of sudden desire. Generally,
luxurious items and edible knick-knacks are included in it. For example: perfumes, gems
& jewellery, gifts, men & women‘s specialties, chocolates, nutties, wafers etc.
Convenience items: these are daily-consumed items like food, milk, medicine etc.
Demand items: these items like clothing, furniture, household goods etc. bring in a steady
flow of customers.
Revision Points :
Merchandise Placement Guidelines
Separate fashions by "end use" within each department: For example, a dress
department may carry dresses for several different end uses -- casual, career, evening,
and formal wear These different dress classifications should be presented on separate
fixtures
Separate fashions by fabrication: Each classification of merchandise should also be

separated by fabrication. Casual jumpers may be offered in both linen and cotton, and
these fabrications must be presented separately
Separate fashions by style: Casual cotton dresses may be offered in jumper styles, and
low-waisted styles. These two styles should be presented on separate fixtures, or at
least on separate arms of the same fixture.
Separate fashions by colourroup: All fashions can be separated into one of the seven
groups of colour. For example, T-shirt dresses that are offered in both brights and
pastels must be presented on separate fixtures for the greatest degree of colour
impact.
Remember that neutrals can be presented separately or combined with any of the
other colour groups
Clearance Merchandise: Clearance items may be pulled together at the rear of each
department into one area of the store to form a permanent clearance department.
Clearance merchandise in specialty stores may be pulled to the front of the store for
traditional major clearance events
Some chain retailers consolidate clearance merchandise into a few larger stores (with
high traffic or ideal bargain shopper demographics), send it to a company- owned
outlet store, or remove their own tags and sell the lot to an outlet store

Key Words:
Racetrack/loop: It is similar to grid layout pattern in the sense that it is also very
systematic and efficient. Here, customer is made to go round the whole space in a loop
and comes back to the starting point without missing any part of the store display in-
between.
In text questions :
1. What are the elements of store design? Describe briefly.
2. Explain in detail the main area of a retail outlet.
Terminal Exercises:
1. With the help of sketches explain the various types of store layouts.
2. What is the importance of presentation of merchandise in a retail store? Explain in

detail with reference to the types of merchandise offered in a outlet store.
3. What are the guidelines for presenting clearance merchandise?

Describe the atmospheric elements and design strategies that enhance store environment
and strengthen store brand and image.
Space
Spatial organisation
Store Layout
Presentation of merchandise
Design of the store
Lighting
In store graphics
Discuss how the above elements can be used to achieve two primary goals of:
Developing a store image - create or change a store image through the store
environment
Increasing space productivity - the more merchandise customers are exposed to,
the more they tend to buy.
Supplementary Material / Suggested Reading


Unit –III
Lesson 3: Exterior Design of a Retail Outlet

Lesson 3: Exterior Design of a Retail Outlet
Objectives:
To understand the objectives of store design.
Structure:
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Signage
3.3 Windows
3.4 Entrance
3.5 Materials
3.6 Colour
3.7 Lighting
3.1 Introduction
The market today is flooded with goods and merchandise at competitive prices
and quality. Why then do you think that the shopper enter your world of consumer goods
and not be lured to go to the adjoining one. To make a shopper a stopper, and a walk-in
rather than a walk-by is a commercial achievement. But this largely depends upon how
the store looks from outside; there has to be something special about the store front to
pull the outside shopper towards the entry gate of this particular retail house.
As the storefront makes the first impression of the retail house on the shopper, let
us first consider the façade of the building and the arrangement of the display windows in
the shop front design. A sensitive approach towards the architecture and fenestration
(window placement) of the structure & the physical layout of the space is a must. It is the
architectural style of a building that gives form to the most of our environment and in the
fashion driven market, the architecture has to be supported by the current design trends.
The shop front design depends upon the following:
1. Signage
2. Windows
3. Entrance
4. Materials
5. Colour
6. Lighting

3.2 Signage
A store‘s sign has a great effect on the store‘s image and the customer‘s
understanding of what is going on. A store can have
a well-recognized logo which does not read but is
so familiar and has been publicized for so long that
it has become a symbol. That may be fine for a logo
or a decorative symbol which is used over and over
again but when a copy message is to be delivered, it
has to be readable! The sign is judged on how the
sign is lettered, its legibility and the message
conveyed. Of course its size and proportion to the
store‘s façade, the size of the building, the materials used, colour and the signs around it
are important.
A sign can make points for or against the store‘s image. Unlit or missing light
bulbs are definitely minus points. Flaking paint; cracked, peeling backgrounds;
outrageous, highly luminous colours can be minuses also. The sign should be the store‘s
―signature‖-personal, original and recognizable. It should make a statement.
Some colours read

better than others. The
greater the contrast between
the colour or ground of the
board or paper and the copy
printed on it, the more
readily the copy will come
across. Black on white and
white on black are two good
examples of contrast. The
former is more traditional,
and therefore usually more
acceptable. Black on yellow
makes a strong statement.
But using red and green as
contrasting colours will be a
disaster as the proximity of
the two colours creates a
vibration; the letters jump
and jitter over the printed
surface
Metallic paints and inks can be elegant and lovely, but become almost invisible
when light strikes on them in a certain way, or when there is a glare on the window or the
picture. Metallic boards look marvellous under controlled lighting arrangements, but
because of highlights, white lettering can disappear from a metallic surface. Black or dark
coloured inks or paints do not hold up well on the metallic backgrounds either.

Sometimes, a light coloured or white letter with a white outline may survive under
window lighting. Though they may lack excitement, white or pale tints make the best
grounds for signs, but they can be replaced by more fashionable or interesting colours
(under controlled lighting) which do tie in with a theme or promotion: red for bridal wear
and accessories, blues for teenager boys and so on.
3.3 Windows
i. The straight front
Straight front windows run parallel to

the street. The entrance to the store
may be a break between a pair or a run
of windows, or to one side of a single
window. The windows themselves can
be closed back, open or elevated.
ii. The angled front
With the angled front design the store

entrance is recessed from the street
and the display windows lead back
from the street to the entrance,
creating an aisle for the shopper. The
windows may go back at an angle.

iii. The arcaded front
The arcaded front consists of a

series of windows with backs and
three sides of glass, coming forward
from the entrance wall which is set
back from the street. The windows are
peninsulas of glass attached to the
store and are usually under some kind
of overhead cover. The shopper can
meander through the circuitous route
to an entrance between these
protruding display windows.
iv. The corner window
The corner window is a

window that faces two streets which
are perpendicular to each other. It is a
window with double exposure and
double traffic. The corner window
may be the sole display case for the
store with an entrance near the corner
of a street, or it may be the end of a
run of windows.
3.4 Entrance
As the main emphasis in

the design of a retail store is on
display, the entrance of a store
depends largely on the
placement and type of the shop
front display windows. In case
of the straight front windows,
the entrance to the store may be
a break between a pair or a run
of windows, or to one side of a
single window. With the angled
front design the store entrance is
recessed from the street. The

entrance is set back from the street in an arcaded front window. The retail store with
corner window may have an entrance near the corner of a street, or it may be at the end of
a run of windows.
Transparency to the goods and the store inside has to be taken care of. The
material of the entrance door if not revealing the inside to the outside world may result in
reduced sales.
3.5 Materials
The materials used for construction or façade treatment of a building form a major
part of the vocabulary of the architectural style used in a building and often contribute to
the image of the building. Materials if used to glamorise the architectural treatment given
to building, can definitely add to the pocket of the owner. Not only should the materials
make the building stand out, they should be durable enough to endure the affects of
change of seasons. They should be seen as a permanent surface decoration-the wrapping
of materials around functional interiors. The material chosen can be according to a theme
or it may simply be selected to cover the ugly walls. The designer should be aware of the
ongoing trends and choose the material accordingly. The possible materials for outdoors
are steel, glass wood, granite, mosaic tiles or textured paints on the walls and columns.
The range of materials from which to choose from is very large, but it is for the designer
to decide as to what will suit his settings in the best possible way. The glass and steel
combination can be used to give a hi-tech look. The use of a good quality, well-seasoned
wood can give rise to an ethnic or country look. Woods in the shop fronts are best suited
for stores which have deep recessed verandahs in front; otherwise the durability of wood
in exteriors is jinxed. Flaking paints, peeling plasters and warping woods are definitely
minuses. In addition to the materials used the use of accessories like awnings, planters etc
can make viewing a window display more pleasant.
3.6 Colour
Colour is still the big attraction; it is what we see first, what attracts us to an
object. Whether you are choosing a colour scheme for the building façade or the shop
front display window, the basic idea is to woo the shopper in the market to enter the
store. Based on research into people‘s learned responses to colours, a brightly coloured or
a more muted and a pastel tinted shop front can usually say more about the kind of
merchandise and the targeted customer than a printed sign will. The same is true about
the materials used and the surface textures of the facades and store fronts. A coat of paint
can transform a tired, nothing special, or no-particular piece into an interesting and even
intriguing ―gift box‖ pierced with windows and just waiting to be open up and entered
into. Paint can and does camouflage a store front or façade; it can blot out and erase
undesirable architectural flaws. It can make a shop front seem to step forwarding bold,
hot colours or appear to recede beyond the building line with cool, calming colours.
Colours can stretch or shrink a construction visually – completely camouflage the
structural elements – or turn a relatively dull façade into a moving, eye-popping and
totally exhilarating shopping experience.

3.7 Lighting
There is a whole industry involved in creating and installing outdoor displays.
The use of hundreds of lights on building facades and canopies can be most effective for
some holidays and store events. The lights can be draped or swaged or wired to frames to
form recognizable symbols or letters. However this type of display does require an extra
expenditure of electrical energy and the effect of lighting is limited to twilight and
evening hours, when the stores may not open for business. In suburban operations,
however, with their later operating hours, the use of lights in the evening may be
especially worthwhile. Very often, the strings of lights or the framed light unit are
wrapped or covered with tinselly, shimmering materials that reflect light during the
daylight hours. This provides some degree of decoration to the store exterior during those
hours when the lights are not on or when they are barely visible.
A big ―hot pink‖ promotion can be dazzling in its intensity on a cool, grey day;
the warmth of the colour pink, flowing and gushing out of the window, can draw the
passer-by like a magnet.
An all black-and-white window makes a really strong colour statement even

though the colours are neutral. Here, the power to attract is in the absence of colour,
especially since the display will be surrounded by a multicolour explosion of people
moving back and forth in front of it.
Thus, a sharp colour contrast will do it; black and white, red and yellow, and so
on. Even in a window filled with dozens of related or assorted items, if all the
merchandise is telling the same colour story in unison, the display will have the power to
attract.

Summary:
The materials used for construction or façade treatment of a building form a major part of
the vocabulary of the architectural style used in a building and often contribute to the
image of the building. Materials if used to glamorise the architectural treatment given to
building, can definitely add to the pocket of the owner. Not only should the materials
make the building stand out, they should be durable enough to endure the affects of
change of seasons. They should be seen as a permanent surface decoration-the wrapping
of materials around functional interiors. The material chosen can be according to a theme
or it may simply be selected to cover the ugly walls. The designer should be aware of the
ongoing trends and choose the material accordingly. The possible materials for outdoors
are steel, glass wood, granite, mosaic tiles or textured paints on the walls and columns.
The range of materials from which to choose from is very large,
Revision Points:
The shop front design depends upon the following:
Signage
Windows
Entrance
Materials
Colour
Lighting
Key Words:
Signage:A store‘s sign
Intext questions :
1. What contribution does the exterior design of a retail store make to the success of
that store?
Terminal Exercises :
1. What contribution does the exterior design of a retail store make to the success of
that store?
2. Explain in detail the main components of a storefront design.
3. Explain with the help of sketches the types of show windows.
4. What points would you keep in mind while designing the exterior of a store
dealing in exclusive leather goods? Support your answer with sketches .

1. Discuss with the students the primary objectives of store design including:
Design store that is consistent with store‘s target customer, image and overall
strategy
Design store that helps influence customers‘ buying decisions
Design store with productivity of space in mind (how many sales can be
generated out of each square foot of space?)
2. List the main areas which need to be looked at from the point of view of design:
Signage – use of company logo
Windows – attract attention and create image to potential customer
Entrance – welcoming, creating image
Color – express image of the store
Students may do a survey of the local market to observe the design of the various stores
and they shall prepare a report on at least three stores evaluating the exterior design in
terms of the above-mentioned points.
3. List the main areas which need to be looked at from the point of view of design:
Store layout: simple or confusing, whether customers can find their way easily
around the store?
Fixtures: for displaying various merchandise.
Displays: window, counter, island, pop, etc.
Floors: material used, colour, suitability, maintenance, aesthetic appearance.
Colors: according to the overall image of the store, should enhance the look of
the space, should not be too overpowering.
Light: most important aspect of store design, the three types of lighting
arrangements – ambient, task and mood, use of light as a decorative element,
using lights to highlight products.
Ceilings: design, placement of lights and AC ducts, various materials
available, colour, how visible the ceiling ought to be.
Students may do a survey of the local market to observe the design of the various stores
and they shall prepare a report on at least three stores evaluating the interior design in
terms of the above-mentioned points.
Supplementary Material / Suggested Reading


Unit – IV
Interior Design
Lesson 4: Store Layout

Lesson 5: Fixtures
Lesson 6: Store Displays
Lesson 7: Lighting
Lesson 8: Colour

Lesson 4: Store Layouts
Objective:
To examine the types of layouts used in different stores, and the characteristics of each.
Structure:
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Grid Layouts
4.3 Free-Flow Store Layouts
4.4 Loop Layout
4.5 Soft Aisle Store Layout
4.6 Minimal Floor Layout
4.1 Introduction
The great majority of the store buildings today are not making the most efficient
use of their space. This is due to haphazard growth and bad planning. Since the sales is a
function of equipment & layout, a designer must learn how, when and where the displays,
backup stocks and other equipments should be placed in retail store buildings to get the
best results.
The type of store layout that will suit a retail house will depend upon the type of
merchandise it is offering, the functional and convenience aspect and the kind of
ambience that needs to be provided to the targeted customer.
4.2 Grid Layouts:

In short grid, it is systematic, efficient & straight forward. But due to its
monotonous character it creates fatigue. It also constrains further expansion or
contraction. It is suitable for grocery, drugs, discount stores etc. sometimes, it is also used
in department stores but due to the large size of retail department store the customer may
lose interest in shopping soon.
Quick tips
A linear design for a selling floor where fixtures are arranged to vertical and
horizontal aisles throughout the store.
It is efficient in terms of space use, allows orderly stocking, helps shoppers see
(and reach) a great number of items easily, is simple and predictable to navigate,
and is efficient to maintain.

The grid layout creates natural sight lines, which lead to focal points at the ends of
aisles.
Visual merchandisers can take advantage of this, creating displays that act as
interior windows.
In store presentation, sight lines refers to the view at the end of an aisle.
In general, merchandising sight lines refers to what a person can see from a
particular vantage point – the entrance to a store, for instance.
4.3 Free-Flow Store Layouts

Quick tips
The opposite of the grid pattern -- it has selling fixtures arranged in loosely
grouped, informal, nonlinear formations to encourage browsing.
Merchandise fixtures are arranged in a number of interesting formations to

encourage browsing
There may be several round racks grouped loosely around a central cash -- wrap
desk, and merchandise tables interspersed with four-way fixtures along a
department‘s exposure to an aisle
The critical factor is providing enough room between fixtures to allow traffic to
flow smoothly
The free-flow layout encourages shoppers to easily move from one department
into another, increasing exposure to other categories of merchandise.

Example of free flow layout
4.4 Loop Layout

It is similar to grid layout pattern in the sense that it is also very systematic and
efficient. Here, customer is made to go round the whole space in a loop and comes back
to the starting point without missing any part of the store display in-between. The idea is
to make him see everything that is on display, so that not only should one go in for
planned shopping but also buy some impulse items or other convenience items that are
needed by the person but were not on hhi
is/her list when he/she entered the shop. In short this kind of layout is suitable for
suggestive buying. It is most suitable for department stores which have an array of items
to offer.

Quick tips
o It exposes shoppers to a great deal of merchandise as they follow a

perimeter traffic aisle with departments on the right and left of the
circular, square, rectangular or oval racetrack.
o There are departments on the right and left of the circular, square,
rectangular, or oval track
o This layout exposes shoppers to a great deal of merchandise
o You often see this layout employed in a discount or department store.
o Overhead directional signing and departmental graphics provide visual

cues to the location of other departments, helping shoppers to plan
their shopping trip throughout the store
4.5 Soft Aisle Store Layout

In the soft aisle layout the merchandise is presented on the wall shelves or racks
near the perimeter wall. The area within the walls is kept almost free of fixtures or stands.
In this case the customer is allowed to shop on the walls and go round the shop without
any obstacles in between.
Quick tips
o A treats merchandised walls as some of the most important sales

generators in the store. Floor fixtures are arranged into groups with a 5-
foot aisle along merchandised wall sections encouraging customers to
shop the walls and move easily around the store in wider than average
aisles.
o This technique encourages customers to shop the walls and to move easily
around the entire store.
o Walls are considered to be the most important sales generating locations in

the store in this layout strategy.
4.6 Minimal Floor Layout

In the minimal layout, the designer uses ―less is more‖ as the merchandising
device. The use of minimum furniture, equipment etc. sets an ambience to present rare
and precious items. The ambience sets the mood and the observer or the targeted
customer is captured to buy the merchandise offered.

Quick tips
o Almost gallery-like in its simplicity, shows small selections of handcrafted or

very exclusive merchandise
o The merchandise may sometimes be wearable art -- handcrafted, designer-made,

in one-of-a-kind fabrications
o More often this layout is used in very high end retail stores with designer
merchandise.
o Borrowing from the artistic school of aesthetic minimalism, products are

presented dramatically on the walls of the store -- much like art objects -- with a
minimal use of selling fixtures on the floor
o Allows for wide-open spaces in the centre of the store, where customers may
roam & appreciate
o The merchandise and finally makeup his/her mind to buy the item offered.
o Requires dramatic merchandise, simple display strategies, effective sales

associates.

Lesson 5: Fixtures
0bjective:
To know about the various fixtures used in stores.
Structure:
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Stands
5.3 Platforms & elevations
5.4 Costumers, valets & drapers
5.5 Easel
5.6 Counter fixtures
5.7 Assorted counter fixtures
5.8 Ledge fixtures
5.9 Floor & free standing fixtures
5.1 Introduction
A store without fixtures is like a store that is not finished! It is not ready to accept,
hold, stock, and show merchandise. It is not equipped to transact sales, take money and
make change, & wrap the purchase. There would be nothing in the store to tell you what
is being offered, what the selection is, and what alternatives and/or accessories are
available. Simply, a fixtureless store is the one that is not equipped to function.
5.2 Stands
The stand is a very widely used, basic fixture in the garment industry. It comes
with assortment of tops which may be slipped interchangeably into an adjustable rod set
into a weighted base. The base sits securely on the floor (or platform, elevation, counter
or ledge) and the rod may be adjusted to the desired height for presenting the
merchandise.The top element can be a straight rod or a hanger top with reverse curves.
There are also special attachments for hosiery, shirts, shoes etc.
Stands are usually used in a variety or assortment window as a means of building up-
from the glass line to the back of the window- a variety of merchandise. The smaller
Reverse curves for

T-stand sleeve less garments

items are set low and up front. As they get larger, the merchandise gets higher and farther
back. The truly elegant and beautifully designed base can provide a stand that will
enhance, hold up & provide a drape-away point for a lovely piece of lingerie in a one
item or a related merchandise window presentation.
5.3 Platforms & elevations

Platforms and elevations are build-ups used to provide interest and to help
separate merchandise in mass displays. They can be cubes, cylinders, or saddles of any
size or shape. Elevations can be tables and chairs and other pieces of furniture so long as
they can be used to raise up a mannequin, a form, a stand or an arrangement of
merchandise. An elevation can also be a platform that covers a large portion of a display
floor.
5.4 Costumers, valets & drapers

Costumers, valets and drapers are important fixtures that show coordinated or
complete costumes on a single stand.
The costumer is a free standing fixturing unit used on a floor, ledge, or counter
depending on its size. It has a hanger set on its top on to an adjustable upright, which is
set into a weighted base. The unit usually has a skirt bar which makes it possible to
display a pair of pants or a skirt under a blouse or jacket.
The valet very similar to the costumer, has a heavier and a wider hanger along
with a slacks bar, which makes this fixture especially useful for men‘s wear. Sometimes,

it includes a shoe platform raised off the floor but still attached to the same vertical rod
on which all the other pieces are assembled.
The draper is also a hanger on a stand, adjustable in height but without a skirt or
slacks bar. It is smaller than a costumer & a valet: a compact unit to be used on a counter
or on a buildup.
5.5 Easel
An easel is an adjustable folding frame or tripod used to display merchandise. In
the one-item display, the single object is shown as a ―masterpiece‖ or ―one-of-a-kind.‖ In
a related merchandise display, easels can be companions to mannequins on ledges, on T-

wall platforms or on islands to show alternate choices or other accessories like handbags,
books, wallets etc.

The counter is the selling field where the ―give & take‖ between salesman &
customer can be improved and the sales expedited by the use of good and sufficient
counter fixtures. The counter fixture actually puts the merchandise right out on the top of
the counter & invites the potential customer to touch, try it and eventually purchase it.
This makes the designing of the counter very crucial. Generally the counter
fixture is small; the base is balanced & weighted to keep the fixture from toppling when
fully stocked. Ideally the fixture is no more than 24‖ tall & rarely goes over 36‖when
adjusted to its greatest height. The taller one would be an insurmountable barrier to the
give and take b/w customer & salesperson.
5.7 Assorted counter fixtures

Assorted fixture tops are made to hold certain items or accessories in a way that
will show them off to their best advantage & keep from slipping off or In case of ―pilfer
proof‖ units, keep them from walking off.

5.8 Ledge fixtures
These are larger & more imposing than counter fixtures.
Some are placed where the customer can‘t reach or touch.
Sometimes they are set at or above eye level, taking care that they
don‘t become barriers or screens.
If the unit is set on or adjacent to an aisle, it should be high

enough to be seen through or over the traffic, but not so high as to
block the merchandise presentation inside the shop.
5.9 Floor & free standing fixtures

Counters & showcases
These are meant for showing, holding & selling
merchandise. They combine the storage capacities of a
cabinet, the selling surface of a table and the display
potential of a shadow box. The unit may be entirely of
glass, with everything under the selling surface on view; it
can be all wood, laminated or combined with metal and
look like a closed cabinet.
T-stands
It is a specialty unit- a highlighter or accent piece. It is small, light and carries
minimal amount of merchandise but makes ―big‖ fashion statements.

Quad racks
It is a four-armed fixture with each arm extending out from a central core. It is
designed with four separate views and is ideal for showing separate or coordinated
fashions. The four arms can also be used to tell coordinated colour stories.
Other floor fixtures

o A gondola is a long flat- bottomed merchandiser usually with straight, upright
sides. This fixture is most commonly designed with adjustable shelves
combined with a table surface and storage cabinet or drawer space below.

Since it has a central dividing panel, the gondola is two sided. The unit is
frequently used in groups on the selling floor & oriented perpendicular to the
traffic aisles. The ends of the gondolas can be turned into valuable display
areas. Gondolas are often found in linen, housewares, china & glass
departments, because they are particularly adaptable to stackable &
prepackaged merchandise.
A French term for a displayer shelf unit, an étagère is an open, multishelf,

displayer fixture, most often used to show china, glass, home furnishings
accessories, and small gifts.
A kiosk is a self standing booth or structure on the selling floor which may
accommodate a salesperson as well as merchandise. It can be used as a mini
boutique, an outpost, or for an enclosed information or special events desk.
An outpost is a free standing, self-contained selling unit that contains a stock of a

given type of merchandise, along with display and signing relevant to that
merchandise. The outpost sells merchandise not ordinarily sold in the department
in which it is set up (e.g., a cosmetics outpost in a junior department).
A three part rack is a round rack comprised of three separate but equal arcs.
Usually, the height of each arc is individually adjustable. It is more effective for
showing separates, coordinates, or assorted colours and styles of a particular item.
A vitrine is a glass-enclosed, shelved cabinet or showcase. It often has glass

shelves or partitions. It is usually a decorative piece, sometimes made to look
antique. It is used to display small precious items and accessories.

Lesson 6: Store Displays
Objective:
To understand the importance of store display.
Structure:
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Island displays
6.3 Platforms
6.4 Counters & Display Cases
6.5 Museum case
6.7 Demonstration cubes
6.8 Ledges
6.9 Shadow Boxes
6.10 Enclosed Displays
6.11 Columns
6.12 Fascia
6.13 T- Walls
6.14 100 Percent Traffic Areas
6.1 Introduction
Once a shopper has passed through the air screen or the foyer, he/she is on the
selling floor. The ambience of the whole store makes or mars the mood to buy what is
being offered by the store; but the actual selling is left to the merchandise presentation.
By showing the merchandise properly accessorized, on the right kind of mannequin, form
or hanger- with the right props & decorations- the display person invites the shopper in to
peruse more of treasures only suggested by the display set-ups.
Various types of display types used in retail houses have been discussed below:
o Island displays
o Counters & display cases
o Ledges
o Shadow boxes
o Enclosed displays
o Columns
o Fascia
o T-walls

o 100 percent traffic areas
6.2 Island displays
It is a featured display space, often near the entrance & viewable from all sides.
This is an important area well lit and clearly identified by a raised platform, a change of
flooring material or a rug. An abstract construction may also highlight the area.
In an island display, the store presents a special story- be it a colour, a style an

event or a storewide presentation. An island display which is on a raised platform is
generally more effective and can get more attention than an-on-the-floor display. But
whatever the ―architecture‖ it should be changeable or rearrange able, just as the
merchandise and the promotions change.
When an island display is laid out on the store‘s plan, effective lighting in that
area is the next most important thing to be considered. In addition to the original lighting,
some supplementary lighting may also be required in this area for more drama &
emphasis.
6.3 Platforms
A riser, or a platform set just off the aisle and spotlighted from above, will also
serve to identify an area and promote a particular piece of merchandise. If a shopper sees
a mannequin raised up on a platform for better visibility, over the traffic on a floor
wearing kid‘s garments, it would be logical to assume that kid‘s garments were being
stocked near that figure. This is merchandise and that is display.
6.4 Counters & Display Cases

A counter is a major area of merchandise presentation. It is truly the point of
purchase- the place where merchandise is presented and the sale is concluded. Some store
planners have started thinking that counters are obsolete now, for they consider that
counters are unduly & unnecessarily expensive to purchase & maintain. Also since
counters are mostly fixed in a place, they take up a specific amount of floor space. For
the counters to be truly effective in producing sales, specific fixtures, beneath &/or
behind it, to hold and show the merchandise being sold are required.
The counter may be the top surface of a piece of furniture which stocks
merchandise on shelves, or in drawers below, or it can be an all glass or partially glass
case for a below eye-level display. Today‘s most common basic display case has a glass
or transparent top, and at least three sides of glass. This enables the shopper to see the
merchandise displayed for sale, while at the same time, protecting the setup from touch
feel and steal.
Since the display cases are often two feet deep it is advisable to use risers and
saddles in the case in order to raise some of the merchandise closer to shopper‘s eye-
level, or to make interesting setup of assorted merchandise at different levels.

6.5 Museum case
It is primarily a display case that can on occasions; serve as a counter or
demonstration area. As the name implies the case is similar to those found in museums
and consists of a column or pedestal with five sides of glass. It is often taller than a
counter and the merchandise, precious & special, is raised up closer to the viewer‘s
eyelevel. Small platforms, risers or saddles can be used to enhance the presentation and to
help delineate the assorted pieces of merchandise in the same case.
6.7 Demonstration cubes

These are rug upholstered, laminate covered, or wood finished blocks found on
and about the selling floor. These cubes are prepared in various sizes and they can be
grouped and clustered or used individually. These cubes are particularly popular as mid
traffic islands to gain attention for a special product, or used right off the aisle as a ―draw-
into- the- department‖ device. These can be used as mannequin platforms or can be
clustered around it for a ―lay down‖ of accessories with the single suit or outfit raised on
mannequin, or as the name suggests for demonstrations.
6.8 Ledges
The traditional ledge is raised about five feet from the ground and is often an
island that is free standing on selling floor. The ledge is usually the top surface of a
backup storage unit behind a selling counter. In most stores, that would be a two-sided
storage unit about three to four feet deep and five feet tall, with bins, shelves or cabinets;
surrounded by counters. The length of the ledge would depend on how many storage
units are lined up together on the floor, the kind of merchandise being sold and the size
design & nature of the department itself. The ledge can also be the top surface of a
storage unit that is set flat against the perimeter wall and a counter set in front of it. This
type of ledge would be viewed only from the front.

By the nature of their location, the ledges are usually lit from overhead by wall
washes or by fluorescent lights hidden behind fascia boards.
6.9 Shadow Boxes

These are miniature display windows- or elevated display cases, worked into the
design of a selling floor. They may appear above and behind the counters when the
counters are situated in front of the walls or partitions. They are usually at eye level,
shallow and offer possibilities of limited lighting effects. Small merchandise and fashion
accessories are usually shown in shadow boxes.
6.10 Enclosed Displays

An enclosed display is usually fully glazed-in platform which can hold a
mannequin or two. They may be located at the entrance to a department, line an aisle or
be a part of a perimeter wall. In size and construction, an enclosed display may be very
similar to a closed back display window found in the front of a store. The purpose is the
same: to show the merchandise in the protected area.

6.11 Columns
Columns are an integral part of the store‘s construction. They hold up ceilings,
support the weight of the roof and are excellent place to hang decorative props. Columns
often delineate a department‘s beginning and end. They may also be lined up on either
side of a major aisle, adding vertical highlights on a horizontal floor.
The column can be a background panel for a mannequin on a platform; can be a

signboard for a shop or an area; a background for translights advertising the merchandise
or a four sided mirror which adds illusion to the space. It can also be fitted with small
fixtures to hold merchandise like ties, earrings, scarves etc.
Columns not only can hold merchandise, they can also be used to show
merchandise decoratively. Some ledges are adjacent to columns and the combination of a
ledge and column can offer interesting display possibilities. It is for the designers to take
advantage of the rhythm and repetitions of columns in the floor plan of the store and use
them creatively whenever possible.
6.12 Fascia
The fascia is a band – a horizontal board or panel. In stores, the fascia is often
6‘6‖ to 7‘-0‖ off the ground and is usually visible from across the floor and certainly
from the aisle. It can be used to conceal lights and as a background for merchandise
displays.
If properly used the fascia will tell what is being sold below, suggest the variety
and also specify the time of the year or the ―look‖ that is in vogue. Coloured panels can
be superimposed on it, decorative appliqués, photo, photo blowups, forms or figures
adorn a fascia or garments may be pinned up imaginatively on a fascia.
6.13 T- Walls
Often in a department store one area is separated from the other by two sided
partitions or walls extending from the perimeter wall out to the aisle. The flat end of this
unit can be converted into a valuable display space. The merchandising wall facing the
aisle is the upright of T in this case.
A platform can be placed, on the aisle or in front of the panel; to highlight the
merchandise stocked behind it is often 4‘-0‖to 6‘-0‖ wide & 8‘-0‖ tall.

6.14 100 Percent Traffic Areas
These are the locations throughout the store that get very heavy traffic. These
areas are in front of & around the escalators or elevators, at the entrances or exits and
central meeting areas etc. Displays in these areas, are and should be, changed frequently;
and these areas are often combined with salesperson plus a certain amount of stock for
quick ‗impulse‘.

Lesson7: Lighting
Objective:
To understand the importance of lighting.
Structure:
7.1 Introduction
7.2 General or primary lighting
7.3 Fluorescent lighting
7.4 Incandescent lighting
7.5 Secondary lighting
7.6 Ambient lighting
7.7 Task lighting
7.8 Special lighting
7.1 Introduction
Lighting is such a crucial element that it often makes or breaks an object put as an
exhibit. The kind of lighting used is determined by the type of material to be displayed.
Too much light, as well as too little, too many spotlights, not enough shadow-can destroy
presentations especially where mood has to be created or where dimensional objects are
displayed and shadows are necessary to give them form. A dark, dark show can be great
for ambience and mood, but a serious drawback for seeing what is being shown. So, it is
very important for a retail designer to use light intelligently and aptly. Let us study the
various types of lighting to get the fair idea of what to do in a particular situation while
designing.
7.2 General or primary lighting

General, or primary, lighting is the all over level of illumination in an area. It is
usually the light that fills the selling floor from overhead lighting fixtures but does not
include accent lights white washers, and display highlighting lamps.(these are the forms
of secondary lighting.) also it does not include ―glamour‖ or decorative lighting: the
sconces, counter or table lamps, indirect lighting and so on.
7.3 Fluorescent lighting

Some retail operations are illuminated by rows of fluorescent fixtures which span
the length or width of the store. The fluorescent fixture is usually the least expensive and
most efficient fixture to use from the point of initial cost, cost of energy, and length of
lamp life. But it is not the best choice for many categories of merchandise. These can
produce a flat, even, and stultifying blanket of light which offers few shadows and
provides little depth or textural interest. There are degrees of warmth and coolness
available in fluorescent lamps, from the rosy quality of warm white deluxe to the blue of
cool white deluxe- with many gradations in between. Also, the quality of light coming

from a fluorescent fixture can be enhanced by shielding and filtering or it can be softened
with grids, baffles or diffusing panels. Fluorescent lamps can also be used in showcases
or hidden beneath shelves to add the required warmth or coolness that the particular
merchandise warrants.
7.4 Incandescent lighting

More and more stores are combining Incandescent lights with fluorescent lights to
create their primary lighting. The incandescents are used for emphasis, for highlighting,
as well as on the merchandise that thrives under them. The fluorescents may light upon
the aisle, wash a wall, or indicate a change of merchandise or department, but the
incandescents do the selling.
In small stores and in special areas or closed- off departments, incandescent light
bulbs can be used as the only kind of lighting in the general, overall scheme. However
incandescents are more expensive to install and use. They do not burn as efficiently or as
long as the fluorescents. They also give more heat and increase the overall air
conditioning load, and thus use more energy. Some stores feel that the increased costs are
worth it because of the effect that the incandescent light produces.
Incandescents can be fixed into recessed high hat fixtures in the ceiling, clustered
in chandeliers, or hung as droplights. They can be mounted into housings that ride back
and forth on ceiling tracks, and can be directed or focused on merchandise or displays.
Bare bulbs, silver bottomed bulbs, or tiny round complexion bulbs can be decoratively
lined up, clustered, or ―polka dotted‖ on the ceiling to add charm to the design scheme,
and ―stroke‖ the merchandise.

7.5 Secondary lighting
Flat, shadow less, overall lighting can create a lethargic and boring selling floor.
Glare or overly bright, strong light can be irritating and a detriment to selling. Shadows
and highlights are necessary; they can delight intrigue and pique the imagination. Sparkle
and shimmer can stimulate and titillate. A selling floor and especially a display need
changes from light to dark, from highlights to shadows. They need flash and sparkle and
should make the viewer‘s eye travel over the area. Secondary lighting should accomplish
all this.
7.6 Ambient lighting

It is the mood producing light used in an area or display. Coloured filters can be
used, adding warmth and depth where needed, or strong, sharp accents of can excite or
stimulate the viewer. It is a part of secondary lighting and makes use of floodlights, filters
and wall washers. It can include indirect lighting devices: lights hidden behind foliage, a
riser or behind a baffle or valance dropped from overhead. The designer may create a free
standing, out in the open exhibit and bathe the bare walls with coloured lights. This
makes the walls appear to ―move back,‖ enhancing the attraction in the middle of the
floor.
7.7 Task lighting

Task- lighting is the all-important spotlighting and highlighting of an object of
display. This puts the light where it really counts and makes the items stand out and show
up at their very best. Some display areas are equipped with ceiling track lighting which
can facilitate the spotlighting and floodlighting of the show. In this set up the designer
may be in control of both the general and the special lighting.
Small objects in cases can be lit with miniature pinspots of bright incandescent
light, tubular lights or even pencil-like fluorescent lights. Some objects are especially
attractive when lit from behind or below. Frosted glass panels or shelves are good to use
in these instances. Wherever and whenever possible, the designer should try to hide the
source of light. No matter how attractive the lamp, it might compete for viewer‘s
attention. Not only might it detract the subject view, it can prove to be an irritant to the
viewer.
7.8 Special lighting

Backlighting objects or photographic transparencies can be especially effective
when the area in which they are to be used has low level lighting. Illuminated cases
appear more brilliant when the surroundings are darkened.
Thus, lighting can help tell the story, set the scene, and emphasize or enhance an
object. It can isolate one item or unify a group of unrelated pieces. It can create the mood
or ambience, add drama and excitement. Lighting can create a sense of direction, a path
for traffic to follow and set a pace and tempo. In a market where there are dozens of retail
houses, each with hundreds of items vying for attention, good lighting can be the beacon
that brings in the crowds.

Lesson 8: Colour
Objective:
To understand the importance of colour.
Structure:
8.1 Introduction
8.1 Introduction
Colour sells! It is what is shown and what the shopper sees first. For many
customers, it is actually more important than the size, the style, or even the price tag.
From infancy, people see colours and are affected by and react to them. Colours have a
psychology; some colours seem to expand or go forward, while others contract and
withdraw. Some colours make the viewer feel warm, expansive, generous, full of good
feelings, all aglow-responsive enough to buy anything. Some colours will make the
viewer feel cold, aloof, unresponsive, moody, and impossible to reach.
By personal preference people of certain age and social groups will respond
readily to the one family of colours over the other. Youngsters and non-sophisticates,
commonly delight in and respond to the bright sharp colours: yellow, red, green,
turquoise blue. Casual, outgoing, fun loving, high-spirited people who want fashions and
settings to match are drawn to warm colours. Sophisticated people are supposed to
appreciate subtlety: the slightly off-colours, toned down and neutralized without being
neutered. Elegant and big ticket merchandise seems to make a better showing and a better
customer response in a ―cool‖ environment. ―Serenity‖ sells silver, furs and other choice
merchandise.
The display person can usually control the colour against which the merchandise
is being shown. The background colour is important because it either adds to or detracts
from the colour of merchandise presented. A white dress shown against a white
background can be very effective or a total disaster! Against a stark white background a
dress that is not a pure white, but a soft lovely ivory colour can look dingy and yellow. If
however the background were a deep grey or very dark green or, the sharp contrast would
make the ivory dress appear whiter.
Understanding the effect of colour on colour will enable the display designer to
choose the right settings for the store which not only is effective but also sets the store
image.

Summary:
A counter is a major area of merchandise presentation. It is truly the point of purchase-
the place where merchandise is presented and the sale is concluded. Some store planners
have started thinking that counters are obsolete now, for they consider that counters are
unduly & unnecessarily expensive to purchase & maintain. Also since counters are
mostly fixed in a place, they take up a specific amount of floor space. For the counters to
be truly effective in producing sales, specific fixtures, beneath &/or behind it, to hold and
show the merchandise being sold are required.
The counter may be the top surface of a piece of furniture which stocks
merchandise on shelves, or in drawers below, or it can be an all glass or partially glass
case for a below eye-level display. Today‘s most common basic display case has a glass
or transparent top, and at least three sides of glass. This enables the shopper to see the
merchandise displayed for sale, while at the same time, protecting the setup from touch
feel and steal.
Revision Points:
A linear design for a selling floor where fixtures are arranged to vertical and
horizontal aisles throughout the store.
It is efficient in terms of space use, allows orderly stocking, helps shoppers see (and
reach) a great number of items easily, is simple and predictable to navigate, and is
efficient to maintain.
The grid layout creates natural sight lines, which lead to focal points at the ends of
aisles.
Visual merchandisers can take advantage of this, creating displays that act as interior
windows.
In store presentation, sight lines refers to the view at the end of an aisle.
In general, merchandising sight lines refers to what a person can see from a particular
vantage point – the entrance to a store, for instance.
Free-Flow Store Layouts

Quick tips
The opposite of the grid pattern -- it has selling fixtures arranged in loosely grouped,
informal, nonlinear formations to encourage browsing.

Merchandise fixtures are arranged in a number of interesting formations to encourage
browsing
There may be several round racks grouped loosely around a central cash -- wrap desk,
and merchandise tables interspersed with four-way fixtures along a department‘s
exposure to an aisle
The critical factor is providing enough room between fixtures to allow traffic to flow
smoothly
Key Words:
Easel:An easel is an adjustable folding frame or tripod used to display
merchandise.
Intext questions :
1. Explain in detail the role of lighting in a store.
2. Write a detailed note on the importance of colours in a store.
1. Why is it important for a designer to have a good understanding of the working of a
store before designing the layout of the store? Explain with the help of examples.
2. Explain in detail the various types of store layouts.
3. What is the importance of fixtures in a store? Explain in detail the types of fixtures
that you will require in a ready-made garments‘ store.
4. Why are store displays so important? Explain in detail the role of displays in a store.
5. Explain in detail the various types of displays used in retail stores to showcase the
merchandise.

List the various types of layouts generally employed in stores, such as:
Grid Layout (grocery, drugs, discount)

o Long fixtures in repetitive patterns
o Cost efficient, space efficient
o Easy to merchandise/sign
Racetrack/Loop (department stores)
o Draws customers around the store
o A.K.A.—Loop layout

o Has a major aisle that has access to departments and store‘s multiple
entrances to parking/mall, etc.
o Aisle ‗loops‘ through store providing access to different departments/
‗shops‘
Free-flow/Boutique
o Fixtures and aisles arranged asymmetrically
o Used in specialty stores and departments within large stores.
Soft Aisle Layout - fixtures grouped together, 5 ft from walls, encourages customers to
shop the walls and move easily around the store. Walls considered to be the most
important sales generating location in this layout strategy
Minimal Layout – used in high end stores, entire collection dramatic presentation
Supplementary Material / Suggested Reading:


Unit – V
Case Study 1
Case study 2
Objective
To do case studies of various stores, and to prepare reports evaluating these stores on the
basis of the points studies in the previous units.

Case Study 1

Case Study 2

Intext questions:
Write a detailed report on the design concept of the store as well as the materials used in
the store.
In an area of 3,000 sq.ft. design the interiors of any one of the following:
1. Retail store for Nike/Reebok/Adidas

2. Home furnishing store
3. A computer store selling computers, books, software, peripherals, and other
related items.
4. A departmental store.
Work out the requirements keeping in mind the nature of the store and draft its
plan and at least three elevations. Detail out any special feature of the store also.
Students shall carry out detailed case studies of various categories of stores such as:
Departmental stores.
Lifestyle stores
Shopping malls
Boutiques etc.
Comprehensive reports must be prepared by each student elaborating upon the positive
and negative points of the store design.
Based upon the study the students may also give alternative designs for the stores under
scrutiny.

Supplementary Material / Suggested
Reading

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RETAIL DESIGN

Unit –III ................................................................................................................ 25

Supplementary Material / Suggested Reading ....................................................... 69

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Lesson 1: Types of Retail Stores

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1. To understand what is a retail store.

1.1 Types of Retail Stores

1.1.1 Department stores:

It is a retailing giant equal in space &

The department store targets the

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A department store encashes this need of the customer by offering variety of

The efficiency of a department Store depends on the quantity and quality of

1.1.2 Outlet store

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Women‘s wear generally falls into three classifications – impulse or luxury

Convenience accessories: gloves, millinery, hosiery, shoes, blouses, sweaters, lingerie,

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1.1.5 The Specialty Shop

Figure 1Gold Souk

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Jewellery store design is controlled by the following merchandising principles:

1. Luxury merchandise must be sold in surroundings that emphasize its value

2. This luxury merchandise is also impulse merchandise – buying should be

3. Individual attention must be given to each customer – self-service will not

4. An atmosphere of dignity, reliability, and style leadership must be created

The merchandising principles should be interpreted in terms of a well-organized

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Correct lighting is vital. Incandescent lighting throws a sharp beam, makes

1.1.7 Hypermarkets and super markets:

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Hypermarkets, in contrast to specialty shops, depends open diversified sales for

Convenience and not luxury is an important criteria in a hypermarket. As the

1.1.8 Discount stores:

These stores are similar to

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1.1.9 Shopping Centre/Malls, Business District

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This luxury merchandise is also impulse merchandise – buying should be stimulated

Shopping Centre/Malls, Business District

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Assignments / Learning Activities:

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Lesson 2: The elements of store environment

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2. Using the elements to create the desired effect in a store.

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Today‘s intensely competitive retail environment is characterized by sophisticated

And (lest we forget) that‘s what it is all about.

2.3 Spatial Organization:

Display area display/ show window

Sales area sales counter/s

Payment area cash counter

Delivery area delivery counter

Back-up stock storage area

Business transaction counting room

And accounts area

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2.4 Store Layout

2.4.1 Grid layout:

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2.4.3 Free –flow: