When you set up your retail store, there are a lot of design elements to consider like optimal product display, store layout, placement, ambience, the overall theme or look and much more.
But have you thought about your lighting design? It might not seem to be the first thing on your list when you are setting up your shop, but keep in mind that good retail lighting can deliver far more than just atmosphere. What is thought of as a simple utilitarian feature can also have an impact on your sales by enhancing customer satisfaction. How you light up your store plays a huge role in guiding customers through your store. The longer a customer spends in your store is directly proportional to the average spend per customer. Your lighting design should not be random, but custom-designed according to the personality profile of your target customer.
Create a Welcoming Atmosphere
Lighting design is a wonderful tool to create a pleasant atmosphere for your customers. If you can positively affect your customer’s moods as they enter your store, it will help them to perceive your brand and products positively as well. Even the ordinary can come across as magnificent given the right light and the right mood.
To figure out the kind of atmosphere you want to create in your store in terms of lighting, consider how you want clients to feel when they enter. Soft and warm lighting aids relaxation and nurtures a feeling of comfort, whereas bright light allows customers to see the quality of your products.
Another way that you can use lighting to stimulate an inviting atmosphere in your store is by playing with the temperature of your lighting. Lighting comes in the colour families of warm and cool. Cool coloured temperatures like cool white can make smaller spaces look more expansive while warm-coloured temperatures will create an impression of cosiness and familiarity. So if your store is in a small space that you want to make appear more spacious, you should employ cool lighting.
On the other hand, to make your store seem warm, homely and fondly nostalgic, warmer toned lighting is your solution. Lepro LED shop lights have many variants and you should be able to find one to suit your store’s needs.
Use Contrast to Create Interest
High contrast lighting, especially in retail settings, heightens a customer’s level of focus and attention. It also enhances visibility and makes perception for your customers. You can create contrast in your store by utilizing multiple different sources of light. You should create shadows around display areas and use spotlights to showcase and highlight feature products on your shelves. Strategically placed lighting will essentially point your customer’s eyes to where you want them to go. The contrast created around your products in this way will attract the customer’s attention towards your shelves and will facilitate them in to see details of the individual products on the shelves. This rule also applies to your display window. The right lighting in the store window will tempt a customer to enter your shop. Using the high contrast strategy in window displays is also a great trick to hook potential customers walking past.
Backlighting is your friend
However, you cannot use contrast lighting to illuminate all your store displays and niches simply because if everything uses a contract, there is no contrast overall. You should use strong contrast to highlight the main features, sale areas, or exclusive products, and consider backlighting for the rest.
If you have expansive display units and shelving, backlighting is a great option. Soft backlighting options are especially useful when you want to draw your customer’s attention to otherwise overlooked areas. Backlighting is also especially effective as it has the effect of keeping customers at shelves for a longer period thus increasing the probability of them making a purchase. Also, backlighting is useful where one wants to create a softer look and feel to the environment, creating a more intimate atmosphere. Coupled with accent lighting, backlit shelves produce an attractive effect.
Moving Forward
Retail Lighting Design is essential to maximize business. Your lighting strategy should be cognizant of your larger strategic plan for your brand and retail business. So don’t make lighting design an afterthought. Plan your retail lighting to ensure your customers stay in the right mood to purchase.