THE USE OF SPACE Ken Parsons Retailing is basically shopkeepers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

IMPROVING LAYOUT & THE USE OF SPACE

Ken Parsons

Retailing is basically shopkeepers renting serviced space to manufacturers

THE THREE Ss

• SPACE
• STAFF
• STOCK

WHAT DO WE WANT FROM OUR SPACE?

• Meet legal requirements
• Pleasant place to spend time in
• Meet customers’ known needs
• Help the store sell more
• Easy for staff to maintain & service

SOMETIMES NEEDS ARE IN CONFLICT

Before getting clever the basics have to be right !!

• Tidy
• Clean
• Filled up and in-stock
• Price tickets etc. in place
• Maintained well

HOW CUSTOMERS BEHAVE

• Inexperienced shopping
• Experiential shopping
• Considered shopping
• Grab and go
• Impulse shopping
• E.g. oven cleaners
• E.g. fresh produce
• E.g. greetings cards
• E.g. newspaper
• E.g. confectionery

How do supermarkets do it?

Dividing it up

• Staff space
• Customer space
• Stock space

STORE LAYOUTS IT’S SCIENCE, HONESTLY!

• Not too crowded
• Display stock well
• Space for sufficient range
• Sell stuff
• Retail theatre
• Practical store operation
• Customer circulation

GRAPH PAPER IS YOUR FRIEND

Outside space

The Strategy for layout

ENCOURAGE CUSTOMER CIRCULATION ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO GET OVER THE THRESHOLD

• “DECELERATION ZONE”

HELP CUSTOMERS VISIT EVERY PART OF THE STORE AVOID QUEUES BLOCKING CIRCULATION ALLOW BROWSING AREAS

PRACTICALITIES

• Location of counter is key – front or back?
• Refrigeration on wallrun visible from door
• Pillars and other obstructions

accommodated

A FEW RULES

• Aisles at least a metre wide
• Gondola height – people able to see over them
• Designated promotional/seasonal space
• Fittings appropriate e.g. right length counter
• Blocking windows undesirable but often

necessary – but need to look professional

• Don’t overdo the aisle-blockers e.g. dumpbins

PRODUCT POSITIONING

• Impulse purchases in high traffic areas
• Destination shopping at back
• Linked purchases close together
• Vulnerable/age restricted

lines near counter

• Dual site if space permits

EXAMPLES

• Newspapers to rear of store
• Confectionery in prominent position
• Alcohol near counter
• Household in low traffic area
• Greetings cards in browsing area
• Refrigeration round walls

USE OF SHELF SPACE

THE BRAIN IS VERY GOOD AT FILTERING OUT COMPLEXITY – customers only fully see odd bits

EYE LEVEL IS BUY LEVEL

Block ranges vertically not horizontally

• Ensure shelves are the right depth for the range on

them

• Use display outers sparingly
• If customers can’t see it, they won’t buy it
• GOOD – BETTER - BEST

SOME ISSUES

• Use your sales figures
• Do not cram in too much – balance new

lines with discontinuations

• Use planograms where available, adapt as

necessary

• Maintain shelf discipline

THE WORLD KEEPS SPINNING..

• REVIEW USE OF SPACE REGULARLY
• MAKE SURE
• SOMEBODY
• IS RESPONSIBLE
• FOR SPACE

www.ruralshops.org.uk