Opinion

There are many many elements in making a store successful from product, brand, sales people and environment, but in terms of presentation one of the most important factors in creating a successful store and keeping up with expectations, for me has got to be Lighting Design.

Lighting can be a detail, retail owners often don’t put enough emphasis on or in some cases don’t consider at all. Lighting in any environment isn’t just about function, it’s been evolving for so long and should be a used as the No.1 tool to create atmosphere, enhance the customers shopping experience emphasising merchandise, and also raise brand awareness.

Designing a retail lighting scheme involves many factors and as lighting designers we would provide a scheme that has a juxtaposition of all five layers of light; Ambient, Accent, Decorative, Audio Visual and Signage.

The Ambient light provides a base level light that generally illuminates the circulation areas and provides a safe level of illumination, whilst Accent lighting directly illuminates and elevates the merchandise or a specific area.

To draw your attention to something we would use Decorative lights; their form can vary from pendants to table or floor lamps.

Where there are screens around your store the light emitted is Audio Visual, and then the brightest points in the store that aid successful navigation are Signage and Wayfinding.

Retailers are not only competing against each other but with the internet. Making your store a complete experience for the customer isn’t something you can dismiss. Light, like the smell of your store can evoke your emotions and behaviour, and is a tool that should not be under estimated.

Whilst many retailers still believe fluorescent lights are a good option in their stores; probably due to budget, these types of fittings should not be used for shop windows or as display lighting due to its ‘flat’ appearance of light. LED’s can be used in all light layers within your scheme as they are the most versatile and energy efficient type of lighting.

Most retailers don’t sell architectural light fittings, so they shouldn’t be a distraction from the actual merchandise. As Lighting Designers there are several factors we would consider when putting together a scheme that can be quite complex, but are all so important to getting the design right.

Retail lighting is by far one of the most important visual elements that grabs shoppers’ attention. It will attract and invite customers into your environment. Once inside you can use it to guide customers through the store and draw their attention to specific products.

Having created your atmosphere; the balance of light between merchandise and surroundings, you can affect the moods, behaviours and buying habits of your customers. Illuminating the verticals will draw the eye, define boundaries and decompress a space.

All of the above will communicate the fact that you have a well-established merchandising strategy and that you want to offer them the best experience.

Bottom Line – products that are showcased in the best possible lighting will look fantastic! This makes lighting a valuable tool to increase sales. At je+1 we are specialists in Retail Interiors and also experienced Lighting Designers working in partnership with the best manufacturers to suit your brand.

Current physical retailers and online retailers looking to make the move to Bricks and Mortar, now have to rethink the purpose of the Retail Store.

Simply having rows of products is no longer enough, as more and more people of all ages are becoming comfortable to order online and have products delivered to their door step with ease. Instead, stores must compel consumers to visit for more than before and to give them a Shopping Experience.

Here we’re looking at just two examples that Brands who have already been doing this for some time.

Taking the approach that people do not need another store, the Samsung 837 flagship in New York rethinks the purpose of the physical store by creating a ‘technology playground’. Samsung have literally brought theatre by including an auditorium with a huge digital screen that consists of 96 55-inch visual displays for film screenings and special cultural events.

When not specifically required for events, the screen displays selfies taken on nearby cameras. As if this wasn’t enough a VR tunnel and gallery is also on site to display technology-based art installations / immersive experiences. Samsung 837 is not designed to sell anything but instead to create a relevant cultural destination for people to simply spend time trying out the latest technology, absorb the Samsung lifestyle and see that Samsung products understand them.

With exciting developments in VR and AR, retailers are now implementing this as another tool to draw in and retain customers while they’ll continue to prioritise convenience, with many prefer to shop online from the comfort of their own home.

Retailers are introducing new and exciting ways to entice foot fall into their stores. To do this, retailers must grow and adapt to the ever changing market due to technological advances.

More recently we’ve taken a look at how Augmented reality has started to become a normal occurrence within retail stores, as well as what some retailers are doing, and how.

Major luxury retailer, Selfridges have recently collaborated with Digital Artist Jon Emmony. The artist created a futuristic augmented reality artwork within the Selfridges flagship store in London called Digital Falls.

Members of the public were invited to download the Digital Falls app and explore the physical artwork for themselves across the different levels of the atrium.

This is not only a great way to get customers involved, but the general public too. Many people are intrigued by augmented reality, and the fact that this was reachable by using a smartphone meant anyone could experience the digital art.

On their page dedicated to the talented artist, they explain that “Digital Falls reimagines the five-storey atrium space at Selfridges London as a column of water, filled with bioluminescent sea creature-like sculptures, pulsing with electrical signals that visualise the digital conversations and ideas that surround us day-to-day.”

The artwork encourages exploration and discovery, taking the user on a physical tour as different levels of the atrium provide different views and perspectives.

Through John Evans Interior Architecture & Design, we’ve been associated with DFS since its inception and before that for Northern Upholstery who purchased the name and stores.

It has been very interesting seeing the progression during the years, and it is easy to see why they have maintained their number one slot.

Since 2019, we’ve been working on the first phase of a refurbishment program for their stores which will bring the presentation of their furniture up to date and in sync with their online offering.

This is vitally important as shoppers’ habits have changed, for many the internet is the first place they visit when looking to purchase furniture. This provides them with style ideas, price points and importantly the opportunity to decide which Brand to buy from and which stores to visit.

Although online has no doubt been an advantage most recently for retailers like DFS, big ticket items like furniture, it’s inevitable a visit to a store to view the furniture is essential if an expensive mistake is to be avoided. To us, this is why purely online Furniture groups have been opening physical stores too.

This is why we really feel that Retailers with established bricks and mortar, can have an advantage by already having the stores. Unfortunately though, it isn’t always as simple as just having showrooms that are attractive. Retailing now more than ever calls for a joined-up approach.

A good website is essential with an opportunity to buy online if preferred, presented in such a way as to engage with the customer, offer style ideas and give confidence. This also needs to be backed up with the same approach on Social Media.

Once all this has been achieved the in-store experience becomes even more crucial. While all the good work has been done on the internet, this can be so easily undone as soon as the customer walks into a store. It is so vital for the in-store experience to lives up to the online experience and even surpasses it to complete the buying process.

After three years of successfully selling online, Boll & Branch believe “the main reason a customer wouldn’t buy a product online was because they wanted to be able to feel it for themselves” (Scott Tannen, CEO Boll & Branch).

By opening a physical store, the brands’ story is told through photos of their trips to factories and farms to show the people making the product. Customers are also able to understand the quality of the product through the ‘thread count wall’ which shows their signature weave magnified.

Combining tradition shopping with new technology, Boll and Branch’s full range can be viewed and orders placed digitally.

When it comes to a lifestyle experience, Warby Parker offer a physical setting which has been designed to keep customers in their stores longer, with the aim of effectively transforming themselves into a social hub.

Warby Parker started as an online-only retailer of prescription eyewear, but now has about 50 stores that enable customers to try their frames. The company is known for exceptional customer service with sales associates well-trained and knowledgeable.

Bonobos, the largest online-only clothing retailer, optimizes both an online and in-store experience for men’s clothing. Their showrooms provide customers with one-on-one service including size and style advice. This personalised service is enough of a reason to attract customers into the shop.

Birchbox, the UK’s No. 1 Beauty Box and leading beauty e-commerce company, has opened its first store. The store has been designed to showcase the Birchbox personal touch, by creating a warm inviting space where people love to shop for beauty.
The GIF booth is a creative way to engage customers with the brand, where they can take photos and take home branded prints or post them on social media.