Running your very own clothes shop is no joke, especially if it’s a startup business. There are a lot things that could go wrong. As the owner, you need to make sure that you have a detailed plan for everything. That includes designing the layout of your store.
You can’t randomly decide the your shop’s layout based on what you think looks okay. There’s a way to do it properly and you must follow it if you want the customers to see your products more easily and make them comfortable while browsing through the store.
A good fashion shop layout can easily attract foot traffic. In order to achieve this, you must consider your customers and follow the tips below.
1. Choose the right floor plan.
There are at least 3 different basic floor plans for retail stores– the straight, angular, and mixed. The straight floor plan is the most efficient and the easiest to work with. That is why a lot of small business go with it. However, if you want to be able to emphasize certain fashion pieces, you might want to use the angular floor plan. This one provides lesser space for the products, but can give emphasis to the important ones.
If you want to sell accessories, shoes, handbags, etc. along with clothes, then you can choose the mixed layout. This one is a combination of straight and angular, which makes it ideal for presenting varied items.
2. Guide customers to the right.
It’s advisable that you steer your customers towards the right side of the entrance. It has been proven that people usually move from the right and move counterclockwise around the store. Hence, make sure that your designed aisle sends them to where they want to go. While you’re at it, it’s also better that you provide enough aisle space to accommodate foot traffic.
3. Position your products and displays strategically.
If you want to attract customers to your shop, your display outfit must be chosen carefully. You might want to pick the latest or the trendiest designer pieces and put them near the window. Then, you can strategically put all other good items somewhere that can be seen through the window, but is actually further inside the shop. This way, you are inviting people to go in and check them out.
Since you’re trying to capture customers’ attention, you might as well choose good mannequins to hold the pieces of clothes you’ve chosen. There are a lot of high-quality mannequins for sale UK. All you have to do is give them a direct call and ask for a quote.
4. Build a comfortable dressing room.
How the clothes look when the customer wears them can seal or break the deal. That’s why it’s essential that you invest in a good mirror, proper lighting, etc. Also, provide a seating area for the customer’s companions, whose opinion upon the subject of buying the clothes matters.
5. Position checkout counter at the natural stopping point.
You would want to position your registers in areas that will be easy to find, but will not distract shoppers while they are still browsing. The best way to identify these areas is to walk around the shop yourself. Where do you frequently stop? Mark that place as it’s most probably the ideal spot.
Conclusion
Planning for your store’s layout can be exhausting. When you find yourself getting stressed, take a deep breath, enter other clothes shops, and get inspiration from them.