Shopping can be relaxing; in fact, there’s the term “retail therapy,” but not all stores are created equal, and the relaxing shopping experience for each of these can largely vary. Just think about it; it can be hard trying to relax and shop around when store clerks are constantly asking for assistance, the music blasting, the shelves being chaotic; while not all experiences are like this, it can be common. These chaotic and over-stimulating experiences might want to make someone leave as soon as possible.
So, with that said, you’re obviously going to want to ensure that you give the best experience possible to your customers. The whole goal is for someone to feel relaxed enough to where they can stay in your store for a while. In fact, when it comes to opening up a retail store, this is going to be key.
Here’s how you can create a relaxing shopping experience for your shop;
1. Figure Out the Tech First
Do you know how the cash register works? How about the tablet that’s usually used for payment? Have you put any thoughts into high risk credit card processing? In order to make the relaxing shopping experience for others, the work experience needs to be relaxing for you and your employees. If anything goes wrong, this instantly ruins the atmosphere, leaving both parties feeling fairly stressed out. So, ensure that you can do whatever it takes to ensure that you won’t need to deal with technical difficulties or errors.
2. Use Neutral Tones
When it comes to retail space design, neutral tones are great for creating a peaceful environment. Light tones like white and light beige are calming and help customers focus on merchandise in the display cases. Darker tones can make the space feel cramped, so use them sparingly. You want to select wall tones that reflect the overall theme of your retail space. For example, if you have a wilderness-themed clothing store, earthy tones like greens and browns are ideal. High-energy hues like teal can work well in a sports store, while burgundy is perfect for a more traditional look.
3. Consider the Lighting
It’s not just the tones that count, but the lighting is important too. For the most part, retail spaces tend to have dimmer lights, and this can make customers feel more relaxed. Overhead lighting that’s too bright can be distracting, while too dim can feel dingy and cold. Instead, use warm-toned lights to light your retail displays and products. This will help your customers feel at ease and will give the store a more homey feeling. You should also consider using natural daylight whenever possible. Natural lighting is, of course, more eco-friendly, but it can technically be a bit more challenging too, but in the end, make sure to focus on lighting. If you have too many items, invest in storage, and use lights to highlight what products you want to draw your customers to.
4. Consider the Music
While it’s really all going to depend on the atmosphere you’re after, in order to ensure that it’s relaxing shopping experience, it’s far better to focus on the tempo of the music. For instance, coffee houses tend to play soft and slow music; it’s meant to be relaxing while you sip away at coffee. Grocery stores tend to play pop music to make you feel energized. So, be sure to consider the type of music you want as this is going to heavily affect the atmosphere.
