Designing for the bottom line

TCF store owners must work harder on retail and brand design if they are to attract time-poor consumers, a visual merchandising expert has told retailers.
Speaking at the National Retail Association's Business Congress recently, Design Portfolio principal Yuri Bolotin argued "head turning" shop-fronts and strategic space and merchandise planning were an important tool in boosting a company's existing client base.
"Be memorable," he urged. "I'm not talking about customer service and staff training; I'm talking about giving customers an experience they will share with others. It's not about large investments but the quality of the idea and how well you capture people's imaginations."
Bolotin cited The Mandarina Duck clothing store in London - that uses a four to five-metre yellow male torso sculpture in its shop front - as an example of a retailer who had cottoned on to this approach.
A second store in Dubai, owned by Sony, used a simple screen of reflective CDs to catch the eyes of people passing by, Bolotin said.
He said another method of boosting customer activity, was utilising store space and design.
"People are becoming increasingly time-poor and don't want to hop all over the store to find what they want to buy. How do you help people find the right products? The answer is in delineation, breaking down your range into departments.
While the process sounded complicated, he said, it was actually very simple.
"When you look at your store plans, ask yourself the question: are all areas in the store going to be well trafficked?"