c1spatial organization
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Spatial Organization
Circulation Area
Service AreaDisplay Area
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The retail store has three major design
elements : display areas, service areas, andcirculation areas.
The relationship or spatial organization of
these areas is determined by the same factorsthat control the layout of any architectural
space: the efficient and purposeful
accommodation of space requirements of
equipment, products, and people.
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Unlike most spaces, however, the design of
retail stores offers a great deal of freedomfrom principles or traditions.
Whereas other architectural designs, such as
th
ose for medical and residential buildings,have many building-code stipulations (light
and air requirements, room size, and ceiling
heights), retail stores are relatively
unregulated.
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The main area of regulation with regard to
overall design concerns becoming important. Regulations may stipulate that exit doors
swing in the direction of travel, that two
points of exit (distant from each other) be
provided, that aisles be of a certain width, and
so on.
And unlike offices or institutions, retail stores
are not so controlled by traditions.
Indeed, wild flights of design fancy are often
welcomed by store owners, landlords, and
customers alike. 4
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Construction budgets for retail stores may also
permit more elaborate designs than do
budgets for residential projects, and so that
designers of retail stores often are able to
create buildings that are both functional and
exciting.
The basic space presented to the designer is
commonly a rectangle, with the short sides
forming the front and rear of the store.
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Landlords lease storefront space in addition to
the total area and, in both street and
shopping-mall locations, usually try to
maintain a balance between the width of the
storefront and the total store area.
Stores selling products that do not require
much space, such as jewelry, shoe or optical
stores should prefer a corner location.
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Rents are always higher for corner spaces, the
tenant must consider whether the store will
really benefit from the added exposure of two
side traffic or not. If not, an in-line location ( a
store placed between two other stores in a
mall) is more appropriate.
The relationship of the area allocated to
display, service, and circulation forms the core
of the design of a retail store.
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Unlike other building types, retail stores do
not usually separate functional areas by
means of walls, except to enclose service and
storage areas. Rather, most stores remain as
open as possible, to permit the shoppers to
orient themselves from any location, and to
see as many items as possible.
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Circulation Area
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Circulation paths in small stores are usually
defined by front-to-back or loop aisles,whereas those in large stores may be more
extensive versions of basis grids or loops.
Circulation paths should be simple and logical.
Because the assembled merchandise usually
offers a wide variety of visual experiences,
creating a complicated circulation route to
provide visual stimulation is unnecessary.
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Such routes should, however, be entertaining
and provide a logical sequence for buying.
Also, merchandise is typically displayed in
orderly, efficient patterns that dictate simple
circulation geometry. Overall, circulation mustbe clear enough that the shoppers will focus
on the displays, not on the aisles. If overly
concerned about finding their way through
the store without bumping into something,
the customers will not be able to concentrate
on the merchandise and so will not find
anything to buy.13
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According to Joseph Weishar (Weishar 1987)
the maximum depth from an aisle to a wall
that forms department is 30 feet. If the depth
is greater, it will discourage shoppers from
entering. Weishar also recommends avoiding
straight aisles that permit views from the front
to the back of the store.
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Aisles that bend enough to lead the shopper
through a series of product experiencescontrolled by the merchandiser are more
successful. These techniques always must be
balanced with the shoppers need to feel
comfortable in the space and not to feel
trapped in a maze. Weishar also believes that
aisles are not the most desirable place to sell;
rather, quiet, less-trafficked areas adjacent toaisles provide the best opportunity.
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The display of merchandise is like a motion
picture that requires the viewer, rather than
the film, to move.
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Service Area
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Service areas can be either work or storage
spaces. Examples are cash counters, wrappingcounters, offices, storage areas, tailor and
repair shops, shipping and receiving areas,
washrooms, and kitchens. Service areas are
usually designed for maximum efficiency,
accessibility, and optimal equipment
placement, and they are generally located at
the back of the store, as areas close to thefront are too valuable as selling space to be
used for service activities. In many stores,
delivery access also is at the rear of the store.18
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Moreover, store owners do not want customers
entering private areas, and so it is best to segregate
service areas to the rear of the store.
The location of the cash counter varies depending on
the size of the store, the number of employees, and
whether the store is self-service.
If the cash counter is at the front of the store,
security controls can be increased. But, if the
salesperson and cash counter are the first things that
customers see when they enter a store, they maybecome intimidated(scared). If the cash counter is
located at the front, it should be concealed(covered)
by storefront displays and be oriented to face the
store interior. 19
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This arrangement, however, requires a
relatively wide store-front and presents
security problems when only one salesperson
is on duty: If the salesperson is serving a
customer at the rear of the store, the front
cash counter will be unprotected and subject
to theft.
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If th
e store owner decides to put th
e cash
counter in the front, at least two clerks should
staff the store, with one person stationed at
the front at all times.
Placing the cash counter at the rear of the
store eliminates the problem of immediate
shopper/salesperson eye contact and puts the
cash counter in a more secure location. This isthe best arrangement for single-salesperson
stores.
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The designer must be careful, however, to
provide this salesperson with an unobstructedview of the entire store, or security may be
compromised. The designer should place high
display counters only around the store
perimeter and may choose to install security
mirrors or cameras.
Finally, the cash counter may be located in the
middle of the store. If the store is large andhas many employees, the cashier will probably
not need to monitor the store for shoplifters
or to control access to stockrooms.23
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The centralized location of the cash counter
also provides good access for shoppers. If it
can be accommodated, a wrapping counter
that is part of, adjacent to, or behind the cash
counter is desirable. With the wrapping
counter close by, the salesperson need not
leave the cash counter unattended to wrapmerchandise, which also increases security
and speeds sales transactions.
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Sometimes merchandise is displayed on the cash
counter to promote impulse sales, but this is a
poor design solution for several reasons: Displays
on low counters may be closed off by customers
standing in front of the counter; displays can
physically get in the way of cash transactions; andbrowsers examining the displays can crowd out
customers who wish to pay for their
merchandise.
It thus is usually better to place impulsemerchandise near, but not on or in, the cash
counter.
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The offices for small stores are generally
located in a back storage room and are limited
to a short counter, space for a file cabinet, and
some shelves. Larger stores may have space
for full-size offices, which are also usually
adjacent to storage areas or located on a
mezzanine.
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Kitchens for retail store employees are usually
spartan (basic) , consisting of small counters
with space for a coffee machine, a small
refrigerator, and possibly a bar sink and a
small table and chairs. Although the numberand size of washrooms depend on local
building codes, at least one washroom should
be provided as a source of water and to
eliminate the need for employees to leave the
store.
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In general, public washrooms are not provided
in retail stores, even in stores located far from
any public facilities. The problems of security
and maintenance of public washrooms usually
preclude(prevent) their installation, but some
local building codes require that specialized
washrooms be installed for mobility forlimited employees.
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Display Area
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Display areas are the heart of a retail store.
Display is the mechanism that presents the
merchandise to the shopper in its most
favorable light and that permits the shopper
to evaluate and select products for purchase.
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A display has two elements, product
presentation and product ev
aluation, and th
edesigner must address both. The product-
evaluation area is a space directly in front of
the display or adjacent to it where a customer
may examine the product, read anypertinent(relevant) information related to it,
or have a salesperson explain its virtues.
Sometimes the evaluation is a two-stepprocess, as in the purchase of clothing.
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First the shoppers are attracted to a feature
display of a product, and then they select a
particular item of apparel displayed on a rack.
Next, while standing in front of the display
rack, the shoppers remove the item for a
closer examination of the product's
construction, color, material, and detailing.
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They may select several similar items as
possible purchases and then move to the final
stage of product evaluation, which requires
them to try on the clothes. In front of a triple
mirror, the customers appraise their
appearance wearing the product, checking for
fit and overall image.
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After trying on a few other items, they make a
final selection and go to the cash counter . Allproducts being examined for purchase
undergo this evaluation process, although
some items are simple and need no additionalspace.
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If a product-evaluation area is required, it will often take up
part of the aisle. The designer should therefore provide
sufficient space for shoppers to get past browsers standing infront of a display and to give those people examining the
products enough space to do this comfortably.
Behavioral studies indicate people require a zone of space
around th
em to act as a buffer against perceived th
reats(Eysenck and Eysenck 1983).
The amount of space needed varies among different people
and cultures, but if the product-evaluation space is not large
enough to provide psychological protection, some shoppers
may become so annoyed by the constant passage of othershoppers through their zone that they will leave the store
without buying anything.
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The spatial relationship between the
salesperson and the customer also has been
studied (Eysenck and Eysenck 1983). While the
salesperson is explaining the virtues of a
product, should he or she sit or stand face to
face with the customer (maintaining a properbuffer zone, of course) or side by side?
Psychologically, the face-to-face relationship is
competitive, wh
ereas th
e side-by-siderelationship is cooperative.
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Men are often competitive and may view
strangers who sit opposite them, such as a
salesperson, as a threat, whereas women,
who may be taught to be more friendly and
cooperative, may regard a salesperson in a
close side-by-side relationship as
uncomfortably friendly.
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Therefore, to gain a male customer's
cooperation, the salesperson should approach
him from the side. And to avoid making
female customers uncomfortable, the sales
help should approach them from the front. If
applied, this theory might result in more face-
to-face, service-counter displays in a storeselling women's products than would be
designed for a similar men's store.
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Ellen Langer (1989) observed that an object
will appear to be lighter in weight if the holder
of the object is first asked to lift a very heavy
anchor. Accordingly, sales people should show
customers more expensive products first, to
make other less expensive, but notinexpensive, products seem more affordable.
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To apply the principle to the display of similar
products, th
e most expensive items sh
ould belocated in a prominent position in the store
and the least expensive ones elsewhere. The
shoppers will see the more expensive items
first and either purchase them orsubsequently see and be pleased with the
lower price of the less prominently displayed
products. Of course, less expensive does notnecessarily mean less profit.
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If a customer can first be sold an expensive
item, such as a men's suit, he may also buy
lower-priced accessories because he has
already adjusted psychologically to the higher
price of the first item.
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This is the main reason that lower-price,
impulse items are displayed near cash
counters. Impulse items sell easily because
they appear inexpensive in relation to the
overall expenditure the customer will make.
Ideally, merchandise should be arranged in a
waterfall of decreasing prices.
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The customer should be able to view
accessory products, displayed in order of
decreasing price, as he moves from his main,
most expensive purchase to the cash counter.
Thus, the Rs.4000 suit leads to the Rs.1250
sweater, which is followed by the Rs.750 shirt,
the Rs.500 tie, and the Rs.100 pair of socksdisplayed near the cash counter.
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Products that are grouped together are regarded as
"belonging" together .
Therefore, inexpensive items placed in the midst of
expensive products take on a more valued
perception in the shopper's eyes, and expensive
products among inexpensive products lose some of
their perceived value. Although the latter makes little
sense, the former may be a useful tool. If a Rs.300
watch is displayed in the midst of a series of Rs.2,000
watches, it may be perceived as a "real buy." More
commonly, however, the designer must take care not
to mix differently valued items, so as to avoid any
problems of customer perception.
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Another factor in the design of a store is
flexibility of display, which can be divided into
two categories;
flexibility of store fixtures and
flexibility of fixture layout.
Because the retail business is constantly
changing, flexibility of design is important.
Styles and product lines go in and out of
fashion in rapid-fire sequence.51
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In addition, regular shoppers and store staff may become
bored with a store that does not alter its displays relatively
often to create a new look.
To allow the store to adapt to new products and styles and
make significant display changes, some flexibility must be
inherent in the fixture layout. For example, storefront show
windows should be designed to use only movable, temporarydisplay fixtures such as chairs or boxes .
Internal display fixtures can be placed on hard-surface floors
of wood or the-heavy fixtures placed on carpeting will leave
an imprint. Or fixtures can be designed to use interchange-
able parts, so that they can be used for different products and
display techniques.
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Above all, lighting and electrical systems must
permit flexibility.T
rack ligh
ting and floor- orwall-concealed power boxes allow fixtures to
be rearranged freely. Total flexibility may not
be necessary or desirable in all stores, but it
certainly should be considered.
In summary, the designer should create a
store that has an interesting and flexible
variety of details, images, and tones, yetmaintains a cohesive expression of the
products sold, their price and quality, and the
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The store layout must direct shoppers along
circulation paths that are easy to comprehend
and that maximize the exposure of the
product in the proper sequence. The following
figures illustrate some of the many fine design
solutions that have been developed to serve
the shopping public .
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