E-commerce sales might be growing every year, but many people love visiting their favorite stores. 60% of men and 52% of women visit a store in person to see and try items before buying them online. Whether expanding your e-commerce business into brick-and-mortar or starting a business from scratch, your store location is key to your business success.
Owning a store is a dream for many start-up entrepreneurs and is something they want to take pride in. Although it’s exciting to do retail construction and make your store your own, poor retail design decisions can hurt your business. You probably already know how important location is for your business, but it’s not the only factor you need to consider.
Read on to learn more about setting up your small business’s storefront for success.
1. Consider the Location Carefully
Location, location, location is the mantra of many successful business owners and investors for a reason. The location should be near your target demographic and see ample foot traffic to draw customers in off the street. You’ll also want to consider whether the location is suitable for your business to find and retain employees.
You can choose a location with high foot traffic by looking at other nearby businesses to see if they bring customers around. You’ll also want to consider your proximity to competitors. Competition could encourage shoppers to shop around and come into your store or make your job of standing out harder.
Locations for your business come in all shapes and sizes, so you’ll need one that fits your needs. Don’t forget to consider the look and reputation of the building. For example, your door and windows make your first impression with customers, so you’ll want a location where those are inviting.
2. Designing a Customer-Friendly Interior
When choosing a location, you must decide how much space you need and what building features are essential. You will often need some retail construction to optimize your site for your customers.
Retail stores are often set up in a grid or loop layout to help customers move through the store and find what they need. Grid layouts provide clear lines of sight, making it easy for customers to find what they need. Loop layouts take customers throughout the store on the main path and finish at the checkout.
You will also want to consider accessibility when setting up your store to make it easy for customers to move through the aisles, especially if they use a wheelchair or other aids. Once you are certain your store won’t feel too cramped or crowded, design your shelves to be attractive and easy to reach.
Lastly, don’t forget color, lighting, and decor. These elements impact the mood of your business. If your customers find flaws with your design, it could turn them away.
Designing a storefront can be challenging, so you might want to hire a retail design professional to do it for you.
3. Understand Retail Construction Laws and Ordinances
Cites often have zoning laws and rules for where businesses can operate. If you are working out of a historical location, there will likely be rules about what you can change. Research these rules before purchasing a location and go through the proper channels to avoid legal trouble later.
If you are leasing your retail space, read your lease carefully to know the modifications you can legally make to the building. Your lease might limit what you can do with the interior and exterior of a location. These stipulations can affect all of your later design choices and vision.
Retail Design Impacts Small Business Success
Retail construction comes with challenges depending on your location, lease, and space. Despite this, you can leverage good retail design to make your business a place your customers want to visit. Choosing the right location and layout can help you make more sales.
Do you want more tips for running a successful business? Check out more guides like this one in our business section.
