We’ve all gone to the grocery store armed with a list. Grocery stores are our preferred destinations for milk, bread, eggs and everything in between. But if you’re the grocery store manager, then you know full well that the key to running a profitable store is selling more of the “everything in between”. Exposing shoppers to more products is the goal of a good grocery store layout. Successful grocery store layouts influence traffic flow, and guide shoppers through the entire sales space. Grocery store layouts should encourage customers to discover new products and specialty items. When you read Discovery Based Retail you will learn how store layouts affect customers’ shop time, incremental sales and ultimately profitability.
Managers and owners of grocery stores need to match the correct grocery store layout to their store type. Discovery Based-Retail will help bring clarity to your planning process, by teaching you to seek answers to simple questions such as “What is my store type?” and “Who are my target customers?” If your target customers are bargain shoppers concerned only with price, then a straightforward traditional grocery store layout might adequately address your needs. Grocery store operators who target the price sensitive customer often run parallel aisles that demand a more self-reliant shopping experience in order to lower payroll which in turn helps foster lower prices. Store managers who target this group of customers invest more resources in inventory and less in customer service. But even then, creating a layout featuring leading visuals of related products can help guide customers through the store and increase their shopping time. More shopping time usually translates to more purchases by the customers and more sales for the store.
If your target is upscale customers however, then your grocery store layout might need to include a combination of free flowing departments and a modified racetrack design. Free flowing areas allow more customer interaction, which along with the expertise required for this type of operation often appeals to upscale customers. The upscale grocery store layout may include more entertainment & design elements which are also intended to lengthen the time a customer spends in the store. These elements contribute to a pleasant shopping experience and a pleasant shopping experience will produce more sales.
In the past grocery store layouts dealt with fewer items. There was only produce, dairy products, meats and a few add on items. In today’s complex world of ultra-choices however, categories not only crossover, but have multiplied . Current grocery store layouts often incorporate a café, deli, pharmacy, bookstore, health foods, video and floral departments. Discovery Based-Retail will empower you to address your current layout and position your store to better serve the needs of your customers and do so while improving your profit.
