Retail planning that relies too heavily on retail psychology is to the shopper what fast food is to nutrition; the convenience is undeniable if we are content to forgo the notion of free choice and be reborn as retail-chain-clones. Most of us are guilty of it, at least from time to time, but to stretch the analogy, if we are seeking an evening of fine dining will we ever be happy with the fiberglass-booth and paper napkins experience? It is definitely practical and (possibly) even hygienic, but where’s the ambiance and, for that matter, the nutritional content?
Shopping should be fun. We should not feel as though we are hacking our way through a jungle, but neither should we feel like lab-rats following a pre-determined pattern. Merchandise should preferably be displayed logically to present options and possibilities, but spare us from the overtly systematized.
In an increasingly samey world it is a tonic to encounter an environment imbued with personality and the unconventional. Corporate retail design committees today spend too much time looking over the shoulders of one another resulting in the same bland template appearing again and again. It takes genuine character to ignore these conventions and to realize that they do not represent an empirical retail design principle.
Creating an appealing retail environment that will capture attention doesn’t mean sinking huge amounts of capital into retail design and custom-made fixtures. In fact some of the most interesting independent stores and boutiques have eschewed conventional store fixtures in favor of ad hoc improvised displays and in the process create truly memorable environments.
