Stores spend so much time arranging shelves and products to maximize the visit of each customer. Ikea, Walmart, and Target–every retailer shop, basically–think about what customers want to buy–and places them in the least accessible part of the store so that customers will travel and be exposed to other products in the store.
Your store may already be following that same principle in different branches, but that’s not to say there’s nothing else you can do to improve sales. These other factors help too:
Lighting
Tampa has pretty sunny weather most of the year, with only a handful of rainy days each month. Your store should reflect this kind of laid-back atmosphere that residents are used to. Commercial lighting is one of the biggest considerations when designing your storefront, to draw customers’ attention towards your bestsellers. The lighting inside the store can also make or break the mood for shoppers, who want to feel relaxed and pampered, not stressed and rushed. Natural lighting is always the best option, but if you want consistent lighting the whole day, use lighting that emulates that natural look as much as possible. Lighting that makes the store look stark and clinical will not bring out anyone’s desire to shop.
Signage
How will you sell anything if customers can’t even see where your store is? The signage on your storefront and in the driveway will mark the location of the store, and it can also give prospective customers a good idea of how fun shopping would be. Old signage with busted lights and discolored logo will tell customers you’re not a thriving business. This will make them feel less inclined to even get inside the store. On the contrary, if you’ve spent on the maintenance and upkeep of your signage, that gives a good first impression on the store.
Customer Service
Not many customers will want to transact with a business who treats them rudely. This is especially important when you deal with customers in person, not online like when they’re shopping from an e-commerce shop. When you’re facing your customers, your nonverbal cues may make customers feel uneasy, and the tone of voice of the staff may also be detrimental to your business. This is easy enough to resolve through training every person who faces customers, making sure they know what they’re doing and can react appropriately and professionally to client concerns.
Price
You have all the right to price your products as high as you want. You want to get back everything you spent on product manufacturing, and you may have commercial loans to pay off, as well. However, when it’s hard to justify the expensive prices of your products, it may be a challenge to convince customers to spend their hard-earned money. Pricing products too cheaply may also backfire, as very low products may associate your products with low quality. To determine the appropriate price for your products, consider the labor and manufacturing costs, as well as your revenue target.
There are several factors to consider when you’re running a brick and mortar store. To get people through the doors, make sure you package your store attractively.
