How To Use Space Planning To Convince Shoppers To Spend More?

Would you ever find yourself in the store buying groceries only, but the flow of the store took you right past the sweet aisle??

Soon after this, you find yourself craving biscuits or candies…!

Upon leaving the store, you realize you have purchased more items than you intended. The entire scenario left you confused!!

In fact, that’s the unseen force of the store that guides you in a specific direction.

Hey, wait!! There’s nothing spooky about this…

Those unseen forces are a result of a combination of carefully planned techniques that a retail store employs to attract customers today!

They display the products and layout their store so cleverly that customers buy more!!

For all this, they use space planning techniques to make customers stay in the store longer, which will surely result in more buying.

Finding these techniques amusing and interesting??

Keep reading this blog until the end to know these space planning techniques. How do they influence every customer to stay in the store for a longer duration and buy more?

Also, how to make them work for you by providing customers with what they want and benefiting from your increased sales.

Make the most of your decompression zone

Whenever a customer walks into your store, they already know the exact products on which they will be making their conscious efforts. But what brand will they pick? Will they go with their regular brand, or will they make an impulse decision by buying another brand?

There are endless questions. But if you have answers, you can design in an exact way that enhances customer experience and increases your sale. One of the many ways to do so is by making the most of your decompression zone.

But what is a decompression zone? Let us understand that.

Decompression Zone in Retail Definition

A decompression zone is a place where your customers can wisely make themselves ready for their shopping experience. You can design such a zone at a distance of about 5 to 15 feet from the retail store’s entrance. This will be where the customers will transition into a new environment that can easily influence them to walk further into your store. Now, you must wonder what you can do to make a good decompression zone to attract customers.

It must be an open space free of clutter

So the most important thing to remember is to ensure that your store’s entrance is not crowded. This will attract customers to your store, and they will also be able to see your display. You can even use one or two stands that give an overview of your merchandise and let customers know what they should expect. But you must make sure that the stands are not coming in the way of your customers.

There are no distracting marketing

This zone is actually designed to influence customers to shop more and move further into the store. Therefore, using free space to display marketing and advertisements is not a good idea.

It should include displays to entice customers into your store

Your store must have visually appealing displays that can tempt the customers to cross the threshold of your store. It can include any aesthetically pleasing or mood-setting exhibits.

Direct Your Customers After Entering Store To Buy More

The major goal of your store is to maximize your sales plus please your customers. Both these goals walk hand in hand. You cannot achieve one goal by ignoring the other. Therefore, ensuring an easy shopping experience for your customers becomes vital. You can create an atmosphere in your store by understanding how your customers shop.

Gone are the days when storekeepers set up their stores so people could shop from right to left. But some studies suggest that people who enter the store look left first and then right. They can also walk counter-clockwise in your store.

But this does not mean you run to your store immediately and redesign it to arouse your customer’s attention in your store. The primary thing to focus on is ensuring that your customers find what they need. If the answer is yes, then here you go. You are in a good position.

But if the answer is no, you should relook at your arrangements. This is because if your store is not directing your customers after entering your store, they’ll be unsure where to go, which will reduce their willingness to shop more.

Slow down shoppers

So, now you are familiar with the techniques to entice the customer and direct them into the store. This is just one concept, but engaging customers and making them shop in the store is another. We know it may sound daunting, but it is possible.

It is possible with the help of visual breaks, commonly known as speed bumps, that slow down your shopper. In simple words, it allows your customers to slow down for some time at a particular spot and let them look around themselves. It helps them browse the products in your store and not just walk in, get a product, and pay.

Ensure your store is visually appealing and pleasant to shop

We all know every visually appealing store attracts more and more customers. Moreover, if you take support from merchandising, it will just boost your sales like crazy. Several strategies and techniques are available that entice customers to shop for your products.

Merchandising techniques comprise four main techniques:

1. Vertical merchandising

In this technique, the items in your store are presented in a vertical display, as it remains within the line of sight. As a result, customers can follow your products on offer.

2. Horizontal merchandising

In this technique, all your products are presented in a horizontal manner, ensuring that all the products are in the customer’s sight of line. Moreover, allowing customers to view the product from left to right.

3. Cross-Merchandising

In this technique, complementary products from separate categories are placed together. This technique aims to provide customers with solutions and time savings.

4. Color block merchandising 

This technique allows you to group products of the same color together. This is usually displayed in a vertical style, that’s why you hear it referred to as color ribboning.

So by following these techniques, you can surely boost your product’s sales.

Use your available shelf space strategically

This is a strategy you must have heard of a lot. And it is true. You have a limited space in your store which is why it is essential for you to use it as wisely as possible. But now the question arises, how?

Many storekeepers are of the viewpoint that the products placed at eye level are the best spot. It is certainly true, even several retailers do that as they believe eye level is a buy level. But you also have shelves at the end of the aisles, which you cannot ignore due to limited spacing. So, you can use that part of the shelf to set up some special offers or technological elements to grab the customer’s attention. You can use one or both techniques to encourage your customer to spend more.

Conclusion 

The aforementioned space planning techniques can create a pleasing layout that entices your customers to enter the store and find their products easily. You can even test and evaluate these techniques to determine which is more effective.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and implement them to increase your sales. You can even visit Next Galleria Mall to see a clear example of space planning. Thanks to these tricks that entice many customers to cross the threshold and start shopping.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is space planning?

Space planning refers to the designing of the store outlet in such a way that guides the customers easily in the store. Moreover, directing the customers to buy more in your store. 

• How can space planning be used to convince shoppers to spend more?

This can be done by strategically placing products and displays in such a way that it appears visually appealing and encouraging. Therefore, they can easily browse the store and get enticed to buy more.

• What are the tips for effective space planning?

Some tips for effective space planning include understanding your target audience, using focal points to draw attention toward a product or display, keeping the store’s layout simple and easy to navigate, and regularly refreshing and updating your display to keep your customers engaged.